[lordbradley71]

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i had a new dunlop e3 tire put on the front of my 1500---the new tire is a radial and my rear e3 is a bias. i swear this bike handles worse than ever...is it me? i see that you are not to mix bias and radials, is this indeed true? this bike is very squirrley in the turns and it was never that way before. i put 20k on the old tires with no problem, and now it scares me to push a turn with it.

 

[DaveO430]

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It usually doesn't matter but that may be a bad combination, sometimes that happens.

 

[blkeatts]

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Your change in handling is exactly why you don't mix bias and radials. Car tires are the same. Match the type and you will be back to smooth handling..

blkeatts

 

[GLester]

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The 1500 was not designed for radial tires. That should had been a E3 Bias ply installed on the 1500. The E3 radial was designed for the 1800. If a dealer installed that, and they are the ones that pulled the tire to install, get back there and make them put the bias ply tire on.:shock:

Gene:action:

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

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You shouldn't put a radial on a bike designed to use a bias ply. Thetire sellershould have known that, and they probably do, but decided to put their profit margin ahead of your safety.

 

[lordbradley71]

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thanks fellas- i intend to take it back to them as soon as possible. i knew that was the case on car tires but did not know for sure on motorcycles. i cant wait to get my machine back the way it was....and this is why we cant stand taking our bikes to other people to work on them. the age old rule is..if you want it done right, do it yourself. sad thing is, there are not too many bike shops to choose from around here. looks like ill be learning how to do tire work after this.:?

 

[JerryH]

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On bikes I ALWAYS recommend the same type and size tire that came on it. Bikes are WAY more sensitive to tire type than cars, even sports cars, and they were designed for the type of tire that came on them.


This was not meant for "darksiders", I am assuming you know what you are doing, and accept any risks. I have made a few modifications to bikes over the years that some said were unsafe, but they were carefully thought out, and I never had any problems. In a couple of cases I didn't like the results, and immediately changed it back.

 

[ALEX BERECZKY]

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The rule is to not mix bias and radial 'On the same axle'... Which of course, is an impossible situation on a motorcycle.

That being said, I've not heard of anyone doing a radial on the front and bias on the rear... I actually do the opposite (bias front, radial car tire rear), and it handles great.

 

[jdvorchak]

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When I bought my 1800 it had a Bias on the front and radial. It handled so bad it was dangerous. Now the 1800 is designed for radials. Your 1500 was designed for bias and I suspect that with your mix your bike probably is horrible handling and probably borders on dangerous. Do yourself a favor and put a bias on the front.

 

[lordbradley71]

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the bike shop is closed on sundays and mondays...why? hell if i know. but i cant do anything til tomorrow. however i called the shop i got the bike from, and they installed the new front tire when i got it. they said they put a bias ply on then. so the shop i took it to, removed a bias ply and installed a radial. even though i told them to put the same tire on. the guy even brought it to my attention that he installed a radial, and there was a bias on the rear. i am worried i will have a hard time trying to get them to put on the correct tire without giving me a bunch of **** about it. i really hate problems like this.

 

[tnoort]

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I have a radial on the front of my 1500..........but only 'cause I blew a front tire (at high speed - wasn't THAT exciting!) just outside Salt Lake City (a verrrry long ways from where I reside!) and it was all I could get on short notice.

I now have a new bias on the rear and the handling actually seems quite good on my bike...........especially in the rain and snow I experienced in Utah this spring.

The tires ARE different than yours.......Bridgestone Exedra Max's so as the saying goes - "Your results may vary."

I would certainly not choose to mix bias and radial voluntarily but you do what you gotta do when push comes to shove!

Good luck with your tires!

T.

 

[lordbradley71]

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ok, i talked to the bike shop today, they scheduled me for saturday morning to replace my tire. the guy i talked to knew who i was, and really didnt seem too surprised to hear from me. after all, he was the one who brought it to my attention that the radial was on the front and the bias was on the rear. and he shipped my bike out anyway. i had the tire installed on the 10th of august, and i have almost 2600 miles on it already. to me, thats funny...and i intend to wear this incorrect tire down as much as i can until i get my correct tire installed. :badgrin:

 

[SamH]

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With all due respect to those that differ........I am having fantastic results running a Dunlap Elite 3 160/80 B16 on the rear and a Avon 130/70 R18 on the front of my 1500 with no complaints. I do not know what the 'bridge grates' reaction will be but rest assured; the tracking problems on grooved pavement with this set-up is a thing of the past.

 

[exavid]

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Some dealers aren't careful enough. I took my 1500 to a dealer in Auburn, WA for a new front tire a few years ago. I specified a Dunlop E3 bias ply front tire to be mounted on my wheel. Even wrote that on the work order prior to them starting on it. The got done and I checked the wheel to make sure the arrow was in the right direction and drove the twenty miles back home. After I had just finished putting the tire and all back on the bike I noticed the little "R" on the sidewall. Really torqued me off after carefully telling them I wanted bias ply. So it took another forty miles on the road to get it corrected. Naturally I couldn't have discovered this when I was in their shop.

 

[lordbradley71]

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Hey Exavid...you never rode it with radial on it???

 

[exavid]

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Nope.

 

[lordbradley71]

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ok fellas...here is the verdict. i got the correct tire installed...which is a bias ply NOT a radial. this is a night and day difference in handling and its far more stable in the corners. i put 250 miles on it today, and i am pleased. my machine is back to the way it was. the bike shop was more than friendly, and very cooperative in getting this done. i couldnt be more happy.

 

[newday777]

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Good to hear that for you bro!

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

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lordbradley71 wrote:

ok fellas...here is the verdict. i got the correct tire installed...which is a bias ply NOT a radial. this is a night and day difference in handling and its far more stable in the corners. i put 250 miles on it today, and i am pleased. my machine is back to the way it was. the bike shop was more than friendly, and very cooperative in getting this done. i couldnt be more happy.

Sure you could have...

...suppose they had given you a thousand dollars to make up for the inconvenience. Then you'd have been more happy.

...or if they had promised a lifetime of free tires.

...or if the correct tires added 20 horsepower to the bike.

Need I go on?

 

[pcfix_3]

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Bike...and Dennis wrote:

lordbradley71 wrote:

ok fellas...here is the verdict. i got the correct tire installed...which is a bias ply NOT a radial. this is a night and day difference in handling and its far more stable in the corners. i put 250 miles on it today, and i am pleased. my machine is back to the way it was. the bike shop was more than friendly, and very cooperative in getting this done. i couldnt be more happy.

Sure you could have...

...suppose they had given you a thousand dollars to make up for the inconvenience. Then you'd have been more happy.

...or if they had promised a lifetime of free tires.

...or if the correct tires added 20 horsepower to the bike.

Need I go on?

they could have given you lunch at the nicest restaurant in town too.