Running different brand tires front and rear???

[newomij]

I asked this question on another thread asking about when to buy new tires but in teaching me how to determine when my old tires should be retired, this question was overlooked. One of the respondents mentioned that you don't have to replace both tires at the same time. To that, I questioned running different brand and tread tires. Does it make a significant difference or any difference at all running, say, a Dunlop Elite 2 (my rear tire) on the rear and an Avon or a Shinko on the front?

[WingAdmin]

It's not a big deal. I tend to try to keep the same brand tires front and rear, but I just like it that way. If your rear is worn out, and your front still has lots of life, if you want to switch to a different rear brand, go ahead. If you like it, then when it's time, you can switch out the front as well.

[bustedwing]

I have not seen that big of a difference whether you replace both at the same time or with the same brands. On trikes both rear tires should be the same due to how touchy it can become with the crown of the road, but with bikes just maintain good tread depth and inflation and your tires will treat you well.

[cbx4evr]

Just met a guy running and Avon Venom rear and a Metzler front on a 1500.

I run different tires all the time on my KLR 650. No issues at all.

[metalsmith]

I put a set of Metzlers on my 1200 at the beginning of last year. They were nice riding tires, but on close inspection prior to the first ride this year I found the rear tire was showing some severe splits in the bottom of the tread grooves in several places, and it was a bit table-topped (just over 5000 miles) The front was still in excellent condition.

I replaced the rear with a Shinko, as I didn't find any reports about splitting or shedding tread, so I thought I'd give it a go. They're supposed to be a little soft, but real grippy and good in rain. Figure I'll see if they beat the 5000 mile mark.

The bike handles like it is on ball bearings again, with the round tire on the rear, very responsive and agile. And it is quieter too. It seems to play well with the Metzler front and I have had no road issues as far as handling on different surfaces, road snakes or wet roads. I would like to see how it handles grated bridges like we kept running across in Canada last year, but I have not had the opportunity yet.

At this point I would not have trouble mixing different tires, at least with the ones I've tried on this bike.

[saltmar14]

i have spitfires on mine, that is what the PO had on when i got the bike. i got a rear flat so had to change, i wanted to go to elite 3's but none of the dealers would allow me to mix brands for insurance reasons. my front is starting to show age with spider cracks so will proubly take it off myself and have an elite 3 put on.