Tyres for YBR 125 Custom

[TigerWax]

Hello all,

So both my tyres are shot....

I know that the YBR Custom has funny tyre sizes (front is 3.00-18 47P and back is 3.5-16 58P with both being tubeless according to the Haynes manual) and I'm looking for recommendations.

I have read that both the stock tyres (Cheng Shin?) and the Pirelli City Demons are the devil so they have been scratched from the list before we begin.

I've searched the site and found the following three relevant topics:

Stock tyres recommended based on custom's funny sizing
ADSrox0r recommends the Bridgestone Mag Mopus S701 for the rear
The Shaggy D.A. gets no response regarding Michelin City Pro

I've looked about and I can see the following options:

Bridgestone
Front: Mag Mopus L303
Back: Mag Mopus S701

Metzeler
Front: ME22
Back: Block C

Michelin
Both: City Pro

Has anybody got any recommendations/experience with any of these tyres? I can find patchy inconclusive reviews about some of them but the little I can find is conflicting so yeah...

Michelin is the only company that seem to offer a set of tyres so should I get them since it's an actual set? The Michelins seem to be the cheapest but my knee jerk reaction is I should be going for something else: rightly or wrongly I always thought you should go for the second cheapest set of tyres if you are going cheap.

Or should I mix tyres? (does it matter?) Am I best off with a Mag Mopus S701 on the back and a ME22 on the front?

Thanks

[ThatDippyTwat]

I have the same tyre sizes on my 125 work cruiser. 2.75 and 3.00 is the same as 90/90-18, should widen your tyre choice a bit. Both tyres are decent in the rain.

I run a Heidenau K72 on the rear. Sticks well to be fair, pegs deck out without issue. Not the cheapest, but lasting very well so far, and I'm not easy on tyres. The alternatives (Conit-Go's, City Demons) are well known for being shit on grip.

I have a Maxxis C6501 on the front. Zero issues with wear, but this bike had it's original 20 year old (Yes, seriously, 3 digit date code was Dec '97) tyre with loads of treat left on it. It indicates it's very back-end heavy, so I wouldn't expect any.

I'll chuck this bike about harder than my VFR with a squared rear tyre.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Teflon-Mike]

Dont cheap-on-tyres for a bike.
Just dont... you have scant contact with the world to start with, and unlike a car nowt around you to protect you from harm.
On a light-weight... even MORE reason not to skimp on tyres, the grip they can transmit is thier stickiness times the mass of bike on top; you not got so much mass, so the stickiness becomes more significant, and cheaper tyres tend not to be so sticky...
As learner, even more reason to dodge the cheap; you is that much more likely to fall off to begin with... so better tyres give you less variables and more confidence and less excuse to dump it.

Onto recommends.... I don't have any, all my 125's use tubed tyres and more conventional/available 18x3.00 or 18x3.50 sizings, but of the list, the Mitchelins would, by brand be the first to be investigated; used M45's on a couple now, and they have lasted well, (as in 5 years on one bike!) and been generally very grippy and confidence inspiring; B-U-T that jusy my experience of a different tyre from same maker.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[The Shaggy D.A.]

For what it's worth I ended up going with the Michelin City Pros, think I paid £70 for the pair, from a mobile fitter :-

https://www.trustedtyres.co.uk/

I liked them, bike felt fine in wet or dry, but I can't comment on longevity since I sold the bike few weeks afterwards. I do remember the rear tyre was a bugger to put on, and took a lot longer than the bloke expected to do.
____________________
Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[TigerWax]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

After considering everything I've decided to go with a pair of the Michelin City Pros.

Now just need to wait for them to arrive!

[DoubleHW]

[ThatDippyTwat]

[DoubleHW]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[ThatDippyTwat]

That link calls them out, in capitals, as a tubed tyre.

So get a tubeless tyre. Avon Streetrunners, Michelin Pilot Street.
____________________
'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Andy_Pagin]

[DoubleHW]

[DoubleHW]