Ran over a nail on Friday on my way to work and need to replace the rear tire. The local shop only has Dunlop in stock in the size I need. Is it safe to put a Dunlop on the back and keep my Bridgestone on the front?
2007-04-15 09:06:02 · 13 answers · asked by mb20and151 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
Additional Info: the shop is telling me I need to buy the front and rear tires because it's unsafe to have different brands on the same bike. I have a feeling they're just trying to make a sale to a girl who they think will not do the research to find out if they're full of crap!!
2007-04-15 09:12:37 · update #1
Two different brands makes no difference. The only thing you don't really want to do is mix Bias-ply and Radial-ply tires together.
2007-04-15 14:12:16 · answer #1 · answered by jkc6229 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Will it work? Sure. It might handle a bit differently, but it will work.
Is it safe? Sure. I wouldn't expect any catastrophic failures because of it. Overall tire wear *might* be effected though.
Would I do it? Not a chance. Not even in an emergency. Why? Because the engineers that designed the tire did so with a matching tire on the other end. As a motorcycle is a single track vehicle, obviously one end has a huge influence on the other. I like the odds of both ends working *together* better with a matched set of tires, than not.
We tell people the same thing at the shop, but leave the decision up to them, and if they decide to mis-match we have them sign a disclaimer releasing us from all liability.
Why? Not because as so many rubes seem to think, out of greed, but out of self preservation. If the customer goes out and gets themselves killed while riding, their families usually hire some slick polyester suited lawyer to sue every manufacturer of every piece on the bike, plus the original selling dealer as well as anyone that ever put a wrench on the bike.
Good luck!
2007-04-15 14:18:10 · answer #2 · answered by Nomad 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I wouldnt! ...Do you really want to push the traction limit of the lesser quality tire With the better one being more sticky in turns with a better contact patch? I dont know what style of riding you do but if you do twisties at all, keep the same tires! If you have a Pilot Power on the rear and a bridgestone battleax on the front it would be easy to outride the bridgestone. Dynamics and angles are also good to keep the same, so the contact patch is equal at lean.
If your just cruising and takin it easy, it wont affect you to have different tires, until an emergency situation requires you to make drastic maneuvers.
2007-04-16 06:45:29 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The only reason I wouldn't do it is because I would repair the hole with an inside patch, remount it, and never give it a second thought. Now if the tire tread was worn out I might consider replacing it, yes with a Dunlop, ride till the front needs replacing then Dunlop the front !!!!!!!!
2007-04-15 15:30:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have a question... If you have a FWD car which wears the front tires way~ more than the rear tires and you should always have 4 good tires, you will always end up with changing out 2 tires and more often than rotating them. I understand the safety of preventing you from drifting but also it is not cost effective. I drive a 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS which also has traction control so is it better to have the better tires in the rear?
2016-04-01 03:00:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If i were you i would go to a different shop because there just trying to get extra money of of you. As long as the tires are the same size as the stock ones you can mix and match them all you want. I did it on my bike and couldnt tell the difference, it didnt handle different or drive any different.
2007-04-15 12:51:09 · answer #6 · answered by aaronzhunt 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well kind of the new tires today are made to work together they have certain profiles that only work together and some manufacturers don't recommend a different combination because the front tire clears the water for the rear such as the metzeler and the pirelli just a few things to consider
2007-04-15 09:13:41 · answer #7 · answered by 51 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
As long as the tires are of the same size, speed rating and load limit there is no problem. Having two brands of tires on any vehicle is not dangerous at all.
2007-04-15 09:15:04 · answer #8 · answered by BP Guy 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I mix and match tires all the time, with no problems. Its all BS by shops and tire manufactorers. Tires with different profiles of course can change the handling, but you can adjust to it or adjust the bike to suit.
2007-04-15 12:26:40 · answer #9 · answered by rashmaster13 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i worked in a shop and they are just trying to make the sale it will be fine to run two diffrent aslong as it is the right size and rateing
2007-04-15 12:17:43 · answer #10 · answered by tex_115 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋