RoadSmart III Tires

[DeltaBravo]

Just an FYI.  Please make sure that your tire installer knows that the YELLOW dot on the Dunlops indicates the LIGHTEST part of the tire, not the heavy part.  My installer didn't know that, or do any preliminary research, and my RS3s were mounted with the dot across from the valve stem instead of at the stem.  Made a HUGE difference and the RT was basically un-rideable (handlebar shake like a tank-slapper, heavy vibration just going down the road, and heavy vibration under braking).  Had the dealer do them over and everything's back the way it should be.  HTH


Dennis

[BeeJay]

You're not wrong there.
I had been told that thge "mark" indicated where the valve should be, i.e. lightest area of tyre.
I have had trouble convincing other tyre fitters that this is true. I was told that the mark means it's the outside of the tyre.
Where do they get their staff from????

[Levisp]

This is very true but providing the wheel is balanced should make no difference. By placing the dot in the right place just means less weights are needed to balance the wheel. If the bike is unridable then I suggest the fitter has not balanced the wheel regardless of where the yellow dot is.

[DeltaBravo]

The front tire was "balanced" with over 6 ounces of weight, all on the starboard side of the wheel.  That probably caused the wobble, head shake, etc.  The tires were remounted and balanced yesterday, and all is well again.  The installer just didn't know that the dot represented the light side, not the heavy side.  It was a bit of a PITA to have to go back, but the bike is "right" again.

[Levisp]

The front tire was "balanced" with over 6 ounces of weight, all on the starboard side of the wheel.  That probably caused the wobble, head shake, etc.  The tires were remounted and balanced yesterday, and all is well again.  The installer just didn't know that the dot represented the light side, not the heavy side.  It was a bit of a PITA to have to go back, but the bike is "right" again.

Wow !  If my conversion is correct 6 ounces is 170 grams. If thats right then I'm not surprised the bike shock it's self to bits. Thats way too much weight. There is a weight limit in the workshop manual which I think is 80 grams but I cannot check that at the moment. Having weights all on one side makes no difference.

[LAF]

Jut had RSIII put on Patricia's Vulcan 650 S.  With the dots on the valve stem NO weights were needed on either tire!  It had no weights on it with the original Dunlops either.

RSIII had a 50 dollar rebate with a additional 25 dollar with any dealer service including just the mounting of the tires.  We got 75 dollars back so the total cost was 303.00 for two tires mounted.  Now I hand carried the wheels into the shop, but they gave us a fair price of 33 each for install and balance off the bike. She is very pleased with them.  I am running the Trail Smarts on my GS and like them very much also.  Pretty good tires and with rebates pretty well priced.

[Levisp]

Yes sometimes you can get lucky. My front only has 5 grams on it and probably without it would still be within balance limits. I don't have TMPS on my bike and that makes a big difference. TMPS makes the wheel out of balance even before you fit a tyre ! For some reason BMW do not counter the weight of TMPS.

[Our Gee]

You're not wrong there.
I had been told that thge "mark" indicated where the valve should be, i.e. lightest area of tyre.
I have had trouble convincing other tyre fitters that this is true. I was told that the mark means it's the outside of the tyre.
Where do they get their staff from? ???

I was told by a local Tyre Shop, “ nah mate, ya don’t balance Shaft drive rears”. I subsequently took my wheel with it’s non balanced tyre to my BMW dealer who had to fit quite a lot of lead to achieve balance. Needless to say I never  returned to the other place.

[Levisp]

I was told by a local Tyre Shop, “ nah mate, ya don’t balance Shaft drive rears”. I subsequently took my wheel with it’s non balanced tyre to my BMW dealer who had to fit quite a lot of lead to achieve balance. Needless to say I never  returned to the other place.

What they really meant to say sorry mate can't balance rear wheel we don't have the right adapter. D**K heads.