Need some advice here!

[flamin lib]

I’ve got a “sport cruiser” and it’s wearing Bridgestone Battlax sport tires. Really grippy and soft on the sides but I’ve only got 4000 miles on the 170x18 front tire and it’s past the wear bars on the left side (in the US we drive on the right so the road camber adds to wear on that side). The other side doesn’t show wear bars yet but is close.

I didn’t think of myself as a very aggressive rider, but all that wear in only 4000 miles on a $120 tire indicates otherwise??????

So, do I look for a harder tire for longer wear or should I buy another sticky, soft tire? Can I have the tire remounted & flipped at 2500 miles to even the wear? Anybody done this?

The big ole’ fat rear tire is wearing evenly @ 2500 miles but the skinny front suffers more abrasion.

[IDemo]

1. I've got the same bike and tires

It's funny you should post this, because just a couple of days ago I noticed that the front tire was looking like it was pretty worn and in need of replacement. This is with 6,700 miles on the bike. I just looked at it again and it seems evenly worn on both sides (this was with a flashlight, so I'm not sure if the wear bars are visible).

This bike (Hyosung GV650) has been the least friendly of 5 street bikes I've owned in regards to hard cornering, not because of lack of tire traction, but clearance. Any aggressive lean results in a shower of sparks from the pegs, and I have had my left foot knocked off a few times as well. That will get your attention in a hurry. I've even taken to lifting my foot off the peg in a hard left turn.

Regarding the tire, soft or hard is more a matter of preference and riding style. I'm not sure this bike warrants soft, sticky sporting tread given its cruiser limitations. As far as reversing a tire to even the wear, don't:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5843415_read-motorcycle-tires.html

Locate the tire rotation arrows before mounting the tire. The arrows indicate the direction in which the tire must rotate. Proper mounting is crucial, because tires are manufactured with characteristics requiring proper directional rotation. Mounting tires with the rotational arrows reversed can affect the tire's structural integrity.

[flamin lib]

2. Thanks, The tread design doesn't look directional but it apparently

is.

Any tire recs?

[IDemo]

3. I haven't done a lot of research, but these get good reviews ->

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/31/401/6150/ITEM/Michelin-Commander-Cruiser-Front-Tire.aspx

I will probably give them a try.

[flamin lib]

4. I saw some Shimco tires on the same site at very attractive prices

but all the reviews either started with or ended with "bargain" or "for the price". Michelin is a known quantity for reputation and the description & price are good so they are at least a starting place if not a destination.

Thanks again Demo for both the tire stuff and introducing me to the bike. It's a fun ride!

[sailor65]

5. Those are definitely the wrong tires

If by "Sport Cruiser" you mean Sport Touring, then you need a dual compound tire. The best I've ever ridden on are the Michelin Pilot Road 2CT. I commute to work on a Ninja and the 2CT's keep my rear from flatting out but the soft shoulders let me continue to eat corners up. They would also balance your front since the hard center will cover road camber.

[IDemo]

6. Definitely not a Sport Tourer

If you're thinking BMW/Kawasaki Concours/Yamaha FJR. It's a cruiser - closer to a Sportster with a Suzuki SV650 motor. Not much for canyon carving, but great fun on the street.

Hyosung GV650:

[sailor65]

7. Ah, you have the Hyosung...then your tires are even MORE wrong!

The Michelins will work well for you. Race tires defintely don't belong on that bike, since it's not really a Sport-Cruiser, it's just a cruiser. But if you want to light it up from time to time, the soft shoulders on the Michelins will support you.

[flamin lib]

8. What brought the OP was the fact that the front tire is wearing badly

particularly on the left side and it's wearing all the way to the edge of the tread. The other side is worn too, it just has about 25% more tread than the left.

While Demotex's experience is that the bike won't lean that much my experience isn't. My pegs are set to the short position -- they are adjustable front to rear -- so maybe that explains the difference. Just for grins I braced the bike and leaned it over to the left until something (the peg) touched. While it's not knee dragin' low it sure looks more drastic than it feels. No, it's not a sport bike but a lot about it feels like one. 75 hp, 0-60 in 3.8, SS quarter in 12 sec and my personal top end was 115 sitting bolt upright with throttle left. It's not a Harley Sportster any more than it's a Ninja.

So the question remains, if I'm wearing out the tires in only 4k miles does that indicate the need for the dual compound tires or can I use a less sticky (harder) tire without concern for low-siding? Is there a suitable compromise? The bike came with these tires and they are the same as recommended for the Harley V-rod that the Hyosung is s copy of.

I'd like to save some money but not at the expense of paint and skin. I'm inclined to err on the side of sticky. A couple hundred bucks every year or two ain't much compared to the deductible on bike AND me!