Beware of Shenko classic tires!

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socalrider
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Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#1

Post by socalrider »

These tires are outright DANGEROUS! Just took a brand new one off the rear on my 1965 flh.These tires have the classic tread design. They bite into the grooves cut into the concrete of the freeways / highways here in Socal. Bike was all over the road with a terrible wobble. Tried lower air pressure to no avail.Switched to a newer tread design, also a Shenko and wobble was gone. Bike rode straight as an arrow. Gonna trash 2 brand new tires. Cannot in good conscience sell or give these away.My son bought the same tires but in 18” for his hardtail pan. I think he will end up with same problem and same solution.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#2

Post by RUBONE »

That is a well known issue with that tread design, original Goodyears and Firestones with rib treads did the same thing. Sorry you didn't get the memo, but it has been well known on vintage bike forums for a long time. OEM tires were like skiing the proverbial "death cookies" on rain grooved highway. And actually "higher pressure" helps, not lower. Sadly your part of the world is blessed (by the devil!) with rain grooves which do not exist in many other locales, so many others have never had your issue. Glad you made it out unscathed!
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#3

Post by RooDog »

1964 pan
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#4

Post by 1964 pan »

I purchased two of the Shitkos. One on the front . One on the rear. The one on the rear lasted about 2500 miles. The one on the front looks new. I replaced the rear with a Avon AM7 Safety Mileage MKII. Quality beats cheap every time.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#5

Post by RooDog »

Yep, that's the standard chopper tire we all ran back where I come from back in the '60s.....
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/36106982 ... -l1000.jpg

I'm now running Kenda Kruz tires on both my big twins, for a Hundred Dollar tire they seem to be doing all right,
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FL54
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#6

Post by FL54 »

I’ve never owned those particular tires but as Robbie says, the traditional tread patterns are sketchy on grooved pavement. Thankfully, we don’t have a lot of that in my area except for the sections that were replaced a few years ago when they replaced the road surface with concrete as the cost was comparable to asphalt.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#7

Post by Larry »

[quote="1964 pan" post_id=150764 time=1638506560 user_id=694]
I purchased two of the Shitkos. One on the front . One on the rear. The one on the rear lasted about 2500 miles. The one on the front looks new. I replaced the rear with a Avon AM7 Safety Mileage MKII. Quality beats cheap every time.
[/quote]

Do you have an alignment issue? My Shinkos last a lot longer than that.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#8

Post by bobphd »

I have put many miles on these shinko tires and yes they do suck on the rain grooved pavement like all tires with this type of tread as stated. I wouldn’t call it dangerous just a little shaky and it takes a little getting use to. I get about 6000 - 8000 miles on the rear and then put the front on the rear and a new on the front. They are a very good tire value and handle very well except on the rain grooved pavement. They also look good on old motorcycles.
Bob
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#9

Post by RUBONE »

bobphd wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:54 pm I have put many miles on these shinko tires and yes they do suck on the rain grooved pavement like all tires with this type of tread as stated. I wouldn’t call it dangerous just a little shaky and it takes a little getting use to. I get about 6000 - 8000 miles on the rear and then put the front on the rear and a new on the front. They are a very good tire value and handle very well except on the rain grooved pavement. They also look good on old motorcycles.
Bob
My guess would be that anyone who rode dirt bikes, ran knobbies on the street, or dealt with open grate bridges wouldn't get too excited. I remember when my wife was a fairly new rider and we were on a West Coast trip together the Golden Gate Bridge scared the crap out of her. She had wanted to see Alcatraz but was too nervous to look at it. All I could tell her was, "light on the bars, let them wiggle , not an issue" but she didn't get it all that well as it is a bit counter-intuitive.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#10

Post by droptopford »

Shenko? Shinko. Old style tread on one of the Pans and newer style SR777 white walls on the Shovel.
Damn good tires for the money IMO.
Grooved pavement can get your attention :o
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#11

Post by socalrider »

Maybe my wobble was worse than what other have experienced i cant say but to me it felt dangerous. It happened at all speeds.Here in cali we split lanes in traffic and many times the space can get pretty tight between the cars. The wobble i experienced would surely cause an accident in those situations .at higher speeds it felt like it was about to go into a death wobble . No i never did any dirt bike riding in my younger days but been riding these socal freeways since i was 16, went down once on the freeway while splitting lanes. It was totally my fault. Got distracted for a split second and thats all it took. Luckily was not hurt , was able to get back on the bike and continue my trip.if it were just one small strip of road that had the rain grooves i wouldnt sweat it. But all the highways around here has them. More power to those of you that are comfortable riding under those conditions.Its just not for me.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#12

Post by Panacea »

I liked the MK II Avons, the Continentals are good too...
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nmaineron
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#13

Post by nmaineron »

I hope the Conti's of today are better than those of the 80's. I ran them until I had a blowout from a piece of debris in the road. They had very little side wall rigidity. When it went flat it went off to the side on the rim making for a few puckering moments. I would have had a serious problem if there were a car coming, I had to use the whole road where I ended up in the oncoming lane ditch when I came to a stop.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#14

Post by Mongrel505558 »

nmaineron wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:47 pm I hope the Conti's of today are better than those of the 80's. I ran them until I had a blowout from a piece of debris in the road. They had very little side wall rigidity. When it went flat it went off to the side on the rim making for a few puckering moments. I would have had a serious problem if there were a car coming, I had to use the whole road where I ended up in the oncoming lane ditch when I came to a stop.
Front tire blow outs are particularly fun. Don't grab the brake! I have a 16" Shinko rear and 21" Shinko front tire on my pan and I love them. At least so far, and there are some crazy surfaces up here. Hopefully nothing happens to change my mind. I also have Shinkos on my '68 Shovelhead.
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Re: Beware of Shenko classic tires!

#15

Post by Throttle »

In 1982 at the age of 18, I bought my 64 FL with straight tread tires on it. I got on the PA turnpike and encountered milled pavement in a one lane construction zone miles long. I was so scared I could only maintain maybe 20 mph. I had traffic backed up for miles! I still laugh about it when I'm on that stretch of road. It does take some getting used to!
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