Baby's new shoes

Bikenut · 09-19-2023, 09:30 PM

My poor Lifan KPR 200 thumperette is out in the garage hanging from the rafters by tie downs waiting for new tires both front and rear. Gonna go to a local motorcycle dealer in the morning to get the new Michelin Pilot Street 2 tires mounted.

Thing I don't like is I cannot find any tires in stock sizes of 90/90-17 front and 120/80-17 rear and had to settle for 100/80-17 front and 130/70-17 rear in an effort to come close to the same tread profiles.

Sadly, judging from the first Michelin Pilot Street 2 rear tire I had mounted 6500 miles ago the tread profile is nowhere near close to the stock tires. And yet there just isn't anything out there that I could find.

Why am I complaining? The KPR thumperette handles really really good in sharp curves with the stock tire sizes tread profile giving great confidence to dive into even 90 degrees corners at speed but is a bit skittery with the different tread profile Michelins. Anyone know of any tubeless 90/90-17 and 120/80-17 tires available in the U. S.?

Bikenut · 09-21-2023, 08:25 PM

Well I got the new tires installed on the bike. Lining up everything getting the rear wheel back on is quite an exercise in frustration. Seems like every time I had it all lined up the sprocket side spacer would fall out. GRRrrrr!

herbie · 09-23-2023, 07:31 AM

New shoes, what’s that? I’m still running the same old shoes

. Give us a ride report on the new Michelin tires and different sizes and your personal opinion on it please. It will be beneficial to me and others, thanks Bikenut!! Keep giving her the miles

Bikenut · 09-23-2023, 06:45 PM

Ok.... here are my initial ramblings.....

After the initial squirmy break in/scuff the slippery off the new tires I can say they held fine leaned over far enough to drag my toes so I guess there is enough traction. But so far that is on very clean and grippy pavement. And I doubt I'll be riding in the rain. Too old for that much discomfort.

Transition from upright to a decent lean angle is smooth and effortless without any sudden changes. Grip seems very good in straight line with full on front brake holding at/near breaking traction completely. No surprises yet with front brake trail braking either. Even held the front brake on deeper than usual into a sharp right hand curve trying to scrub off way too much entry speed with no problem other than a momentary pucker on my part.

I have no clue how the rear tire would perform under trail braking since the way I ride curves on the street, rear brake trail braking ='s slide ='s low or high side crash, so I have no use for the rear brake other than to hold the bike still on a hill so I can scratch an itchy place.

The tread profile is so rounded I'll never be able to use the tires to the tread's edges. My concern is contact patch size. Not that the KPR has enough beans to overpower the rear tire but that there might not be enough contact patch in the front, or rear for that matter, to hold when available traction isn't optimum .... or when at a scary (FUN!!) lean angle.

09-19-2023, 09:30 PM	#1
Bikenut Join Date: Apr 2023 Location: Near Saginaw Mich. Posts: 176	Baby's new shoes My poor Lifan KPR 200 thumperette is out in the garage hanging from the rafters by tie downs waiting for new tires both front and rear. Gonna go to a local motorcycle dealer in the morning to get the new Michelin Pilot Street 2 tires mounted. Thing I don't like is I cannot find any tires in stock sizes of 90/90-17 front and 120/80-17 rear and had to settle for 100/80-17 front and 130/70-17 rear in an effort to come close to the same tread profiles. Sadly, judging from the first Michelin Pilot Street 2 rear tire I had mounted 6500 miles ago the tread profile is nowhere near close to the stock tires. And yet there just isn't anything out there that I could find. Why am I complaining? The KPR thumperette handles really really good in sharp curves with the stock tire sizes tread profile giving great confidence to dive into even 90 degrees corners at speed but is a bit skittery with the different tread profile Michelins. Anyone know of any tubeless 90/90-17 and 120/80-17 tires available in the U. S.?
	2

09-23-2023, 07:31 AM	#3
herbie Join Date: May 2019 Location: Illinois Posts: 864	New shoes, what’s that? I’m still running the same old shoes . Give us a ride report on the new Michelin tires and different sizes and your personal opinion on it please. It will be beneficial to me and others, thanks Bikenut!! Keep giving her the miles __________________ 2022 Venom KPR 200 Red- the fastest color 16t and 46t sprockets, NGK Iridium CPR8EAIX-9, aftermarket full exhaust system. Top speed 81GPS 2023 Venom SS3 KP mini 150– Nibbi carb, Nibbi air filter, aftermarket muffler, decat 2022 Venom Ghost chopper 250 1997 Honda GL1500 Goldwing 1978 Kawasaki KL250 https://youtube.com/@herbiesgarage681
	1

09-21-2023, 08:25 PM	#2
Bikenut Join Date: Apr 2023 Location: Near Saginaw Mich. Posts: 176	Well I got the new tires installed on the bike. Lining up everything getting the rear wheel back on is quite an exercise in frustration. Seems like every time I had it all lined up the sprocket side spacer would fall out. GRRrrrr!
	1

09-23-2023, 06:45 PM	#4
Bikenut Join Date: Apr 2023 Location: Near Saginaw Mich. Posts: 176	Ok.... here are my initial ramblings..... After the initial squirmy break in/scuff the slippery off the new tires I can say they held fine leaned over far enough to drag my toes so I guess there is enough traction. But so far that is on very clean and grippy pavement. And I doubt I'll be riding in the rain. Too old for that much discomfort. Transition from upright to a decent lean angle is smooth and effortless without any sudden changes. Grip seems very good in straight line with full on front brake holding at/near breaking traction completely. No surprises yet with front brake trail braking either. Even held the front brake on deeper than usual into a sharp right hand curve trying to scrub off way too much entry speed with no problem other than a momentary pucker on my part. I have no clue how the rear tire would perform under trail braking since the way I ride curves on the street, rear brake trail braking ='s slide ='s low or high side crash, so I have no use for the rear brake other than to hold the bike still on a hill so I can scratch an itchy place. The tread profile is so rounded I'll never be able to use the tires to the tread's edges. My concern is contact patch size. Not that the KPR has enough beans to overpower the rear tire but that there might not be enough contact patch in the front, or rear for that matter, to hold when available traction isn't optimum .... or when at a scary (FUN!!) lean angle.
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