Motorcycle Tire Shopping (2026)
Article by Mark Trotta
There's some things you just shouldn't put off, like replacing worn-out motorcycle tires. But I did, and had two scary moments before finally replacing the front tire on my Road King.
The first time was while hard braking, and the front tire skidded on dry pavement. There were no cars around, but it was still scary (and kind of fun, too).
Several weeks later, I was out on a Saturday morning after it rained. The sky was now sunny, but the roads were still slightly wet. I rounded a curve and felt the front end slip (not so fun).
Finally, the annual registration came due, and bike has to pass a state inspection.
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For Touring or Cruiser motorcycles, here are my top tire choices:
The first consideration is a Dunlop D402. This is the official Harley-Davidson approved tire for many of their touring bikes.
Dunlop D402's are available in many sizes, and offered in black wall, wide white wall, and narrow white stripe.
Michelin
Michelin Commander III tires are known for their excellent traction and control, especially in the rain.
The old front tire on my Road King was a Michelin. It was on the bike when purchased, so I can't say how many miles are on it.
Shinko
The least expensive, but still a good tire, is the Shinko 777.
You won't get the same mileage from a Shinko as you would from a Michelin or Dunlop, but even so, it's one of the best selling motorcycle tires for a reason--you can't beat the price.
Read: Shinko Tire Reviews on Reddit
The front tire on my 1961 Servi-Car is a Shinko 240 Classic wide white wall. It has more of an old-school look than the 777.
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Mounting and Balancing
Option One was to take the wheel off and bring it down to Cycle Gear. If you buy a tire from them or any of their affiliates (which includes JP Cycles), the labor price to mount and balance is discounted ($30 vs $60).
Option Two was to ride the bike to the local Harley dealer, where I had gotten a quote on a recent visit.
The problem with first option was, I don't have a motorcycle jack for a touring bike, and although I'd like to have one, where would I keep it (garage is packed with semi-assembled motorcycles) and how many times would I actually use it?
I ended up having it done at the dealer. It was a little more expensive, but they do run monthly specials, and I happened to catch one--in January--so the ride there was a little chilly.
Aside from whitewall or blackwall, there were no tire options at the dealer. It's a Dunlop D402F, size MT90B16, and it says 'Harley-Davidson' on it.
Special sale price was $204.95 with an additional $50 for labor, and while I was there I got the state inspection done as well.
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Conclusion
Aside from any specials your local dealer may be having, the best deal out there is to buy a tire from JP Cycles, take the tire off your bike, and bring it to a local Cycle Gear.
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Tire Size Conversion Chart Metric/Alpha/Inches
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