{"id":19057,"date":"2023-06-06T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/?p=19057"},"modified":"2026-09-24T13:46:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T04:46:12","slug":"zephyr550-400-choose-radial-tires-metzeler-interact-z8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/20230606\/decoboco-cars\/zephyr550zr550\/zephyr550-400-choose-radial-tires-metzeler-interact-z8","title":{"rendered":"ZEPHYR550\/400 Zephyr 550\/400 If you have a choice, go with “radial” tires. Metzeler INTERACT Z8"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When buying a used bike, don’t skimp on tires.
Tires are a very expensive consumable item, but they’re also “the most important part.” <\/strong>

For the Zephyr 550\/400 with 17-inch front and 18-inch rear,
there are very few options for matching front and rear tire brands (\uff1b\u2200\uff1b) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In recent years, it’s often hard to get tires when you want them.
When you can get them, grab them! That’s important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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110\/70-17 4kg <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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140\/70-18 6.2kg <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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It’s my usual tire weight check.
Tires are pretty heavy, aren’t they? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frames with an under-tube have excellent serviceability.

Especially when using a frame stand,
there’s nothing in the way of the rear area, making work very efficient.

I always wonder, “Why isn’t this sold commercially?” <\/strong>
If it were me,
I’d produce it in small quantities with a strong sense of luxury.
The risk would be low and it would be really good.

What do you think? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wrapping a cover around the wheels when removing them is even safer.
Small things like this prevent scratches and make work much easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I’ve applied Gun Coat to the small parts.
Small things really make a bike look tighter, don’t they? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I’m peeling off the surface of the exhaust.
I think it adds a bit of luxury feel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why does Kawasaki paint “black with silver on top”? <\/strong>…
I struggled trying to remove it carelessly… <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I’m cleaning the hard-to-reach spots.
Just a light wipe is good. It’s tedious anyway.

As long as it looks clean at first glance, that’s fine. It’ll get dirty again anyway~ <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The inside of the wheel was cleaner than expected.
After cleaning, I apply Plexus coating <\/a><\/strong>to make sure the inside is nice and clean too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overall, this is a well-maintained unit and I’m very happy about it (*\u00b4\u03c9\uff40*) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For a heavy wheel, I align the “tire light spot” <\/strong>with the heavy point, so I need less weight.

Rather than aligning with the air valve, align with the <\/strong>“heavy spot on the wheel.”
This is the most efficient.

If done right, you can achieve “zero weight” <\/strong>on both front and rear.
*I managed zero weight front and rear this time (*\u00b4\u03c9\uff40*) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I’m replacing the air valve with an aluminum one.

It can be inserted from the side, making it very efficient and looks great.
It also has high durability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nobody notices, but it’s gradually getting cleaner.
It’s quietly satisfying, you know? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The front tire profile looks like this.
It looks like it’ll be nimble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The rear looks like this.
With a 140 in the 3.50 rim, the tire edge looks a bit tight.
*It’s within the tire’s tolerance for the stock size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bike maintenance work really takes time.
If you just swap parts quickly, it’d be done fast.

But somehow, if you do it right, you have “fewer regrets.” <\/strong>
You know, those “I wish I had done that back then” moments.

For now, I’m going stock, so I’ll do a caliper overhaul! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(*\u00b4\u03c9\uff40*) I’m introducing things bit by bit <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\/\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlexus Cleaner Polish (Domestic Regular Product) PL368 [HTRC 2.1]\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\u30d7\u30ec\u30af\u30b5\u30b9(Plexus)<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u53e3\u30b3\u30df\u3092\u898b\u308b<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAmazon\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRakuten\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYahoo!\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\u30dd\u30c1\u30c3\u30d7<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMOTO4U Motorcycle Tire Protection Cover 17 Inch Front and Rear Tire Warmer Cover Tire Bag Warmer Wheel Cover Tire Cover Case Tire Accessories Wheel Protector Red\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
MOTO4U<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u53e3\u30b3\u30df\u3092\u898b\u308b<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAmazon\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRakuten\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYahoo!\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\u30dd\u30c1\u30c3\u30d7<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When buying a used bike, don’t skimp on tires. Tires are a very expensive consumable item, but they’re also “the most important part.” For the Zephyr 550\/400 with 17-inch front and 18-inch rear, there are very few options for matching front and rear tire brands (\uff1b\u2200\uff1b)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pochipp_cv_data":"{\"cdf9bf1d\":{\"pv\":705,\"imp\":369,\"clickedAmazon\":6,\"clickedOther\":2,\"clickedRakuten\":1,\"clickedYahoo\":1},\"63a52efd\":{\"pv\":705,\"imp\":296}}","swell_btn_cv_data":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[610,607,601,623,612],"class_list":["post-19057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-zephyr550zr550","tag-metzler","tag-zephyr-400","tag-zephyr-550","tag-zephyr400","tag-zephyr550"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19057\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.decoboco.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}