Triumphrat

BP Green

Bonnie Black's question about tires got me to thinking about this. Rather than hijack his thread I'd figured I'd ask here: I've read a lot of negative reports about the stock tires the Scramblers come with. Some guys are calling them "death treads" or something to that effect...

At any rate, it hasn't done a lot for my confidence; and now I'm especially worried about taking aggressive curves and such. Can you guys please enlighten me about just how bad or real the danger is - if any?

I'd rather spend a few bucks and be safe rather than risk my neck or worse, my passenger's, just to save a few bucks.

By the way my riding will consist of 80% or so street/highway. The rest will be mostly unimproved gravel or dirt roads.

Thanks...

bikebits

The Trail Wings are called "Death Wings" by those who don't like them.

I have never had a set of Bridgestone tires that I liked. One of the worst traits is that they break loose when going over painted road markings. Whack the throttle open to pass, and if the rear tire hits the centre line it will likely break loose with exciting results. That said, they were OK in the dirt.

I rode very cautiously with my new Scrambler, and didn't have to wait long for the OEM tires to wear out. They were shot with only about 8000 km on them.

I replaced them with Avon Distanzias and haven't looked back. Good mileage, excellent road-holding (NO chicken strips!) good on gravel roads and acceptable for mild off-roading.

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Dave (Scrambler Trans-Labrador Blog here)

BP Green

Thanks for weighing in Bikebits. I really appreciate the info and will be very careful. If you had to do it over would you wait until they wore out or replace them immediately? I would love to hear from some more folks with experience on this.

VodkaAndPickles

Yeah I don't like them either. They suck on and off-road. I have yet to come anywhere near scraping the pegs on my Scrambler because the tires don't inspire confidence. They're worse in the rain. I just take it easy. I'm waiting for them to wear out because I don't feel like wasting "free" tires. But yeah I'm looking forward to putting Metzeler Tourances on there or something.

Scrambler900

I found my Scrambler's stock tires to be noisy and vibration inducing, and caused the steering to be too sensitive, relative to my Bonneville T100's more steady ride. So I replaced the Scrambler's tires with the Metzeler tires that come stock on a Bonneville, and I was a lot happier. Smoother and quieter, and held corners at speed with more confidence. Of course, I never took it off road, so I didn't need those 1960's looking nostalgic knobby tires, which is the real reason I think Triumph uses the knobbies on the Scrambler - to give it the Scrambler look. OK if you take it off road, but not ideal for (especially wet) asphalt.

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BP Green

Wow, thanks guys. Man that blows. I only have a hundred miles on the bike from the three short rides I was able to take after I bought it, before the snows came. I am now seriously considering changing them out before spring gets here and the riding season starts. Am I just being paranoid? Are they really that bad?.

VodkaAndPickles

Well your personal threshold of tire sh*ttiness may be different from mine, but no, they're not that bad. I just don't plan on going balls-out on these tires. I mean, you've been riding the bike up till now, haven't you? You only think the tires are horrible because people on the internet have said so. If they really bother you and you want new tires, it's your call and your money. Won't go wrong either way.

Marlin.45

I think I managed 2k miles on the 'Deathwings' before I decided enough was enough and they had to go. On wet tarmac (it is England after all so it has to be wet most of the time - right?) the front end was decidedly twitchy at 70+. It just didn't feel planted to me.

Choice of most of us on here is either the Avon Distanzia or Metzler Tourance. I went with the Metz but should have stayed with the Avon's if I wanted to be more patriotic?

Handling difference is like night and day and I have 5.5k on the odo now

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cdubya

Yep. Well said.
I rode mine till there was nothing left....about 9,500 miles. They don't grip the best but that was when I was pushing them in the corners. The front definitely vibrated once it started cupping. No doubt, there are MUCH better performing tires out there. They are not possessed. The compound is just a bit lacking. The whole "Death Wing" thing is played out and not really too funny any more. If it's causing you consternation and you like a 80/20, 70/30 type tire, slap some Tourances or Anakee 2's on 'er and carry on.
Take care.
cdub

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'06 Scrambler: De-AI'ed, CARK/Pods, Emgo 12" Shorty's, 145mains, 40pilots, stock needles, no shims
'07 Bonnie Blk: De-AI'ed, De-Snorked, K&N + NH Peashooters, 118mains, 40 pilots, one shim
'05 Tiger 955i: No airbox plate, Debaffled stock exhaust

BP Green

Actually no, I haven't. Like said, I was only able to get a couple short rides in before the snow just to get a sense of the bike. I haven't even scratched the surface.

That's why I'm asking now. I'd rather learn from someone else's experience and switch them out now rather than have the bike slide out from under me while leaning into a corner or crossing a line in the road.

Basically I'm just trying to determine whether what I have read before really is a serious safety issue or just people verbalizing about a set of tires that just underperform. If the latter, I can live with that until they wear out. I hope that makes sense...