text: Mk 5 replacement tyre
  Author Topic: Mk 5 replacement tyre (Read 3600 times)
  « on: 06 Jan 2017 at 11:02 »
  Can someone please advise me for a suitable replacement rear tyre for my MK5 I only cover about 500 miles max a year if that helps and normally only dry miles,it seems that 3.25 x 19 are limited to choice and seem to be of a more rounded profile
  Re: Mk 5 replacement tyre
  « Reply #1 on: 06 Jan 2017 at 22:46 »
  I would think this Heidenau tyre would suit, looks period and they are good quality ( the link is from an Australian website, but there would be UK dealers)
  http://www.heidenautyres.com.au/tyre/k34/
  « Reply #2 on: 07 Jan 2017 at 17:52 »
  Last year I fitted a Mitas HO1 tyre on my Dragonfly, and am very pleased with it.
  « Reply #3 on: 08 Jan 2017 at 09:08 »
  Thanks for the replies I had ordered a Mitas H01 from a local dealer a couple of weeks before christmas including fitment but after quite a few phone calls from me I was assured it was delayed by the christmas rush ,so in the new year I phoned again to be told it was on its way ,and then on Friday this week after another phone call from me I was told there was an account problem so it would not be delivered, I finished up going to another large tyre company and fitted an Avon tyre ,I must also say the tyre fitter was superb it took approx 30 minutes to remove the very old existing Firestone tyre as the side was were very stiff with age ,he then cleaned everything and refitted the new tyre ,all up more than an hour in total,from what I have found out Firestone were sold to Bridgestone in 1988 the tyre said heavy duty gum dipped but had no date code on it, my bike prior to me buying it had been off the road for 25 years
  « Reply #4 on: 08 Jan 2017 at 10:15 »
  Firestone tyres were the standard fitment on Mk 5's and Dragonflies, so that tyre may have been the original fitted at the factory. When I bought my Dragonfly from the original owner, it had 15,000 miles on the clock, and the tyre looked like new, but got very lively over manholes etc. - I guess it was a case of long life but little grip!! If you have been tolerating the old Firestone, you wont have any problems with any of the modern replacements!
  « Reply #5 on: 08 Jan 2017 at 12:17 »
  Thanks Eddie for this info and yes I have noticed the back stepping out ,the comment about it could be original is very scary
  « Reply #6 on: 10 Jan 2017 at 12:10 »
  I was a motorcycle mechanic in the '50's and '60's and used to fit a lot of the tyres. We used to dread it when someone asked for Firestone tyres to be fitted. They were made from the hardest rubber of any tyre and took a lot of sweat and swearing to fit. The customer wanted the longest wearing tyre available but didn't want to fit them themselves. It's a good thing they are not made anymore.
  « Reply #7 on: 10 Jan 2017 at 14:24 »
  The tyre fitter suggested that it had been fitted with a replacement inner tube as he thought Firestone tubes were red in colour