Shinko for cheap guys?

[Rob L]

OH NO another tire thread

 

Bear with me for a moment. I am the guy who buys $43 gel mat batteries and looks for a bargain on spark plugs, oil filters, etc. Yeah I like to get my dollar's worth

 

I have purchased Metzlers, Michelins, Dunlops, Bridgestones, and probably some brands I forgot. I currently have Roadsmarts on the RT. All of the tires worked well. Some wear better than others. I have noticed some great deals on Shinkos. The new craze seems to be the Pilot Road 3s. They sell for around $280 a set. The Shinkos sell for around $180 a set. I find it hard to pass up on saving a $100

 

I DO have some questions......Which Shinkos should be used on my RT? I do lots of commuting, rain or shine. Lots of slab. 2 up part time. I want a tire that I can stretch 9000 miles out of. Has anyone run them this long? How well do they work?

 

I don't want to be the test mule, but to save $100, I might

[RockBottom]

I know it's no help to you but I wanted to chip in that bicycles or motorcycles, tires and seats were two things I never tried to save money on, but went upper tier. About four square inches of tire are in contact with the pavement in a hard lean.

[ragtoplvr]

I have worn out 2 sets of the Shinkos so far, I was using the Raven. Good tires. I ride all year, and in rain, NO issues. The deeper tread makes them better in gravel than the Michelin Pilots.

 

They are very slick when new, and I mean very very slick. Once scuffed in they are fine, I see no difference between them and the Michelin I used to use. The rear is kind of wide, you have to put it on deflated but no rub once past the paralever pivot bolt.

 

The front is very pressure sensitive. Kind of good as you know about a leak before it gets to the pucker moment. The center groove tracks a bit on the Raven, if that freaks you you are warned.

 

I now use my angle grinder to prescuff them now, much less excitement. I am mounting up a new Shinko Verge front today. I will report on it after this weekend.

 

Rod

[Rob L]

so, how many miles do you get on a set of Shinkos?

[Paul Mihalka]

Rob, I like to search like you. Sorry, no experience with Shinko. Now for something in-between: Michelin Pilot Road (not PR 2) at Jakewilson.com about $220 a pair incl. shipping. Not the latest, but a good quality tire at a good price. Mileage? I don't know.

[ragtoplvr]

I only get about 7000 to 8000 miles out of road pilot until BALD! Raven rear last 9K and front last 14K with some tread left, not much but some. The Road Pilot were good tires to be sure, I ride at same speed on the Shinko, they feel just as good. Once scuffed in, I have never had either one fail to provide the grip I needed, this include rain, cold, and when the idiot cager pulling out in front of me causes a full on panic stop. I really can tell any difference except the Sinko is very air pressure sensitive for feel.

 

Shinkos Verge set in 120-70-17 and 170-60-17 were just under 200 delivered, the older Raven set same size is just under 170 delivered.

 

I personally see no need to ever go back to Michelin unless they were the same price, and maybe not even then as the Shinko is better on gravel and places where a pretty BMW R1150RS should never go.

 

Rod

 

[Rob L]

Thanks, Paul. I have used the PRs in the past and they were very good.

[Rob L]

I can get Raven 009s for $173 shipped! Is the 009 the right tire for an RT?

[russell_bynum]

I know it's no help to you but I wanted to chip in that bicycles or motorcycles, tires and seats were two things I never tried to save money on, but went upper tier. About four square inches of tire are in contact with the pavement in a hard lean.

 

Don't assume that spending more is the same as getting more.

[ragtoplvr]

Yes, 009 Raven is the right tire. I like them on My RS which the back part is the same as the RT anyway.

 

You may have some trouble getting it to slip past the paralever adjusting screw on the back, if so then deflate the tire and possibly take the muffler bracket loose from the rear foot peg so it can flex a tiny amount. Now I mount, seat bead, buff, balance, deflate, clamp with C clamp for about 30 minutes to sink the side in a tiny bit, get lined up, remove the clamp and slip it past the adjusting nut before the set goes away. It is only about 1/8th inch too wide, not a big deal.

 

I liked 33F-38R PSI, going to 42 42 PSI like many recommend for Maximum tire life made the bike so twitchy I would have took them off. I can feel as little as 2 PSI difference in the front. I do not know if it is the center groove or what but it is there. So experiment and see what you like.

 

Just scrub them in for at least 200 miles before you push it, new they are slick as ICE. Or buff with an angle grinder like I do now.

 

Rod

 

 

[SinNH]

Shinko's um, have never run them on my R1100,usually just Avon Storms and Bridgestone's

But, I run Shinko's on my KLR, like them, seem to be a bit hard though, not sure about their road tires, I run 705's.

 

[gordiet]

I have run 3 sets on my 1200RT. They handle well, are quite and stick very well. They wear fast! Best millage of the 3 sets was 6200 miles, worst 4700 miles. Just put on a set BT 023.

 

GT

[HandyAndy]

I ran the Raven 009's on my R1200RT and found them to be a great tire! Covered 18,000km on the first set.

The 009 front lasted through almost two rear tires.

I switched to a Shinko 005 Advance for the front as it is a bit softer and has better grip, and used the 009 Raven on the rear. This way they wear out at the same time.

I would like to try the 011 Verge, but they don't make them in the right size for my R1100RS.

I do have a 011 Verge to go on the front, but I have to wear out the old tire first!

 

Andy

[Big_Gray]

I am just taking a set of Shinko Raven 009 off with 16500 kM on them. Front tire is still looking like a few thousand kM left on tread but rear is getting pretty flat due to lots of slab work. Changing both out now so I can head to Torrey with fresh rubber. They seem to last about the same as the ME 880's on my bike with my riding style or should I say lack of style. The handling was different from ME 880's to Shinkos. Not worse...just felt different. I got used to it fairly quickly and I like em now. For me the price difference in Canada is a no brainer.

 

I wouldn't say I'm cheap but I do appreciate value when I perceive there to be value.

[bmwsit]

I had a pair on my GS before I sold it. Love the tires, road well, stuck well in the rain, dry and on white lines etc. Only got about 2K miles on them before I sold the bike, but looked like new when it sold. Liked them a lot better than my Continental Trail Attacks and better grip in dirt than Tourances. I know that does not help with your choice for street tires, but..........

[g_frey]

Short answer, Shinko Ravens will not last 9,000 miles on my RT1150.

Front lasted 7,900, Rear 7,200. Down past wear bars. One and two up mixed riding with one 2,700 mile 60 to 75 mph trip. no complaints. rear flat spotted pretty good.

 

On a cost per mile basis, one heck of a tire.

[realshelby]

I have 6K on the rear 009 Raven. No problem going 7K+. That puts it within a thousand miles or less of the best wearing tires I have bought. Do not have the front Raven. Very sticky feel. Best rear tire in the rain I have had, hard to break it loose! They are wide and the profile is quite a bit flatter than other tires. Because of that they don't turn in well or hold a line without some extra input. Cannot be beat for value and I have complete confidence that they would not be a safety issue. But, I will be going with a set of something else next time. With the Ohlins on the RT, I just miss the crisp handling that a more sport oriented profile delivers.

[Yeeha! Stephen]

They are wide and the profile is quite a bit flatter than other tires. Because of that they don't turn in well or hold a line without some extra input... I just miss the crisp handling that a more sport oriented profile delivers.

 

Ha! That's exactly why I like them.

 

I never liked the way the top heavy RT felt like it was falling into the turns with tires like Avons and Dunlops. Got used to the old Z-4's and missed the way they felt for me. Pilot 2's were close but the Ravens fit me perfectly. On my 4th set now and even with the awful Chip Sealed roads in Tejas, I'm getting 7 to 9k out of them.

 

Bike Bandit has a 10% discount for AMA members and Dairlyland Insurance customers... plus if you have purchased items before, they give you cash-back discounts called Bandit Bucks.

 

I ordered a set of Ravens today and with the 10% Dairyland discount & my few Bandit Bucks, I managed to snag a set of Ravens for $141. Both tires cheaper than one rear PR3.

 

I like 'em... I vote Yes!

 

.

[Kitsap]

I would say thrifty guys. The RT is in the garage sans wheels at the moment as I will be removing the Shinko Ravens I had mounted 9000 miles ago. They still have life in them but I want to get some miles on the Pilot Road 3s that just arrived before heading for Torrey. The Ravens gave good traction in the wet and were predictable at a reasonable price. I purchased the PR3's just to try something different and would not hesitate to purchase the Shinko tires again.

[jfremder]

I'm on my third set of Ravens as well. ~8000 on the rears. Just can't beat the price. I push then hard, and they've never let me down. Can't say that about ME 880's, especially in the wet. I did have a clearance issue on the rear with the charcoal cannister under compression of the rear suspension. Easy to fix by bending the bracket.

[ragtoplvr]

I put about 450 miles on the new Shinko Verge front this weekend in rains of Biblical proportions. It took about 200 miles for the water to quit beading up on the tread, they use some heavy duty mold release. So far, no issues at all, tire had good wet grip, does not seem to track grooves as much.

 

I will hit up some curves when the monsoon season is over.

 

Rod