Newbie tire questions 150/70 rear???

[GSrookie500]

Hi everyone, This is my first post, but i've been doing ALOT of searchiing on tires, and I think I'm interested in buying some Metzeler Z6 Roadtec tires with a stock front 110/70, and the smallest rear they offer 150/70. Since I heard all the good reviews about the Z4's, I figure I try the new Z6's

My question is, Would I have any fitment issues with a 150/70 on the rear of my stock '97 GS500???

Any help would be greatly appreaciated.

-Eric

[bucks1605]

A lot of people wouldn't use a 150 on a 3.5" rim. You may want to check with the company to see if that tire is rated for a 3.5" rim. Problem being that a wider tire is pinched by the narrow rim, thus changing the profile of the tire. Which can be dangerous. So I'd check to see if the tire is rated for a 3.5" rim.

[GSrookie500]

Ok, I'll check into it.

I was also looking at there Z2 rear tire 130/80 if this one doesn't workout.

I'm pretty much open for tires. I just want some to handle and last as least 9-10k miles. Thanks

[bucks1605]

Another popular size is 140, if any of your options are available in that size.

[kdbolt70]

I run a 150/70 Conti Road Attack rear, which fits nicely on our rim, and is a tire that gsJack recommends. Many of the 150's are known to cause issues on the 3.5" though, so I'd be careful, and get something that has been confirmed to work fine on the rim.

[GSrookie500]

Ok, I just found out that Metzeler does approve on using a 150/70 on a 3.5" rim. So I think I'll try them out and post updates when mounted.

Thanks for your comment. This seems like a really good board, as my brother(previous owner of the GS) told me. Very happy to be here

[speeddemon190]

I run a 150/70 Conti Road Attack rear, which fits nicely on our rim, and is a tire that gsJack recommends. Many of the 150's are known to cause issues on the 3.5" though, so I'd be careful, and get something that has been confirmed to work fine on the rim.

so does this tire have many issues on the rim? And how does the tire run? is it sticky? does it wear down fast? im looking for a tire that i can trust when i hit the curves at a higher speed...but at the same time can commute to work on the highway and it wont run a flat spot super fast..

[gsJack]

No problem with running a 150/70 tire on our stock 3.5" rear rim as far as I'm concerned, it's an approved fitment by some of the tire makers and not others but even the ones that don't show general approval of it do suggest it for specific applications in their fitment guides.  None of the tire makers approves fitment of the 150/60 sport/supersport radials on a 3.5" rim in this country.  There have been a few complaints of handling problems with the 150/60 on the 3.5 rim but a 150/70 won't fit on the Ninja 500 so many there are using the 150/60 tires that do fit.

There is adequate clearance for the 150/70 on the 3.5 rim all around on the GS500 except for the brake torque rod which the 150/70 comes very close to touching with the narrower 150's and touches with the wider 150's, actual dimensions vary a bit from make to make of tires.

I ran a 150/70 Lasertec with a small but adequate amount of clearance but had to bend the brake rod for the RoadAttack which is supposed to be the same size, 149 mm wide on a 4.0 rim.  The 150/70 Z6 is a bit wider at 153 mm but it's quite easy to bend the brake rod for clearance if it touches.

I don't use the 150/60 sport/supersport radials due to their shorter tire life so the RoadAttack is the stickiest and probably best handling of the radials I tried on my GSs, I ran it with a Lasertec front.  I ran it for 10k miles and still had some tread left but it was getting slippery on the tar snakes when I changed it but still had great grip on good tarmac.  The Roadttack didn't flat too much for me but I didn't use it to commute:



I'm running the new Avon Roadriders now and liking them quite a bit, adequate performance with very good life and $40-50 a tire less than the others I'd been using like the Lasertecs and RoadAttack.  I tried  2 of the 130/80 Z2 and got my best radial milage from them.

[kdbolt70]

I like my Road Attack,  I feel very confident on it and it feels pretty sticky. hopefully I'll get 8-10k miles out of it like Jack. Mine actually fit with a bit of space for the brake rod, so I didn't have to bend it.