After being at the bike show and seeing the tires and such I decided to look at mine, they looked ok the other day but I was now wondering how old they are.
If I am correct they were made in 06. So I found only 2 places in Canada that ship for free and to my house. Shipping from the US is way out to lunch.
Must be WWW tires, and so I have a set from Metzler ME 880 and then from Continental CM2 Conti Milestone. Price is about $10.00 difference between them. Later today or in the week I'll go to the Kaw shop see what they can get me and then the only other shop is a Honda shop check there too, and then see what mounting them is going to run....perhaps leave me waiting for my engine guard.
Anyone got anything bad about either tire or know a better tire? Thanks
I've had both on my bike, back to back. I had the Conti's on first and they were good tires that seemed to last forever. They're a little harder compound then the 880's, so they aren't as sticky as the 880's, but they're a lot tougher (last longer). The Conti's also have a little more material in the sidewalls, so they handle a load better, but since you don't ride 2up that's not an issue for you.
I have the www's 880 sitting here waiting to be put on in the spring ,as well.MA-Deuce has the Dunlop's on right now ,but they are all black.I run the 880 on my bobber and that has a nice smooth balanced ride....no shimmy or shake.This is part of the reason i chose the www 880's for the Drifter.RATMAN,let me tell ya,they come looking smurf blue so allow time to work on getting them white....I stopped by the local Kawi shop and they want $77 dollars each to balnce and install.....WOW!!!!....Think the guy was on some of your meds :o when i get a chance going to try the new Honda shop for a price....
Most dealerships want you to buy the tires from them that you install. Try someone who has a bike repair shop. My guy charged me 30 to mount and balance them both.
Ok got back hit both the Kaw and the Honda places and told the same story to both and got almost 2 complete different stories. At the Honda place the parts guy said that he could get the tires but they would be special order because of the WWW's I WANTED...duh ok. He came up with a price in the $450.00 range and that was not insatalled yet, that would be about another $150.00, because I had spokes, when I asked about tubes and tube ribbions he looked at me like I had a third eye in my head. Asked about price match he said no not going to happen. Their Mechanic dude told me that as long as the ires did not have cracks or anything in them they would be good to go if the tread was deep enough. I said I had really fine cracks in the white side wall, nothing huge or really bad. He stated with the modern technology the tire might get hard till it warms up and will then soften, but I should be good for another summer or 2.
So drove over to the Kaw dealer. There parts dude and mech were both in. Same thing as I told them to the Honda place. Both said I should buy new because if I want to do any long trips I would be better off, the tubes would be 06 also and wonder what shape they were in. Their price for the same tires was $410.00 and installed at $100.00.........
So I told them I could get both tires shipped with the applicable taxes to my house for $385.00. The parts guy said he could price match but I would need to have them installed there for $150.00 now. So asked what they would charge if I brought the tire into them and the wheel to be mounted and balanced......$35.00 ea.......and a coffee for both of them.....$463.24 and my tires will be done.......and getting the Metzlers
Quotethey come looking smurf blue so allow time to work on getting them white
ah so this will be like depot (basic training) all over again, sitting in my stool in front of the TV and instrad of boots being polished, I'll be sitting with a towel a bowl of hot water and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and cleaning sidewalls till they are so white Troll will be proud of them....I have at least 3 months to get them that white.......ordering them tomorrow if no on has anthing else to say.
WOW dude! Things sure must be WAY expensive up there! I had my rear done for like $170, and that included tubes, rim strips, mount and balance. The front was quite a bit cheaper. That was just this last spring.
Must be part of the privilege of living there...wow, that's a lot of money for the tires...BUT you just HAVE to have whitewalls...I paid $130 for my rear Michelin, and $115 for the front...$28 and $22 for the tubes, and $30 for each end to mount and balance them, carry in....
Quote from: ChilliDrift on January 07, 2013, 16:42:15 PM
Most dealerships want you to buy the tires from them that you install. Try someone who has a bike repair shop. My guy charged me 30 to mount and balance them both.
CHILIDRIFT,oddly to say the Kawi dealer is were I ordered them from...I just didn't want them installed at the time....being it was near the end of riding season,figured I'd just get the season in with the tires that are on.The sales men remembered me and even had the receipt.I'm going to take your advice though and find a repair shop.Hopefully It's cheaper.......
I am getting the tires from a discount place who is the lowest cost around Front tire is $160.00 rear is $179.00, then the taxes, all 13% of that and then $30.00 ea to install and balance them......I think it is pretty reasonable for around here. You must remember it is not a bike area and the stores do not have to cater to us because were else are we going to go shopping.
I use oven cleaner on my wide white walls on my 800 drifter, gets them super clean, and just washes off. Then I armor-all them to keep the grease from sticking.
RATMAN you did your homework and looked around for the best deal you can find,that's all we can do to have the essentuals we want for our big boy toys.It is what it is,my man.Just remember when all said in done "RED" will look marvelous.
oven cleaner? and that is not corrosive or damage the tires?
I would be afraid that might damage the chrome on the rims............
Quote from: pcarrell on January 08, 2013, 22:20:09 PM
I would be afraid that might damage the chrome on the rims............
I was thinking the same thing,PC.
What year did they start using chrome rims?
1999
http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/historyp3.html
Believed to be correcto,my good man,PC.
CHILLIDRIFT....actually it reads 16" wheels,each with 48 shiney spokes arrayed with chromed steel wheels.
Mine just look like stainless. But Chrome they don't look like. I guess when I think of chrome I think thick chrome mirror finish. And that word covers a pretty wide spectrum I suppsoe.
They came as chrome with a deep shine originally. Google some pics and check it out. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=1&gs_ri=serp&gs_mss=1999+drifter+motorcycle+rev&pq=1999+drifter+motorcycle+review&cp=25&gs_id=f&xhr=t&q=1999+drifter+motorcycle&rlz=1C2SAVA_enUS502US502&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=675&bs=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=q3ntUIysL-PO0QGcxoC4Ag
Mine are engraved with part numbers or stamped I should say. All chrome rims Ive ever had had a liquid chrome surface finish. Im tending to think the 99's may have been stated as chrome. But I think they used that term pretty loosely. Maybe If I got off my butt and tried to polish them instead of just cleaning them with a scrub brush they might shine a bit more. Thanks for the info.
after lookimg at the rims it appears theyve had steel wool used othem so, it can be polished.
Yeah, mine are chrome with stamped numbers too.
my rims are shiny and metal looking and feeling and have numbers an dletters stamped into them.
I am wondering if he did the oven cleaner on the rims or off the rims, but I am still thinking oven cleaner is pretty strong stuff and I am wondering if it would not damage the rubber itself. I am going to stick the Mr. Clean Magic eraser.
anything like oven cleaner will damage the tires, and all the tire manufacturers warn against using stuff like armor-all on the tires, dries out the sidewalls.....
Haven't had any issues with the oven cleaner damaging the wheels or the tires. It's one heck of a degreaser. You only need to leave it on for about a minute, then rinse off. it leaves the white walls skweeky clean. then wipe the armor all only on the whitewalls with a rag. Keeps stuff from sticking to the clean whitewalls.
looks like mine have had some steel wool used on them. not to bad. polish
For Canadian shoppers I have found another really good place to buy your rubber from, I am just waiting for some info on the tires I want then we will order them....
http://www.petes-superbike.com/motorcycle-c-2234.html
here is how it breaks down:
Canadian Blue Streak Pete's
Motorcycle
Frt 130/90 - 16 67H $158.45 $160.00 $128.95
Rer 140/90 - 16 77H $181.47 $179.95 $148.95
Subtotal $339.92 $339.95 $277.90
Tax $ 44.19 $ 44.18 $ 36.13
Subtotal $384.10 $384.14 $314.02
Shipping $000.00 $000.00 $ 27.99
Total $384.10 $384.14 .... $342.02
That's some pretty darn good pricing!
Thanks Ratman
I need some tires for spring.... Any of those companies out in the great Canadian west ? I will check out the website.
NLT
nope
Canadian Motorcycle is in QC and Pete's is also in QC in Montreal. Blue streak is just out side of Toronto, but both CM and BS offer free shipping, so perhaps. There is a Rocky Mountain place but I think that is US and their shipping prices were right out to lunch.
ok Mr. Clean Magic Eraser extra power and warm water......bingo and a wee bit of elbow grease and I mean a wee bit and they are clean....that took about 3 mins.......
That seems to be working real good! I think I'll have to go that way in the future.
Cool got them done I see....Tell ya BAKE was absoulutely on the money with that magic eraser,that thing is amazing......
PC you'll be amazed by this magic eraser thing.It's so easy...
45 mins and the blue is gone, let them dry and see what they look like in the morning......
Quote from: CDNRatMan on January 18, 2013, 19:06:07 PM
ok Mr. Clean Magic Eraser extra power and warm water......bingo and a wee bit of elbow grease and I mean a wee bit and they are clean....that took about 3 mins.......
45 mins and the blue is gone, let them dry and see what they look like in the morning......
::)...So now the question is how long did it take ya? 48 minutes ;)..They should be nice and white today.When you getting them mounted good fella?Can't wait to see them on your ride.There going to look niiiiccce.
nope took 45 mins or the same as Sport Connection did, they look really good right now, very slight bluish tinge to them yet, but I am sure that it will come off after another session with Mr. Clean.
Weent to the Kaw shop and they have my tubes on order and my rim liners, once they are here they will let me bring them in one at a time and swap the rubbers out. So they should be done by end of the month.
Now, if you can figure out how to put one of those magic erasers on a bracket so it works on the left sidewall of your rear tire all the time.....kinda like an auto chain tensioner, but for cleaning instead......
ooohhhh Shark Tank....I can see it now............
Quote from: Troll on January 19, 2013, 14:18:16 PM
Now, if you can figure out how to put one of those magic erasers on a bracket so it works on the left sidewall of your rear tire all the time.....kinda like an auto chain tensioner, but for cleaning instead......
That's not such a bad idea TROLL.....I'm sure with the type of skills you have you could help us out modifying that set up.... ;).....Think about it,people make money selling crazier things
Hmmmmm
Ratman did you ever get your tires mounted on your ride?If so I missed the thread man.I was actually looking for the thread you started were you listed all your projects so far this off riding season.Sorry but I couldn't remember what you labeled it as nor could I find it.
Sorry, I have not picked up my tire from the shop yet, seems the local place has laid off their shop people due to lack of work...duh....so I had to take it 45 mins away to another town to their Kaw shop to get it done and it is ready I just need to go and get it......then I'll rplace the rear and remove the front and get it done, and the Indian Head fender light done all on the same go. With lots of pictures too.
Aww man,that stinks.Geuss these rough times are effecting alot of people know a days.Is the price for mounting and all still the same or is the Kawi dealer going to be more?So far I myself only have the rear mounted and installed on the bike.I'm waiting on some new hardware for the fender to arrive to place that back on then I'll continue to the front as well.I actually took my tire to the new Honda dealer here in town and it cost me $60 to mount and balance with a new rim band and tube.Dam tube alone cost $30.
to mount the tire is going to cost $30.00 for mounting and balance. The Honda Dealer could not promise me a decent time for turn around because he is busy with Snowmachines right now so he said my tire would be a filler job....so went the 45 mins to get it done.
Well my man,I at least hope the 45min ride has nice scenery or good place to stop grab a bite to eat and a decent conversation.Are the tubes that pricey by you as well?I tell ya the things we do for our toys,huh...LOL
Yea I think it was $30.00 for the tubes and rim liners togather, but not going to argue. The 45 min drive was not good, suicide highway, it is a bad stretch of road, always have a fatal accident on there during the winter and this year so far 2 of them. Runs right along the lake so the weather is really weird along the road. Hope that they call me before the weekend so I can get the rear wheel back on and in place and then remove the front one, and have that done in a week and the front fender light on and mounted.
Wow Ratman that does seem like a bad road to travel,especially along the lake.There must be snow drifts along the roadway that people don't prepare for to accomodate the speed to road condition ratio.Drive safe and wish you luck getting your tire done to move onto the front.Like I said I'm on hold myself till the bolts come in to button up the rear fender then I to am on to the front of the bike.
ok bolts for the back? for what?.....lol....did I miss something?
I ordered some side covers for the rear bumper and a few bolts and collars that attatch the rear fender.It's just easier to do with the fender all ready off....no laying on the floor involved.
ok cool want to see them installed and what they look like....
You got it my,man.
ok got my tire back today, and the tubes are $37.15 ea and the rim liners are $9.95, and they are charging me $30.00 to swap them out. So $77.10 is pretty good for me because I can not do the work myself, no tire machine in my living room. I'll be mounting it this weekend and will document the project with pictures
Quote from: Drift1 on February 13, 2013, 19:53:07 PM
I ordered some side covers for the rear bumper and a few bolts and collars that attatch the rear fender.It's just easier to do with the fender all ready off....no laying on the floor involved.
Just wanted to update you RAtman on this.......I found this qiute odd as well as the sales rep,but heres the deal.They discontinued "one" side cover for the rear bumper so I cancelled that.I mean why would I want just the one side,DUH!Any ways I just finished putting the rear fender on and hooking up the new light kit mod with added red blinker covers........Glad to hear your tires are finally going to be mounted,bud.Before we know it we'll be enjoying the smooth open road...........
Seems strange does it not...mmm...any way I want to be ready for the fine weather and not have to wait for something to be done or finished...and today I ordered my mity vac so I can do my own brakes before the warm weather arrives...and then only the rad flush and we are ready but the flush needs to be done outside in the driveway...lol...even I am smart enough to know that ......
I'm pretty much on schedule myself....i have the handle bar clamps and the instrument cluster at the powder coaters to pick up Saturdayand then I'll install them and also I have my heel shifter being modified (to make it lower) then I'll have that powder coated and reinstall that with the drifter shifter,wait on my new sprung seat......ahhhhhh......I'll be done before spring.....lol.... ;)