[1984shadow750]

Hi, I am going to replace the tires on my bike. I am considering going with the Metzeler ME880 both front and bake because of the great reviews I have read.

Would like to hear some opinions from the great forum members. I also just read today that the Metzeler ME888 are an improvement to the ME880. I would have to go with a 170/80-15 (read it would work) for the rear since they don't make the 160/80-15 but they don't make a 120/90-17 for the front in the ME888 series.

Would it be bad to go with an ME888 on back and ME880 on front? They do make a 130/90-17, but I don't know if that is to big for the front.

 

["Captain D"]

Yeah, I had the front tire problem too, I think I went 110-90 17??
Been a long time back and I`m getting older daily
BUT Yes, You`ll love them tires!!!

 

[Bobolto]

i recommend you get a SET of ME880's.

one of, if not THEE finest Tires you can get for a Bike....:mrgreen:


got 'em on MOI Bike

 

[Coop]

The 888 is an even longer lasting tire than the 880. I have the 880s on my vtx, and over 12000 miles on them and love them. They have lots and lots of miles left, like over half treadlife. Either way you can't go wrong!

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[adlowe]

Would like to hear some opinions from the great forum members. I also just read today that the Metzeler ME888 are an improvement to the ME880. I would have to go with a 170/80-15 (read it would work) for the rear since they don't make the 160/80-15 but they don't make a 120/90-17 for the front in the ME888 series.

Loved my first set of ME880s. My rear tire is 170/80-15 -- no longer available in ME880 because it's been replaced by the ME888. So my second set is just what you're talking about buying. (Okay, my front tire is an 18.)

The new rear did not make me happy at all through the first 5k miles. Didn't hold the road as well as the ME880, particularly when wet. After a little experimenting I found the issue: ME888s are built to be run at Honda-recommended pressures. (ME880s perform MUCH better at higher PSI. I found the sweet spot right around 40 -- a little higher for the front and a little lower for the rear.) Once I dropped the ME888 into the low 30s performance was very comparable to the ME880 it replaced. (Still running the front around 40 PSI.)

Got about 16k miles out of the rear and about 22k out of the front. Probably had another couple of thousand miles of life left in them but I was heading out on a 2,500 mile trip before I replaced each one. (Different trips.) Might have shortened the life on the rear by maybe 2k because I ran it at 42 PSI for more than half its life. 20k out of the rear and 25k out of the front seems feasible.

Right now I've got about 5k miles on the new front and 12k on the new rear. Very happy with both.

 

[1984shadow750]

Metzeler ME888 isn't showing a 110/90-17 for the front, the only 17" is the 130/90-17.

I can get both factory size tires in the ME880 series. Maybe I should just stick to getting both ME880 tires.

I was thinking of getting the ME888 for back and ME880 for front in order to keep the original front tire size, but maybe mixing tires isn't a good thing.

The bike has 8200km on it when I bought it and I am assuming it has the original stock Dunflop tires. The back tire it bald in the center and the front has about 30%, but starting to hairline crack down the center of the tire.

I can get both ME880 tires shipped to my door for $305 including tax and free shipping. The local stealership wants $298 for just the rear tire and I believe it was a Dunflop.

 

[Eagle7840]

Or you could look at the Pirelli MT66's. They're a tad cheaper and rate right up there with the Metzler.

 

[1984shadow750]

Thanks for the suggestion on the Pirelli tires, I just looked into the Pirelli MT66 and those tires are also getting good reviews, some saying upwards of 40,000km (24,000 miles).

I can get both factory size tires for about $265.00 including tax and free shipping (over $49), which is not hard to get to because as soon as you mention motorcycle it is a $100 bill or more.

I almost had my mind made up, now I will think about it a little more to decide on the Pirelli or Metzeler......decisions, decisions.

 

[Eagle7840]

Thanks for the suggestion on the Pirelli tires, I just looked into the Pirelli MT66 and those tires are also getting good reviews, some saying upwards of 40,000km (24,000 miles).

I can get both factory size tires for about $265.00 including tax and free shipping (over $49), which is not hard to get to because as soon as you mention motorcycle it is a $100 bill or more.

I almost had my mind made up, now I will think about it a little more to decide on the Pirelli or Metzeler......decisions, decisions.

Check out https://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/login.php they have the best price and free shipping!

 

[Wombatair]

Not sure this will work for you in Canada. But, I got mine at Motorcycle Superstore and used the Preferred Installer link to find someone to fit them. The preferred Installer said next time he could get tires cheaper if I wanted.

Metzeler ME 880 Marathon Touring Rear Tire - Motorcycle Superstore.

But I really like mine front and rear, very good handling on my VT600 every day use.

 

[1984shadow750]

I did look at Motorcycle Superstore and a few other place in the US. I buy a lot of parts from the US, but right now our dollar has fallen to almost 0.30 cents on the dollar so the Metzeler ME880 is $148 USD and but the time I convert it if the shipping was free would be about $190CDN. I can get the ME880 in Canada for $173CDN.

Now if our dollar was on par or close to it I would be buying it down there. I just bought floorboards, heel shifter, saddlebag brackets, lower leg rebuild kit for my boat(half the price up here even after the exchange rate) and throttle lock from the US and saved hundreds of dollars on the parts themselves and about $125 in shipping costs because most times shipping is free within the continental US and up here Canada Post is a huge ripoff 95% of the time.

I had the parts shipped to a friend in Oregon and another friend here is Canada is the cousin to friend in Oregon and he is going to visit her next week and will bring back all my parts.

 

["Captain D"]

My Drug of Choice!!!

Thanks for the suggestion on the Pirelli tires, I just looked into the Pirelli MT66 and those tires are also getting good reviews, some saying upwards of 40,000km (24,000 miles).

I can get both factory size tires for about $265.00 including tax and free shipping (over $49), which is not hard to get to because as soon as you mention motorcycle it is a $100 bill or more.

I almost had my mind made up, now I will think about it a little more to decide on the Pirelli or Metzeler......decisions, decisions.

When we talk tires, I always tell folks "My drug of choice is Pirelli"

BUT we were discussing Metzler, so I didn`t interfere with the choice you made...
I`m rough on tires and consistently get 14,000 from good tires like Pirelli & Metzler...
I think I recall Pirelli is now owned by Metzler???


I`m running Shinko now, cause they were free

 

[RONW]

The new rear did not make me happy at all through the first 5k miles. Didn't hold the road as well as the ME880, particularly when wet. After a little experimenting I found the issue: ME888s are built to be run at Honda-recommended pressures. (ME880s perform MUCH better at higher PSI. I found the sweet spot right around 40 -- a little higher for the front and a little lower for the rear.) Once I dropped the ME888 into the low 30s performance was very comparable to the ME880 it replaced. (Still running the front around 40 PSI.)

How's the Triple 8's perform in wet weather (with the lower pressure)? Those thin grooves makes me cringe.

1984shadow750, the longest lasting tire is Continental Commander II .... I've heard. I have the Metzeler 880's on 2 bikes.

 

[7xclm]

I did look at Motorcycle Superstore and a few other place in the US. I buy a lot of parts from the US, but right now our dollar has fallen to almost 0.30 cents on the dollar so the Metzeler ME880 is $148 USD and but the time I convert it if the shipping was free would be about $190CDN. I can get the ME880 in Canada for $173CDN.

Now if our dollar was on par or close to it I would be buying it down there. I just bought floorboards, heel shifter, saddlebag brackets, lower leg rebuild kit for my boat(half the price up here even after the exchange rate) and throttle lock from the US and saved hundreds of dollars on the parts themselves and about $125 in shipping costs because most times shipping is free within the continental US and up here Canada Post is a huge ripoff 95% of the time.

I had the parts shipped to a friend in Oregon and another friend here is Canada is the cousin to friend in Oregon and he is going to visit her next week and will bring back all my parts.

Always more then 1 way to skin a cat.

 

[Coop]

If the Pirelli MT66 had been available in the vtx size tires that's what I would be running, but both are great brands/tires.

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[juanma]

I mount metzeler me-880 WW on my rear and Conti milestone on the front. I'm happy with both but the last day that was raining the rear began to skid when I was entering an highway, luckily I was able to control the skid and avoid an accident. Perhaps the asphalt was very dirty, perhaps the wheel..., I don't know but, as we say here in Spain, "it made me wear my balls as a tie" (put the fear of God in me, but spanish expression is most eeehmm accurate xD)

 

[Bobolto]

I mount metzeler me-880 WW on my rear and Conti milestone on the front. I'm happy with both but the last day that was raining the rear began to skid when I was entering an highway, luckily I was able to control the skid and avoid an accident. Perhaps the asphalt was very dirty, perhaps the wheel..., I don't know but, as we say here in Spain, "it made me wear my balls as a tie" (put the fear of God in me, but spanish expression is most eeehmm accurate xD)

I would never put brand new tires on a bike that were different types or brands.

I would go with the best tire I could find in a matching set, period.

To each their own though...

 

[Mark-B]

:shock: ..WHAT'S THIS!!!!! A Tire Thread and nobody PM'd me!!

Yes, Metzeler 880's are great tires, the new tire - the 888's - are supposed to wear longer but people tend to report less traction than can be had on the 880's..

Having read millions - darn close to billions of tire threads now, it seems that the only commonly reported downside to using mismatched rubber seems to be mismatched traction..

Normally, on dry roads, or with good traction, you won't feel that though. But if you are new to a mismatched tire setup and hit slick wet road, watch your hard corners as the tire with the better traction can out-ride the not-so-sticky rubber and push a wheel out of expected travel. Not sure, but it may be better to have the better traction on the front to avoid that..

But, like I say.. From all reports, unless you are going crazy in the corners when it's wet or slick, you usually won't feel mismatched rubber concerning mismatched traction.

Professionals would never use mismatched sets as they really push the limits of their bikes.. But for most mortals, you can usually get away with it under all normal riding circumstances.

 

[Mark-B]

Always more then 1 way to skin a cat.

... Sorry ... ... It always freaks me out a little, when people say that.. :mrgreen:

 

[juanma]

I would never put brand new tires on a bike that were different types or brands.

I would go with the best tire I could find in a matching set, period.

To each their own though...

As today any wheel from any maker is good enough for a non-competitive use on a bike. Another question is if you put one off-road and one slick... but mix brands/models shouldn't be a problem, IMHO and respecting yours.
Really I could have an accident but the bike reacted well (front tire didn't lose grip and the rear finally recovery it) and I was able to recover the control. And, as I say, perhaps the asphalt was dirty, i'm from a region in wich rains occasionally and when rain the first drops often made "mud" when the road isn't tidy, they're more dangerous when it's starting to rain that when it's raining.