Sport Demon tires?

[fossil]

My second set of Sport Demons was new. Changed nothing on its bad behaviour.

[Chethro]

I haven't noticed a problem with the Sport Demons. I don't push the bike that hard tho. After 1000 miles, the outer 1" of the tires remain unused and my chicken legs stand tall!

[Dukedesmo]

Sport Demons work fine on my LM2 and it handles fairly well for a 40 year old machine.


Maybe it's because the tyres are so skinny and the bike so heavy that it seems well 'planted' and also that I don't get many miles from them - they are cheap enough to not worry about the life though...

[mhershon]

I bought a forum contributor's V7 Special 14 months ago with 15 thousand miles on it. The Michelin Pilot Activ tires had about 2,000 miles on them at that point. I replaced the rear one with the bike's odometer showing 22,000mi, so that tire lasted about 9,000mi. I just replaced the front, and if the previous owner and I calculate correctly, it had 15,000mi on it -- and it had not reached the wear bars! I'm sure I could have ridden it another thousand miles. I live in Colorado and I ride curvy roads a lot but I'm pretty old and cautious. I'm happy with the Pilot Activs but I wish I could run them tubeless on my spoked rims. This winter Woody's Wheel Works will seal them and I'll throw away the inner tubes.

[guzzi771]

The fact is you can buy a  hard compound high mileage tire that's good for touring on the interstate in a straight line and slow riding in the curves  that will last 9,000 miles or you can buy a soft sticky compound that wont last near as long maybe 4500 miles or far less if you are a fast rider ,I've wore out a set of brand new tires and brake pads in less than 6 hours at the track . You can have a high mileage tire with ok grip or a low mile high grip soft compound tire but you can't have both the sport demons are in the middle and thats one reason Moto Guzzi and I run SD's  on my V7

[bad Chad]

I checked the tires dates, they do have gray beards.  Front is (4615) rear (0916) on a 17”  but purchased in (5019).   So there there not exactly factory fresh!

[guzzi771]

I checked the tires dates, they do have gray beards.  Front is (4615) rear (0916) on a 17”  but purchased in (5019).   So there there not exactly factory fresh!

         If you park your bike in the hot sun like here in south texas and ride in 100 degree heat they don't stay fresh long .

[twowheeladdict]

On perfectly smooth and dry pavement, when up to temps, I can see the Demons performing well, even very well as you describe. But on bumpy roads with poor pavement/a little dirt they are mediocre at best as their stiffness becomes the enemy of grip. In wet conditions they are downright scary, especially 2up and loaded down.

Sounds like a suspension problem.

[twowheeladdict]

     Yes I have.

      I'm having an old timer moment right now and can't remember his name, but the young lad that does the excellent videos for Fortnine did a video recently on this topic, I think the link for it might have been posted on wg over the winter,idk.

      Apparently when bike manufacturers put out a call for tenders to the top name tire manufacturers, the winning tire supplier bids are built to a price point; as you say, usually the tread will be much thinner and sometimes the tire compound or manufacturing standards will be of a lower quality as well, trade secrets?.

      It's unfortunate but the Sport Demons supplied stock as OEM "might" not only be thinner but of a different inferior compound or construction as well.

      The differing opinions/experiences expressed above, vary widely, part of the reason may be that with Sport Demons supplied as OEM on a new bike vs replacements with the "same" tire may be comparing apples to oranges.

      fwiw ymmv.

      Kelly

Thus hurting future sales of that product.  Doesn't make sense that they would build different tires with the same name.  That would mean new molds, so why keep the same name?

[egschade]

Thus hurting future sales of that product.  Doesn't make sense that they would build different tires with the same name.  That would mean new molds, so why keep the same name?

I've read that OEM suppliers use the same mold but different construction with thinner tread and different compound to keep costs down and therefore, lower the price of the bike. They LOOK identical but are not quite the same quality as direct from the tire manufacturer. It's all about what the OEM is willing to pay for tires in volume so the tire guys have to cut cost somewhere. And yes, it is a tightrope they walk of meeting OEM demands vs. brand equity.

[Testarossa]

I've read that OEM suppliers use the same mold but different construction with thinner tread and different compound to keep costs down and therefore, lower the price of the bike. They LOOK identical but are not quite the same quality as direct from the tire manufacturer. It's all about what the OEM is willing to pay for tires in volume so the tire guys have to cut cost somewhere. And yes, it is a tightrope they walk of meeting OEM demands vs. brand equity.

Ryan F9's video says the OEM tires have a different manufacturer's part number on the sidewall. Sidewall numbers (like manufactured date) don't require a different mold, just a different plate inside the mold.