Shinko tires: which ones?
 

Long story short, I've got a certificate for a free set of Shinko tires.

I use my bike for commuting, the occasional longish ride, and fun runs down twisty roads, so I would like something with acceptable grip on wet surfaces.

Don't know anything about the various Shinko tires, so I wondered if someone could point me in the right direction. I am thinking about the Verge 2x tires, though the set of dual compound tires I had on my other bike disappointed me (they were wore down right after the transition to the softer compound, made for a very squirrely feeling).

Thanks!

If you're mainly commuting and want wet traction, then stick with the tires in the sport-touring line. They are designed for that.

Look at Podiums or Ravens. I haven't run them personally, but I have seen members that have run ravens in the past with fairly positive feedback for the price.

Limiting my options to the Sport Touring tires, I get the Verge, Podium, Raven, and Verge 2x.

Anything good or bad about the verge 2x? I've got a certificate for the tires, so they're going to end up costing me the same thing regardless of which model of tire I get.

Thanks!

You said you didn't like the dual compound tires, so that rules out the 2x. The regular verge are closer to the super-sport line in tread design, and I fear they won't be that great in the wet with the limited sipes (grooves).

The ravens or podiums look like a good compromise for wet and dry traction, with the ravens being a little better dry and podiums a little better wet.

I'm not ruling out the dual compounds, just mentioning that I had an issue with a set in the past. It was a set of Metzelers on my FJR, and that particular tire was known to have this problem. I've run other dual compounds on my FJR with good results, so I just know that some dual compound tires seem to have compounds that are too different for reasonably even wear.

This will be the first set of replacement tires I put on the F4i, so I just don't want to get something that isn't 'sport' enough and be disappointed.

They will all be "sport enough." The softer the tire, which is the super sport line, the more sticky it will be and feel great at the cost of wear mileage. The harder compound (but still prett soft) will wear longer but have a smidge less grip. Unless you are really getting on it in the twisties, I doubt you would even notice. Your straight line commute will kill a soft tire in a heartbeat and flatten the center to the point of being dangerous. If you plan on riding when its wet out, you are going to want those sipes....

The choice is yours.

Go with stealth or apex if you want sticky. Just don't expect to get a ton of mileage out of them.

The 600rr that I flipped had brand new 005 Advance tires on it. I was surprised at how well they did - and all of the miles I put on them were in the cold and wet (December/January in Eastern NC). So I didn't push on them too much, but as far as a commuting tire for that weather, I was impressed. I have no idea how they are mileage wise though...


I have 010's that I put about 250 miles on before I decided to start working on my bike a little bit more - they rode every bit as well as my pilot powers did. I pushed on them more than a little bit and liked them more than the Pirellis I took off prior. I really like them.

Don't be afraid of dual compound. I've run power 2ct's, power pures, and Q3's [all duals] and love them all. The pures did a mix of commuting and track days and never got the squirrly wear pattern.

Just an update, I ordered the Verge 2x tires.

Myabe I'll find the time to give them a trail run through Wildcat and report back.