[shrubbo]

Man I can't believe the problems I have getting rubber for this bike. I chewed off all the tread on the front tire and had to suffer the fact I had to make do with one that says "Harley Davidson" embossed on it now I go to order a back one...

Nope...

Maybe next month there may be some in the country..... maybe. That last word had a big emphasis on it.

I just rode down to the dealership for a wtf face to face and they said they could understand but Honda makes bikes not tires, they also understood when I said a reasonable person would expect you could buy the basics for a 6 month old bike.

Their making some calls tomorrow because I simply am not putting some **** hoop on there that is meant for a much lighter bike. I want the same or better, not less.

When I was doing research on this bike I read of the dramas with tires on release but how long has this thing been out now... and no tires? One of the things they spruiked in the Honda commercial for this bike was the special 19' wheels. **** right they are special. So special nobody has any tires for it.

How do you guys go or is this an Aussie thing?

 

[Surfndad]

I stopped by my local shop and they said they could get me a front tire in three days. I'm temped to get one and store it just incase of a blow out or when it wears out. But I was hoping that someone would put out a tire other than the OEM before I need one. I have 3500 miles on it and I'm getting to the place that I need to make a chose. And your right this $ucks. Why Honda just didn't go with a 18" and save us all a lot of head. While typing this I'm going to call the dealership right now and order a tire and see how long it takes to get it. Also I started a thread here about dealership requests to try and have us all post there to track out requests at dealerships for help with aftermarket parts like tires. I'm going to start pushing up again on the tire companies.

 

[Surfndad]

Well I just bit the bullet and ordered a front Dunlop OEM and a rear Avon Storm 3D XM for the rear. I want to get a matched front when AVON comes out with a front but because everyone is having such trouble finding them I'm not going to wait and have the bike stored for two months waiting for something to come availably. I'll let everyone know how long it takes for the front to show up.

 

[buzzard]

There's been a lot of thread activity on multiple Valkyrie/F6C forums about this very problem. Other than the OEM Dunlop there aren't any other options for the front tire.
I've not seen nor read anywhere that a different manuf had a matched set of radial tires in development. There are other correctly sized rear radials out there but nothing for the front.

There is a call-in & email "campaign" in progress asking Michelin and Metzler to produce a Valk front tire. May not hurt to join in, the more inquries they have the better for all of us.
Especially since most of the original 14 models should be nearing the point where new tires and going to needed.

 

[Surfndad]

I'm starting to think Honda put Dunlop up to making a new size tire for us and they agreed if they had rights to the manufacturing and supplying tires for the bike until cost of R&D was covered. Every other bike I've had it seems like everyone had a heads up on tire size so they could get a piece of the pie. I've got a call into AVON and I'm trying to get us a matched set of storms.

 

[Surfndad]

Just got off the phone with A rep with AVON tires and quote this tire size 130/60R 19 is a hot button for them at AVON, it is in R&D with no ETA but he will keep me in the loop on development and when the tire will be available.

 

[goldstar903]

Not to be a downer, but they all say that! Unless the sales are up we won't get squat. I have no problem with the OE. I get off my ZX-10R and ride the Valkyrie aggressively. My problem is the price! And yes, it would be nice to have an option to use other manufacturers. >

 

[k6gad]

Bike Bandit has a Shinko 777 130/60 19 tire available. I have a friend who uses Shinko tires on his FJR1300. He rides that bike like he stole it and loves the grip and wear he gets out of them.

 

[goldstar903]

There is plenty of Bias ply tires. Not radials.

 

[k6gad]

There is plenty of Bias ply tires. Not radials.

Oops.. Didn't notice that....

 

[Surfndad]

Searched all over the Shinko site and couldn't find a matched set for front and rear. They do have a lot of options for the rear. It's just frustrating that we have this issue. I've had close to 15 bikes over the years and never not been able to get a good set of tires.

 

[buzzard]

I gotta agree about the Valk tire situation.
I've not had any other bike where the front tire options have been exactly zero.

 

[mrtappan]

Well..... 99% of the second generation Valkyrie aftermarket options are exactly zero. I'm really having a hard time dealing with that myself. I've never owned a bike where Stock/OEM was as good as it gets. It's really bothering me.

I never liked the first generation Valkyries myself but they had a pretty sizable aftermarket support. I bought my second generation early thinking it would be the same......... good thing I don't gamble.

 

[Surfndad]

I like the idea that the third year 2016 F6C is going to hit the streets, and at a higher price with extra options, like nav which I remember some people being tweaked that they didn't do that up front. But I'm guessing they wanted to test the water for sales before maxing it out. And if they put all the goodies on the first year what would they do to sale next years models. On another note got my FOBO TPMS today. But that's a different thread.☺

 

[silverfox]

A guys ...................... has any one tryed a 120 70 19 it fits on the 3.5 rim , so would it be a problem?

OMG.............. did i just suggest that.

 

[blackwidow]

We have the same issue with my wife bike , Ducati Diavel , 1x option for the rear tire. 240 with pirelli. It's a very bad situation.

 

[Surfndad]

I talked to the service manager at a Honda dealership and of course they would go on record about it being ok but he did say that it would most likely be ok. But I don't like the idea of going down in size. I got a pretty good feeling that AVON is in the process of one soon. I know that I have got feed back from people that they will always say it's in the works to keep you in the market but the 30 min chat I had with the marketing manager was good.

 

[silverfox]

I've heard that metzler has one on the way ............ but then as usual , it ain't real till it happens Wot!!! it's a wait'n see gents.

 

[shrubbo]

Well..... 99% of the second generation Valkyrie aftermarket options are exactly zero. I'm really having a hard time dealing with that myself. I've never owned a bike where Stock/OEM was as good as it gets. It's really bothering me.

I never liked the first generation Valkyries myself but they had a pretty sizable aftermarket support. I bought my second generation early thinking it would be the same......... good thing I don't gamble.

I actually have no problem at all with the oem tires. The front handles great in dry and the wet. The rear is great in the dry and a lot of fun in the wet. I only got 12k (kilometers that is but probably should have only got 10) from the front and now I have an easy 16k out of the rear.

For what I do I am pretty happy. My single biggest problem is that I can't even get oem. Just some Harley branded hoop for the front which they keep telling me "to be careful with" and nothing that I think is even slightly viable for the rear.

It is just crap to be in this position Honda!

 

[silverfox]

Had a yarn with a guy from Sydney City Honda bout the front tyre prob .............. told me that the dunny OEM that honda was gunner flog would cost $500+ actually closer to the 6 mark Wooooo hoooooooo but this guy has another supplier that can get them for around $220 and a week ta get ............... thats Sydney, so we may have some luck .