Tire Question

[GSRider]

Any idea yet what kind of tire life you will get from the ME330/550 tires in OEM sizes GSRider?

Well, so far, I've gotten about 11,000km/6900 miles out of the set, and I still have enough tread left for the rest of the season; albeit the season is shorter and shorter.

I figure I'll be lucky to get another 2000 miles though.

GSJack, I haven't tried the Avons yet, but if you have had good luck with them, I might try them after the Pirellis.
BTW, I've never tried putting on a "80" profile tire. I wouldn;t really mind trying it so long as handling isn't compromised. What happens when you put on a 110/80 130/80 vs. the regular profiles?
In the tire profile, I mean?

[gsJack]

Any idea yet what kind of tire life you will get from the ME330/550 tires in OEM sizes GSRider?

Well, so far, I've gotten about 11,000km/6900 miles out of the set, and I still have enough tread left for the rest of the season; albeit the season is shorter and shorter.

I figure I'll be lucky to get another 2000 miles though.

GSJack, I haven't tried the Avons yet, but if you have had good luck with them, I might try them after the Pirellis.
BTW, I've never tried putting on a "80" profile tire. I wouldn;t really mind trying it so long as handling isn't compromised. What happens when you put on a 110/80 130/80 vs. the regular profiles?
In the tire profile, I mean?

I've never noticed any big difference in the handling of of the GS between the 70 and 80 profile tires at the pace I ride.  I've had little problem running with friends with liter bikes in the mountain twisties with my GS500s, although at 72 years of age I think I've maybe slowed a bit this past year.  I think if you are referring to all out riding at the limit, you might get a better opinion from someone like Pablo on the handling differences.  My chicken strips run  closer to 1" now, somewhat wider than they used to be.   :lol:

Quoting Pablo above, [I had a 150/60 Michelin Pilot Sport on my 2001 gs500 and in the beginning it was awesome. Very sticky. As the tire wears that part at the edge that doesnt make contact with the ground at full lean will sharpen to a knife edge well before the tire is at the end of its life.

It starts to "fall into" corners more and more, eventually scaring the crap out of me when mine did it. I ran out and immediately purchased a 140/80 and preferred it overall. Got the Avons and was very pleased with them.]

Pablo has since progressed further into the world of sport tires on his CBR600RR, but his opinion at the time of the Avon 140/80 sport touring tire sounds about right to me.  I'm very pleased with the handling.  

I used to use Dunlop touring tires on my 400-750cc Hondas, but my first GS500 just wanted to corner faster than those touring tires would accomodate.   :lol:  :lol:

Here's a link to my tire log showing the tires I've tried on my 97 GS500 which now has about 80k miles on it:

http://members.aol.com:/jcprrp/97GStirelog.txt

If you want to corner faster than a good sport touring radial will accomodate, you want sport radials like the 150/60 Sportec or Pilot sport tires which are about the only size our GSs will accomodate unaltered.  Most current sport radials are only available in 160mm and larger sizes.

I put a half worn bias ply Dunlop GT501 front on my 97 GS with the well worn Z2 radial rear in 02 and experienced the same falling into corners that almost scared the crap out of me like Pablo described above.  It did it 2 or 3 times the first day and I somehow compesated for it and could not make it do it again for the 3k miles I put on that combo.  My experience and instincts work faster than my thinker does now.   :lol: I stick with the excellent sport touring radials because of my high yearly milage and not wanting to put on the extra tires to get thru the season, but I really would like to try a set of Sportecs on a GS.  The only sport radial I've had on a GS is the BT010 currently on the front of the 97 GS and it is way more sticky and responsive than the sport touring radials.  Turns in much faster.

[RC]

I have an ME330 up front and it works great. I replaced the ME550 (stock size) in the back after around 5 to 6,000 miles b/c it squared off. I did not like how the bike handled with the squared off rear tire.

On the back I now run a Pirelli Sport Demon in the stock size and love it. I took to a track day as was very impressed. In the corners I was able to keep up or gain on riders with "true" sport bikes.

Tire wear on the front looks minimal so I'll probably be keeping the ME330 for a while.

My 2 cents.

[Gofer]

My reason for asking isn't because of wanting a bigger rear tire. It's just that nobody makes radials for the GS's tire size.

i simply don't trust bias-ply tires because the design makes the tire work against itself. Bias-ply makers are constantly trying to make bias-plies run cooler because too much heat in them can cause a blowout(think about cars during the 1960's and you can see what i mean). Unfortunately a cooler-running tire means less heat    and less heat means less stickiness.  :dunno:  It's just a personal preference.

Thanks for the responses. Sorry if this whole thread would've shown up in a search.

[pantablo]

Gofer, try the Pirelli Sport Demons. I believe their bias-ply but they're as close to a radial as you'll find...probably the best tire for sporty riding too, except for the radial sport tires.

[indestructibleman]

and less heat means less stickiness.

i'm not sure that's true.  different compounds get sticky at different temps.  the tires are probably designed to be plenty sticky within their own operating temps.

cheers,
will