Best 12" rain tires for urban commute?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Please toss out your thoughts on the best 12" tires I should be using (once the stock tires are removed) for wet weather commutes on city streets.
Can't really find any reviews for scooter tires on the web. I've been told that I don't really want to explore the wet limits of these stock tires.(Kenda)  I have installed crash bars - but I'd like to keep them nice!
I ride a LIKE 200i LX.

[bostonscoot]

I find the best quality rain tires are made of high quality materials from a reasonably reliable brand and have excessive groove patterning that connects to the center of the tread so there are maximum avenues for water to escape and thus prevent hydroplaning.

Overall my tire philosophy is "knobbier the better", within reason.

I have had great experience with Kenda as a value brand with good tread patterns.

[Vivo]

Hydroplaning is not really an issue with small scooter/motorcycle tires.... they are narrow/thin enough to slice through water and prevent hydroplaing... hydroplaning is an issue with wide tires with a flat surface that lay on the road like in car tires or a big touring motorcycle...  Softer rubber compounds is the thing you must look for in small motorcycle/scooter tires... These type of tires are very good in the rain, white lines, manhole covers, cat's eyes and all slippery things on the road which are the concerns of bikers. The downside of this is that softer tires don't last very long...

[bostonscoot]

U slow, bro?   

Edit: I should add that I ride all four seasons and in some slushy situations you want tires that have a pattern that works well in distributing fluids and some work better than others. Hydroplaning is a ration between speed and weight and the ability of your tread to distribute excess water fast enough to tolerate your ratio.

[Vivo]

The poster needed 12-inch tires for wet city streets.. that's my opinion...bro...

[MassScoot]

Boston: Kenda's are very average tires. They use to be OEM for many scooters. They aren't bad, but they aren't the best either. I had a pair on my 2005 Kymco People S200. Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, Bridgestone & to a lesser extent Avon are the "goods" Vivo makes a solid point...softer rubber makes the difference in cornering & cruising in the rain. The downside is you need to replace them within 4,000-5,000 miles.

[Dolemite]

I just received a set of Micheline Power Pure SC I ordered through Amazon, sitting on my floor ready to get installed this weekend. At 9k miles my front stock tire still has plenty of tread left, i'm on my second rear. This is the second time i've had a flat on the rear due to puncture, i've plugged it each time.

These power pure sc's are supposedly the first dual compound scooter tires, hard rubber in the center for longevity and soft rubber on the sides for grip in all weather conditions. Front and rears are about $30 off right now. I'll report back next week after installation with a mini review.

http://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Pilot-Power-Pure-Front/dp/B007JRTNR8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380831792&sr=8-1&keywords=pure+sport+sc

[Stig / Major Tom]

I just received a set of Micheline Power Pure SC I ordered through Amazon, sitting on my floor ready to get installed this weekend. At 9k miles my front stock tire still has plenty of tread left, i'm on my second rear. This is the second time i've had a flat on the rear due to puncture, i've plugged it each time.

These power pure sc's are supposedly the first dual compound scooter tires, hard rubber in the center for longevity and soft rubber on the sides for grip in all weather conditions. Front and rears are about $30 off right now. I'll report back next week after installation with a mini review.

http://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Pilot-Power-Pure-Front/dp/B007JRTNR8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380831792&sr=8-1&keywords=pure+sport+sc

I went with a set of Michelin City Grips on my LIKE 200i about 2400 miles ago. (3000 total on my scoot today)
A big fan of Michelin tires on all my cars for 40 years.
Rode home in another big rain today - and feel very comfortable knowing these City Grips are down there keeping me planted!
I paid @$110, on-line,  and had them installed at my dealers for $130. (2 hrs labor) FYI - this was much cheaper than buying through the dealer.
These were recommended by several veteran members here, for wet riding.
Want Knobby? in the wet? I don't think so. I want soft rubber, rain sipes and as much rubber touching the road as possible across a narrow band.
Remember the kids with knobby tires on their bikes - and how often they went down while cornering in the wet on pavement? I do.
I like my Michelins - and I think you will like yours too. Good choice!

[Dolemite]

Well, took my tires off and brought my wheels in to our new (and only) scooter dealer in Mobile Bay area... charged me $40 to mount and balance them, got them home and was ready to install them and DAMN if he didn't mount the rear wheel backwards! He's closed till tuesday, luckily I work from home and can wait. I was really looking forward to testing these bad boys out today and tomorrow. I suppose he though both brake discs are on the same side of the scoot?

[Dolemite]

Finally yesterday got the Like back together with the new Power Pure SC's on there. MAN, these tires are something else. It took me a little to get used to them, i'm being careful breaking them in. What a difference it makes having GOOD tires. The scooter seems to want to fall into turns easier but once in a lean it's VERY stable. You can really tell that the center of the tires is firmer than the outer portion. It feels like when you're riding straight that the tires are very slim, and when you lean they're fat. Hard to explain... but I'm digging it.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Finally yesterday got the Like back together with the new Power Pure SC's on there. MAN, these tires are something else. It took me a little to get used to them, i'm being careful breaking them in. What a difference it makes having GOOD tires. The scooter seems to want to fall into turns easier but once in a lean it's VERY stable. You can really tell that the center of the tires is firmer than the outer portion. It feels like when you're riding straight that the tires are very slim, and when you lean they're fat. Hard to explain... but I'm digging it.

When you say he installed the rear tire backwards....I was thinking of my Michelins. The rear tire tread IS backwards compared to the front. But the arrows which indicate the rolling direction &  the proper mounting of both tires show that this is correct.....the rear tread is reversed.
Ride safe on your LIKE~!

[Dolemite]

Yes front and rear tires have reverse tread patterns. The rear has the traditional water channel pattern you think of being on a tire while the front is reversed. Not sure how that works but I won't question years of research. I think he thought the disk brakes were both on the same side of the scooter and didn't bother looking at the old tires rotation instructions. Yes the little arrows running around the rim were pointed in the wrong direction. It's fixed now and rides like a dream. Can't rave enough about these tires.