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Post by oldchopperguy on Feb 3, 2015 3:56:38 GMT -5
Note that when putting different sized tires on a bike you need to understand that you could end up introducing head shake that during fast braking or an accident avoidance maneuver such as a sudden swerve could throw you off the bike. If you ride mainly on chip roads where there is little rain the Shinko's may suit you well however they tend to last longer due to harder rubber formulations that may not grip as well on smooth roads especially when they are wet. Many of their tread patterns are not of their own design but knockoffs of Bridgstone or Dunlops using rubber formulations and substructure quite different from what the tread pattern was designed for so results may vary. Absolutely true!
I have given my tires a pretty good shakedown now though, and have had no noticeable problems with traction (or any other issues) with either the Shinko or the Michelin. On slippery surfaces, both tires grip pretty well; at least as well as any scooter-sized tire I've ridden.
The Grandvista IS a little heavy, and the wheels/tires ARE a little small, but with a thousand miles on mine, the Shinko and Michelin matchup have proven to be very decent at all speeds, and on many different road surfaces.
Just my personal experience passed on, but so far, it's been very good.
Leo
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Post by rockynv on Feb 3, 2015 5:28:35 GMT -5
You just have to be careful when dealing with knock-off tires especially when they are for high mileage as the hard rubber if not matched with the correct tread pattern can make for a slippery tire. If you got a set that is a good match for tread pattern and rubber formulation that is really great however I would still be careful with the brand and watch for users wet traction reviews and comments on the particular model one is considering.
Better to be safe than that other thing.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Feb 7, 2015 1:01:15 GMT -5
Update on tire replacement. So I called over to a local scooter shop in Tempe Arizona, and asked the guy what sort of tires he had available and the price. I'm going to replace the front tire immediately, and the rear tire next month. For a 120/70-12 Michelin City Grip front tire he quoted me $80 for the tire and another $55 labor to put it on for a total of $135. I thought that was bit overpriced, so I went online and found the very same Michelin City Grip "S" rated tire for $48.99 with FREE shipping!
www.amazon.com/dp/B003601LQ8/ref=pe_385040_128020140_TE_3p_dp_1
So, I ordered that tire and it will be delivered to my house next week sometime. I'm going to make a point to take it to a different shop to install it. I don't begrudge a guy trying to make a profit so he can stay in business, but I have no time for greedy people who like to gouge their customers. $50 is a fair price for that tire, not $80. Now he has lost my business permanently.
As soon as I'm up and running on the new Michelin I'll post my thoughts on how it handles! Thanks guys!
 Scootdude,
I think you'll be VERY happy with those Michelin tires (and "S" rated is about bulletproof!)...
Shop-installed tires can cost anything... Depends on the store. My dealer ordered my tires with no markup for me, the rear Michelin was around $50 if I recall, the front Shinko around $40. He installed both, charging $30 for the front and $35 for the rear. That included a first-class balance on both, and pulling the wheel-bearings and inspecting them.
I thought with over 14K highway-speed, loaded-down, two-up miles on the scooter, the bearings might be "purple" and a little "crunchy"... LOL! The 7-year-old bearings were like new, and were re-installed. These old Kymcos are made of VERY good stuff!
When you have your new tires installed, I definitely suggest you use a source who will do a good balance-job on the wheel assemblies while they're off. These old hosses won't run fast enough to push that "S" rating, but they do go fast enough to need a smooth balance. True-turning, well-balanced wheels/tires make those little 12-inchers feel like big touring bike tires at 70 mph!
Best wishes and ride safe!
Leo (lookin' forward to 75 degrees and sun tomorrow) in Texas!
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Post by SylvreKat on Feb 7, 2015 19:52:17 GMT -5
Hate to say, but doubling the cost is not untypical in the retail world. Hobby Lobby's fancy latex flowers actually have close to a 600% markup.
But yeah, $135 for one 12" tire installed seems pretty way out of where it really should be. I don't blame you dude for never wanting to contact that place again.
>'Kat
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Post by scootdude on Feb 9, 2015 3:46:29 GMT -5
Hate to say, but doubling the cost is not untypical in the retail world. Hobby Lobby's fancy latex flowers actually have close to a 600% markup. But yeah, $135 for one 12" tire installed seems pretty way out of where it really should be. I don't blame you dude for never wanting to contact that place again. >'Kat I hear what you're saying Kat. I know all about retail mark up too. I was a service writer for a very busy auto shop for a few years, and I've put together many a repair estimate in my time. When we mark up a part, the mark up is based on the wholesale cost to the shop for the part. This is a price that Joe Customer can't get the part for from the distributor himself. Like for instance a spark plug that the shop gets for $2.50 we will mark up to $5.00 to sell to the customer. If Joe Customer were to go to the parts store and buy that spark plug, he would likely pay about $5.00 for it. Tires are a completely different animal. Unless you are a major tire distributor, you must sell the tires for a much more meager mark up. Usually at the shop I worked at, the mark up on tires was anywhere between 10% and 20% depending on the tire. Most of the money we made on tires was on the labor to mount and balance them, and then hopefully sell an alignment. The guy at this shop in Tempe is charging a really unreasonable price for the tire. If I can buy the tire for $49 bucks online with FREE shipping, then I'm sure that he can buy the tire from a wholesaler for a few bucks less. Probably around $40 if he's wanting to charge me $80. I would have been okay with paying $55 for the tire just to have the convenience of not having to wait for it to come in the mail. But he blew me out of the water with a greedy and unreasonable $80. I can't stomach businesses that like to gouge their customers. This isn't the medical industry. We have a choice. We can shop around. That's how the free market works. So when a business owner wants to be an overcharging, gouging, rip off artist, we have the option of finding another vendor of the service we're looking for at a more competitive and fair price. I've read over his google reviews that his prior customers have posted, and it looks like I'm not the only one who gets the impression that this guy is ripping them off. I hope his shop burns to the ground with him in it. LOL! Just kidding. But seriously, I won't do business with him.  |
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Post by SylvreKat on Feb 9, 2015 7:59:29 GMT -5
Glad you were kidding about the guy's shop burning down. I mean, gosh, think about the potential damage to the environment from the toxic smoke all those tires and oil and stuff would put out....  >'Kat |
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Post by scootdude on Feb 11, 2015 16:39:21 GMT -5
I just had a Michelin City Grip 120/70R12 put on the front of my scootie and I have to say it's a night and day difference from the old tire that was on there. The Michelin handles a lot better. Steering at slow speeds is a lot less squirrely with the Michelin tire. I can't wait to put one on the back. After riding around for about 50 miles on the Michelin City Grip, I have to say I would highly recommend this tire if you're looking for a good handling tire. Good stuff.  |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Feb 12, 2015 2:14:23 GMT -5
I just had a Michelin City Grip 120/70R12 put on the front of my scootie and I have to say it's a night and day difference from the old tire that was on there. The Michelin handles a lot better. Steering at slow speeds is a lot less squirrely with the Michelin tire. I can't wait to put one on the back. After riding around for about 50 miles on the Michelin City Grip, I have to say I would highly recommend this tire if you're looking for a good handling tire. Good stuff. HeHeHe...
Welcome to the wonderful world of GOOD 12" tires!!! You're having the same experience I've had with mine. These old Grandvistas' 12-inchers really DO call for good tires, well-balanced. With those in place though, it's a genuine pleasure to ride relaxed and comfortable at any speed the old gals are capable of! I'm beginning to see why Vespa guys pay no mind to 10, 11-inch and other assorted small rims...
I ran numerous errands today on "Minnie Mouse" and reflected on some of the posts here about riders being uneasy on their scooters above modest speeds. I'm never more relaxed than when cruising down the tarmac on the mouse... Knuckles in the wind, sun on my back, eating up the miles and sweeping around curvy roads... Smelling the smoke from Texas BBQ shacks while running around town... WOW! That is what "ItIsTheRide" is all about! I loved it on my old Harleys and I love it just as much on the aging Grandvista.
I admit, I do sometimes get a little "white-knuckled" driving the car in frisky traffic, but slouched down and riding easy on the old 250 teakettle is about as relaxed as I get. I'll never fall asleep at the wheel of the family cage, but once in a while, I do have to remember I'm riding, and not relax TOO much and nod off while cruising on the scoot... LOL!
Forgetting to put my feet down at a redlight usually brings an embarrassing "wake-up call"... LOL! I'll bet a Taiwan egg-roll that once you get used to yours, you'll feel the same on your black beast! Those feathers were holding her back... We all know flat-black makes 'em go faster!
Wait 'til you get your other Michelin... You'll feel like you're ridin' a vintage Hog!
Ride safe and enjoy the ride!
Leo in Texas
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Post by scootdude on Feb 12, 2015 2:25:56 GMT -5
I agree Leo! The guy at the scooter shop where I had the tire installed was trying to talk me into buying a big 500cc scooter. He told me that California is about to ban 250cc and smaller on their freeways, and he said that as California goes, the rest of the country will go. I say HOOEY to that. In the first place, I've heard nothing of the sort about California banning 250cc on the highways. And secondly, my 250cc GrandDinksta easily does 75mph. In fact I have a hard time keeping it down to the speed limit on regular 45mph roads! The Dinksta wants to RUN! In regards to the black beauty, I've decided to call my ride Johnny Cash. He was the man in black. So my scoot will be the Dinksta in black. Ha! Or maybe I'll call her Dinksta Cash. Yeah that has a ring to it. Dinksta Cash. I'm liking it. |
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Post by oldchopperguy on Feb 12, 2015 2:59:20 GMT -5
I agree Leo! The guy at the scooter shop where I had the tire installed was trying to talk me into buying a big 500cc scooter. He told me that California is about to ban 250cc and smaller on their freeways, and he said that as California goes, the rest of the country will go. I say HOOEY to that. In the first place, I've heard nothing of the sort about California banning 250cc on the highways. And secondly, my 250cc GrandDinksta easily does 75mph. In fact I have a hard time keeping it down to the speed limit on regular 45mph roads! The Dinksta wants to RUN! In regards to the black beauty, I've decided to call my ride Johnny Cash. He was the man in black. So my scoot will be the Dinksta in black. Ha! Or maybe I'll call her Dinksta Cash. Yeah that has a ring to it. Dinksta Cash. I'm liking it. "Dinksta Cash"... Yup! Got a nice ring to it!
I can't fathom ANY state banning 250's from freeways. The largest displacement requirement for limited access highways I've heard of is 160. I fell in love with the tall-wheel Kymco "People 200" my dealer loaned me while he changed my tires... The little wheezer is actually a sorta 150 GY6 aircooled motor of 163 cc. But, it accelerated nearly as well as my 250 up to 55 mph, and would hit 69 mph verified by a local police vascar. I did take it on the freeway a couple of times, running 60 with ease. Of course, California is a different animal. I wouldn't worry about it. Any scoot that can run an honest 65 mph should be good to go for decades.
I was so impressed with the little "200" I took a picture for posterity! She's a tad light, and prone to wander in crosswinds, but she's still a sweet little ride!
Lookin' forward to daylight pix of the resurrected parrot! That carbon-fiber looking muffler should be perfect with the flat-black! Do remember though, you now are nearly "invisible" after dark... Even mine is mostly black from the rear...
If I recall, you have a monster trunk. Me too! I illuminated mine like a vegas casino (those top-boxes nearly hide the factory lights from tailgating cars) and it's a pretty easy safety mod.
Here's a few pix... NO excuse for ANYBODY rear-ending me! I hope!
NO guaranties, but I figured $20 worth of LED's might save this old geezer's hide!
Ride safe!
Leo
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Post by scootdude on Feb 12, 2015 3:09:41 GMT -5
Whoa nice!! Where did you get the led's and how did you wire them up to the brake lights and signal lights?? I want to do the same! That's sharp!
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Post by oldchopperguy on Feb 12, 2015 3:36:14 GMT -5
Whoa nice!! Where did you get the led's and how did you wire them up to the brake lights and signal lights?? I want to do the same! That's sharp! Cheesh... You still up too? LOL! My Wife and the cats are saying "bed-time"!
My trunk had the tail light in the trunk-lid built-in, and a HUGE fake wrap-around lens below the lid. If yours has no fake lens to use, it's still easy.
Every kind of LED strip-light is available on eBay... I get most everything including the trunk on eBay... Older style ones used larger LED's and are fine, but I got newer ones which are very thin. They're self-adhesive. You simply put them in place, with a hole drilled for the wires to go through (be sure to seal any holes with black silicone for waterproofing).
I removed the seat-pan and tapped into the scooter wires, using a trailer-hitch pig-tail, running the wires under the luggage-rack, ending in a connector-plug. I then ran another pig-tail through a hole in the trunk which plugs into the opposite plug from the scooter. This way, I can remove the trunk by unplugging the pig-tails.
I tightly ran all the wires around the inside of the trunk body. There was a "rail" molded into it, and I drilled holes in the rail, securing the wires with zip-ties to keep it tidy and prevent goods in the trunk from damaging the wiring.
I used amber strip lights on top of the red stop-light lens for the turn-signals. I outlined them with narrow chrome stick-on trim. If you make holes at the end of any lights, the wires/holes can be hidden under small reflectors, or a piece of stick-on chrome. You might not want any chrome on yours.
It's AMAZING how a simple strip of LED's light up!!! Your arrangement is limited only by your creativity! You could run a short strip of red ones for a tail light, with another long strip under it for a stop light, and put amber blinkers on top of them, or any way that looks decent. My trunk made it easy, having a fake light already there, but it's just as good to make your own from LED strips. Individual LED's in chrome or black bezels are also available for single-bulb use. 12V LED's come in red, white, amber and other "non-legal for street use" colors. I used white strips under the red fake lens. Red ones will work fine by themselves.
I'll take a picture of the wiring for a reference. The hardest part is tracking down the scooter wires. I used a $1 test-probe light, probing the wires, then marking them with tape and marker-pen before I forgot which was which!
It's a little time-consuming, but fairly easy, AND affordable!
Can't tell you how many big-bike riders have asked me WHERE in Heaven I got a trunk with full illumination! LOL!
It really IS a worthwhile safety mod. When a car (or especially a truck or SUV tail-gaits you, they REALLY can't see the factory rear lights below the trunk).
I'll add pix of the wires as soon as I shoot them.
Hope this helps!
Leo
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Post by scootdude on Feb 12, 2015 11:32:09 GMT -5
Pretty clever Leo! I'm going to go to the store today and see if I can pick up some LED's to install. I don't want to wait for a mailed order from ebay. I wonder who would carry them?? LOL! Details, details....
I really do need to do something about the visibility problem on my stealth scooter before something really disastrous happens.
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Post by bandito2 on Feb 12, 2015 12:09:00 GMT -5
Walmart carries light strips like that in their auto section. Auto Zone, Pep Boys and other auto parts stores may have them too.
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