Mixing tires?

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by '73 H1 Triple

Thanks derf. I'm thinking in addition to different styles ( race vs sport touring ) you may also have been mixing radials and bias. Doing that in any vehicle ( two or four wheels ) makes for an interesting (ie, butt puckering ) experience.

I can't say for sure, but that sounds like a good possibility. The handing characteristics of bias plys and radials are vastly different.

I mixed brands and different profiles with varying degrees of success when I was vintage racing. You pretty much had to, as not many manufactures make sticky rubber for rims nobody runs anymore. A lot of guys actually ran front tires on the rear, with excellent results. Obviously, I'm not suggesting you do this on your bike, but the point is, yes, you can mix tires.

The problem is, there is no "data base" concerning which tires work together, and which ones don't, so it's a bit of a crap shoot. If you ask ten riders at the track what the "best" combo is, you'll get ten different answers, so trial and error is the only sure fire way to figure out what works for you.

I know that's absolutely no help at all, but that's how it goes.

JC