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Please help. This will be my first time ordering new motorcycle tires. Sorry, but my local Honda dealer is simply no help...the service counter simply asks "what tire do you want" and then looks it up in an aftermarket supplier catalog...worse, they don't even coordinate their parts order with their own service department ("you have to go over to service and deal with them to get these put on your bike"). Also, I don't think I'm getting a very good price ($165 front and $221 for rear...I think this was a quote on Bridgestones, but he didn't even write down the model number for me). I'm willing to pay for service, but it seems in this case, I'm paying for nothing...it seems that I'm better off souring the tires on my own, and then contacting their service department or any other shop equipped to replace tires.
As you can see, my dealer is no help...or, maybe I'm expecting too much (please advise if this is the case).
Questions:
1) Where on the internet can I source the stock tires?
(a) Dunlop Sport Max Touring (rear: 140 70 R18 MC 67V; front: 110 80 R18 MC58V (taken from my tire sidewalls)), and
(b) Bridgestone (rear: 140/70ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-R; front: 110/80ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-F) (copied from an internet post...are these model specs correct?).
2) Are there really any other options (Pirelli, Michellin, or even larger than stock Bridgestone)?
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Try calling Sportour.com 866-761-0936 They gave me a good price on replacement Bridgestones for my 13. I think Ray is gone but Adam can help you.
http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....=Sporttour
I think there was another thread that someone found even lower prices
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Check out this thread
http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3139
$308.00 a pair at Revzilla.com
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(05-31-2014, 02:27 AM)xpacpal1x_imp Wrote: Please help. This will be my first time ordering new motorcycle tires. Sorry, but my local Honda dealer is simply no help...the service counter simply asks "what tire do you want" and then looks it up in an aftermarket supplier catalog...worse, they don't even coordinate their parts order with their own service department ("you have to go over to service and deal with them to get these put on your bike"). Also, I don't think I'm getting a very good price ($165 front and $221 for rear...I think this was a quote on Bridgestones, but he didn't even write down the model number for me). I'm willing to pay for service, but it seems in this case, I'm paying for nothing...it seems that I'm better off souring the tires on my own, and then contacting their service department or any other shop equipped to replace tires.
As you can see, my dealer is no help...or, maybe I'm expecting too much (please advise if this is the case).
Questions:
1) Where on the internet can I source the stock tires?
(a) Dunlop Sport Max Touring (rear: 140 70 R18 MC 67V; front: 110 80 R18 MC58V (taken from my tire sidewalls)), and
(b) Bridgestone (rear: 140/70ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-R; front: 110/80ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-F) (copied from an internet post...are these model specs correct?).
2) Are there really any other options (Pirelli, Michellin, or even larger than stock Bridgestone)? Forget the Dunlops, you can only get them from the dealer at a high cost, and they cup.
What you want is these:
http://motorcycle.chaparral-racing.com/search?w=bt54
You can also fit the BT45 bias-ply and go with the 150/70 rear, or the standard 140/70 rear. But I'd use the BT54, the radials ride nicer.
Also it is standard practice for parts, sales, and service to operate independently.
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(05-31-2014, 02:27 AM)xpacpal1x_imp Wrote: Please help. This will be my first time ordering new motorcycle tires. Sorry, but my local Honda dealer is simply no help...the service counter simply asks "what tire do you want" and then looks it up in an aftermarket supplier catalog...worse, they don't even coordinate their parts order with their own service department ("you have to go over to service and deal with them to get these put on your bike"). Also, I don't think I'm getting a very good price ($165 front and $221 for rear...I think this was a quote on Bridgestones, but he didn't even write down the model number for me). I'm willing to pay for service, but it seems in this case, I'm paying for nothing...it seems that I'm better off souring the tires on my own, and then contacting their service department or any other shop equipped to replace tires.
As you can see, my dealer is no help...or, maybe I'm expecting too much (please advise if this is the case).
Questions:
1) Where on the internet can I source the stock tires?
(a) Dunlop Sport Max Touring (rear: 140 70 R18 MC 67V; front: 110 80 R18 MC58V (taken from my tire sidewalls)), and
(b) Bridgestone (rear: 140/70ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-R; front: 110/80ZR-18 Bridgestone BT54-F) (copied from an internet post...are these model specs correct?).
2) Are there really any other options (Pirelli, Michellin, or even larger than stock Bridgestone)?
Shop around at other bike dealers. You do not have to go to a Honda dealer for tires. Some dealers will not mount tires they did not sell themselves or will charge an outrageous price for mounting. Dealer I use charges $14 per tire including balancing if I bring in the wheels already dismounted from the bike, even if I buy the tires elsewhere. This dealer has also been willing to match any on-line price that I find.
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All good advice,
But your dealer should have at least pulled up the parts fiche for your bike. It lists the tires that Honda supplies with our bikes, both the Bridgestones and the Dunlops.
For instance, here is the listing for a 2013 front tire. Item 8 http://www.partsfish.com/oemparts/a/hon/...ront-wheel
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My bike came with the OEM Dunlops. I’ve found these tires difficult to source outside the Honda OEM dealer channel. As it was explained to me, motorcycle manufacturers and tire manufacturers sometimes collaborate on a tire and bike combination. In many of those situations, the tire then is only readily available through the motorcycle dealers’ spare parts distribution network. So, that seems to be the case with the CB1100 Dunlops…and that makes them expensive. Don’t know if everyone else knows that, but it was news to me.
Anyway, I looked back on my experience with the Dunlops and haven’t been disappointed…they have never slid out from under me. I’ll ultimately get more than 7,000 miles out of them, and guys who ride the same roads and speeds as I do say that’s a pretty good result. I believe my experience may differ from some posts here on this forum where I seem to recall the Bridgestones being favored. I read up on cupping, and found that it’s not necessarily indicative of any problem with the bike or tires. In fact, some suggest cupping indicates the tire is doing its job. I never experienced any wobble or handling problem relating to cupping on my front Dunlop.
I’m intrigued with the idea of trying the Michelin Road Pilot 3 which would allow a 160 rear tire, but some more experienced riders suggested that I not stray from the manufacturer’s recommended tire options. I’ve been told a good rider can do anything on the CB1100 that it’s capable of, using the stock 140 rear tire. I’ll stay tuned to see if the Michelin’s work out for other forum members.
Final result is that I bought the OEM Dunlops for my first tire replacement…I phoned a Honda dealer and had more luck getting a result knowing exactly what I wanted. I don’t like the front tire center line on both the Dunlop and Bridgestone OEM tires, but don’t hate it so much that I’d choose the Michelin Pilot Road 3 and risk not liking the 160 rear tire.
I think this is a great thread and I hope to come back and see how everyone has fared with their Michelins/Dunlops/Bridgestones/etc.
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(06-02-2014, 11:36 AM)xpacpal1x_imp Wrote: My bike came with the OEM Dunlops. I’ve found these tires difficult to source outside the Honda OEM dealer channel. As it was explained to me, motorcycle manufacturers and tire manufacturers sometimes collaborate on a tire and bike combination. In many of those situations, the tire then is only readily available through the motorcycle dealers’ spare parts distribution network. So, that seems to be the case with the CB1100 Dunlops…and that makes them expensive. Don’t know if everyone else knows that, but it was news to me.
Anyway, I looked back on my experience with the Dunlops and haven’t been disappointed…they have never slid out from under me. I’ll ultimately get more than 7,000 miles out of them, and guys who ride the same roads and speeds as I do say that’s a pretty good result. I believe my experience may differ from some posts here on this forum where I seem to recall the Bridgestones being favored. I read up on cupping, and found that it’s not necessarily indicative of any problem with the bike or tires. In fact, some suggest cupping indicates the tire is doing its job. I never experienced any wobble or handling problem relating to cupping on my front Dunlop.
I’m intrigued with the idea of trying the Michelin Road Pilot 3 which would allow a 160 rear tire, but some more experienced riders suggested that I not stray from the manufacturer’s recommended tire options. I’ve been told a good rider can do anything on the CB1100 that it’s capable of, using the stock 140 rear tire. I’ll stay tuned to see if the Michelin’s work out for other forum members.
Final result is that I bought the OEM Dunlops for my first tire replacement…I phoned a Honda dealer and had more luck getting a result knowing exactly what I wanted. I don’t like the front tire center line on both the Dunlop and Bridgestone OEM tires, but don’t hate it so much that I’d choose the Michelin Pilot Road 3 and risk not liking the 160 rear tire.
I think this is a great thread and I hope to come back and see how everyone has fared with their Michelins/Dunlops/Bridgestones/etc. That's the conservative route and the best one to take if this be your first motorcycle. Burn through another set of Dunlops and then maybe you will want to try something else.
It is true that the Dunlops are a very good, very capable tire. I had them and yes, a solid rider who knows what he's about can certainly get a lot out of the CB1100 with the Dunlops. They provide a more comfortable ride than a bias-ply tire and better grip, although the available bias-ply tires for this bike also provide all the grip one could ever use. The bike's suspension and chassis are so vintage that the latest bias-ply technology is far ahead of it. In fact, bias-ply tires were already beyond the CB1100 25 years ago.
As a first bike you had best creep up on the limits of what you can do on it, so changing to a non-stock tire is only going to potentially confound the learning process. Stick with stock sizes.
My next set of tires will be BT-54s in the stock sizes. The Bridgestone 140/70 looks a touch wider than the Dunlop to me, so I'd like to give it a go.
That said, the BT-45s are also delivering everything this bike is capable of, gripping beautifully on rough pavement, tracking nicely, and riding reasonably well. I can't think how I'd need more stick that what they're providing but when I get tired of looking at them, they'll get changed.
If you are looking at 7,000 miles out of your tires, you are not asking much of them in terms of ultimate grip; you are riding very sedately and conservatively, which is just what you ought to be doing with your first bike, especially one of this weight and power. I just hit a boatload of tight mountain roads today (many 15 mph hairpins, gravel, busted up pavement, long drops with no guard rail) and the bike/tires worked very well. However, the weight and power make it very easy to overreach. I was wondering about this bike as a first bike but it's a free country...as always I recommend to you a track day or six, ASAP. There are plenty of opportunities for these in your neck of the woods.
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I love the Battle Axe stockers. Even grinding the pegs off they are golden! The mileage on them sucks though, at least the front. I'm gonna have to change it soon after just 6500 kms.
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(06-14-2014, 10:50 AM)Oboro_imp Wrote: I love the Battle Axe stockers. Even grinding the pegs off they are golden! The mileage on them sucks though, at least the front. I'm gonna have to change it soon after just 6500 kms.
Yikes! I was disappointed in mine when they started showing wear bars at 5500 mi. (8800 kms). I'm used to getting double that from the Bridgestone BT-45s I've been running on my CB750 for years.
I went to the motorcycle tire store today (yes, we have such a thing in Phoenix) and found nothing good on the shelf. Looks like I'm going to have them get me a Michelin PR3 for the front. It has a dual compound like my beloved BT-45s and I'm hoping that'll return a more reasonable range without sacrificing performance in the twisties.
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