TIRES

[JosephToulouse]

hello again fellow bikers!

Another tire Question.........

I posted a question about tire choices.........appreciated all the response.......

my question is: Some posted using bias instead of radials.

what's the difference selecting one over the other???

Also.........Are there heated hand-grips available for these bikes??

Appreciate all the responses!!!

Joseph...........kingman Arizona

[debron]

The rim design is different, something to do with bead size and structure as I recall. The rims (and suspension) of the Voyager XII are designed for bias ply. Radials behave differently from bias. Apparently there are issues/problems with putting radials on bias rims and vice-versa though I believe someone here has put radials on a XII. As far as I know, he's still alive.

[JosephToulouse]

I have a 94 Voyager with (I assume stock cast rims).
it seems like most riders here say the Dunlop Elite 3 are overall the best tire for this bike......
( I know opinions vary!!).

sooooooooo I should bias tires on mine????

I have a friend with a 97 like mine..........so I guess he should also??

I thought Dunlop 404's were standard issue with these Bikes.....

As always, Appreciate the feed-back.

joseph

[SgtSlag]

Regarding heated hand grips... Most can be adapted to these bikes, as they are not really model-specific, as far as I know. The key is to keep an eye on your charging system, to make sure the grips do not draw more amperage than your alternator can supply -- this could possibly drain the battery, even when running down the highway.

The best thing to do, is add up the total amperage load of the bike, including the grip heaters, and subtract that from the maximum output of the charging system, and see how close to zero you are -- if it comes up with a negative number (you are drawing more amps than the alternator can supply), then you will kill your battery. It would be a very good idea to leave a cushion of 10 Amps, IMO, as a buffer zone, even though the heated grips won't be used all of the time -- a safety margin is a very good thing. No matter what the math says, it is best to have a voltmeter/battery monitor on board, to keep an eye on the charging system, to make sure the battery is being charged: it should read 14+ Volts, or the battery is not going to survive, and you will be stranded... An automotive voltmeter will work, and they run from $15 to $50+. Also, you may want to install a sub-fuse block, to connect the heated grips, to keep the battery connections clean, and organized, with as few wires connected directly to the battery, as possible.

A really good book which explains all things electrical for a motorcycle, is this one, from Amazon.com: Motorcycle Electrical Systems: Troubleshooting and Repair (Motorbooks Workshop) / ISBN-10: 0760327165. Check your local library for a copy, to see if you think it worth putting into your personal library. I am trained as an Electronic Technician, and I liked it so much, I bought one for my home. It really is that good.


I believe the Dunlop 404's were the OEM tires, but there are many available which are better: far greater traction, wet and dry; higher mileage; etc. Cheers!

[debron]

Yes the Dunlop D-404s are OEM on many bikes (because they are cheaper???) but simply are not suited to the weight and performance characteristics of the XII. Dunlop E-3's in stock XII sizes come only in bias ply, I believe. Yes, you should go with bias ply.

[JosephToulouse]

Appreciate the info...........

I have a kenda rear tire and a Dunlop ES on the front.....( bought the Bike that way).......

It seems to ride fine but I have never ridden with different brands on this bike.

I have put about 1600 miles on it............

Joseph

[Mr Jensee]

This website should answer your questions on bias vs radial tires. http://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/wh ... dial-tires
Bias ply tires work better on heavy bikes like the Voyager XII because they do not flex when the bike is leaning over as radial tires tend to do. Bias ply tires do not dissipate heat as easily as radials which are higher performance tires fitted to todays sport and sport touring bikes. The rims on the Voyager XII will not accommodate the bead of a radial tire.

[JosephToulouse]

Thanks for all the feedback..........greatly appreciated!!

Joseph.........

(not to start another debate)........I assume Dunlop Elite 3's are bias????

It was mentioned that stock cast rims won't fit radial tires.........is that true??

anyhow...............much thanks!!!!

[debron]

I assume Dunlop Elite 3's are bias????

E3s come in both bias and radials but the sizes for the XII, are bias ply. MT90B-16 front, MV85B-15 rear. The "B" means bias. You may see it or you may not depending on the website you go to. You may also see "HB." All the same.

[Skibou]

My own experience only. Original 404's - dreadful. Metzler 880's much much better. Dunlop E3's better yet. For heated hand grips I bought Hot Grips. The chart on their web site included the V1200. The grips are, I believe, the same as they sell for Goldthings. they come with spacers to ensure a good fit, and are fairly easy to install. The wiring is complete with a fuse, but you should provide your own relay.