Cheap tires + good grip...is this possible?

Mulholland · Mar 24, 2015

IRC roadwinners? You must be on a ninja 250 or 300. They are perfectly capable tires and will hook and ride edge to edge just fine. There has to have been another issue, i.e. debris, tire not up to temp at all (like just started bike and road out of neighborhood into a fast corner -40mph kinda tight corner you described?) moisture on road, or rider error -too much speed for corner, poor body positioning, poor braking technique etc, could all be factors. About the only factor that could be related to the tire itself mechanically not functioning as intended would be tire pressure. Those may not be the most confidence inspiring tires, but they are WAY better than the Dunlops (dun-rocks!) that came on the older ninja 250s... those things are like superglue compared to them.

You should check tire pressure then verify riding techniques that may have caused the issue. Masking a technique issue with better tires could work, but could end up with worse issues in the long run and at potentially higher speeds with more confidence at that point. Can you describe the scenario a bit more? Had you just left home, is this a 90* turn out onto a perpendicular roadway, or a sustained curve on the same roadway?

3wolves · Mar 27, 2015

Mulholland said:
IRC roadwinners? You must be on a ninja 250 or 300. They are perfectly capable tires and will hook and ride edge to edge just fine. There has to have been another issue, i.e. debris, tire not up to temp at all (like just started bike and road out of neighborhood into a fast corner -40mph kinda tight corner you described?) moisture on road, or rider error -too much speed for corner, poor body positioning, poor braking technique etc, could all be factors. About the only factor that could be related to the tire itself mechanically not functioning as intended would be tire pressure. Those may not be the most confidence inspiring tires, but they are WAY better than the Dunlops (dun-rocks!) that came on the older ninja 250s... those things are like superglue compared to them.

You should check tire pressure then verify riding techniques that may have caused the issue. Masking a technique issue with better tires could work, but could end up with worse issues in the long run and at potentially higher speeds with more confidence at that point. Can you describe the scenario a bit more? Had you just left home, is this a 90* turn out onto a perpendicular roadway, or a sustained curve on the same roadway?

Hadn't checked this thread in a while, but I have ridden the bike more since I posted and I think I'd probably chalk up my earlier complaints to both poor positioning/handling of the bike on my part (getting used to it) and some debris in the road, and a smaller percentage as to the quality of the tire. I'm probably not going to buy this brand for an aftermarket tire, but after getting more used to the bike and pushing its limits a little more they've performed decently enough.

I guess this means I just need to get out and ride more often. :mrgreen:

CleatusJ · Mar 27, 2015

3wolves said:
I guess this means I just need to get out and ride more often.

That's the best way to keep a big smile and she can think it's about her, which will keep the smile going. :rider:

FZ1 · Mar 27, 2015

Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but the tire pressure of 28 and 32 sounds low to me. Yes, that is what they recommend. My bike calls for 36 front and 42 rear. I have found that around 34 front and 37 rear works well. Just wondering.

Morgstang · Mar 27, 2015

FZ1 said:
Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but the tire pressure of 28 and 32 sounds low to me. Yes, that is what they recommend. My bike calls for 36 front and 42 rear. I have found that around 34 front and 37 rear works well. Just wondering.

I think you need to ride your bike Bill....hi

Striple · Mar 28, 2015

FZ1 said:
Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but the tire pressure of 28 and 32 sounds low to me. Yes, that is what they recommend. My bike calls for 36 front and 42 rear. I have found that around 34 front and 37 rear works well. Just wondering.

Bikes don't call for specific tire pressures, tire models do. The tire pressures that are recommended by the manufacturer refer to the OEM tires, which are often pretty poor anyway. To find the right tire pressures for the brand & model of tires that you're running, contact the tire manufacturer, tire vendor, and/or the FZ-1 community in order to get a starting point. Then adjust the pressures based on tire wear, environmental conditions, and perceived traction.

ed29 · Mar 28, 2015

Heavier bikes run higher pressures than lighter bikes. One would expect significantly lower pressure on a Ninja 300 than on an FZ-1.

28 and 32 sounds about right for the small bike, my Yamaha 250 calls for 25 front and rear while my 1200GS calls for 32/38 solo and 36/42 two up or heavily loaded.

dandeldesierto · Mar 28, 2015

Lots of good advice here, but I'll throw in two cents worth. Used to be a hard core cheap tire enthusiast, trying to buy rock hard tires that get miles regardless of their performance. (makes for real interesting riding sometimes). The last three sets of tires I've bought have been some version of the Michelin pilot road. Have gotten over 12K miles out of the rear, they handle really really well. They're not all THAT expensive, but factoring in the mileage they're cheaper than a cheap tire, and you don't have to go through all those tire changes. A Shinko at $80 that gets 6-8K miles is expensive when you have to buy two to last as long as one Michelin.

Mulholland · Apr 8, 2015

3wolves said:
Hadn't checked this thread in a while, but I have ridden the bike more since I posted and I think I'd probably chalk up my earlier complaints to both poor positioning/handling of the bike on my part (getting used to it) and some debris in the road, and a smaller percentage as to the quality of the tire. I'm probably not going to buy this brand for an aftermarket tire, but after getting more used to the bike and pushing its limits a little more they've performed decently enough.

I guess this means I just need to get out and ride more often.

Glad to hear you getting more confident. I was truly confident in any of my tires/bikes beginning until I realized what I could do on them in the pouring rain... then the dry just became a game. It's mostly mind over matter. If you ride scared, you'll ride tense and make yourself eat asphalt. If you ride loose and confident but within your own abilities, you'll likely never have an issue.

The caveat being if you ride like a wild fool well beyond your capabilities with a huge ego... then you will likely go down (or often times over) hard eventually.

It can be helpful to ride with a more skilled rider on a similar bike/tire and follow them on a brisk ride to see what the machine/equipment is capable of, to build confidence. Or let someone else ride it and follow them in a car or another bike possibly. A more seasoned rider will have no qualms pushing the bike/tire to its limits to show you what they are. This won't enhance your ability to reach said limits, but it will enhance your confidence in growing towards them, instead of fearing you are near them and hindering your growth as a rider.