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130/80 shinko 705 review - Need to change front tire...

18K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  Pasha 
#1 ·
So a couple months ago, I raised the front fender and I put shinko 705's on the versys. 130/80 on the front to be exact.

So here is my problem, I want a more front tire "esque" tire on the front. The 130/80 shinko is too mushroom shaped. Meaning it has a broad curve and then the tread just ends suddenly. I understand that making this change on my versys means that I wont be able to scrape pegs anymore but I am not okay with the uneasy feeling of running out of tread in the front.
This has happened to me several times, to the point of where I almost had a couple lowsides. :badidea:

I do think the shinko 705's are a good tire for the vstrom and the klr (and other "dual sporty" bikes) but I do not think they belong on anything like the Versys. Our bikes have too much grunt and it is way too easy to spin the rear, ESPECIALLY when the road is wet. :forgetit:

And here is my question, what are the pro's and con's of going for the 120/90 size? (invader, i am looking at you) I am looking at the Heidenau K60 scout FRONT tire in the 120/90 size and am hoping that it is much more of a curved convex shape (like a typical front tire) then the boxxy 130/80 front/rear from shinko.
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/heidenau-k60-scout-front-tire
I know that the 120/90 is a tube type tire, which doesn't bother me. But i do remember reading that they are not designed to be mounted on our 3in wide front rim. I want to know what the dangers are to take that chance. I understood that putting the more dirt oriented tires on, came with "dangers" in the first place.:feedback:
 
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#9 ·
My main concern is running a tube tire tubeless on the front. Not putting a tube in a tubeless tire means if you get a nail or something you're going to loose air incredibly fast. If you were doing this on the rear, not as big of a deal as it's easier to control a bike with a flat rear tire. A flat on the front? That's not something I've ever experienced. When I do get a flat front tire, I want that air to escape as slowly as possible to give me time to get the bike stopped under control.

With your lowside issues on the 130/80, do you hang off the bike much? I enjoy riding aggressively in tight twisties, but don't like wearing the tires all the way to the edge cause then I don't have any safety margin. This means I like to get off the bike a bit. (no, not enough for sliders!)

Oh, and for what it's worth... Met a GS rider at an open house over the weekend running K60s. He said they were miserable on pavement and not much better on the dirt. He couldn't wait to wear them out.
 
#18 ·
...Not putting a tube in a tubeless tire means if you get a nail or something you're going to loose air incredibly fast....
I don't understand your post.:huh:

IF you take a nail into a tube it'll go INSTANTLY flat. Most of the time, a nail into a tubeless and you won't even know it's there for quite awhile....

(I have NO experience running a tube-type tire tubeless.)
 
#10 ·
my shinkos are alright, except when you are on the pavement and it is even the slightest bit wet.... they spin and slide like there was oil on the ground (okay thats a slight exaggeration), but yea, they slip.

The only thing negative I have heard about the K60s is that they hum at highway speeds. I am excited to try the 120/90 tire (probably with some slime in it) regardless of what brand.
 
#14 ·
my shinkos are alright, except when you are on the pavement and it is even the slightest bit wet.... they spin and slide like there was oil on the ground (okay thats a slight exaggeration), but yea, they slip.
Really? I had them on the KLR, and they stuck to the road like glue. I rode them through thunderstorms and had no issues with them. That may be a testament to the additional power the Versys puts out compared to the KLR.

Dave
 
#13 ·
I had both 120/90-17 and 130/80-17 on the back of my KLR, and there is a distinct difference in handling. The bike didn't turn as well with the 130/80 on the back, which I attributed to the profile of the tire. The stock tire size for the KLR C-model is 120/90, and the bike just handled better using that size. I can only imagine that the effect would be more pronounced on the front.

Just my $0.02,
Dave
 
#12 · (Edited)
That is odd that you are having problems with spinning up the rear using 705's. I have run 6k miles with them on my 950 Adventure and have been quite pleased. Both panniers actually have melted corners from dragging them through the Dragon. They have been pretty decent in the rain as well, although not as good as sport touring tires. I guess the rear just must not work well as a front, maybe it doesn't have enough load to really warm up? I have also been running 25psi front and 28 rear, which seems pretty good with 19" and 17" tires. Any more than 28 front and 30 rear they feel pretty nasty. Have you tried out lower pressures?
 
#17 ·
ok, i am def going to get a 120/90 for the front... and i will either run some tubeless sealant in it, or a tube...either is far better then the boxxy feeling of the 130/80

to DaveC... yea i run the same shinko 705's on my KLR and it is fine, and the Vstroms the wife and I rode around the rockys had shinkos too (http://lightscameraadventure.blogspot.com/), but the versys has enough kick to make the rear spin if I am on a painted line, a metal manhole, or anything slightly different from pavement.

Kswaid, you might have a point on the pressure... I run 35front 40 rear, while on the road... maybe I should bring it down to 30/35 and see if that is better.

luckily for me, the 130/80 tire that i am using for my versys front tire, is the same size as the rear for my wife's KLR....so I will not be wasting a tire
 
#19 ·
So, I put a set of 705's on a few days ago. 130/80 in the front. I raised the front fender 35mm with a crappy custom bracket - doing only 35mm allowed me to keep the stock brake line (crossover section). When I get a chance, I'll put on stainless brake lines and raise the fender another 35mm.

But, for the tires themselves...

I've put on about 300 miles so far, about 70 or so on dirt roads. Some fast hard dirt (50 mph stuff), some loose gravel but nothing too tricky. The 705 really did well out there, as well it should. After they were scrubbed in a bit, they felt pretty good on pavement, too. There's a bit more road noise, of course, but nothing I'd consider bad. They do turn in a little harder than the front Distancia I took off. It could be due to the geometry change associated with the slightly taller tire (causing more trail and rake - right??) or tire profile, or both. Whatever the cause, it doesn't bother me a nit - just need to be aware of it.

Now, we'll see how they wear. I'll post back when they need replacing (if I remember).

Cheers, Jeff


Oh, and I talked to a fellow Versys rider who's be using tube-type tires on his V without tubes. No problems. (mine are tubeless, just adding this because I and others were curious about this point...)
 
#21 ·
35 is enough to clear the tire; the bracket I made is the issue.

the stock mounting holes are 70mm apart; raising 35mm means the bottom hole on the bracket mounts only to the bike, the 2nd hole is 35mm up from that and mounts only to the fender, the 3rd is another 35mm up, mouting only to the bike, then 35mm higher is a fourth mounting only to the fender. It's the 2nd hole that's a challenge. Fasteddiecopman's welded bracket is the right way to go up 35mm. I tried JB Welding a 6mm bolt to the bracket for the 2nd attachment point and when that failed - during installation - I just zip tied the fender to the 2nd bracket hole.

So, I need to either properly weld the bolt in place, or go up 35mm higher.
 
#23 ·
ok so I got the heidenau k60 120/90 tire mounted up.

I actually appears to be just as square as the shinko but when you ride it you can tell that it is a front tire. The bike leans the way it used to with the 120/70 stock, it turns like you would expect from a 19inch wheel on a vstrom (just a tad more effort and more lean involved). You can tell that the k60 is a more aggressive tire that the shinko 705, by rolling resistance. Its not as bad as with a knobby, but it is noticeable when you pull the clutch (loses mph steadily at 1mph/sec).

Overall, I like it. It allows me to do more things that the versys is not designed to do!
 
#26 ·
72 hours later, k60 still doing good (tube type tire running tubeless)

I am riding in the snow today so I wasn't really pushing it at all. Can't wait for the weather to change so I can take it on some gnarly gravel roads. ( I DEFINITELY need to fabricate a fender extender with the taller tire, cause its gonna throw all sorts of stuff at my radiator)

Thinking a dirt/gravel ride either beside the BRP or up in Bear Creek Mtn/Del water gap area... anyone have any recommendations.
 
#27 ·
...( I DEFINITELY need to fabricate a fender extender with the taller tire, cause its gonna throw all sorts of stuff at my radiator)
...anyone have any recommendations.
I'm in the process of "prototyping" a new radiator guide for a local business. It should sell for well under $100 delivered CONUS once we settle the design. Here are a few pics - painted satin black for the last one. It'll come NOT painted so you can make it black, silver, or 'body-color' - whatever floats your boat!
 

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#29 ·
thought i would put up some pix of what the 120/90 heidenau k60 scout looks like. Its pretty aggressive and i cant wait to see what it'll do.
 

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#30 ·
Hi all, resurrecting a super old thread, but want to add input for anyone looking at making the venerable V worthy of trails. I recently put a Shinko 705 (120/90/17) on my '09 Versys 650. Can't say enough good about it! I didn't dare take this bike off road with the stock tire size, and now I don't want to get out of the dirt. So fun--everything I wanted. Yes, turn-in is slower on road, but grip is great, body position is MUCH improved with the slightly taller front, and it opens (and begs for) the trails.

Raising the fender was a chore, but a little patience and creativity and you can get it done. The 1st gen Versys are pretty cheap these days, and the Shinko ran me a whopping $84 on Amazon. Best mod ever--made me love this bike. Do it!
 
#31 ·
Hi all, resurrecting a super old thread, but want to add input for anyone looking at making the venerable V worthy of trails. I recently put a Shinko 705 (120/90/17) on my '09 Versys 650. Can't say enough good about it! I didn't dare take this bike off road with the stock tire size, and now I don't want to get out of the dirt. So fun--everything I wanted. Yes, turn-in is slower on road, but grip is great, body position is MUCH improved with the slightly taller front, and it opens (and begs for) the trails. Raising the fender was a chore, but a little patience and creativity and you can get it done. The 1st gen Versys are pretty cheap these days, and the Shinko ran me a whopping $84 on Amazon. Best mod ever--made me love this bike. Do it!
Did you run the 120/90/17 tubed?
 
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