Weird private-label tire names

Originally Posted By: asleepz
I had some tires about 10 years ago called "Hero" sold by (then) Tire Kingdom. I believe they cost me a pack of a gum and a coke.


My boss had them too, on his junky Sunfire. VIP sold them.

If they were a TBC brand (too lazy to look up, but VIP liked them) they were most likely used as an exclusive for both TK and VIP so they wouldn't have to price match competition in their home areas.
 
Originally Posted By: THafeez
Kelly safari trex on a Jeep liberty


There used to be a Jurassic Park replica Wrangler at a house nearby. I think it came from a contest. Those would be perfect for it!
 
I get a chuckle out of Falken. I can see some redneck saying "them's real falken good tars"
 
Years back I used to get budget tires from a local chain. The house brand was "Bear" and the step up from that one was "Silver Bear" and the premium was "Golden Bear." I have no idea who they were made by.

I saw some really, really cheap looking tires without DOT markings that had to have come off of eBay. They were called Max Power, which made me think of the time Homer Simpson changed his name to that.

'Pegasus' has been popping up a lot lately. Maybe the same as the Unicorn tires?

'Milestar' sounds really close to 'molester' to me.

Finally- the greatest cheap tire I've ever seen was something my buddy brought back from Afghanistan. It was a tire stamped with the Honda logo, except 'Honda' was spelled 'Honka'. He hung it in his garage over his Civic.
 
Originally Posted By: asleepz
I had some tires about 10 years ago called "Hero" sold by (then) Tire Kingdom. I believe they cost me a pack of a gum and a coke.




Hero are made in Federal's Chinese factory. Kingstar are Hankook's Chinese tyre. I've just got some Infinity tyres for my Volvo, they are made in Nankang's Chinese factory. Big names won't put their premium brand name on a budget tyre, so we get the wierd name stuff. I have some Golden Boy tyres on one of my bikes....made by Shinko.
 
I remember back in our BMX days the cheapie bike shop tires were Cheng Shin. We always called them "Cheap Sh*t" haha.
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I remember back in our BMX days the cheapie bike shop tires were Cheng Shin. We always called them "Cheap Sh*t" haha.


I have seen other Cheng Shin tires, on motorcycles and ATVs.
 
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
Linglong tires are ones I always get a kick out of.


Their name and logo are funny, but I have really come to like Linglong/Crosswind over the last couple of years. They make good, basic tires that perform very well for the price. I use them on small fleet of 1/2 ton pickups and 1 ton box vans, customer cars, and my own trucks and just don't have any problems out of them. Customers raise [censored] about Continentals, Goodyears, Bridgestones, Michelins, etc. but there have been literally no complaints about the Linglongs. In my experience they consistently make good tires and I don't think twice about using them.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Friend of mine just picked up a set of Lavingator Catchfors for his Jeep. $150 from the junkyard and they seem to have full tread. Not even two years old.

When he texted me that he bought that specific tire, I thought he spelled something wrong.


Saw a set of those yesterday, on a CUCV Blazer. (Which was actually in nice shape.)
 
Love my current round of Walmart Douglas 225/60-17s. Mostly because they were $59.50/ea on sale. Half the cost of a "name brand". I actually don't see the real odd-ball import tires like I used to in the 1990s.
 
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Originally Posted By: CKN
American names are just as hokey...they only difference is your used to seeing and hearing them...that's all!


Not just American, European and Japanese too.

I used to think it was crazy to name a tire after some stones, you know how crazy it sounds after watching Flintstone and then see a few commercials for Bridgestone and Firestone.

And that you cannot drive Continental tires if your car is on an island.

And you can only get "good year" tire if the weather is good and the rubber harvest is good, like a wine, or don't bother.

One coworker told me the Korean brand Kumho sounds like a cheap prostitute and Hankook sounds like a knockoff of Cooper (what?).
 
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Used to have a set of Wynstar Phaser R23, pretty good for the money but I heard Michelin bought the factory out and started making Michelin for their Chinese market now.

Thought it was funny but compare to other names here it is actually pretty normal.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: CKN
American names are just as hokey...they only difference is your used to seeing and hearing them...that's all!


Not just American, European and Japanese too.

I used to think it was crazy to name a tire after some stones, you know how crazy it sounds after watching Flintstone and then see a few commercials for Bridgestone and Firestone.


Firestone was named for the company's founder, Harvey Firestone. Bridgestone is actually Japanese, and was also named for the company's founder. (His name translated literally as "stone bridge".)

Quote:
And that you cannot drive Continental tires if your car is on an island.

And you can only get "good year" tire if the weather is good and the rubber harvest is good, like a wine, or don't bother.

One coworker told me the Korean brand Kumho sounds like a cheap prostitute and Hankook sounds like a knockoff of Cooper (what?).


Goodyear-again, a person: Charles Goodyear.
 
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