[simpleman77]

Well, I made a decision the other day. I am in need of a new set of tires for the 1100. Have ridden the tread off the Dungflop 404 that i put on the front less than a year ago. So, I bought a Shinko front a couple weeks back. As I was deciding on which C/T to buy for the rear the other day I thought back on my riding since I put this one on. This C/T is the replacement for the Bridgestone Spitfire that went flat on me at 90 mph on the interstate. Needless to say, that shook me up pretty bad. I feel like it still haunts my riding to this day. It also happened shortly after I got this bike so I don't have a riding history to compare to without a C/T.

I have always felt that this bike handles squirrelly above 60 mph, just not a real comfortable ride. Kinda like I gotta really be on my game and, for a long trip, that can be grinding. I don't have a riding history on this bike before putting the C/T on the back so, when I ordered my next rear tire a couple days ago, I matched my front with a Shinko rear. I am running a 165/80/15 C/T right now and the Shinko that I ordered is a 140/90/15. I seriously hope that this will help the higher speed riding. If not an actual improvement, maybe just a placebo type effect. We'll see. I'll report back after a couple long trips.

 

[AceTeacher]

I'll be interested in knowing how the Shinko rides... I'm NOT in the "you have to buy a super expensive tire to get a good tire" camp. I LOVE my Kenda Kruz's... I have 7000 miles on the rear and you can't tell it's been run.

Keep us informed!

 

[GlenRoberts]

Hey All™,
I've had a Shinko on the front for over a year now. It actually handles better, and feels smoother than the Dunlop that was on the front.

 

[markspike]

Heard a lot of good things about the Shinko's.

 

[Danfriday]

Heard a lot of good things about the Shinko's.

Nice ride !!! The bike aint so bad either

 

[hangman44]

Only thing I am wondering about is why such a small and tall rear tire a 140/90 is going to be tall and narrow compared to the 170/80 it came stock with.

 

[David]

I don't know how many miles you've put on your 1100, but after 27,000+ miles, I'm on my 3rd rear tire. The OEM Dunlop lasted 8k, the Metzler lasted another 16k, and I just put a Bridgestone ct on it a little over 3k miles ago. I still haven't decided if I'm going to put another ct on the back, or if I'm going to go back to Metzler when this one is dead.

The Dunlop went flat at 55 mph on the IH flyaround between I-10 & I-35 (a multi-highway interchange). I limped off the highway and then limped home. But, I wasn't happy with the 16k miles the Metzler lasted.

My thoughts about CTs are that I'd never put one on the front. I want a well-rounded bike tire on the front.

But, the CT on the back has been interesting. The straight-aways are more steady on the CT than the Metz, even moreso at 60 mph than 50, and even moreso at 85 than 60. It's a very steady ride, even changing lanes & such. But, the clover leaf turns at 30 mph give me enough lean that I'm on the edge of the tire curve, and it does take a bit more cognizance on those sharp curves. I can't seem to push the cloverleaf any faster than 30 mph, but then I can't get the Civic to do that, either.

I ride 22 miles, each direction, to work each day. It is 98% highway, so the tire is great for that, and that trip is about 98% of the riding I do. We have taken a couple of joy rides on the bike since putting the CT on the back, and it does feel a little different, tho I'm seeming to get used to it. I expect that if I'm still making that long ride to work, I'll probably stick with the CT. But if the ride gets shorter, or I'm doing a lot more joy riding (canyon carving), then I'll go back to the Metz.

I'm still contemplating what I'm going to do, but I might have a Goldwing by then. If the CT lasts as long as I expect it to (I think it's a 70k mile tire), that will also play into my decision.

Good luck.

 

[cycleheart1100c]

Only thing I am wondering about is why such a small and tall rear tire a 140/90 is going to be tall and narrow compared to the 170/80 it came stock with.

The 85 and 86 came stock with the 140/90/15

 

[simpleman77]

Only thing I am wondering about is why such a small and tall rear tire a 140/90 is going to be tall and narrow compared to the 170/80 it came stock with.

Honda Shop Manual for the '85 Shadow 1100 calls for a 140/90 on the rear.

 

[h13man]

Not to sway from the OP, my "plugs" are 5/32" hole size in mine. Might start with 1/8" and step out to 5/32". Might be able to use a Dremel to get a fairly accurate "center" hole started. Mine are pretty well centered in the plug. I'm dialed in @ 3 1/4 turns w/stock exhaust.

 

[Inferno]

It was mentioned that his bike was a little squirrely over 60. I have a few thoughts on this.
If you don't match tire brands and models you can get a very squirrely effect. Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes not. Not all tires have the same track. If your front has a different track than the back, you get a fuzzy creature.

Also, many people load their tires with the maximum air pressure specified on the sidewall. This is not the way to go. Too much air will make a bike squirm. Read the spec air pressure from the book to see what you need.
I'm running 29 in the front and 28 in the rear with a matched set of Bridgestone Spitfire's and have no trouble with the rodents at speeds in excess of 80.

 

[hangman44]

Honda Shop Manual for the '85 Shadow 1100 calls for a 140/90 on the rear.

was going by the specs that were on bikez.com did not realize they had such small tires on back almost the same size as front

 

[David]

90% of 140mm = 126 mm tall. 80% of 170mm = 136 mm tall. That's one cm diff in diameter, only 5 mm diff in the radius (height of the tire off the rim).

 

[gat803]

I'm running 29 in the front and 28 in the rear

While I agree with you that most people run with too much air pressure in their tires.....why, considering that most of the weight that motorcycles carry is carried by the rear tire, would you run less air in the rear than the front?

 

[markspike]

It was mentioned that his bike was a little squirrely over 60. I have a few thoughts on this.
If you don't match tire brands and models you can get a very squirrely effect. Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes not. Not all tires have the same track. If your front has a different track than the back, you get a fuzzy creature.

Also, many people load their tires with the maximum air pressure specified on the sidewall. This is not the way to go. Too much air will make a bike squirm. Read the spec air pressure from the book to see what you need.
I'm running 29 in the front and 28 in the rear with a matched set of Bridgestone Spitfire's and have no trouble with the rodents at speeds in excess of 80.

Really?

Please expound on this. I anxiously await your reply.

 

[Old Dad]

Eric, I am shocked:shock::lol:


mark

 

[markspike]

Eric, I am shocked:shock::lol:


mark

Don't be. Eric puts some heavy time on his bike and is in the midst of a "experiment".

His VLX handled the Darkside well, and the dearth of available CT's of late for his 1100, as well as bike "down time", necessitate going back to a MC tire on the rear.

He also needs the time to discern if his unease with the bike stems from the CT, his previous "blow-out" at 90 MPH or some other factor requiring repair of his bike.

At the end of August, Eric and I will be riding together and he will garner some saddle time on my Tourer and my previously owed ACE 750 so that he has something to compare to his own VT1100. My Tourer (Her Excellency) is currently shod with Metzeler ME880's, and Morgoth (ACE 750) with Bridgestone's.

There are times when one needs the friendship of others to compare rides and see what one can do to make one's own ride as "user friendly" as possible and share ideas. This will be one such venture.

And others from this board will be present as well.

 

[Kingshead]

And others from this board will be present as well.

Presents??????? There's going to be presents??????? Why wasn't I told about this??????

 

[David]

It was mentioned that his bike was a little squirrely over 60. I have a few thoughts on this. If you don't match tire brands and models you can get a very squirrely effect. Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes not.

Then my Bridgestone CT on the back & my Metzler 880 on the front should be nearly in flames because of the friction caused by their tracking to get away from each other. Instead, they play VERY nicely together.

Not all tires have the same track. If your front has a different track than the back, you get a fuzzy creature.

The tire tracks at the mid-point between the two edges. If the tires are tracking differently, then I'd start checking to make sure the tires are properly installed on the rims, that the wheels are properly installed in their proper mounting points, and if that doesn't solve it, I'd look at my frame and other connecting parts between the frame & the wheels.

Also, many people load their tires with the maximum air pressure specified on the sidewall. This is not the way to go. Too much air will make a bike squirm. Read the spec air pressure from the book to see what you need.
I'm running 29 in the front and 28 in the rear with a matched set of Bridgestone Spitfire's and have no trouble with the rodents at speeds in excess of 80.

My bikes, and all the tires on them, have only ever gotten squirrely when the tire pressure was too low, when riding at higher speeds. I do have a tiny little problem trying to get above 30 mph on the cloverleaf, but that's not an air-pressure issue, it's because I'm riding that ridge of the rear tire (CT) edge.

I have to add that YMMV, but it sounds like a parallel universe to me. BTW, I've had my OJ today, but not my coffee, so if I come off a little acerbic, I'm not intending to insult. But, my experience has been FAR different from what you describe.

 

[David]

There are times when one needs the friendship of others to compare rides and see what one can do to make one's own ride as "user friendly" as possible and share ideas.

Group therapy. Great idea!