Should I Replace Stock Tires Early?

[honkerman]

Dude, I get it completely. That squidgy feel on wet roads is terrifying. My Piaggio has shinko tires on it, and I do not ride it in the rain. do the right thing for yourself and be safe.

[WhiteJLY]

I've ridden my stock IRC tyres to 14,000 km which includes some really wet ride in the rain on the motorway. Only now I felt like there is something slipping

[OldGuywhoTinkers]

The cheapest tire on the market with full tread is always safer than the best tire in the world, worn out.

Borderline tires betray you on wet slippery surfaces. You can get away with it temporarily in the hot, dry summer, but during a sudden rainstorm ? when road oil floats to the surface ?

And new tires don't suffer from mysterious slow leaks. Replace the valve stem each time you replace a tire. Rear tires wear out twice as fast as front tires.

There is no need to replace a tire in good condition full of tread. Tires aren't free. Use em. Replace em when tread starts balding.

[Mel46]

I have Michelin City Grips on both of my bikes. We found them to be much better for the sudden rain showers that pop up while riding. Side by side comparison was enough for me to swap the new IRC tires for MCGs.

I bought my PCX after trading in my Burgman. We had been riding a lot, with me on the Burgman and my wife on the PCX 150. We both had MCGs on our bikes. Then I traded down because we started to do much more local riding than long rides in the country. My new PCX, which was the same model year as the one my wife was riding, came with IRCs. We would swap bikes back and forth after I modded both the same. The MCGs made a world of difference in cornering and riding in the rain, so I swapped out my new IRCs for MCGs and have been quite happy with the difference.

Still, there are riders who prefer their IRCs, so it is a preference.

[WhiteJLY]

The cheapest tire on the market with full tread is always safer than the best tire in the world, worn out.

Borderline tires betray you on wet slippery surfaces. You can get away with it temporarily in the hot, dry summer, but during a sudden rainstorm ? when road oil floats to the surface ?

And new tires don't suffer from mysterious slow leaks. Replace the valve stem each time you replace a tire. Rear tires wear out twice as fast as front tires.

There is no need to replace a tire in good condition full of tread. Tires aren't free. Use em. Replace em when tread starts balding.

Well thought and said

[WhiteJLY]

I have Michelin City Grips on both of my bikes. We found them to be much better for the sudden rain showers that pop up while riding. Side by side comparison was enough for me to swap the new IRC tires for MCGs.

I bought my PCX after trading in my Burgman. We had been riding a lot, with me on the Burgman and my wife on the PCX 150. We both had MCGs on our bikes. Then I traded down because we started to do much more local riding than long rides in the country. My new PCX, which was the same model year as the one my wife was riding, came with IRCs. We would swap bikes back and forth after I modded both the same. The MCGs made a world of difference in cornering and riding in the rain, so I swapped out my new IRCs for MCGs and have been quite happy with the difference.

Still, there are riders who prefer their IRCs, so it is a preference.

Your post made me want to replace my tyres, both of them. Tell me, do you get designated 'rear' tyres for your rear or the rear tyres can be used for front usage as well? I have been looking but near my place they only stocked "front tyres" for size 120/70-14, and the shops told me that it can be used as rear tyre as well. If so, why did the factory marked it as front tyres...

[Mel46]

I have read somewhere else on this forum that someone bought a 120/70-14 front tire, mounted it backwards on the rear, and went riding. I think he found that the air box was rubbing so he tied it up to get enough clearance. You will probably have to consider that. Here is the thread I think I read that tire swap on.

https://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7113

[gn2]

Tell me, do you get designated 'rear' tyres for your rear or the rear tyres can be used for front usage as well? I have been looking but near my place they only stocked "front tyres" for size 120/70-14, and the shops told me that it can be used as rear tyre as well. If so, why did the factory marked it as front tyres...

Tyres should only ever be used on the wheels they are designed and marked for.
Tyres can be marked
<F, R> or <F/R>
You should always use the sizes listed in the owner's manual which came with the scooter/bike.
Anything else is the wrong size.
A dealer knowingly fitting an incorrectly marked or sized tyre isn't a dealer you should be using.

[WhiteJLY]

I have read somewhere else on this forum that someone bought a 120/70-14 front tire, mounted it backwards on the rear, and went riding. I think he found that the air box was rubbing so he tied it up to get enough clearance. You will probably have to consider that. Here is the thread I think I read that tire swap on.

https://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7113

I am riding the current version of Honda PCX which is using wider tyres front and rear. The sizes that I stated are the standard sizes.

[Mel46]

Unfortunately, I see your problem. I have checked multiple sources online, and all of them show the MCG 120/70-14 as a front tire. The new PCX has that size on the rear and 100/80-14 as the front tire. Trying to find tires for the new PCX may be a problem until Michelin starts producing them for the general public.

[gn2]

There are two 120/70-14 MCG tyres available, the front is 120/70-14 55S and the rear is 120/70-14 61P

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/moto-tyre-deta ... r-tl-tt-rf

[WhiteJLY]

Thank you so much guys

[WhiteJLY]

I can't find MCG for my PCX, no one seems to have them in stock. Even the main distributor don't have the sizes that I wanted.

Found Pirelli Angel Scooter, changed both ends. I am happy with their grip.

[Mel46]

Too bad that store/website in the UK doesn't ship to Singapore. Maybe you can send an email to Michelin district headquarters and ask if these tires will be made available in your area, or if not, where you might be able to inquire about them. If they are on the new PCX I would bet they are in the local area where those bikes are manufactured. You may be doing the investigating for the rest of us, since I am sure there are others who would love to swap out their rear tire for one in the new size.

[alx123]

When I asked Honda mech herein Thailand, he said I could use the 120/70 on my rear but I should take note that the contact patch on the road will be lesser due to the old pcx narrower wheel of 2.75. The pcx 2019 has 3.15 wide wheel, as far as I can remember. Narrow wheel will squeeze the tire so the contact patch becomes less.

Question

Im currently 27,000 kms on my pilotstreet and it's still far from reaching the tires wear marks, one tough rubber this one. Should I wait for the tires to reach its wear bars at least,or should I now think about changing it since it has been 2 years old tires now?

[Mel46]

I sent an email to Michelin corporate and asked when the new size tires will be made available publicly, especially those for the newest PCX. Their answer, for everyone's interest, was: "They will be available in the June time frame."

I hope this helps any of you who either have the newest PCX OR you would like to swap out your rear tire for the new, wider MCG.

[gn2]

Im currently 27,000 kms on my pilotstreet and it's still far from reaching the tires wear marks, one tough rubber this one. Should I wait for the tires to reach its wear bars at least,or should I now think about changing it since it has been 2 years old tires now?

Change it just before the wear bars are level with the tread.
No need to change based on two years.
Industry usually recommends five years.
The date of manufacture is usually moulded into the sidewall.

[vito]

Interesting read so far. I've only owned my PCX since last summer, and only have about 1,500 miles on the stock tires. At this rate I probably will be trading in the scooter for something else before wearing out the tires. It sounds like cost is relatively low when compared with motorcycle tires. I would not even attempt to remove the wheels myself and try to mount new tires. When I bought new tires this past Fall for my 3 year old Goldwing, it ended up costing around $500 total, so scooter tire cost seems like nothing.

[you you]

Interesting read so far. I've only owned my PCX since last summer, and only have about 1,500 miles on the stock tires. At this rate I probably will be trading in the scooter for something else before wearing out the tires. It sounds like cost is relatively low when compared with motorcycle tires. I would not even attempt to remove the wheels myself and try to mount new tires. When I bought new tires this past Fall for my 3 year old Goldwing, it ended up costing around $500 total, so scooter tire cost seems like nothing.

Maybe don’t take the PCX to the place you took your bike?

[springer1]

Im currently 27,000 kms on my pilotstreet and it's still far from reaching the tires wear marks, one tough rubber this one. Should I wait for the tires to reach its wear bars at least,or should I now think about changing it since it has been 2 years old tires now?

Change it just before the wear bars are level with the tread.
No need to change based on two years.
Industry usually recommends five years.
The date of manufacture is usually moulded into the sidewall.

+1