Written By Mike Hinze, Owner of Fun Journeys, February 05, 2022
Searching For Motorcycle Tires
It was time for tires, around the same time period, my friend and I were looking for another brand of tire other than the Dunlop American Elites that his 2008 Harley Davidson Ultra and my 2010 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic (FLHTK) had on them when we bought both our motorcycles. I was extremely skeptical when my friend told me he was thinking about trying out Shinko 777 on his 2008 Ultra. One of my many concerns was, how are these Shinko tires going to hold up with the weight I often carry?
About Shinko
Looking into the Shinko company, and according to the Shinko website, I found the Shinko Group purchased the motorcycle tire technology and molds from Yokohama Rubber Co. and began production of these products under the Shinko Tire brand in 1998. Today Shinko Tires produces approximately 200,000 motorcycle tires per month. In the United States, Shinko Tires are imported by Western Power Sports, Inc. (WPS), with corporate headquarters in Boise, Idaho. With a strong foothold on the power sports market, and with warehouses located in Boise, Idaho; Fresno, California; Ashley, Indiana; Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania; Midlothian, Texas; and Memphis, Tennessee, Shinko Tires USA-in conjunction with WPS-is proud to bring customers the Shinko line of Sportbike, Cruiser, Scooter, Off-road, and Dual sport tires.
Skinko Tire Performance On Wet Roads
Researching performance, I read several tire reviews and articles. The Shinko tires appear to be made from a softer rubber compound and you don’t seem to get the extended mileage you do with other popular name-brand tires. However, I found there were a good number of motorcycle enthusiasts who have tried and liked the overall performance of the Shinko tires. The one concern in almost every review and my concern was, how well does the tire do on wet roads? I was surprised to read all the positive feedback. I also read a lot of amateur motorcycle stunt riders who loved the tires as well. After reading all this, I decided to give the Shinko 777 tires a try on my motorcycle.
Purchasing and Shinko 777s At First Sight
I purchased my first set of Shinko 777 tires on a combo deal from MotoSport.com for the amount of $258.72. When I purchased the tires, I decided to go all out and buy the tires with the reflective reinforced sidewalls.
At first sight, the tires have a grey or dirty sidewall look however, they are very bright when you hit them with headlights at night. The tread definitely had a unique pattern as well.
After inspecting the tires I have to admit, I was a little excited about getting them on my motorcycle. So, I took the tires to Harley Davidson in Utica NY. Although excited, I was still skeptical about how these tires were going to perform for me. Again, I don’t use my motorcycle for the casual weekend ride and then put it back in the garage. There are times I load my bike and live off the motorcycle for weeks or months. So the tires that go on my motorcycle have to be tough and reliable.
Shinko 777s On My Motocycle
The softer rubber seems to give me a smoother ride. In addition, when in the Blackhills in South Dakota, the motorcycle handled the sharp curves, switchbacks and pigtails of Highway 16A with no problem. I did nothing special meaning, I loaded the Ultra the way I load it. I ride the motorcycle the same as I always ride it. I continuously checked my air pressure. As many of you already know, inadequate tire pressure causes a shorter lifespan for any tire and can be dangerous for the rider. I was fortunate. I never had to change the tire due to punctures or road damage. I was able to run the Shinkos until the tread pattern was almost to the wear marks.
I finally did get the tread pretty close to the wear marks on the back tire. I could have gotten more out of the tire however, I could start to feel the difference in the performance, and why push it? It was just time for a tire change.
So from the time, the tires were put on at Utica Harley to the bike going on the lift in High Springs, Florida there were 8,374 miles put on the Shinko 777 rear tire. My front tire still has many miles left on it so I purchased another Shinko 777 180/65/16 tire from JP Cycles for $128.00 to go on the rear. Although I got roughly 8400 miles, I spoke to my friend today and he has told me he has 10,000 miles on his rear Shinko 777 tire. He stated, the front tire is good to go but he has to change the rear tire. He also said he will be putting another Shinko 777 on the rear as well.
These Tires Never Failed Me
Not unlike other brands, I’m certain there are others who have had different experiences with the Shinko tire brand. However, I personally ran the Shinko 777s in 103 degrees heat with a motorcycle loaded with gear, extremely heavy rain, light snow with sleet, the Blackhills in South Dakota, and 38 miles on gravel roads in the Badlands, these tires never failed me. In my opinion, for what I paid for the Shinko 777 tires, you can’t beat the tire for the price. So if you are on a tight budget with today’s economy, this may be a great option for you to consider if you are in need of new tires.
I will be trying a new tire brand after I wear out these Shinko tires. Stay tuned and be sure you subscribe and follow my Fun Journeys blog.
