Need new tires.

[jake42]

I know this one has just gone around recently, but I'd like to hear from those or you who run them.  Last night I got a screw through my rear tire and convinced my wife that it's time for new tires anyway

Anyway I'm trying to decide between the bridgestone battleaxes and  the metzlers.  

Any feedback would be appreciated.
Also I need to know what sizes to run.  I'd like to get the rear a little bigger, but i don't wanna deal with any major mods to make it fit.

Thanks in advance.

Jake

[jake42]

on ething i forgot in my previous post.
How much should i be paying for metzlers or the bridgestones?  I'm gonna look at a couple shops here in the interest of getting it done quicker, but can anyone point me to online sources with really cheap prices?  

jake
depressed cuz i had to miss the first pittsburgh ride today

[pantablo]

either tires will do you right. but since the Metz's are radials I'd prefer those on my ride. 140/80 rear is what the metz has that's a bit bigger without problems.

You should be able to get a pair for $200 I'd think. Do a search for tire or tires and find the online sources listed previously. We should probably include those somewhere (vendors list on for sale forum maybe).

[Casimir]

We should probably include those somewhere (vendors list on for sale forum maybe).

I think that's a great idea! It might be better on the main page. You know what John says, "There is more to this site than a message board."  :nana:

Perhaps a list of vendors with special notation if they carry GS500 specific stuff.

[jake42]

either tires will do you right. but since the Metz's are radials I'd prefer those on my ride. 140/80 rear is what the metz has that's a bit bigger without problems.

You should be able to get a pair for $200 I'd think. Do a search for tire or tires and find the online sources listed previously. We should probably include those somewhere (vendors list on for sale forum maybe).

140/80 0n back
is the front 110/70?

thanks again.

jake

[Arpee]

you'll pay a little more for a set of Metzlers, but the 'Stones should be in that range.    140/70 for BT-45 rear 110/70 for front.  If you go with the Metzler radials it'll be 140/80 or 130/80 rear and 110/80 or 110/70 front.  Heard the 80 in the front helps with the speedo accuracy, but only slightly.  Spend the bucks and go for the radials.......

[spotswood_suzuki]

I have the Metz....110-70 front and 130-80 rear.  I went with GSJacks recomendation..check out his tire info.  They are great tires.  I have never felt as planted in the corners as with these and they don't track road grooves or rr tracks.  In the last week and I have scraped a toe a couple of time :mrgreen:  :mrgreen: !

Wayne

[jake42]

you'll pay a little more for a set of Metzlers, but the 'Stones should be in that range.    140/70 for BT-45 rear 110/70 for front.  If you go with the Metzler radials it'll be 140/80 or 130/80 rear and 110/80 or 110/70 front.  Heard the 80 in the front helps with the speedo accuracy, but only slightly.  Spend the bucks and go for the radials.......

so if i go for the 140/80 rear and the 110/80 front, my shop shouldn't have any probs getting them on and i shouldn't have any clearance probs right?

jake

[sprint_9]

I would go with the 130 instead of the 140. I think gsjack said once that the 140 metz was near the size of some 150 size tires, not sure though. Try a search on tires, there has been some very good threds in the recent months.

[Kerry]

Uh, we need to be more precise about which Metzelers we're talking about.  I've got a pair of Metzelers on one of my GS500Es, but they're bias, NOT radial.  Front = model 330, Rear = model 550.

They perform just fine, but I'm disappointed in the tread wear of the rear tire.  I have about 7,000 miles on it and I'm down to the wear indicator marks in the center groove, with LOTS of tread left on the sides.  I guess that's what I get for using this bike more for commuting than for riding the canyons.  Also, it is a 130/80 profile tire.  Maybe that made a difference in the wear pattern?

Anyway, if you happen to live in a land where the roads are flat and straight, consider yourself forewarned....

[Steven]

I ran both on the Bridgestone and the Metzelers, and in my opinion, the Metzelers are more expensive, but way better handling then the BT's. I even like dunlop or Pirelli's over Bridgestones.

As far as tire size, I stick with stock size. Bigger tires only make your bike turn slower, and I don't need the extra traction becasue my GS is stock and only 45 HP.

[pantablo]

I would go with the 130 instead of the 140. I think gsjack said once that the 140 metz was near the size of some 150 size tires, not sure though. Try a search on tires, there has been some very good threds in the recent months.

It's the other way-soem 150's, once pinched a bit from our narrow rear rim are only slightly wider than a 140. The 150's also aren't necessarily 150 wide but vary quite a bit...most being closer to 145 but one or two wider than 150, can't remember which brand (maybe Bridgstone).

won't have any clearance problems with 110/80 or 130-140/80 at all.

[sprint_9]

This has some very good information on what tires to get. I asked alot of questions in this one and learned a whole lot.


http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1156&highlight=tires

[spotswood_suzuki]

The Metz's that I have are MEZ2 and MEZ4...110-70 front and 130-80 rear.
They are radials.

Wayne

[Black Snowman]

The Metzler MEZ2 140/80-17 is made for a 3.5" rim according to Metzler's site. I plan on going the 110/70 MEZ4 front with MEZ2 140/80-17 rear on my next set.

Which I might get soon because my oversized 150/70-17 Mich Macadam 90x is really scary in a deep lean. Being pinched at the edges I lose a lot of grip and the lean accellerates as you get way over. Not fun. That's where you want the confidence in your tire. Not where you want it to get scary.

So far Parts411.com has had the best price, but I'm not sure what their shipping runs.

[jake42]

The Metzler MEZ2 140/80-17 is made for a 3.5" rim according to Metzler's site. I plan on going the 110/70 MEZ4 front with MEZ2 140/80-17 rear on my next set.

Which I might get soon because my oversized 150/70-17 Mich Macadam 90x is really scary in a deep lean. Being pinched at the edges I lose a lot of grip and the lean accellerates as you get way over. Not fun. That's where you want the confidence in your tire. Not where you want it to get scary.

So far Parts411.com has had the best price, but I'm not sure what their shipping runs.

perfect..  that's exactly what i was thinking... thanks for the info.

jake

[sprint_9]

Since you want grip and milage with milage being more important, you want a sport touring tire. My choice in ST tires is the 110/70 and 130/80 MEZ4/2 combo or the Avon AV45/46 tires. The 140/80 Z2 is a really a big one, being over 6" in width mounted on a 3.5" rim and would be a very tight squeeze on the GS. Might have to alter a bit to make it fit. The 130/80 Z2 fits the GS nicely and has a deeper 8mm tread depth than any other radial I've seen, making it H rated instead of Z rated like the rest. I got about 14,000 miles out of the 1st one and just put on the 2nd one.

Gsjack said this in a post in a thread a few months back. Based on this I would go with the 130/80.

P.S. I dont know how to get the persons name at the top of the quote like others have on here. Could someone please help with this. Thanks.

[Kerry]

I dont know how to get the persons name at the top of the quote like others have on here. Could someone please help with this. Thanks.

Click the "quote" icon below the post that you want to quote.  This will automatically bring up a Reply page with the text surrounded by the appropriate "quote" tags.

Sometimes you only want to quote PART of the original message.  Just delete the stuff you don't want, but make sure you leave the "quote" tags alone!

[sprint_9]

Ok, cool. Thanks for the help Kerry.

[Pkaaso]

I just ordered a pair of Bridgstones BT/45's.  I got 140/70 rear and 120/70 front.  I'm not a knee dragger and wanted something to last a while.

After reading this I am second guessing the front choice.  I thought I read somewhere here that a 120/70 front was good.  BUT, now I'm not so sure.  

Should I NOT go with 120 on the front and stay with the 110/70?

Thanks,
Paul