Optional tire

[papaed]

Was in a bind for a tire so let them install a metzler Lazertec on the rear of my LT.Have always run the stock ME 880 marathon.To my surprise found an amazing improvement in handling,I ride fairly aggressive and ended up scraping the pegs on both sides with ease.I've no idea what the mileage will be,but only averaged 9,000 on the 880.Thought I'd pass it along to others who like to "smoke" the Harleys and the "barcaloungers"

[browad]

Was this from a dealer?

[MikeERideWNC]

I would watch the wear pattern. There are few tires that can handle the weight and torque of the LT.

Milage and safety could be compromised.

[Dick]

I would watch the wear pattern. There are few tires that can handle the weight and torque of the LT.

Milage and safety could be compromised.
Definitely - I think the only rear tire that Metzeler has in their product line that is weight rated for the K1200LT is the Marathon 880 with 79V (reinf). The Lasertec seems to be for lighter, smaller bikes in the 600-700 pound range. If I wuz carrying luggage and a passenger, I'd be very suspect of the Lasertec being up to the requirements. JM2CW.

[tkramer]

Those ME880 sure are crap for handling aren't they? Not sure it's worth risking a non-specified tire, though. I can't wait 'til mine wear down and I can replace them with something stickier. Maybe some Avons. I didn't know what people here were talking about regarding tar-snakes on hot asphalt until I rode my LT on ME880s for the first time last Summer. The Bridgestones never gave me a problem.

[ez_rdr55]

If someone gave me a life time supply of ME880's I'd say thanks but no thanks. I put a set on before a 7K mile trip St. Louis to Cabo and could not wait to get back and take them off. I had to back way off and it just took all the fun out of it. The Avon Storm front isn't any good either. I bought 2 front Azaro's, but they don't make them anymore so when theyre gone I'll be looking for something better. Me and the LT are hard on tires, but you would think someone could make a good set of tires. I've tried them all except Dunlops. I guess that's next.

[BecketMa]

Check out the Tire section to find tires rated for the LT.

Bob 00LT

[TrackAdaptor]

The only tire I found that met the 79v / 53 was the Radial Avons..

Everybody else went back to the Bia-Ply - Why ??

[tobiwan]

Those ME880 sure are crap for handling aren't they? Not sure it's worth risking a non-specified tire, though. I can't wait 'til mine wear down and I can replace them with something stickier. Maybe some Avons. I didn't know what people here were talking about regarding tar-snakes on hot asphalt until I rode my LT on ME880s for the first time last Summer. The Bridgestones never gave me a problem.

Just wondering, what do you want the bike to do that the 880's can't or won't do? All over Central New York we have tar snakes up the wazoo. All state and county roads are covered with them. Don't seem to be a problem. Just let the bike have her way. we do not often get triple digit temps, and snakes stay in place. I have scraped the pegs a few times and 880's seem to do just what I want. Rain or shine, snakes or not.

I average 25K + on front and 18K on the rear check pressure almost every day 42 front 48 rear and love what this bike can do

[ez_rdr55]

Just wondering, what do you want the bike to do that the 880's can't or won't do? All over Central New York we have tar snakes up the wazoo. All state and county roads are covered with them. Don't seem to be a problem. Just let the bike have her way. we do not often get triple digit temps, and snakes stay in place. I have scraped the pegs a few times and 880's seem to do just what I want. Rain or shine, snakes or not.

I average 25K + on front and 18K on the rear check pressure almost every day 42 front 48 rear and love what this bike can do

I'd like the bike to corner, go straight and stay rubber side down in the rain. The 880s can only do this if ride very, very conservatively, and that's not my style of riding.

[little_jake]

Different strokes for different folks.....
EZ_RD55
I am interested in how many set of Metzers and how long ago you had them on your LT?
little_jake

[ez_rdr55]

Different strokes for different folks.....
EZ_RD55
I am interested in how many set of Metzers and how long ago you had them on your LT?
little_jake

LOL only one set, fool me once...you know the rest. It was the spring of '05. Different strokes indeed.

[little_jake]

EZ_RD55
Three years ago I bought an Avon ft and a Bridgestone rt. Ft lasted barely 8k. Last year I bought Metzers and went 12k Including a 3000+ trip to Calif this last April. Rt just just wore to the TLI. I now have around 2000 on a new set of Metzers. Sure they move a little on the tar snakes when it is in the 90's or so but so did the Avon/bridgestone combo. Most of my riding is with out curves and twists here in the high plains. Maybe in the last three years (05-08) they have changed. I don't know but they hold my wife and me just fine. Just returned from a three day trip to the Black Hills and went about 400 miles in the park and never got north of Keystone and Hill City. A lot of HD's disappeared from my mirrors :-) ..... Great ride.
Rain/water I have always tried to avoid..... no mater what tire or bike.
little_jake

[zippy_gg]

Little jake, can you specify what bike(s) and year you ride? Thx!

[little_jake]

My ride is a 2000 BMW K1200LTE 64K+ miles. Had around 38k when I purchased it. Had almost warn out Dunlops when I bought it. It seams to be running better all the time. Went for a 200+ ride yesterday afternoon, down around the only big lake western Nebraska has, the computer was telling me I was going to get 325 miles on this tank full. :-)
little_jake

[MikeERideWNC]

This is a touchy subject because every LT owner has their own opinion and their own riding style.

I ride an 02 LT and the ME880 are good tires. I get 4K miles out of one set.

If I could get 6K out of a set of tires I would be greatly impressed.

I would like to know at what milage the ME880 are at when you start getting poor handling and poor wet road traction?
I have never experienced this with the 880.

I still say that if the 880 is giving you problems and you are getting 8K miles out of the tire,
you need to stop your sissy girl whiny and get off your wallet and buy some new tires!
They are worn out!

The flat spot in the middle of the tire IS NOT NORMAL!
You are not riding a Harley, you should not have a two inch flat section down the middle of the tire.


Flame on Geniuses! :dance: :dance: :dance:

[ironbuttwannabe]

The flat spot in the middle of the tire IS NOT NORMAL!
You are not riding a Harley, you should not have a two inch flat section down the middle of the tire.


Flame on Geniuses! :dance: :dance: :dance:
I would have to disagree with the flat spot. Commuting from farm to farm on the KLR, it is impossible not to get a flat spot. Too much starting and stoping on flat roads makes the tire go flat real fast. The rear of my LT even gets flat. I don't just use my LT to ride in curves. Riding an LT in curves is fun, but I can't just go out my back door and jump on all curvy roads. The reason I love my LT is because I can jump on it early evening and be to WV or southern Ohio and slab it back home after dark. Then wake up the next day and not be sore.
Tires are just tires. Run what you like and replace when you feel uncomfortable with them. I wish Cheng Shin would make a tire for the LT :) I haven't had a problem with any tire I have put on the LT yet.

[MikeERideWNC]

When that flat spot hits the wear indicators it is time to change the tire.
No matter how much tread is on the sides.

But complaining that the tires are crap because they can not handle curves and rain because the tire in no longer its proper shape, is unacceptable.

Whether you have 4K miles or 12K miles.
There is a point when the tire should be replaced.

[grantkapteyn]

I have a Metzler ME880 rear. Have around 10,000 miles on it. Just about completed a 9 day 4,200 mile ride, (within 50 miles of the house when I felt like I was going over closely spaced expansion joints. Okay so the cruise was set at 87, get home and low and behold there is a 3 X 3" piece of rubber separated off the tire. I have always kept the pressure near 50 psi. And I don't think I ever had the bike on the highway over 115 degrees. Although the pavement gets pretty hot. Hey is this a Metzler thing or is it pretty rare. Would like to know as obviously I need a new rear tire. Grant

[Dick]

I have a Metzler ME880 rear. Have around 10,000 miles on it. Just about completed a 9 day 4,200 mile ride, (within 50 miles of the house when I felt like I was going over closely spaced expansion joints. Okay so the cruise was set at 87, get home and low and behold there is a 3 X 3" piece of rubber separated off the tire. I have always kept the pressure near 50 psi. And I don't think I ever had the bike on the highway over 115 degrees. Although the pavement gets pretty hot. Hey is this a Metzler thing or is it pretty rare. Would like to know as obviously I need a new rear tire. Grant
Grant - being around this forum community for several years, I'd say what you experienced on the Metzeler rear tire is pretty rare. I don't have any statistical data to back this up, butt my recollections are that there have been more delams with Bridgestone tires (don't know whether Bias ply, or Radial) than with Metzelers.

Were I you, I'd sure contact either the Metzeler rep in your area; your dealer; or the seller where you purchased the tire.

Glad you avoided any serious mishap.

[MikeERideWNC]

Here is a perfect post...

Please post pictures.
Get close ups of the TRI in the middle of the tire.

At 9000 Miles a ME880 is used up and should have been replaced.

Motorcycle tires are not meant to last 40K miles like your car.
By 9000K the tires have heat cycled so many times...

Remember when the BMW crowd focused on safety?

[RealWing]

Here is a perfect post...

Please post pictures.
Get close ups of the TRI in the middle of the tire.

At 9000 Miles a ME880 is used up and should have been replaced.

Motorcycle tires are not meant to last 40K miles like your car.
By 9000K the tires have heat cycled so many times...

Remember when the BMW crowd focused on safety?

These are some pics of my original ME880 rear tire (3) and front tire (1) at ~22,000 Km (~13,700 miles). I ride one up and have always kept pressures at 40/48. The front tire has lots of tread depth left but has some cupping (but no howl)
I'm about to put new ones on.

[papaed]

ok,I'm back.No the tire was bought at a non-bmw store.The idiot bmw stores close on Mondays and I needed it done .UnfortunaTELY I let the counterman pick the "correct tire " and had it mounted.I only checked the tire when I got back.After reading the forum replies and I thank you all for the concerns shown,I realized I %$#&^# up.The lazertec is rated at 805lbs and the specs call for 963lbs. I don't ride two up so will monitor the tire closely and watch the wear pattern.Wouldn't you think that by the time you turned 70 you would know better,but again I refuse to act my age.my riding buddy and I just got back from 3200 miles down Baja and he is only 80.My wife rides a Harley so we made her stay home.Thanks again for the feedback

[grantkapteyn]

I'll have to think about the arbitrary 9,000 mile rule. I believe that high heat, especially from low pressures, and high ambient combined cause more problems. Also the age of the tire can be an issue as the petroleum products that are in tires do break down. But I don't think that you can get enough heat cycles in a motorcycle tire because they just wear out too fast. That tire was only a year old. But I think I will try another Metzler again. Excellent grip and ride. and in Las Vegas grip means everything 'cause the roads are so dam slick!! from lack of rain.