Tire Load Ratings And My Flawed Logic

[Eglider05]

I have been running Cobra radials on my bike, I like them alot, a much smoother ride than bias ply's and handling is superb.

Interesting, I found just the opposite with the radials. I liked the ride but didn't care for the handling so I pulled them and went back to bias ply. Different strokes I guess.

Rick

[Durwood]

Different bikes too, mine is a 2011 Road glide ultra.

I never tried them on an earlier chassis.

[04 SE Deuce]

Wonder if a Avon 200/55VR/18 would fit. Inflated width is .6" more than the 180. Load rating is 963 lbs., only 30 lbs. less than OE. I'll have to take some measurements inside the fender. The inflated width of the front is 4.7" compared to 4.9" for a AE.

Somebody here already made that mistake.  The 200 is for 6.0" - 6.5" rim,  yours is 5.0" if my fitment book is correct...good way to develop strange handling.  -Rick

[Eglider05]

Different bikes too, mine is a 2011 Road glide ultra.

I never tried them on an earlier chassis.

That might be the difference, mines a 05 with a 180 on the rear.

Rick

[Deye76]

Wonder if a Avon 200/55VR/18 would fit. Inflated width is .6" more than the 180. Load rating is 963 lbs., only 30 lbs. less than OE. I'll have to take some measurements inside the fender. The inflated width of the front is 4.7" compared to 4.9" for a AE.

Somebody here already made that mistake.  The 200 is for 6.0" - 6.5" rim,  yours is 5.0" if my fitment book is correct...good way to develop strange handling.  -Rick

Thanks for that.  My next step was to determine rim width.

[04 SE Deuce]

Besides the 180/55-18 Cobra not being reinforced the fitment on the tire is 5.5" - 6" rims which may also why Avon states "no fitment." 

Don't get me wrong I like the Cobra line when available.  IMO it's the option for a guy that wants more grip in a cruiser tire.

IME when you mount a tire the is .5 outside of fitment size you'll notice something is a little off if your perceptive,  1" or more out of spec and it's just plain wrong.  -Rick

[ThumperDeuce]

My rear width is 5.5" which is why I can't run a 200mm Avon.  It is the minimum allowable for the 200mm Metz 880 xxl.

[rockytop117]

Wonder if a Avon 200/55VR/18 would fit. Inflated width is .6" more than the 180. Load rating is 963 lbs., only 30 lbs. less than OE. I'll have to take some measurements inside the fender. The inflated width of the front is 4.7" compared to 4.9" for a AE.

I've been running 200/50/17 Avons & Metzler on my FLTRUSE since new. I have RC Components wheels but recently switched to Michelin 200/55/17 radial tire & have about 1700 miles on it. I despise Dunlops as they always chop up like a mudgrip  on the rear & lucky to get 5k out of them. 

[04 SE Deuce]

Wonder if a Avon 200/55VR/18 would fit. Inflated width is .6" more than the 180. Load rating is 963 lbs., only 30 lbs. less than OE. I'll have to take some measurements inside the fender. The inflated width of the front is 4.7" compared to 4.9" for a AE.

I've been running 200/50/17 Avons & Metzler on my FLTRUSE since new. I have RC Components wheels but recently switched to Michelin 200/55/17 radial tire & have about 1700 miles on it. I despise Dunlops as they always chop up like a mudgrip  on the rear & lucky to get 5k out of them.

You didn't state the width of your RC wheel....probably 6".

[klammer76]

Nothing to do with weight ratings, but there is a lot of truth in one tire in a size is not the same as another. My '09 Ultra rides and handles great with OEM Dunlops, and as well or better with American Elites. My '08 Street Glide feels like it's on "tippy toes" is the best way to describe it with the American Elites. The ride is good, but it just steers weird, and does not instill confidence in corners. I'll go back to Avon Cobras here shortly on the Street Glide.

I agree with this. I have American Elites on my stripped (Street Glide style) FLHTC in 150/80-16. Just do not like the way they feel or handle. Wish I could still get the Venom X in that size. Didn't get any mileage but they rode and handled great.

klammer

You should try the Avon Cobras. They will get better life than the Venom X, and they grip really well.

Would love to try Cobras but only come in 150/80-16 in V rated which is too wide.

[hbkeith]

Put the Dunlop Am Elites on my 97 Roadking this year , Not impressed , squirly feeling , liked my E3,s a lot better

[Admiral Akbar]

Put the Dunlop Am Elites on my 97 Roadking this year , Not impressed , squirly feeling , liked my E3,s a lot better

It's funny that you say that.. I'd bet you could tighten up the chassis some.. I'm running Elites on my RK and they work pretty good.. There little bit of squirming when I on the brakes into a corner but they aren't too bad. Corner real nice.. On my EGC, tire feel like they are going flat.. Toss it into a corner and the front of the bike does a little dance..  E3s or CIIs were much better on it..   Avons were real nice but only got 4000-4500 miles out of them where I get about 8 from the rear CII and E3s.  Avons did get squirrely when the ambient temps went over 110F, especially on tar snakes..

[04 SE Deuce]

To qualify the statement about Avons and tar snakes you need to have ran the same or very similar road at similar ambient temp with the competing tires.  Avon Cobra has the most grip of the "cruiser" tires I've tried.

As to the little dance your EG does on entry,  you have 10wt oil combined with a heavy fork springs in that bike,  I know a long shot.  Kinda what I meant before when I said I didn't want to wait on the front end to settle out after a bump on entry...and bumps grow where braking happens.   -Rick

[hbkeith]

Put the Dunlop Am Elites on my 97 Roadking this year , Not impressed , squirly feeling , liked my E3,s a lot better

It's funny that you say that.. I'd bet you could tighten up the chassis some.. I'm running Elites on my RK and they work pretty good.. There little bit of squirming when I on the brakes into a corner but they aren't too bad. Corner real nice.. On my EGC, tire feel like they are going flat.. Toss it into a corner and the front of the bike does a little dance..  E3s or CIIs were much better on it..   Avons were real nice but only got 4000-4500 miles out of them where I get about 8 from the rear CII and E3s.  Avons did get squirrely when the ambient temps went over 110F, especially on tar snakes..

I think my wore out E3,s were better . hit a bunch of tar snakes yesterday ,pulled me all over . think im pulling new tires off

[PoorUB]

I have never ridden a tire that handles hot tar snakes, and why would it makes a difference? Have you ever got off the bike and stuck your boot into a tar snake? The top surface of the tar snake separates from the rest and it slips across it's self the tire is grabbing all it can, it just what it is grabbing just slides away.

[04 SE Deuce]

I have never ridden a tire that handles hot tar snakes, and why would it makes a difference? Have you ever got off the bike and stuck your boot into a tar snake? The top surface of the tar snake separates from the rest and it slips across it's self the tire is grabbing all it can, it just what it is grabbing just slides away.

  Bingo,  there is a parking lot that I go to frequently that had the cracks tarred and resealed.  My bike would move around like the axle was loose at parking lot speeds.  Now for the strange part,  I noticed there was a variance from one day to the next but it didn't seem to correlate to temperature....stuff finally cured.

[Eglider05]

I have never ridden a tire that handles hot tar snakes, and why would it makes a difference? Have you ever got off the bike and stuck your boot into a tar snake? The top surface of the tar snake separates from the rest and it slips across it's self the tire is grabbing all it can, it just what it is grabbing just slides away.

Had the ole butt pucker a couple times yesterday, I never get used to it.

Rick