[Virgil]

Plz, make this a sticky, it needs to be one

TWO TIRES OF A KIND MATCH, TWO TIRES OF A DIFFERANT KIND DO NOT MATCH!

I am amazed at how many people are mixing and matching tires here. Does anything think beyond the implications of how it impacts your wallet? How bought your life? Your mixing tires of differant grip levels, balances, tread patters, weights, and longevity. If u want a set of tires that won't wear out so quick then buy both of them, don't buy a rear that as harder rubber then your front simply because u can't take corners fast enough to wear tread equally or you do to many burnouts (read* Your own damn fault).

I swear I see at least one post every week or so of someone asking about there current mix matched tires or thinking about doing it because its cheaper, don't buy the big boy tires if u can't afford them, most people can't use all the grip anyway (including me), its just nice knowing you have something sticker between u, the bike, and the two contact patches on the pavement. Think of the implications of a softer, gripier front or rear tire and a harder front or rear and how that would affect the traction of a motorcycle in a turn, particularly in the wet. Can we say lowside or highside? This isn't some rant by a obsessive compulsive person wanting all tires mounted with there appropriate mate but a concerned rider for the many people that are endangering themselves simply because "... its cheaper."

 

[Guest]

Is there any proof that mixing tire brands can and will endanger your ride/life? Or is this all heresay?

Track, I would not but street? I don't know, maybe.

 

[alaska cajun]

Tires are designed to go together,front and rear.

That's when they work the best to give max wear and grip.

Take the Metz MZ6 that I run,the front is designed to push water out of the way so the back gets a better grip.If I was to put a PP on the front and think that I would have the same comfort level in the rain,I would be wrong and most likely go down for trusting a rear that is designed to work with a different tire.

 

[Guest]

PP grip like crazy in the rain--tested it...hahaha

 

[alaska cajun]

PP grip like crazy in the rain--tested it...hahaha

OK then

A sucklop 208

 

[CBR/LS1]

Yeah I won't do it again. The only reason I was mixing mine is I was waiting for my front to wear out. Now it will be Pilot Powers from now on.

 

[TonyBarron]

The different tread patterns work in unison to disperse water, so I think this would be the most relevant in the wet/rain. But they are designed to work together all the same. I definately would not recommend mixing them however.

 

[Virgil]

No, differant treads are not just the reason, DIFFERANT RUBBER is also a big factor, your bying two differant tires then your going to end up with two differant rubber compounds of differant hardness/softness and wear patterns. Also, pilot powers aren't good in the rain because of the tread soley, its the silica compunds in the rubber that makes it sticky even in water, the treads just prevent hydrolplaning by funneling water away. If you have a hard rear tire and a soft tire in the front (or visa versa), your libel to overstep the rear and back it in to a corner unintentionally (thats assumeing u can do it intentially, I know I can't). Of with a soft front, push it to heavily in the corner. Also, on tire might heat up quicker then the other and lead to a nasty surprise when u take a turn to sharperly early in a ride.

On the track u might not notice it so much but I would think the street to be even worse because you have many environment/conditions changes.

In effect, your needlessly upsetting the bikes balance in the corner. Also, differant tires, differant wieghts. Tires were made to work in concert as a set, if you upset that then u might have problems.

I live in WA, I ride in rain all the time and yes, the pilot power do kick serious ass.

 

[NewRedRider]

There's more to think about then just tread patterns. Heat cycles play a critical role in how much grip is left in the tire. Most people go through 2 rears for every 1 front due to treadlife. The problem can come when you get a sticky rear tire and a not so sticky front tire with 10k miles on it. Lowsides will ensue if you continue to push hard.

 

[Virgil]

Another factor I didn't even think about. I have just seen a disturbingly frequant amount of tire mixers around here lately. I didn't think people would do it so lightly just to save a buck.

 

[Guest]

From what i hear, a lot of the faster riders in the production twin class in the LRRS use a michilen/Dunlop setup. They call it the "Michelop" set.

 

[Virgil]

I still wouldn't do it for the street, your average rider doesn't have the money to experiment with slicks or DOT tires from differant manufactures, I am talking about the joe-shmoe who has a pilot power front and can't afford another rear so he puts a harder tire on the rear, say from a buddies take off or the set that he took off in replacing the pilot powers.

Michelop sounds interesting, would like to read more about it.

 

[cmulford]

This is a stupid thread, sorry.

If you do your research and know what you're buying there is nothing wrong with buying different brands/models of tires front and rear. If you find a front tire that does what you want and a rear tire that does what you want then that's great. Maybe they'll match, maybe they won't. There's absolutely no difference between doing this with street tires and doing this with race tires. Do not pretend to know what you're talking about. Physics doesn't care who made each of your tires.

End of story. Please do not sticky this thread.

 

[alexm]

This is a stupid thread, sorry...Physics doesn't care who made each of your tires.

Simer down there Mulford...it's actually a good thread for all the "stupid" people out there.

I've seen a few crashes happen because people had new rear tires and they where oohhh soo happy with the grip, but forgot that their front tires didn't grip as well as the rear so they low-sided.

Most tires are developed to be sold in a set, so unless you're advanced /rich enough to experiment with different combinations you should be forewarned that mixing different tire makes (especially with used tires) can cause unwanted/unpredictable results for most riders.

 

[Guest]

Most tires are developed to be sold in a set, so unless you're advanced /rich enough to experiment with different combinations you should be forewarned that mixing different tire makes (especially with used tires) can cause unwanted/unpredictable results for most riders.

Well duh... For optimum performance they are meant to be paired, but they don't HAVE TO BE paired.

I agree with cmulford.

 

[alexm]

Well duh... For optimum performance they are meant to be paired, but they don't HAVE TO BE paired.

Of course they don't HAVE to be paired and along the same lines you don't HAVE to wear gear, it's just that you KNOW better than that. Like I said in my previous post, I think this is important for new riders. If you're experienced enough to where you can "measure" and keep track of tire traction of both tires it's not really such a big concern...

 

[99SH]

Your mixing tires of differant grip levels, balances, tread patters, weights, and longevity. If u want a set of tires that won't wear out so quick then buy both of them, don't buy a rear that as harder rubber then your front simply because u can't take corners fast enough to wear tread equally or you do to many burnouts (read* Your own damn fault).

Whats this you say about different grip levels, tread pattern, compound? Have you seen a set of track tires latley? I guess you should email your concern to all the manufactuers to stop making hard/medium/soft compounds and have everyone run the same front/rear You know pirelli corsa III street tires have diff compounds front and rear right? And what's this about balances? Unless you live in a cave, all our wheels/tires are balanced. I would rethink your logic and your inital statment :director:

 

[juni5]

If u want a set of tires that won't wear out so quick then buy both of them, don't buy a rear that as harder rubber then your front simply because u can't take corners fast enough to wear tread equally or you do to many burnouts (read* Your own damn fault).

."

Ummm...I don't know if anyone can wear out the front and rear equally...Rears are always gonna wear quicker..But I do agree with the no mix n match...I would do it if I had to but it definitley would affect my confidence a little..For a stunt bike yeah, for a streetbike probably not (why not just get the same one as your front), for my racebike definitely no..

 

[Virgil]

Well, I might have been going overboard on my rant there 99SH, but my opinion still stands. There are certain recommendations that, for example michelin, makes for mixing front and rears, ones they say won't work, but thats left to the rider if he wants to risk playing with that. I am talking more along the lines of say street/track day tires, no DOT race tires, I know they make them in diff. compounds. Even the pilot power 2ct still has the same compound in the center in each front/rear tire. I am saying why are some people mixing tire brands, (mich. pilot sport with dunlop 207 rear, yes I have seen it)? I understand penny pinch racers, **** I am one (military doesn't pay a good tire and gas salary). To me it seems dangerous when two tires designed differantly are mixed.

 

[NewRedRider]

Here's a good example of what NOT to do when trying to mix tires. This is what I'm talking about when I say not to mix a new rear with good grip and an old front with poor grip and try to ride aggressively.

http://www.600rr.net/vb/showthread.php?t=49978