I have a VN 750 that came with Bridgestone tires. It is a 2003 model with just shy of 7,000 miles. The tires have a lot of tread left but are cracking from dry rot; I guess due to age. I see a lot of people recommend against Dunlops and for Metzler or Avon; but I don't see any mention of Bridgestone. My question is, what do you guys think of Bridgestone tires? They are priced between the Dunlops and Metzlers and seem to provide decent life based on my current set.

When you ask about Bridgestones, which particular model(s) are you curious about?

With that said, you can see what other riders have already experienced with different makes/models at:

http://motorcycletirereviews.com/

For what its worth: I'm having a hard time finding negative comments about the Metzler 880s on the web. Also, the last place I went to for a tire quote (a v-twin cruiser shop) only sells Metzlers.

I like the bridgestones, never had a problem with them and I just put on my second set at 20K.

It really comes down to what you want out of your tires. I recommend reading any / all reviews you can find for the specific types you're looking at. Personally, I love my Avon Venom tires.

+1

I just installed 2nd set of OEM bridgestones on my 2004. DennisKirk.com had good prices.

BTW, I wouldn't worry about the dry rot if its a 2003. My new bridgestones will have some dry rot by end of the season.

If you are not there to look at his tires, you should not be making judgement calls like this. There is a diffrence between minor and severe cracking do to dry rot and one of them can get you killed.......


KM

And I'll add that just because it's a 2003 doesn't mean the tires are 2003 (which IMO is still pretty old for tires). I personally would change tires that have ANY dry rot. I like having my skin attached thank you very much and a tire failure on a car can cause an accident (ford explorer anyone?) that you'll probably walk away from, one on a bike can get ya killed.

Let's all just hug.......

In all seriousness, IIRC the general rule (I have no idea who made the rules) is that after anywhere from 2 - 4 years, tires should be replaced. How often depends on several factors, including how much you ride (wear) and where it is parked (UV damage from the sun). Look for the manufacture date on the side of the tires, it should be in month / day format. Anything older than 3 years (my personal opinion) should be replaced, because new rubber is cheap compared to the alternative.

Thanks everyone. AFAIK the tires are original as I bought the bike from the original owner last August with only 4,300 miles. The tires have decent tread left, but the dry rot has me worried and my health and well being are worth more than a new set of tires. Not much more, but more.

I have been wearing dunlops for 2 yrs. now 20,000 miles. And I will wear them for one more year. They have been good to me.