[KenCrawleySC]

$147.95 Dunlop D220ST 200/50ZR17 SportMax Rear Tire #333682 replaces the 180/55R-17 D251 rear tire with room to spare.

Champion Honda of North Charleston did the job in about 1 hour (including checking my rear brake pads, which looked brand new).
You have to take the left exhaust pipe cover off and also remove the rear fender and seat.

Keep in mind I replaced my front tire with a
83.95 Dunlop D220 120/70ZR18 Front Tire, sizing down from the stock 150, to keep in the D220 part number. It appears to handle easier with the smaller front tire. I have 6,000 miles on this front tire and have had no problems braking.

UPDATE: the 210 rear tire only lasted 6,000 miles

Ken (12,340 miles)

FYI: Honda Direct Prices Sep04
DUN-7414758
Dunlop 180/55R17 rear tire for the NRX18 Rune. FREE SHIPPING. 3025-30, 42711-MEC-004

Retail Price: $195.79
Our Price: $169.99
Qty. DUN-7414899
Dunlop 150/60R18 front tire for the NRX18 Rune. FREE SHIPPING. 3025-50, 44711-MEC-004.

Retail Price: $189.86
Our Price: $159.99
Qty.

 

[HogSlayer]

Ken, is that tire low profile like the stock rear tire?

 

[KenCrawleySC]

LOW PROFILE!

 

[Cyclops]

200 Series Dunlop

Thanks Ken; Please keep us informed as you are putting on the miles. I, for one, will be very interested to know how it performs, wears, etc. Sport bike tires are generally a bit softer rubber than tires for cruisers. What you lose in overall milage, you gain in "stickyness" in the corners. That being said, I have no idea how many miles we can expect from the stock tires. I only have 6000 miles on mine and it looks like its only half gone... maybe the 2nd half will disappear faster than the first half. LOL

 

[KenCrawleySC]

Tire Life

My front stock tire was ready to be replaced at 7,500
The new Dunlop on the front at nearly 5,000 miles looks brand new... so what's the deal with softer rubber?

My rear stock tire was ready for the artificial reef offshore at 12,100 miles.

The front brake pads were pristine at 7,500 so I let em ride.
The rear brake pads were pristine at 12,100 miles, so I let em ride.
UPDATE on Brake Pads: at 27,000 miles, both front and rear were still over 4mm.

You know guys, what would be cool? If we have subjects in this tech forum that are maintenance related.. When you replace your front tire, you make a note in the "front tire" subject string, etc.

 

[rune 33]

tire replacement

hi guys
I changed my front tire at 10,000 km or 6500 miles
I just had my back tire changed at 17,000 km and a lot of burn outs
but when they pullled the weights off all the paint came with it , so Honda says they will come good for a new set of spec 47 , ( front wheel had paint coming off too) I am concerned that everytime I change tires and rebalance is the paint going to come off. Trying to make a deal for chrome
but they want too much money .. so I think before I get dealer to put new rims on I am going to get them chromed . Any thoughts would help.
p.s. they told me Honda in Japan only has 2 chromed wheels for the world in stock. Maybe they aren't planning on building too many more Horray!!!

Bill

 

[RedValk]

i don't feel so bad now. My front tire (well, the bike itself has 7500)...has 7500 miles on it. It shows quite a bit of cupping....and to be honest, in some of the cupped areas...it's on the wear bar. I could replace it now. But i think i'll wait just a bit more. but it won't be long.

Rear tire looks pretty good...like it may get a couple more 1000 miles out of it.

I also notice now that the front tire is cupped fairly bad, sometimes at low speeds......i get a bit of front end wobble. I'm POSITIVE it is due to the that cupping in the front tire. It only recently started doing this. I'm sure it will go away when i replace the front tire.

sooner or later i will replace it...but i'm trying to stretch it out as long as i can.......

 

[Rich Oas]

Front Tire Cupping

I have 7500 on the front and will replace by 8500.... I have seen the cupping since around 3000 miles.. progressively getting worse - off the wear bar 1 1/2" on both sides. I believed it to be underinflation but dealer advised me to follow manufacturers suggested psi. After reading posts here I recently moved my air pressure from 32 to 40 psi front and rear.. I am hoping that will help with life on the new tire.... I am thinking of the 200 Ken put on the rear for my change (when necessary) The stock width as I recall is 7 1/4" approx. What is the width of the 200?

 

[KenCrawleySC]

I did not get a chance to measure the width of the 200 tire after it was mounted and inflated. But, again, there is about 1/4" of clearance between the tire and the swing arm frame.

I had NO cupping of any tires at the 42 psi level.

 

[RedValk]

i ran 40-42 in both my tires. But still saw the cupping. recently, i went to 44-45 psi...trying to reduce wear/cupping. we'll see how that does. wouldn't want to run any higher psi, though.

Dunlop tire page says the D220ST (200) is 7.64 inches wide. the D251 stock tire (180) is right around 7 inches wide. So it's about half inch wider it looks like...give or take.....

 

[HogSlayer]

My experience is that Dunlops will cup, even if ran at max psi.
I have a avon venom r on the front on my 99 valk, 13000 and no cupping.
We need avon tires for these bikes!

 

[HogSlayer]

I just found a Metzler ME880 210/50zr17, HMMMM? Metzler is my second choice for tires behind Avon. That would be around .32 larger than the 200, but correct me if I'm wrong that would move the tire edge .16 closer to the swingarm. Ken you said about a 1/4 inch clearance with the 200
this would make for about 1/8 inch clearance. that's close, maybe a slight swing arm mod would make it acceptable.

 

[RedValk]

HS....couldn't agree more on the Avons. That is ALL i run on the Valk....and i get 16-17k on rear....even more on front....and that is with HARD running. guys who drive more 'conservatively' consistantly report getting 18-20k on rear! i also ran Avons on wife's Raod Star...and she loved em'.

i too wish Avon would make a tire (or should i say tyre....made in Britain, ya' know) for this bike. 150 on front...maybe a 190 or 200 for rear. Avon....ya' listening???

 

[KenCrawleySC]

The dimension of the Avon rear tire sounds like it would be worth a try -- especially if I find I end up not happy with the Dunlop 200. But, for now, and my first 500 miles on the new rear tire - no problems. With my riding style I think my "stickier" tires are worth the evaluation.

Try removing your rear fender and take measurements between the stock tire and the swing arm. To remove the fender will take about 20 minutes. Dont forget the electrical connector plug on the left side of the bike. While you have it off, crank up the shock absorber gizmo a couple clicks to the harder position.

 

[LOV2KRZ]

Shock Adjustment

Ken, when said crank up the shock gizmo where you referring to the damping pot or a spring pre--tension adjustment?

 

[KenCrawleySC]

the damping pot is what I meant

 

[LOV2KRZ]

Bummer

that's what I thought but you got my heart racing on that one. I'd love to change out the rear shock with something that allows spring pre-load.

 

[KenCrawleySC]

210 Size Tire Fits TOO!

My 200 tire only lasted 9,500 miles. In Paducah Kentucky yesterday I noticed the cord was showing in the middle! So much for 2000 miles of high speed cruising!
The Honda dealer had a 210 tire available. It fits too!
\Ken (21,000 miles and just as many smiles)

 

[hannibal]

Pirelli tires

Hi,
j looked anywhere but no chance to find a front tire in europe.

j am ordering to the sponsor, tires and other items.

Anyway j found that Pirelli is producing the same size rear tire. do you have Pirelli tires in Usa?

ciao
hannibal

 

[KenCrawleySC]

The 210 tire is a Metzeler 210zrx50-17
I have 1,500 miles on it already.

UPDATE: I have 5,000 miles on it and except for when something got wedged for a bit between the tire and the swing arm and "rubbed" the tire, it is doing great!

ken (21,500 miles and smiling)
ken(24,250 miles and freezing his butt off today, so i took the Volvo)