Mixing tyres

Chingrish · Post by **Chingrish** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:06 pm

I was wondering what are the disadvantages(if any) of mixing tyres, i.e. pirelli front/Bridgestone Rear.

I currently have BT014s front and rear on my 636 and my front is completely rooted but my rear is still full of tread. I want to change to a Pirelli Diablo Corsa on the front. Has anyone tried this combo before and does it mess up stability etc?

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:18 pm

some ppl will tell u it makes fark all difference, that 20yrs ago it was more important...

some will tell u it makes all the difference...

the reality is u only really learn by doing it...

one thing tho is sum tyres have a more triangular shape (dunlop and bridgestone i think) and sum are more a squarish shape (michelin and metler) so different ppl and bikes prefer different combos...

i kno Plas for example reckons mixing tyres on his 05 zx6r makes it handle like a pig...

speak to ur local tyre guru...

MrStompy · Post by **MrStompy** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:25 pm

i ran a diablo rear and bridgestone front on my last bike for about a month.

it seemed ok to me but when i put a diablo on the front as well it was noticeably awesome then

What can you do though? its not like your gonna throw out a perfectly good tyre just cause it doesnt match.

Chingrish · Post by **Chingrish** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:39 am

MrStompy wrote:i ran a diablo rear and bridgestone front on my last bike for about a month.

it seemed ok to me but when i put a diablo on the front as well it was noticeably awesome then

What can you do though? its not like your gonna throw out a perfectly good tyre just cause it doesnt match.

So there was a noticeable difference?

I'm used to riding only on pirellis, thats why i want to go back to it.

I just dont want to spend a couple of hundred on a tyre which might not be good for stability thats all.

i seem to remember the pirelli has a squarer profile as well?

okay i guess i'll mix and match and see what happens, otherwise there'd be a rear bt014 with 90% tread for sale soon

ducati_paul · Post by **ducati_paul** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:42 am

MrStompy wrote:i ran a diablo rear and bridgestone front on my last bike for about a month.

it seemed ok to me but when i put a diablo on the front as well it was noticeably awesome then

Yeah but I reckon if you'd put another new Bridgestone on the front it would have been "noticeably awesome" as well! the bikes always turn better with a new tyre on the front if you've just replaced an old worn out square one

MrStompy · Post by **MrStompy** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:03 am

ducati_paul wrote: Yeah but I reckon if you'd put another new Bridgestone on the front it would have been "noticeably awesome" as well! the bikes always turn better with a new tyre on the front if you've just replaced an old worn out square one

Good point.

Chingrish - i couldnt tell a difference at the time (running mixed tyres) possibly i wasnt pushing the tyres hard enough to really test them and most of my riding then was on the road so i wasnt too aggresive. I certainly didnt have any problems running mixed tyres.

All i know is that when i changed to both ends pirelli it "felt" really solid but like ducati paul says - it probably would of been like that with 2 new bridgestones on there too.

i reckon just run what you got and worry about it later if it gives you any problems.

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 12:25 pm

If you stick with similar tyres it shouldn't be too bad. When I purchased my CBR600 is had new M1s front and back. When the back wore out I put on a Pirelli sport tourer version. It didn't seem so bad. Would have been weird with a full sports tyre and a sports touring tyre I think.

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:25 pm

photomike666 wrote:If you stick with similar tyres it shouldn't be too bad. When I purchased my CBR600 is had new M1s front and back. When the back wore out I put on a Pirelli sport tourer version. It didn't seem so bad. Would have been weird with a full sports tyre and a sports touring tyre I think.

i know a few ppl who run a harder compound on the back to the front one...

ones name is casey, then there Valentino....

actually ive done it in the past, as have a few mates...makes ur front & rear last ssimilar length of km..also makes lighting up the rear much easier...

Chingrish · Post by **Chingrish** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:39 am

Yeah good point, bridgestone and bridgestone should work lol
i know i should be running similar tyres but the thing is i want to go back to running pirellis and i dont really want to stick to bridgestone for too long. For no particular reason other than im used to pirellis.

If theres nothing too detrimental to running two different brands front and back then i'll get the corsa front.

thanks for all the feedback fellas.

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:04 am

Just out of interest, do you think you'll get a 2:1 ratio with the tyres. As in, will this new tyre wear out at the same time as the present rear? If so, might as well keep them matched (you'll have 1 Bridgestone on all that time anyway). Or do a whole heap of burn outs and then change the pair

Chingrish · Post by **Chingrish** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:41 pm

photomike666 wrote:Just out of interest, do you think you'll get a 2:1 ratio with the tyres. As in, will this new tyre wear out at the same time as the present rear? If so, might as well keep them matched (you'll have 1 Bridgestone on all that time anyway). Or do a whole heap of burn outs and then change the pair

nah i think my rear will wear out faster than my fronts, always have. probably not at a 2:1 ratio, probably more like 3:2.

another thing, im trying to source a 120/65 tyre for the 636, and its frigging hard, its an odd size apparently

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:07 pm

Chingrish wrote:
photomike666 wrote:Just out of interest, do you think you'll get a 2:1 ratio with the tyres. As in, will this new tyre wear out at the same time as the present rear? If so, might as well keep them matched (you'll have 1 Bridgestone on all that time anyway). Or do a whole heap of burn outs and then change the pair
nah i think my rear will wear out faster than my fronts, always have. probably not at a 2:1 ratio, probably more like 3:2.

another thing, im trying to source a 120/65 tyre for the 636, and its frigging hard, its an odd size apparently

yea mostly 70 series tyres now...

keep in mind if u put a stickier front on, if its gunna slip, it will be the back that slips...

much easier to catch then the front slipping...

Nanna10r · Post by **Nanna10r** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 11:10 pm

Depends on tyre construction, if the guy fitting them can't tell you what construction they are. Then dont get them fitted.
hth.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:40 am

Pontikat wrote:Depends on tyre construction, if the guy fitting them can't tell you what construction they are. Then dont get them fitted.
hth.

Knowing what your tyres were constructed of didn't make any difference to you up around kiandra Ponti!!!!

But I can see how important the tyre guy knowing how the tyre is contructed is important!

Nanna10r · Post by **Nanna10r** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:58 am

KA ZING, oh Pykie Stop it, my sides are splitting from all this mirth & merriment your imflicting.
Did i mention I got paid to Upgrade to a "Crim" ?. Even got to keep my rating one.