MAKE A BIAS TIRE FOR THE FRONT, BUT A RADIAL TIRE AT THE REAR

[Spuddy]

How come tire manufacturers do this on large dual sports?

[twhitaker]

I once put radials on my Cali and found out why they do not work so well. It would seem the bike is not stiff enough for radials. The front would wander over the road like the road was grooved. Radial on the rear for mileage.

[rocker59]

How come tire manufacturers do this on large dual sports?

I don't think it's the tire manufacturers, but the motorcycle manufacturers.

Which bikes are you referring to ?

[Kiwi Dave]

I ran a bias front with a radial rear for thousands of miles on my California 1400 Custom, with no ill effects.  The bike originally came with Dunlop radials, but I didn't like them.  The tire shop told me the Michelin Commander II  was a radial, and because they were the "experts" I saw no reason to doubt this.

Bridgestone radials fitted front and rear now, but I would run the bias front again if I had no other choice.

[Arizona Wayne]

My MZ came with Michelin radials and I ran it with a radial front/ bias rear when the rear radial wore out.  Only time I felt any difference was when REALLY pushing it thru a corner and there would be just a little twitch then, but nothing to panic about.  Now it has bias front & rear.  ;D   Frankly, I don't see an advantage of radials on bikes.  I rode a new `97 Sport 1100i w/Pirelli radials and it was squirrely handling, always wiggling around.  ???

[rocker59]

My Sport 1100 came with the Michelin TX 15/25 tires and they were great...  Well, except for the 3,000 miles treadlife.

[Bisbonian]

I don't think it's the tire manufacturers, but the motorcycle manufacturers.

Which bikes are you referring to ?

I have a friend with an older F650GS, it calls for a radial on one end and bias on the other.

[stephenm]

I am confused.
There is a Michelin Commander II radial to fit the 1400 front.
The MCII for the rear is bias.

While I have the Bridgestone Exedra Max radial on the rear of my Touring,
I am interested to hear how you found the MCII bias on the rear.

Stephen

[Kiwi Dave]

I am confused.
There is a Michelin Commander II radial to fit the 1400 front.

Well, that what was I was told too, but it turned out to be a bias tire.  Perhaps there are two different flavors for the Commander II front?

I note that some Commander II rears are radial.