My V7 II Special 2015 came to me secondhand with Pirelli Scorpions fitted - pretty chunky tyres! I’ve had the bike for over a year, and they still have a fair amount of miles left in them, so I hadn’t considered changing them before.
Until riding from London to Dorchester on Sunday (130miles) as I am moving to live and work down here, I hadn’t really noticed how the vibrations of the bike can make for a numb bum after a couple of hours on the saddle…!
I am wondering whether the chunky tyres on a road trip of that length would have contributed to those vibrations, so I am now considering changing them as I am considering doing day rides out from here…
My immediate thoughts, because I’ve used them on my previous bikes (a V7 Classsic 2010 and previously Honda CB500 and CB600 Hornet), was to go for Bridgestone Battlax B45s or Avon Roadriders. However on looking at the Bridgestone Website it suggested that for a V7 II 2015 I should choose the Battlax “Adventure Cross/Scrambler AX41S” tyres. Note that these are nowhere near as chunky as the AX41 tyre (without the “S” on the end).
Has anyone got experience of the AX41S on a V7?
Overall what would your choice of tyre be for a V7 II Special, given that I will be riding mainly on a mixture of well-paved and not so well-paved country roads?
It would seem that nobody on this forum has tried them, despite the fact that they are the tyre recommended by Bridgestone for the V7 II, rather than the BT45 or 46…
Well, I’ve now ordered a set, and will hopefully have them fitted in the next week or two, so I’ll do a review once I’ve had the chance to try them out.
Thing is, when a BT45 will fold up the foot tests and still hold on with the exhaust down pipes are grounding, is there really a need to look for better?
I’ve just had the Battlax AX41S tyres fitted this morning, replacing the Pirelli Scorpion S/T - so much smoother and less vibration through the handlebars and pegs on the tarmac, and more confidence in corners, even without scrubbing in. Only done 10 miles getting back, but already happier than on the old tyres.
It’ll be interesting to see how the do once they first encounter some of the rougher surfaces in this part of Dorset, with gravel/grit/sand strewn across the road… and to see how well they last mileage-wise.
Another 55 miles on the new tyres today - they are so much better than the Scorpions!! And not a hint of difficulties on the loose grit and gravel strewn across Dorset roads.