To all you scooter experts out there,
Just wondering about scooter tires. I have a 2009 Xciting 500 with about 5000 miles on it. Kind of new to 2 wheel motorcycle/scooter, loving it! The tires on my Xciting are Kenda, original equiptment. Are these good tires? Are there tires that are puncture proof? I'm afraid of blowouts at highway speeds. About how many miles should scooter tires have before replacement? Lots of variances I know. What are the best and safest tires? Regarding tread design, car tires have lot's of tread, scooter tires very little, what holds/grips the road on a scooter tire? Any tire experts out there could give me a crash course on tires if you will! Thanks.
1. Most people do not like them, probably because they are on "OEM tires must be bad" bandwagon, on the contrary, I was quite satisfied with them, among the best tires for big-wheeled scooters.
2. After 13.000 kms, rear tire showed significant central wear, even though there was plenty of thread left on the sides and the front wheel. Considering that I ride 365/24, I changed it at 13.800 kms. Somebody might be able to squeeze more kilometers, but considering that two tires are 70 EUR and tire change is 30 EUR, for me every 2.5-3 years, it is simply not worth it. If you fell off the scoot, it is better to know it was not due to worn tires.
3. Puncture proof as any other tire.
4. New tires are the best, buy any except Chinese made. Even Chinese tires might be good, but if you cannot find reference tests, avoid them. Keep it simple.
5. Tire thread has nothing to do with road holding under dry conditions. Slick tires do not have thread pattern at all, yet they are the best gripping tires. Tire thread density and layout is aimed at dispersing water in front of the tire. Car tire has plenty of threads because of its contact area and width. Scooter and bike tires and contact patches are very narrow, hence no need for a lot of thread. Its layout is much more important. Do not worry about that either.