Shinko 524: Front Tire Review
 

I got 7,700 miles of good wear from the last front tire I mounted on my Zong, a Dunlop MX51. :) The MX51 is a very good front tire, but I decided to experiment with a different tread pattern for the next front tire on my Zong. ;)

I very much like the Dunlop, D952 rear tire on my Honda XR650L. Therefore, I decided to experiment with a D952 front tire on my Zong. Searching the internet, I discovered the Shinko 524, front tire had a very similar tread pattern to the Dunlop D952. Since the Shinko 524 tire is priced about $20 less than the Dunlop D952 tire, I decided to give the Shinko tire a try. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...rumstar002.jpg

So far I have ridden about 300 miles on the Shinko 524, front tire. I have ridden in nasty mud, rocks, and pavement. I'm pleased to report the Shinko 524 is performing superbly! :D

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...outTrip002.jpg

As I ride more miles with this tire I will certainly get a better impression of its performance. However, I couldn't be more pleased at this time with the Shinko tire's performance, and price. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...rumstar010.jpg

The Shinko 524, front tire, has better pricing than the Shinko 525, rear tire. Therefore, I will probably stick with either the Kenda K760, or Dunlop D952, rear tires.

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...outTrip003.jpg

Also, the Shinko 525, front tire is probably too aggressive for the heavier weight, and higher speeds it would endure on my Honda XR650L. ;)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...outTrip017.jpg

However, for a 250cc or smaller, dual sport bike, such as my Zong, the Shinko 524, front tire is an excellent performer. :D I'm very glad I decided to experiment with this tire. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...outTrip035.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...outTrip040.jpg

Spud :)

I especially love that second to last pic, Spud :D .

The Beast is due for tires soon. It's still on the original front tire but rear tires don't seem to last very long :wink: .

I'll be intersted in your review as more miles go by.

I would think that whatever makes a tire good in the mud will also apply to the sand. :idea:

Thank you, Doc. :)

I think you're correct. ;) Sand and mud are both soft surfaces, so a tire which performs well in mud should also perform well in sand. Another factor to consider is weight. ;) The Shinko 524 is a light tire, which will loft more easily, and therefore ride better on top of the sand. :) So far, the Shinko 524 tire is wearing very well with significant miles on pavement. I will keep updating this thread as the miles accumulate on my Shinko 524, front tire. ;)

Spud :)

Beautiful pics and a tough looking tire! Looks like it would go very nicely with the 760, the Zong will be virtually unstoppable! :D

P.S. Orange is definitely the most awesome color for your Zong, no doubt about it! 8)

Thank you, Stew. :)

While I was sitting on the mountain, taking the distance photographs of the Zong, I remembered you said orange was the best color for photographing the Zong, and I realized you were absolutely correct. :D

I went for a nice ride today, and the Shinko 524 performed superbly! :D This front tire installs confidence in all terrain. ;) I feared this tire might be a bit bumpy on the street, but it is not! :D The tire also appears to be wearing well. So far, I am extremely pleased with the Shinko 524, front tire. :D

Spud :)

Beautiful pics Spud, and I am glad to hear you like the shinko tire. I was going to start my own thread to review my new shinko tires but maybe here is as good a place as any.
I very rarely leave the pavement so I wanted a smoother tire for better road grip and chose the shinko 705s and couldn't be happier. The grip on the pavement is fabulous and they ride very smooth. These tires are rated as 80/20 street/dirt and at $90 for both front and back a real deal. Here are pics of the front and rear mounted:
http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/z.../Photo0068.jpg

http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/z.../Photo0067.jpg

I also threw on a Shinko tire today. I ordered a front and back Shinko 244 the other day and got a chance to put the front on tonight. So far so good with 10 miles on it.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/2b35ae68.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/d1ed0431.jpg

Thank you, Driller. :) The Shinko tires are made in Korea, and they are priced very competitively. I paid $48 for my Shinko 524, front tire, while a similar Dunlop, D952 front tire costs $67. ;)

Spud :)

The Shinko 244 is another good tire, at a very good price. ;) This tire will serve you well on pavement, and all dry surfaces off road. However, watch out for mud! ;) The narrow grooves between tread blocks on the Shinko 244 will quickly fill with mud, so this front tire can drop you unexpectedly, without warning. 8O As long as you stay out of nasty mud, this front tire will serve you well. :)

P.S. Did you know you have a "smiley face" in you headlight? I like it! :lol:

Spud :)

Thats the new Polisport HMX LED, just put it on last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_r1VaV54DY

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/eb028dd2.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/2b35ae68.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/7773bf03.jpg

Please do start a new thread, and post your review of this headlight, ITrack! Many of us would love to learn more about your LED headlight. :D

Spud :)

Today I installed a new, Shinko 524, front tire. The previous Shinko 524, front tire lasted 7,100 miles, and took a lot of abuse. It was a very good tire. :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps77227cc4.jpg

Spud :)

Too bad the 524 isn't DOT; we wouldn't get away with that if pulled over.

Several of the United States also require DOT tires. However, DOT approved tires are not required for motorcycles in Idaho. :) In fact, turn signals are not required, either. ;)

I think one of the longest lasting, inexpensive, and effective dual sport tires is the CST C7209, Surge I tire. Although it is never advertised as such, this tire is DOT approved. :) The CST C7209 tire is the second tire from the left in the photograph below.

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps570d9606.jpg

CST owns Maxxis, and the C7209 front tire is very similar to the Desert IT, front tire. However, the C7209 has a more aggressive tread, is DOT rated, and costs $10 less than the Desert IT. ;) I have been employing the CST C7209, front tire on my Honda XR650L for about 30,000 miles, and it does an excellent job both off road, and on pavement. :)

Spud :)

WA does not care if the tire is DOT or not. I have never heard of anyone being stopped for such, nor do I think it would be a safety issue. Especially at the modest speeds these bikes are ridden at. :D

My YZF runs Dunlop 952's, which are not DOT. It is used 98% off road.

My KLX runs DOT approved Dunlop 606's, but they are basically pure off road knobbies. The KLX is used about 85% off road.