Harley Davidson announces new tire supplier.

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=28038


HARLEY-DAVIDSON ADDS MICHELIN AS SUPPLIER FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES

Tires to be available in Harley-Davidson Retail Outlets in 2007

MILWAUKEE (Jan. 30, 2007) – Harley-Davidson Motor Company will add Michelin as an official supplier of replacement tires for its motorcycles. Beginning mid-year, Michelin® motorcycle tires will be available at Harley-Davidson dealerships across North America.

“Harley-Davidson is an exceptional company and we are very proud to join them as a supplier,” said Vickie Johnson, vice-president of two-wheel tires for Michelin North America. “Michelin has been manufacturing tires for motorcycles as long as motorcycles have existed. In fact, Michelin invented the radial motorcycle tire in 1987. We believe that our motorcycle products will be a valuable addition to Harley Davidson’s existing product line.”

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelin-us.com) employs 22,300 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations

Wouldn't affect me since I never buy tires from a dealer and install and balance my own. Much better deals and variety out there on the net.

I never liked Michelin's race rubber because I didn't own a set of tire warmers. I ran on Michelins ONE time on a bike I'd just bought, took five laps to heat the beggars up. After that, I went to Dunlop B compounds and, later, Bridgestone softs. their street tires took forever to heat up, too, and wouldn't retain heat unless pushed hard. That's not good for sport riding. I reckon it wouldn't matter to 80 percent of the motorcycling world. For touring tread, I really don't worry about that sort of thing, just on the SV. I worry about 1) tread life 2) cost 3)handling and wet handling on touring stuff in that order. I've found that Cheap Shi..er..Cheng Shins work BETTER than Contis on the wing and about as good as any since the Wing handles like a big pig anyway. The limit on that thing isn't the tires, but ground clearance. You scrape the undercarriage at any sort of lean angle and I've been getting 8=10K our of a rear with 'em, so what the hey? I mean, they cost me a whole $100 a SET, that's not TIRE (which would be cheap in the sportbike world), but a SET! I spend about $250 a set on tires for that SV650, but I want something that can half way corner on that bike.

I know no self respecting all American Hog rider is going to shoe Cheng Shin's on his ride, but hey, on a 1983 GL1100 rat bike, it's not out of place, ROFL!