2 month review Shinko 705s

roundhouse · 08-05-2018, 02:39 PM

I have had these on long enough to get 600 miles on them. I have done 99% street up until yesterday when I we out to the lake and rode the bank for a bit. The lake is down quite a bit and a lot of bank is exposed.

They do better than I thought they would in rocky and hard packed dirt or clay. I would say 90% as good as the knobbies on this terrain. I could cruise at a good clip down the clay and rock bank when it was fairly smooth.

Then I hit a beach where they truck in sand for swimming areas. I am sure this is like trying to ride a street bike in the snow. Back end was all over the place. If that was not enough the front tire plowed and turning the handlebars sort of made me change direction sometimes. I did not drop the bike but I was close several times and had to put my foot down over and over until I got out of the zone of doom.

Once back on the hard dirt I got back my confidence and had fun again. I bounced up and down washouts and dry creeks and it felt great. When I pulled back out on the road behind another guy who was on a full dirt bike a cop waved us over told us this was not a legal place to ride...........my bad. But he let us go without a ticket.

I have ridden out there off and on for 20+ years and no one ever told me. I won't go back as I don;t want any trouble.

Anyway riding back home I was going about 55 mph on the street. The tires are way "grippier" than the knobbies. Going through curves is fun and the tread does not squirm at all. The bike handles and tracks well. I am WAY more confident on these tires on the street. Especially in braking. Takes a lot to lock up the back tire now where as the stock tire would lock up fairly regularly at medium braking.

Also obviously way smoother on the street than the knobbies, and quieter too.

If you ride 90% or more on the street these are AWESOME! I rarely ride on dirt and probably rarer now that my spot is off limits.

Oh here is a pic from my ride today. Almost 500 hp and 6 wheels. My FZ1, Aprila V4 R and a Super Duke 1290.