Kenda KM1 190/50ZR17 Sport Touring Motorcycle Tire 73W (190/50-17)

could not recommend this enough, incredible handling, it stands up to rain and super dry the same, it looks fantastic from the back (😉) the traction is incredible, i’ve slammed it almost sideways while going 80 through a corner and it gripped more than that girl from college. the durability has already gone through some wheelies and it’ll stand up straight if you get her hit enough, incredible tire!

I have a sport touring bike that I try to ride whenever the weather cooperates. It racks up a fair number of miles, a combination of highway and local roads. The Metzeler Sportecs that I'd been running were getting pretty worn, and the rear tire had just gone past the bottom of the wear bars. In other words, I was overdue for tires. I was contemplating a premium tire like Michelin, but $500+ of rubber just wasn't in the budget. I looked around for tires in the sizes that I needed and settled on the Kendas. They're listed as sport touring tires, which is mostly what I do with this bike (no track days). The reviews were good, the speed rating was high enough for my bike, and the load ratings were the same as the tires I was replacing and gave me a comfortable margin of load capacity. OK, I'm sold. The tires arrived quickly (they gave me a 5 day window for delivery, and these tires arrived on the first day). One day I came home and a big box with a pair of tires in it was waiting for me. They even sent a small bottle opener in the box. A little weird but cool. Installing them was a CHORE. The sidewalls on these tires are very stiff, and they're a little wider than the factory tires (though they're the same size as the tires that I replaced). Putting them on the wheels with tire spoons was a real fight. Use plenty of soapy water or bead lubricant, and perhaps a drop-center tool to help you if you go this way. Or just pay someone else, like I should have. Getting the beads to seat was another hurdle. I used a spray bottle with soapy water on the beads, and I think each tire needed 40 PSI to finally pop their beads into place. That's close to the maximum recommended pressure when seating beads, and they sounded like gunshots when they finally went. I don't look forward to having to change them in the future-- they're ON THERE. The tires were almost perfectly balanced as-installed. I think each one needed 1/2 oz. of weight to get it to balance. These tires are supposed to be the same size and aspect ratio as the ones I removed (according to both Amazon and the numbers on the sidewall), but they're noticeably wider just the same.. This worried me because I don't have a lot of room between the rear tire and the fender, but the tire fit with room to spare. The fatter tires look good on the bike. So how do they work? So far, brilliantly. I took the bike out for a quick spin. I was very careful because new tires can be slick and the roads were still a bit wet, but I never felt them even come close to breaking traction. I rode around town and then did some slow circles in a parking lot to scrub the sides of the tires in a bit more. Even on wet roads, these things were glued to the ground. In a corner, these tires tip in more quickly than the Metzelers that they replaced. The Metzelers were a great tire for many miles, but I'd done a lot of highway riding and they were squared off so they no longer fell into a corner quite as easily. These Kendas make the bike feel more agile than it has in a while. On the highway, these tires were butter-smooth. The balance is dead-on and there's no shake at all. No idea about noise because the exhaust is kind of loud and I wear ear plugs to ride, but I didn't notice anything unusual at all. If these tires last as long as the Metzelers did (6000 miles of my ownership, plus who knows how many with the previous owner), they'll be an outstanding value. That's a big ask-- this is a heavy, relatively powerful bike-- but so far these tires are very impressive for the price. I'll update once I have some more miles on them. UPDATE: I've ridden on these for a couple of hundred miles and really like them. The bike is easier to maneuver at slow speeds and lays down better in corners. The vibration I had with the previous Metzelers (flat spot) is gone and these are smooth on the highway. They do tend to follow grooves in the road perhaps a bit more than the Metzelers, but nothing alarming. Traction on tar "snakes" and freshly sealed asphalt is better than with the Metzelers. I haven't pushed them hard enough to find out where the limits are, but these tires feel great during everyday riding. UPDATE 2 10-2025: These tires are still a good value, but I'm finding that they're more sensitive to grooves and imperfections in the pavement than the previous Metzelers. I've gone over some heavily grooved roads a couple of times and the bike has wagged its tail a bit. Not enough to lose control or anything, but it definitely wakes you up. I also feel a bit of weave at highway speeds that I didn't get with the Metzelers. I've checked tire pressures, aligned the rear wheel, etc. and it hasn't made a difference. So far they're wearing well and seem like a pretty good tire all around so I'm not ready to dock them a star, but they seem a little twitchier to me than the previous tires. I have a longish trip coming up soon, we'll see how they do.

The Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Rear Tire (150/70-17) is an outstanding choice for anyone looking to upgrade their motorcycle's performance and reliability. This tire delivers excellent grip and stability, whether you're cruising on highways or navigating through city streets. The tread design provides superior traction in both wet and dry conditions, giving me confidence during every ride.What stands out most is the durability of this tire. It’s built to last, with a tough construction that resists wear and tear even after extended use. The smooth handling and comfortable ride quality it offers make long trips much more enjoyable. Additionally, the price point is very reasonable for the level of performance and longevity you get.Overall, the Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Rear Tire is a fantastic investment for any rider seeking a dependable, high-quality tire. I highly recommend it for its performance, durability, and value!

This is a great tire for the pice. I think it has outlasted some of my other back higher priced tires I have used. So far no complaints. I will likely buy again l.

a bit cheaper than contimotions I've used for years.

Good cuality

I tried these tires and really didn't think I'd like them but for approximately $200 for a set, it was worth a try. I've tried other brands but so far, these hold up to my 140mile commute. Most tires, the rears are gone in about 4k. I think I have 4k on my first Kenda and it's still has about half the tread. That being said, I am not a knee dragger. I do enjoy the twisties. I find these are less sticky but not bad enough to be dangerous for my riding style. I have these on a 2014 Honda VFR800 and 2024 Kawasaki z900. Both have traction control and that may help. I have bought 2 sets and have stocked a couple for when they need changing. I mount and balance my own tires using the Rabaconda tire changer. I find the performance is still good enough to ride the backroads with confidence. I've only been in the rain once and it was a torrential downpour doing 70mph up a hill on the freeway and I lost traction in a puddle but let off the gas and it was fine. The tire was new and under 150 miles on it. It was the most water coming down I've seen. I was using Pilot Road 4s, 5s and 6s but cannot afford the near $500 per pair. I'm anticipating 8-10k mileage from the rears. I am not estimating the fronts yet. If you try these tires, remember, not as sticky so if you are an all out knee dragger, these may not be for you. For me, these are working for the mix of backroads and freeways I ride. I commute 36K miles a year and spread those miles over 3 bikes. That doesn't count my weekend miles.

Outstanding value, the tire was a year old but was brand new. Can’t beat the price and shipping time was fast. The seem to be doing just fine after break in nice a grippy and make near zero noise at freeway speeds. Cant comment yet on how they do in the rain or how the wear is yet but look to be holding up fine with bout 400 miles on them.