Tried ordering tires lately?

[Fatfatboy]

Seems to be a tire shortage going on. I've been trying to get a Dunlop for the front of the road Glide before it goes to market and have not been able to find one. They are on intergalactic back ordered.

These are American made tires so I know that they aren't floating around waiting for an open dock.

I did some poking around and guys have been looking for these things since as far back as last August.
I did find someone on eBay that supposedly has them for about $125.00 more than the normal $130.00 price tag. I can't do it. I hate being overcharged just because. I had to switch to a Metzler.

I don't like having different brands from front to rear but in this case I guess I'm going to have to.

Anybody else been having issues with getting new treads?

[oldironnow]

I'm running a new Metzeler front with a Michelin Road5 rear. Keeps me going without drama. I will switch to all Metz' in the future. I like the way it feels and have always liked the brand.

Are things really made here?

I'm just thinking off the top of my head, but maybe the carcasses are built up elsewhere, shipped, and then final-molded here.

Knock-down manufacturing works for autos and many other things.

[oldironnow]

Roadtec 01

[whatarush]

Dunlop’s US tire come out of Buffalo NY. The Q3+\Q4’s are one of the best tires I’ve ran, which is made in the US. But they are costly. I’ve been running Bridgestone T30 & S22’s. The $50 rebate per set (up to 3 sets) is hard to beat.

Buffalo NY plant
https://youtu.be/-K24yYsvc38

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[motogrady]

Cant help you on that guy.
I’ve been using Bridgestone Spitfires for a good while.

Tire wise, I’m in good shape.  

I’ve stuck with Bridgestone because I believe that is what Honda came with.

[Mad4TheCrest]

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[Fatfatboy]

I stopped by the Indian dealer the other day to check out the Challenger. Not a Challenger in site. Guy looks up from whatever he was watching on his phone "Can't get'em."

A Triumph was sitting in the corner that caught my eye. Good looking bike. Turns out to be a 2022 Speedmaster with 700 miles on it that I guess was tradded in on an Indian.
It had good looking softail type frame. Good looking comfortable seat. Forward mid-controls (no pinch in the hips). Low bars that came back nice and comfortable. I could even get both feet planted. Great fit for a short guy like myself.

Looking it over I see a chain drive. Nope. Not interested. Belt drive has spoiled me.

[hacksaw]

Todays chains could surprise you. They are no longer the leftover things from the post ww2 machine shops like we have in our BSA .
With all the bikes you have you would never wear out that triumphs chain . And yiu know it. Hell , many are even self lubed these days .
So if the shoe fits , you don’t want to wear it ?
Why? Maybe if they asked double the price it would fit your spending way better.
Or you are like some jap bike guy whom goes into a HD dealer with no intention to buy, just to complain the sales staff ignoring him.
Lol.
Anyway I just don’t buy the chain argument.  

[hacksaw]

As to Indian dealers . The Springfield dealer has the hottest Thai wife ever! Wow!
The Brookfield , Ct Indian / RE dealer needs some serious communication update.
I answer an ad they have up fir a clean looking 1999 xl883.
 I hit GET A QUOTE.
I get THREE individual responses.
Not one gives me the price!
Maybe they should hire Kamala Harris! Total word salad with no hint of answering the question .
These fools don’t realize I was indeed born yesterday.
I don’t need to hear chow wonderful it is to do bizz with Brookfield Indian . I wanted the price of the motorcycle !so i told them the only reason they won’t give me a price is becsuse they want to much for it!
Idiots!

[Fatfatboy]

hacksaw wrote

Todays chains could surprise you. They are no longer the leftover things from the post ww2 machine shops like we have in our BSA .
With all the bikes you have you would never wear out that triumphs chain . And yiu know it. Hell , many are even self lubed these days .
So if the shoe fits , you don’t want to wear it ?
Why? Maybe if they asked double the price it would fit your spending way better.
Or you are like some jap bike guy whom goes into a HD dealer with no intention to buy, just to complain the sales staff ignoring him.
Lol.
Anyway I just don’t buy the chain argument.

Yeah, I probably won't wear it out. It's the lubricating and mess I don't want to deal with. Cleaning chain lube off spokes SUCKS with a capital SLURP!!

I wasn't looking to buy that day, or anytime soon. I was looking to see the Challenger up close. Right now it's a $30k bike. I'm not a $30k bike guy. A 2nd hand one would be what I would be looking for later down the line.
That Trumpet was $14k, which I would spend if it was something I really wanted. To be honest if I really wanted one I'd probably hunt for a used one from an individual for less money.

[hacksaw]

i got all that. lol. to be honest they really aren't all that much of a mess anymore.
actually i believe, and i could be wrong, but i believe some chains are recommended not to lube. they still could be wiped down with a little wd40 perhaps but they are internally lubed.

[hacksaw]

dealers. like i said the brookfield people were playing games.
i have tried to get quotes from HD dealers when they have pre 2004 sports on their web sites. not quite as insulting as the indian dealer was. but they all seem to figure i am a newbie looking for a cheap ride.
neither being the case.  i an an old guy whom likes sportsters and am willing to pay a fair price even from a dealer.
but here again is nonsense. they price these bikes too high, and i believe on purpose to try and get potential customers to buy a new bike for just seemingly a little more. now with no real sportsters in harleys line up , maybe this changed. or is it even worse? i dunno.
what many harley dealers do though, they have multiple dealer ships. and theist the bikes at all dealerships on each dealers site. so the bike one is interested in maybe a state away. lol. and the people at the dealer i am talking to have to go to another dealer guy to get info. and get this, often the listings are incorrect. wrong photos, wrong bike descriptions. so if i am looking at an image of a 1992 xl and the description is a 202 fatboy , well , wtf?
it gets worse when the image is a sportster, and the description is a sportster but the wrong sportster.
but i haven't done bad buying from dealer. the new bikes simply cant be beat because of the warranties. although i dont like many new bikes these days for the prices.
but even used. if they have a good service section. buying a used bike and  having everything you want done to it before picking it up works well for me.
even the BMW i bought private sale ended up at the dealers. i barely have time to ride anymore even when well. but so it goes.

 

[motogrady]

From what I get o ring chain ya, no lube, there’s already lube there, just wipe the chain down.
Specially no power washing to get the water past the orings
and trapped in the chain.

Thing is they are heavy.  And have a bit more drag.

Hard core dirt the chains are lighter, less drag.

[Mad4TheCrest]

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