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Post by sunscoot on Mar 2, 2015 14:16:27 GMT -5
Narrowed it down to these two. Shinko sr007 or Kenda K413 Going to go one size up from 130/70-12 on rear to 140/70-12 and from 120/70-12 to 130/70-12 on front of a 2007 Gator 50r. Let me know your thoughts and experience with the 2 brands or other recommendations. Thanks! (First time poster!)
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Post by hillbillybob on Mar 2, 2015 16:53:46 GMT -5
Here is my experience with one of your choices. link |
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Post by sunscoot on Mar 2, 2015 23:25:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the reply hillbillybob. Anybody have any feedback about the Shinko SR007??
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Post by ramblinman on Mar 3, 2015 11:52:42 GMT -5
i don't have any personal experience with either tire. from what i have read kenda has a lot of mixed reviews, mostly bad, and shinko has mostly favorable reviews.
i have a set of shinko's arriving today. not the same tread you are considering but i could give you my opinion of the sr429 in a couple days.
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Post by ramblinman on Mar 3, 2015 14:57:44 GMT -5
my shinko's just arrived. obviously don't have them mounted but i can tell the rubber is very soft. should grip the road well, my only concern is tread life. i'm guessing they will wear faster than my rock hard stock tires but with the rain season coming soon i think the shinko's will grip the road better in wet conditions.
still not looking forward to mounting these tires but i will enjoy them when the work is done.
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Post by scooter on Mar 3, 2015 19:41:48 GMT -5
i don't have any personal experience with either tire. from what i have read kenda has a lot of mixed reviews, mostly bad, and shinko has mostly favorable reviews. i have a set of shinko's arriving today. not the same tread you are considering but i could give you my opinion of the sr429 in a couple days. I don't know about the life of the Kendas but I'll say the ones I had really gripped the road even with the bike practically on its side. |
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Post by onewheeldrive on Mar 3, 2015 22:26:51 GMT -5
I had a rear Kenda, not sure what model though for my 50(72). I don't have anything bad to say about it. Actually never had any issues with the stock Cheng Shin's that came with my scoot, or any scooter tires for that matter--yet. I'm using Michelin S1's right now.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Mar 4, 2015 16:25:51 GMT -5
Sunscoot,
First, WELCOME to the site! Now, I have an older Kymco Grandvista 250. When I got it, it had brand-new Kendas front and back. They were the "J-rated" (60-some mph) and did not ride well. Lots of "thumping" when passing through different speed ranges, and not the greatest traction either.
I wanted to upgrade to "J-rated" tires (92 mph) for a safety margin. (My scooter takes a 140-70-12 rear, and 120-70-12 up front, similar to yours). Wanting whitewalls, I could only find them in the Shinko like you're thinking of, and ONLY for the 120 front. Shinko makes the whitewall in a 130 size for the rear, but not 140.
I went with the shinko on the front, and a Michelin Power Pure on the rear, with a painted whitewall. I now have 1,400 miles on the tires and am MORE than happy with BOTH the Shinko AND the Michelin.
Road manners are exemplary at ANY speed, and at low speed the "feel" is excellent. Neither tire shows any noticeable wear but at less than 2,000 miles, they shouldn't. The Shinko rubber DOES feel soft, but it's holding up just fine to the miles so far, and I ride somewhat hard. I do not "spare the ponies" accelerating hard with fast traffic, braking hard, and often running WOT on the highway at 75 mph+
My scooter is a tad heavy at 360 pounds, and so am I at 235 pounds... LOL! So the tires get some serious use... In all fairness, my past ride (a Xynguye 150) had Kenda 13" J-rated tires from the factory, and within that scooter's 55 mph top speed, they were very good for many years. Not one complaint. But... The 12" Kendas did NOT work well on my 250
I can only give you my personal opinions, but after a year and over 1,000 miles, I heartily recommend the Shinko AND the Michelin. I'm a little "iffy" about the 12" Kendas from my experience with them on the Kymco.
One thing I'm a stickler about is that the tires be well-balanced. Both the original new Kendas AND the current new Shinko and Michelin tires are professionally balanced. Lacking proper balance, many tires may tend to shake, or do other little things which make one think the tires are not so good, when they may be just fine.
Hope this may help you decide.
Sincerely,
Leo in Texas
PS: Normally, I epersonally would not mix brands, or tread-styles. I went with the Shinko up front to have a factory whitewall, and my B&M dealer kindly researched a rear-tire suitable to paint a whitewall on, AND be compatible with the front Shinko. Several tire vendors suggested the Michelin Power Pure. If I recall, the Shinko is a BIAS-PLY tire, and the Michelin is a RADIAL-PLY tire... Again, something I would not think the best mix, BUT the matchup is FLAWLESS at any speed, with no wobble, bounce, shake or shimmy, and both tires seem to be wearing very little.
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Post by sunscoot on Mar 4, 2015 20:26:40 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome and the very informative info oldchopperguy! What made you not go with a Power Pure up front (to match the rear radial) and paint the white wall as well?
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Post by oldchopperguy on Mar 4, 2015 22:44:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome and the very informative info oldchopperguy! What made you not go with a Power Pure up front (to match the rear radial) and paint the white wall as well? It's a long, LONG story... LOL! But, painted whitewalls are MUCH worse than just "problematical"... There are few paints (even purpose-made) that work well at all. ESPECIALLY on a NEW tire. I truly did not want to mess with the constant cleaning, sanding, repainting and general hassle of doing both tires. The rear alone is enough trouble, and it doesn't show as much as the front, so little imperfections aren't such a big deal...
Here's "Minnie Mouse" the day I bought her, with the original Kenda tires. I hesitate to deride the Kendas since they were fine on my original 150 scooter, but... The 12-inchers on THIS 250 just did not feel good at all. You should be able to click on pix to see them larger...
Here's the old girl with my few little "links to the past"... Wide whites, saddlebags and fishtail exhaust. Yeah, the Taiwanese folks would cringe, but heck, this is America... I think ITALIANS might like it, maybe...
From reports from others, I already determined the Shinko was a good tire (I do wish they'd make the 140/70/12 whitewall for the rear though...). I'm near 70 now, and incurably "lost in the fifties"... an old Harley guy for many decades. Finally, arthritis has me to the point that I just cannot easily climb on and off big bikes anymore and decided to go with a step-through scooter... Hey, it BEATS WALKING... And ANYTHING on two wheels beats anything on 4 wheels when weather permits.
I'm very impressed with the Michelin, particularly its dry-road traction. It is very modern, nearly a "slick" with rain-grooves. But the Shinko is just as pleasing, with a silky-smooth ride and good traction, while it is an old-school traditional street-tread tire made particularly for use on Vespa-style scoots with a retro look.
I've really given them a good workout and can't induce a wobble or shimmy at all. And, at absolute top speed, on flat highway and no hills or wind I can get to just over 80 mph and old "Minnie Mouse" as I call the rodent-faced scoot is as comfy and solid as Harley baggers of my youth. I can't ask for more than that. Locking the brakes produces a straight-ahead skid, and breaking the rear tire loose on wet stuff, then closing the throttle snaps it right back under control. Both tires perform as well as could be hoped for on a daily-driver scooter.
If you prefer a traditional street-tread tire, I'd highly recommend the Shinkos. If you prefer a modern, round-profile slick tire (more "crotch-rocket" style) I'd recommend the Michelins. But for modern tires, you could hardly go wrong with any major brand... Michelin, Pirelli, etc.
I made a LOT of trouble for myself "having a Jones" for wide whites, but I finally did end up with a good setup. If someone wants factory whitewalls and can live with a 130 rear, rather than a 140, he/she could just go with the Shinkos front and rear.
The only noticeable difference I can see in my pair, is that the very "street" tread Shinko has just a little better traction on wet roads, and the Michelin "slick" has a little better traction on dry roads, but the differences are so slight, it really doesn't matter enough to make you choose one over the other.
Anyway, ride safe!
Leo in Texas
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