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New Front Michelin

Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 11:48 am
by davenowherejones
I finally gave up on my ScootSmart front tire. It was still working well but getting kind of skinny & d-shaped.

It took a little looking but we found a safe spot to lift just behind the radiator. The pinch bolt was removed and we tried to get a hex driver in the axle. It is a 17 mm I think but we had to grind a few thousandths off of the driver to get it in. A normal size wrench was put on and nothing moved. A quick look around and the breaker bar was used with force. Tight.

The ScootSmart was removed with a nice motorcycle tire machine. A Michelin 120/70-14 City Grip was put on with a little difficulty. I would not want to do this with tire spoons. The axle was lubed and the wheel re-installed. Time to ride.

It was raining so I rode around the Hope Airport a few times to break-in the tire. I hit a few gravel roads at the airport to go through a few puddles. The new tire is softer riding with the thicker tread than my worn out tire. The steering is faster and lighter with the round profile vs the d-shaped old one.

Everything was good so I hit the highway to go shopping in the next town (Chilliwack). It was still raining but quit when I got to Chilliwack.

I had absolutely no problems with the tire. The rear City Grip is about half? way done at 11,000 km. I am hoping it lasts all summer.

I want to replace the rubber tire valves with right angle metal tire valves. I the want to put on a cheap Chinese TPMS

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Motorcycle-Tire- ... S6&vxp=mtr

Has anyone used a TPMS on a Forza?

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 12:57 am
by davenowherejones
I went from Hope to Merritt to Logan Lake to Ashcroft and back to Hope today. 417 km (259 miles). Half of the ride was in the rain.

The brand new Michelin front worked perfectly. The old Scootsmart had a definite wobble in it.

2 live deer, two live RCMP cars, no problems other than cold & wet. It took 10 hours with stops for a net of only 40 kmph or 25 mph. Too many tea breaks & pea breaks. Boy is the Forza slow or what?

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 1:18 am
by gn2
davenowherejones wrote:Boy is the Forza slow or what?
Just as quick as any other 280cc scooter.

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:12 pm
by Hank
I installed the Steelmate TP-90 on my 2015 Forza. I like that it's small, direct wired (12v), external DIY sensors and gets good reviews.

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:57 pm
by davenowherejones
Hank wrote:I installed the Steelmate TP-90 on my 2015 Forza. I like that it's small, direct wired (12v), external DIY sensors and gets good reviews.
Did you use the factory valve stems or right angle valve stems. There is some concern that the extra weight of the TPMS cap may pull the factory valve stems out. Personally I doubt it on a slow speed scooter. A 200 kmph sport bike maybe?

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:28 pm
by Hank
Hopefully shouldn't be a concern. I used the external (screw on) sensors. No change to the OEM valve stem required. Lookup the Steelmate TP-90 and you'll see what the sensors look like.

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 5:24 am
by Oyabun
davenowherejones wrote:
Hank wrote:I installed the Steelmate TP-90 on my 2015 Forza. I like that it's small, direct wired (12v), external DIY sensors and gets good reviews.
Did you use the factory valve stems or right angle valve stems. There is some concern that the extra weight of the TPMS cap may pull the factory valve stems out. Personally I doubt it on a slow speed scooter. A 200 kmph sport bike maybe?
Seriously? How would a rotating mass move inward to pull a valve stem? Ever heard of Physics?

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 5:56 am
by iceman
Oyabun wrote:
davenowherejones wrote:
Hank wrote:I installed the Steelmate TP-90 on my 2015 Forza. I like that it's small, direct wired (12v), external DIY sensors and gets good reviews.
Did you use the factory valve stems or right angle valve stems. There is some concern that the extra weight of the TPMS cap may pull the factory valve stems out. Personally I doubt it on a slow speed scooter. A 200 kmph sport bike maybe?
Seriously? How would a rotating mass move inward to pull a valve stem? Ever heard of Physics?
Maybe the extra weight would move outwards and to one side and thus pull on it - but just guessing as no idea if there is a problem or not. If there is a few 10's grams extra then that may prove to be an issue after a long time.

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 12:37 am
by davenowherejones
Oyabun wrote:
davenowherejones wrote:
Hank wrote:I installed the Steelmate TP-90 on my 2015 Forza. I like that it's small, direct wired (12v), external DIY sensors and gets good reviews.
Did you use the factory valve stems or right angle valve stems. There is some concern that the extra weight of the TPMS cap may pull the factory valve stems out. Personally I doubt it on a slow speed scooter. A 200 kmph sport bike maybe?
Seriously? How would a rotating mass move inward to pull a valve stem? Ever heard of Physics?
Yeah, sorry about that, what I meant to say is that the valve stem gets pushed in but lets the air out. But hey I have been dyslexic all of my life. I have difficulty in determining how to 'tighten' a nut, I have to figure it out every time and even then I get it wrong sometimes. I want a new brain, anyone have one they are not using?

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:51 am
by E. Foster Salsbury
Righty tighty, lefty loosy

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:12 am
by davenowherejones
E. Foster Salsbury wrote:Righty tighty, lefty loosy
I had a really bad BOAC flight when I was 2 years old, super high fever, wasn't supposed to live. It also left me with the inability to determine my right from my left reliably. After 55 years I get it correct most of the time but I have to think about it for a few seconds sometimes.

Someone panic yelling "TURN RIGHT NOW" might not get what they expect.

Re: New Front Michelin

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:46 am
by E. Foster Salsbury
I'll have to remember this if we ever go riding together lol