Kenda K671 - Good Cheap Tire - I like it!

[bill14224]

$56 for the tire and $27 to get it mounted.  Not bad for new H-rated front rubber.  Perhaps not what you'd want for the racetrack.  It has great traction, very stable and smooth.  I'll report back once it wears a little.

I used to change tires and fix flats on my enduro bikes when I was a kid.  I just found out street tires are QUITE A BIT harder to change yourself.    I could get my irons under the lip, but couldn't pry the tire off the rim, so I took the wheel to the shop.  I surrender!

[werase643]

big C-clamp(or 2) to pop off the bead

[joshr08]

bill those are the exact tires i put on the wifes bike they almost look like the shinkos i put on my bike.

[The Buddha]

Kenda ... its korean isn't it. Yea, I think it means hard plastic.
Cheng chin its chineese, I think it means bamboo.
Cool.
Buddha.

[gsJack]

Kenda tires are from Taiwan so they are Chinese.  I put a K671 rear on my old CM400A to get thru the last winter I used it.  More recently my 02 GS500 came with K657 rear (130/90) that was put on by the dealer I bought it from.  I put about 5k miles on that K657 and it was only about half worn when I replaced both tires with the Avon AV45/46 radials.

The K657 is a sport touring and the K671 is a sport tire according to Kenda.  I thought the K657 was as good as the Excedras at least in traction, perhaps a little better.  The K671 was stickier and probably shorted lived.

I changed my own tires for years until I thought I was gonna croak one hot August day changing the last one I did about 10 years ago at age 65.  I've been happy to pay the $25 for mount and balance since then but I still pull the wheels and carry them in.

[The Buddha]

GSJack -
We're going to call you Jack Bauer from now on.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Jared]

Just put a set of 671's on my friends bike (New rider- new GS500e owner) for him...well  had them done I should say...

I like the looks of them...traction was good -I cornered it  a little hard during a short test ride without scuffing them up first (Halfway through the turn I remembered they were brand new).... Stuck like glue ( LUCKILY)...

Think they are my new brand for the Gs's...

[qwertydude]

I just got a set and am waiting for my current kings tires to wear out. The Kings were about $90 for the front and rear including shipping, Kendas ended up being 110 for the set. I can already tell they'll wear out faster since they're softer and have less tread depth. I'm more concerned about mileage cause frankly if I'd wanted performance I'd keep it stock since they grip better than these economy tires and last about as long. So far 10000 miles on the Kings maybe another 2-3k more. Too bad I can't find king's anymore, companies probably found out they were making them with a combination of rubber, lead, melamine, sulfuric gas spewing compounds (search for "Chinese drywall"), antifreeze and mercury with a touch of asbestos just for fun 

[08GSSteve]

Hey Bill

Watch the Kenda brand in the wet.  The Kenda rubber I have used (on other bikes) has great traction in the dry but sux in the wet to the point I took them off after losing traction round several corners.

Kenda = Only ride when dry.  They never thought about the rain when they made em.

[bobthebiker]

From experience, the Kenda tires are great rubber.  I LOVED my set on my last EX500, and the rear I threw on my very first one, worked amazingly.  they're a great street tire,but wont live forever(no tire does)

[qwertydude]

Rain traction goes the same for any summer tire, they all suck in the rain. A tire can last long, grip well, or be cheap, pick any two.

[TonyKZ1]

I had a set of the K671's on my Ninja 250, I thought they were pretty good tires especially for the price. They stuck pretty good, not Pirelli Speed Demon good but pretty good, and I got almost 10k miles out of them. Since then I put on a set of Avon RoadRiders and I've got almost 8k on them now, they're wearing good and I think I've got quite a few more miles left in them.
Tony

[The Buddha]

I just got a set and am waiting for my current kings tires to wear out. The Kings were about $90 for the front and rear including shipping, Kendas ended up being 110 for the set. I can already tell they'll wear out faster since they're softer and have less tread depth. I'm more concerned about mileage cause frankly if I'd wanted performance I'd keep it stock since they grip better than these economy tires and last about as long. So far 10000 miles on the Kings maybe another 2-3k more. Too bad I can't find king's anymore, companies probably found out they were making them with a combination of rubber, lead, melamine, sulfuric gas spewing compounds (search for "Chinese drywall"), antifreeze and mercury with a touch of asbestos just for fun 

Hell no, not real asbestos, too $$$, just asbestos flavor.
Asbestos ... huh ... for what you're paying ... next thing you know, you'd be wanting fiberglass ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[joshr08]

So we went out and really tested the tires on the vtr.  with the kenda 671's on it i scrubbed them in and then let the wife ride a bit then i got on it and started doing circles.  theres no chicken strips on the front at all and only 1/4 - 3/8 on the left and right side of the rear tire.  they feel really good.

[BaltimoreGS]

I have been running Bridgestone BT-45's on my bikes but gave the Kenda's a shot due to the lower price.  So far I am happy with their performance and would buy them again.

-Jessie

[simoniz]

I ran the same Kenda's on my 450 Nighthawk a while back, and I was very pleased with them. Might stick a set on the GS next time round.