Dunlop Elite 3 tires

[shooter3001]

I'm getting ready to change a back tire on my 07 RSV in about 2,000 more miles. I want to go with the Dunlop Elite 3 and was wondering what kind of mileage to expect. Or would I get more mileage out of an Avon?

[BOO]

Well I have an E3 on the rear of my 01 and it's got over 20,000 on it. It still has a lot of tread and I'm going to take off to Asheville in a couple of weeks.

First let me say I'm a big Dunlop fan and just don't use anything else. BUT!

Over the 4th my son and I went to southern Indiana, got caught in a really bad rain storm, roads really wet, you get the picture.

We were on a limited access 4 lane, a light turned orange and I was quite a ways from the light so I applied the brakes, back wheel locked up, tried feathering the brakes, couldn't get the bike stopped so I slid through the light. All the time I was applying some front brake but that back tire is slick in the rain.

I don't know if you are aware but the E3 has a hard strip down the center of the tire for tire wear, like super slabs etc. But I think it's way to hard to allow for any grip in the rain. Cornering seems okay, it's just the stopping and I have spun the rear wheel when taking off at light in the wet.

So just a little warning, take it for what it worth.

Jerry

[shooter3001]

Well I have an E3 on the rear of my 01 and it's got over 20,000 on it. It still has a lot of tread and I'm going to take off to Asheville in a couple of weeks.

 

First let me say I'm a big Dunlop fan and just don't use anything else. BUT!

 

Over the 4th my son and I went to southern Indiana, got caught in a really bad rain storm, roads really wet, you get the picture.

 

We were on a limited access 4 lane, a light turned orange and I was quite a ways from the light so I applied the brakes, back wheel locked up, tried feathering the brakes, couldn't get the bike stopped so I slid through the light. All the time I was applying some front brake but that back tire is slick in the rain.

 

I don't know if you are aware but the E3 has a hard strip down the center of the tire for tire wear, like super slabs etc. But I think it's way to hard to allow for any grip in the rain. Cornering seems okay, it's just the stopping and I have spun the rear wheel when taking off at light in the wet.

 

So just a little warning, take it for what it worth.

 

Jerry

 

Thanks for the "heads up" about riding on wet pavement. A friend of mine had them on his 06 GW and said the same thing. I thought maybe it would be a little different on the RSV.

[Jethroish]

I just put a set of E3s on my RSV 2 weeks ago. Last week I rode for Louisville to Bowling Green (100 miles). 50 to 70 miles of that was on wet raods adn intermittent rain. I have no problems on the freeway at 70 mph.

[1sttenor]

I've a set with about 12,000 on them. Probably 70% left. I've not noticed the rain issue though. I've been caught out in 2 day long rains and never a missed step. I do allow for greater stopping distances though...

[Seaking]

Well I have an E3 on the rear of my 01 and it's got over 20,000 on it. It still has a lot of tread and I'm going to take off to Asheville in a couple of weeks.

 

First let me say I'm a big Dunlop fan and just don't use anything else. BUT!

 

Over the 4th my son and I went to southern Indiana, got caught in a really bad rain storm, roads really wet, you get the picture.

 

We were on a limited access 4 lane, a light turned orange and I was quite a ways from the light so I applied the brakes, back wheel locked up, tried feathering the brakes, couldn't get the bike stopped so I slid through the light. All the time I was applying some front brake but that back tire is slick in the rain.

 

I don't know if you are aware but the E3 has a hard strip down the center of the tire for tire wear, like super slabs etc. But I think it's way to hard to allow for any grip in the rain. Cornering seems okay, it's just the stopping and I have spun the rear wheel when taking off at light in the wet.

 

So just a little warning, take it for what it worth.

 

Jerry

 

Hi Jerry, sounds like you had a lot of rear brake on and too little front brake..

 

I don't think it's the E3's in general causing this problem as I've had that happen to me before with this bike. I think it's either the rider putting too much brake on the rear causing it to skid, or the front brakes being applied too aggressively causing the rear of the bike to raise, taking weight off the tire thus causing it to skid.

 

I recently pumped up my shocks on the 06 Venture and I now have a hard time locking up the rear of the bike, rain or no rain (and it rains a lot here).

 

These tires do make me nervous on painted lines, but that could be more about the top-heaviness of the bike and that it's a new bike to me.. On my lowered VStar with ME 880's on it, I felt I could ride on grease and still have great traction but these E3's seem to be a fair weather tire to me.. YMMV

 

Cheers M8

[PBJ]

Hey shooter, I'm running and E3 on my 85 1st Gen and its still wearing strong. The profiles a bit flattened now and when I get it over into the meat of the side thread it does make a whine or howling noise. That I attribute to the deepness of the thread and the hardness of the rubber. It seems to be wearing extremely well And personally i've never had any complaints with any Dunlop tires I've used either on my Venture , My Honda V4 Sabre or my Yamaha XS 1100 sidecar rig.

[Gearhead]

I have 18k on the E3 on the back of my VR. It's still got a fair bit of life in it. It should approach the 23K I've got from E2's on my Virago. I've ridden in the rain and not noticed any problem. Never had to do an emergency stop in the rain, but frankly I'm not sure I'd expect great results from any tire under those conditions.

 

Jeremy