Tire suggestions?

[GS500Fmode]

hey guys,
im josiah.
im a somewhat new rider. but had plenty of motox experience. i just acquired a 2005 GS500F about 2 months ago and i LOVE it! the bike is mostly stock, except for a shortened exhaust can.
i bought the bike with 9100miles
currently it has 10,3xx miles. the previous owner had just replaced the rear tire within 200miles of me purchasing it. the front tire is in need of replacement.

my question is. what would be good replacements for the BT45s. its toooooo cold to ride (north GA area-highs in the 30s currently) im gonna replace both the front and rear. and keep the relatively new rear as a spare. i dont plan to keep this bike toooo long. say maybe til the end of next year?

ive been reading the post about the lasertecs.. and i could use a touch stickier tire than the BT's.  ive found the limits several times of the bt45s.
so what are my options? and where can i get em?

thanks! 

[tb0lt]

Congrats on your new GS and welcome to the site

Although I haven't seen any reviews for Shinko tires specficially on the GS500, I've seen nothing buy excellent user reviews for their 006 series on sport bikes in general. Shinko bought out Yokohama's tire plant when they got out of it... if that makes you feel comfortable. eBay is one of the cheaper sources if you decide to go with that brand.

[scratch]

GSJack has extensive tire research on quite a few tires, so you might do a search using the word 'tires' with GSJack's name.

I feel that the Avon RoadRiders are slightly better than the BT's, and am confident that the Lasertecs are superior, and I would venture Michelins are, too.

[mister]

I'm currently running Pirelli Sport Demons and like them better than the BT45s.

Michael

[Shaddow]

I went from BT45s to Sport Demons and much prefer the sports demons except at higher speeds in the wet. They feel twitchier in the wet at freeway speeds.

[Clancy]

I'm currently running Pirelli Sport Demons and like them better than the BT45s.

Michael

+1

[Twisted]

I'm currently running Pirelli Sport Demons and like them better than the BT45s.

Michael

+1

+2 

[the mole]

OK guys, you like the Sport Demons but how do they go for wear?

[mister]

OK guys, you like the Sport Demons but how do they go for wear?

My rear has over 11,000km on it and I'll take a photo tomorrow when it's light. Front has almost 5,000 on it. Still has extrusion things even where I ride! Photos tomorrow...

Michael

[whttnbrg]

I just replaced mine with Avon AM26 Roadriders.

[GS500Fmode]

well thanks for all the replies! i was hoping to hear more about the lasertecs. what are the recommended sizes?
and bias front/radial rear? or radial front and back
im happy with stock sizing, and wont be hitting the track. just commuting and the occasional mountain run (weekend fun!)

[gsJack]

The stock 110/70 and 130/70 tires will provide handling as good as any size tire but there isn't much available in radials that will fit our 3.5" rear wheels so I still say the only reason to run larger tires would be to be able to use some of the available radials if desired.  But the 140/80 and 150/70 rears do look better.   

I've run 110/70, 110/80, and 120/70 front tires and 130/70, 130/80, 130/90, 140/70, 140/80, and 150/70 rear tires on my stock 3.0" and 3.5" GS500 rims.   I personally have not found the size to make as much difference in handling as the type of tyre does.  I got my 1st GS almost 12 years ago before the current round of much improved with new compounds and profiles latest group of bias ply tires came out. My 1st set of GS replacement tires were the BT45 to replace the oem Exedra tires and they were a big improvement but later after picking up the pace another BT45 rear was half worn out in 2k miles so I began trying some radials.  To be fair the BT45 were upgraded with the new compounds and profiles after the Demons and Lasertecs came out.

I was never happy with the front radials I ran on my GS's with their primitive front suspensions so I switched to the bias Lasertec fronts with later radials.  My favorite handling tires on the GS's were the bias Lasertec front with a RoadAttack rear.  The RoadAttack is a sport touring radial but it falls more in between sport touring and supersport radials in sticky and gives good life doing it.

My last 2 sets of GS tires have been the Roadriders and they have been quite adequate for my current needs giving very long life with good handling but I'm thinking of going to a Azaro 140/80 or Storm 150/70 rear radial with the Roadrider front next spring.  Tires I have used on my GS's and miles they were used:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tirelogs.jpg

[redhenracing2]

I'm about to throw on some Michelin Power Pures, not sure if they're available in Gs sizing 

Where are you in ga? I roam canton, Woodstock, Marietta and the like.

[mister]

Here's my Sport Demons...

Front: Around 5,000kms



Rear: Around 12,000kms



Looking behind me at the track I leave behind in the wet, these tires get ride of more water than the BT45s did.

Michael

[the mole]

Thanks Michael, that rear looks about as worn as my BT45 that's done less than 9,000km.

[SAFE-T]

Here appear to be your choices for bias ply tires the bike was designed around.

Continental's ContiGO!
Metzeler's new/old LaserTec (used to be the ME55A Metronic /ME33 Laser combo)
Avon's AM26 RoadRider
Michelin's Pilot Activ
Pirelli's MT75 and Sport Demon
Bridgestone's BT45

Dunlop doesn't really have anything I could find.
Shinko has the SR741, but it's listed as a cruiser tire. Could be fine for the underwhelming power of the GS, but...

There may be a few more options out there but this is what I could find for now.

I see GSJack has run a number of different size tires front and rear ~ would be interesting to know if the 120 front or 140 rear made much of a difference ~ this would open up a number of other options as well.

In my own experience, I have never needed the most high-performance tires out there. I don't push it to the limit on the street where I could slide off into an immovable object, nor do I want to test my knowledge of high-speed braking. I ride a decent pace based on 'The Pace', which is a 10 min read and well worth it.

[gsJack]

Dunlop added G spec 110/70 and 130/70 sizes to their GT501 line after the Ninja 250 came out in 08 with the same size oem tires as our GS500 and the Ninja 500 have.  Still not listed on the Dunlop US site in their tire catalog but can be found in their fitment guide for the Ninja 250/500 and the GS500/E/F and they are available at MC Superstore.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/28/394/6075/ITEM/Dunlop-GT501-Sport-Bias-Rear-Tire.aspx

Worth mentioning since the GT501 came in a close third behind the Demon and Roadrider tires in fastest lap time in the UK Bike Magazine comparo test run on a race track at high speeds.  I had a front GT501 on my 97 GS at one time and still think it was the most responsive bias ply tire I had run.  I don't really agree with Bike's very low rating of the Demon and Lasertec tires but think the comparo test as a whole is worthwhile input even though I don't do trackdays.

http://www.ex-500.com/wiki/index.php/Tire_Comparison

More to come about other than oem size tires for the GS.

[GS500Fmode]

i live about 10 min from the GA/TN line. the Chickamauga Battlefield is right down the street. (its a great place to chill and un-wind on the bike)

right now its snowing and well, the bike is in the garage. come warmer weather (above 38degrees) ill jump back out. my trucks MPG is killin me.. and its a v6 hahah

[redhenracing2]

I see GSJack has run a number of different size tires front and rear ~ would be interesting to know if the 120 front or 140 rear made much of a difference ~ this would open up a number of other options as well.

Is something other than 120 recommended fo the front? That's what I always had, and I also always did a 140 rear, until about a week before I sold it when I put on a 130 Battlax. It was at least twice as responsive as the 140, I believe the 140 was a Kenda? It was like a $60 tire, lasted maybe 3000 miles.

[Paulcet]

i live about 10 min from the GA/TN line. the Chickamauga Battlefield is right down the street. (its a great place to chill and un-wind on the bike)

right now its snowing and well, the bike is in the garage. come warmer weather (above 38degrees) ill jump back out. my trucks MPG is killin me.. and its a v6 hahah

Hmmm.  I went to Northwestern Tech, and taught night classes there later.  I lived in Ooltewah, and drove either Three Notch or Burning Bush to get to the school.  Really miss those roads.   Wish I had a bike back then, now I'm in the flatlands of SE Georgia ---> Boring!  But I do get to ride all year.