Do you buy matching tires?

So I got a flat tire over the weekend which is fine by me for a few reasons:

1) upon close inspection, I was at the wear bars
2) upon close inspection, the flat spot was noticeable from touring

So I called up the local dealer for a replacement Dunlop Qualifier. I had been looking at the BT-016; however, at nearly a $50 price difference, I decided to stay with the qualifier rear at $109.

I'll be getting it put on today but I wanted to ask people about buying in sets. I also didn't really want to get a BT-016 rear with a Qualifier still on the front. So I'll have matching tires again, and I'm VERY excited to go back down to a 180 sized tire :sinister:

do you buy tires in matching sets or no?

i have only bought one tire so far and it was the rear. they are different brands the front is a dunlop and the back is a continental. i will be getting some shinko tires soon though front an back

I would like to keep them matching. I am hoping to buy 2 rear tires per 1 front tire. I had to replace my rear stock tire due to a flat. I got a sweet deal on a front and rear Michelin Pilot power, so I decided to switch them both out. Glad I did, because the tire guy said that my front tire was dry rotted.

My bike has only had mismatched tyres once, and that was when the original rear Dunlop needed replacing. I fitted a Bridgestone Battlax BT-010 and that is all I have had since, front and rear.

I always match the front and rear tire. Some companies recommend it for water clearing reasons. Right now I have pirelli diablo stradas and the back tire almost has no tread in the center because the front tire is supposed to clear the rain in a straight line. On the sidewall there is plenty of rain grooves. I may not replace the tires at the same time though.

I always buy BT021's. Would like to try another brand but the tyres don't wear at an even rate. I got a new front today. What was wierd was that due to the dual compounds the middle of the tyre was less worn than the sides!!

I always keep the same brand. They dont always need to be replaced at the same time aslong as you keep the same tire. Diffrent brands will have different handling.

Tires don't wear at the same rate and I look for the best deals I can get. I don't ride to the limits of the bike so it has never been an issue. I has never been an issue on any of the 19 bikes I have owned.

Current Tires

FZ6 - front: Stock Dunlop (POS), rear: Shinko 005

Tiger 1050 - front: Pilot Road, rear: Road Attack

No, mine don't match, I got surprised at my NY State inspection and they failed my rear so I just grabbed a tire he had in stock, I think it's the Metzler Sporttec M3 if I recall.

I can't really review on the handling because the ride home from the shop was my last ride of last season, and I've only been out once this season, and you're supposed to take it easy on new tires of course. I anticipate that any perceived difference in handling will be due as much to having a new tire vs. a 4-season old one, than it will be to the brand or compounds, but we'll see.

When this wears out the front should be as well and I plan to swap them both for the Conti Roads so I match again.

Nope. I have Pilot Road 2CT on the front, BT21 on the rear. I can see why some people might think that front/rear tires should be matched, but I don't buy it.
Let me clarify; I would never match a different class tire front/rear. Like a Pilot Power and the BT21. I would definitely try to match their intended purposes. Touring/touring is fine, but touring/track is not.

I always try to match mine. I wish I could have gotten my qualifier for only $109 the dealer I got my bike from charges $230 for them.

Pilot Power 2CT FRONT AND REAR BABY! LOL.... My front tire wears out first (due to hard riding and harder cornering on a constant basis)... When it's time to replace the front tire, I get the back tire caught up by doing some burn-outs

some tires are U shaped some tires are more V shaped. In my mind have a matching compound and shape is important. I make sure they are the same.

Once I wear out my back tire, I'll probably replace it with another Diablo Rosso.

I am a bit of a fan of Michelin tyres. Have had both pilot road 2ct's, and pilot power 2ct's on my fz. Am currently running a power up the front and a road at the rear... Works quite well, as I get the extra grip at the front, and longer life, with a lesser chance of squaring off the rear, whilst I am presently doing lots of long runs on very straight roads a lot of the time...

Front isnot far off needing to be replaced, and as winter is just around the corner, I will replace the power 2ct with a road 2ct for the better wet weather performance the road 2ct offers.

i always try to stay with the same tires, the fronts typically last twice as long as the rears, so i just wait until i wear through two rears and a front then swap them both for a new tire (if i even want a new tire kind)

Mattberkshire said:

I always buy BT021's. Would like to try another brand but the tyres don't wear at an even rate. I got a new front today. What was wierd was that due to the dual compounds the middle of the tyre was less worn than the sides!!

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I try to keep em matching. I also have BT021's and the same experience with wear on the front. More on the soft compound, off the center than the center. Well there is wear in the center but no wear bars are as close as the side wear bars. The rear is wearing good.
They do seem to stick good for me....

Funny this should come up now as I just changed out my BT020 for a pilot road 2ct on the rear and still have a Bridgestone on the front .Another 2ct will be going on the front in about 2 weeks though.

Ozfazer6 said:

Funny this should come up now as I just changed out my BT020 for a pilot road 2ct on the rear and still have a Bridgestone on the front .Another 2ct will be going on the front in about 2 weeks though.

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And how are you finding that 2ct Mick?

:thumbup:

Wolfman said:

And how are you finding that 2ct Mick?

:thumbup:

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Only been on for 2 days mate,but feels completely different !

Thanks for your advice on them :thumbup: