tires

[hap2]

Ever heard of Michelin Defender 2 tires? What have u heard?

[Viking]

For cars and trucks yes. I use the Michelin Defenders on my F250 and am very pleased with them. I have never heard of a Defender for a motorcycle.

[hap2]

Sorry I meant to say Michelin Commander II Motorcycle Tire

See
https://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Command ... _404855011

[Viking]

Also great tires. I have a set on my Harley Softail, and have used them in the past on other Harleys. They do not make one for a Goldwing tho, so if you use them, I believe they are not rated with enough load for Goldwings. I know Michelin has told Honda that they do not make a tire suitable for Goldwings.

[hap2]

I found a set for my 1500 on bike bandit

https://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/ ... 0?m=151563

[dingdong]

They only list the front tire in their fitment chart. No rear tire.

[hap2]

Ya, I c that (only front tire)

[newday777]

I ran a Commander II on front of my 1500 and my 1800. Love the stickyness in dry and wet.

[hap2]

thing is..where can I getta Commander 2 for the rear of my 1500?

I've got E3 in both front & rear, but the rear (60% left) seems to hava slow leak & wondring what I can put in it (like a product called "Ride-Along", or something else) to stop the leak

[newday777]

Michelin stopped making tires for wings years ago so you won't find one for the rear.

Ride-on is the sealer balancer.
Will it stop the leak? Depends on what the leak is from and where. Ride-on only will stop a leak in the center 3"-4" of tread, not the sides or rim or valve stem. You need to find the leak first. Mix some liquid soap and water in a squirt bottle and squirt away till you find the leak. Check the valve stem especially if it is a rubber base like Honda puts on.

thing is..where can I getta Commander 2 for the rear of my 1500?

I've got E3 in both front & rear, but the rear (60% left) seems to hava slow leak & wondring what I can put in it (like a product called "Ride-Along", or something else) to stop the leak

[newday777]

I use and recommend aluminum 85 deg stems but even those can leak with cracked rubber washers.

[hap2]

I don't think I want to, but do any of u with a 1992 to 1996 have a Michelin Commander 2 on the front & some other brand of tire on the rear, or what is the next best tire to a Commander 2 on the rear?

[newday777]

It is false information that says you have to have the matching tire front to back in sets. I've been running different brands since the 70s and haven't crashed and burned. And I play hard on my wings in the twisty rides.
I'm not on a 1500 any longer (5yrs on my 08 now)

I don't think I want to, but do any of u with a 1992 to 1996 have a Michelin Commander 2 on the front & some other brand of tire on the rear, or what is the next best tire to a Commander 2 on the rear?

[hap2]

NEWday777:

so what do u have now for tires (both front & rear) on your Wing now?

[newday777]

Not on a 1500 now.
On an 08 1800 the past 5 yrs.

NEWday777:

so what do u have now for tires (both front & rear) on your Wing now?

[hap2]

Anyway, what do u have from tires on your 08?

[newday777]

Bridgestone G709 frt
Bridgestone CT Driveguard runflat rear (after 4 Yokohama runflats)

[hap2]

Ok thanx...do u advise them for a 1500?

[newday777]

I hadn't tried a runflat on a 1500.
I don't recommend a nonrunflat on a 1500. I tried 2 different nonrunflats and didn't like the squirliness in corners, above 80 was not good. Even put one I had taken off one 1500 and put it on a low mile(17,500) 1500, and had the same results.
And on the grooved cement roads, made the tires follow the grooves.

Ok thanx...do u advise them for a 1500?

[hap2]

ok thanx. What do u suggest for a 1500?

Thank u again

[newday777]

As said, been a while so not up on the newer tires for the 1500.
I didn't like the looseness on wet of the E3s and had gone to the darkside before trying another brand of mc tire on the rear of the 1500 before it's demise by cager and getting the 1800 to replace it. I had been studing the darkside during my second set of E3s. I had concidered Avons but didn't get to them.
Tire manufacturers have dropped the ball on mc tires. Yes they are built better than the 70s tires but are not up to date or weight needs of our wings. Too many stresses on the tires we get on the 1000 lb bikes.

[offcenter]

I don't think I want to, but do any of u with a 1992 to 1996 have a Michelin Commander 2 on the front & some other brand of tire on the rear, or what is the next best tire to a Commander 2 on the rear?

I run a Commander II on the front and a car tire on the rear
of my '99 1500.
The bike handles great with this combo.
The bike originally had Dunlop e3s on both ends when I got the
bike from the original owner. He said that in the 17 years that
he owned the bike, he was never able to take his hands off
of the bars without the front wheel starting to wobble like
heck.
After putting the Commander II on the front, I am now able to
remove my hands from the bars at any speed. Just changing
the front tire cured the problem.
The car tire on the rear only improved the handling.

[newday777]

I don't think I want to, but do any of u with a 1992 to 1996 have a Michelin Commander 2 on the front & some other brand of tire on the rear, or what is the next best tire to a Commander 2 on the rear?

I run a Commander II on the front and a car tire on the rear
of my '99 1500.
The bike handles great with this combo.
The bike originally had Dunlop e3s on both ends when I got the
bike from the original owner. He said that in the 17 years that
he owned the bike, he was never able to take his hands off
of the bars without the front wheel starting to wobble like
heck.
After putting the Commander II on the front, I am now able to
remove my hands from the bars at any speed. Just changing
the front tire cured the problem.
The car tire on the rear only improved the handling.

Changing the tire is not a permanent cure, only until the new tire starts cupping in 3,000 or so miles.

Replace the steering bearings with Allballs tapered bearings, properly torqued with the socket and torque wrench, is the only cure.

[offcenter]

Changing the tire is not a permanent cure, only until the new tire starts cupping in 3,000 or so miles.
Replace the steering bearings with Allballs tapered bearings, properly torqued with the socket and torque wrench, is the only cure.

Really? That front Commander II now has about 16,000 miles on it.
It's just about down to the wear bars.
And the bike STILL handles perfectly with no shaking.
I'm just about to order another Commander II since that one
worked so well.

[dakotanator]

I have the Michelin Commander II on my '83 Aspencade. Very happy with it so far. I have a Bridgestone Spitfire on the front. Seems to be a good combo FOR ME. I am NO TIRE EXPERT, and when it comes time to get another set.......I'm going with the most recommended on this site. When I got my new tires, I had not come across this site yet, so I did my own "research". So far, so good. No negative traction issues at all. Cornering is good, but I'm not "pushing it", as I'm more than happy to "cruise" with it.

Side note: The '83 Aspy has a really nice acceleration. I was surprised how it just wants to climb the tach and how smoothly it does it. I may, someday, check out a '95 or newer 1500, but as many have said on this site........trying them out gets expensive..!! (Cuz it seems you end up with one in the garage..!!)