Tires for my GS

[nozomicannabis]

Looking for tires that will offer stick, while ridding twisties and hold up under my daily commuting

Double compound? What tires do you suggest?
 
Thanks in advance...

[burning1]

Avon Road Riders are a good choice. I've put a knee down on them (riding a Ninja 250.) Pirelli Sport Demons are another popular choice in Bias Ply.

For more aggressive street riding, BT003RS. I got about 1000 track miles out of a set, but I'm not sure how long they will last on the street. I probably wouldn't recommend the BT003RS if you're still running the stock springs.

[nozomicannabis]

Perfect - thanks a bunch.

[Pelikan]

What's the approximate milage one can get out of the stock BT-45s?  What about the Demons?

How would you compare the Road Riders to the Demons in terms of performance and wear?

Oh yeah, and stock 130 or 140 on the rear?

[mister]

What's the approximate milage one can get out of the stock BT-45s?  What about the Demons?

I got 23,000km out of my stock rear and 30,000km out of the front.

Both probably could have gotten another couple thou but not 6,000 for the next service. So I changed them.

At almost 38,000km on the GS I've got close to 15,000 on the rear Demon and close to 8,000 on the demon front. Holding up Very well.

Michael

[Aussie GS500F 06]

I just put battleaxe back on the bike, feel like a new bike, much more responsive better turn in. My front tyre seemed like it was out of round.

[gsJack]

Looking for tires that will offer stick, while ridding twisties and hold up under my daily commuting

Double compound? What tires do you suggest?
 
Thanks in advance...

Doubt you can beat the Avon Roadriders for your needs for a combination of long commuter life and good twisty handling.  I'm getting great milage from them and they meet my current handling needs.  No way to compare tire life between riders since it varies so much depending on your usage.  Best example, my BT45 first replacement tires on my 97 GS about 12 years and 160k GS500 miles ago gave me about 9500 miles from the rear and after about 3 years when my pace picked up a bit on the GS I had a 2nd BT45 more than half worn out at 2k miles and I went to radials for a while.  My tire life log, not intended to be a performance comparo:

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

A look at the UK Bike magazine bias tire comparo run on a GS500 on a track shows the fastest lap for the Roadrider to be 2nd to and only a tad behind the much touted Demon of the 7 brands tested:

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

[burning1]

Never compare old tires to new, when comparing two brands of tires. Handling goes to shaZam! on most tires, especially with modern multi-compound rubber.

[Pelikan]

Hmm.  I really don't know how to judge when to replace tires.  I do know that the previous owner got a flat and needed to change out the rear (replaced with OEM BT-45 between 1000 and 2000 mi ago), so it's fairly new.

The front may well be the stock 2006 BT-45.  It's hard for me to say whether the tread is getting low or not, because I have no basis for comparison.  I do know that in the rain the other day I noticed a slight bit of hydroplaning going around a bend...nothing serious, hydroplaning might be hyperbole, but some slippage.

Can any of you guys take a look at these images and tell me if I have some life left, especially in the front?



Rear for comparison:

[burning1]

Check the date stamp on the tire. After 3 years, I start thinking about replacing them regardless of how much tread they have.

[Pelikan]

The front is still a Battlaxe (appears to have some cracking/dryrot), while the rear is a Dunlop Arrowmax GT501 (??).  Thought it was a BT-45.

From the best I can tell, the Dunlop was manufactured 40-09, while the front was 43-05.  I guess I should consider a new front?  

What would be a good compliment to the Dunlop?  I'd replace both, but I'm on a tight budget right now.

EDIT:  The rear is 130/70H-17.  The closest size Dunlop makes in the GT501 for the front is 110/80VB-17.  I'm assuming given the height and rating difference, these two wouldn't be ideal together?  Open to suggestions...thought the Pilot Activ in 110/70H-17 would be about perfect, but I can't find the thing in stock anywhere.

[gsJack]

The new Dunlop GT501 tires in the 110/70H17 and 130/70H17 sizes are G spec tires made for oem on the new Ninja 250 and are now listed in Dunlop's Fitment Guide for all GS500E/F models as well as the Ninja 250 and 500 bikes.  Motorcycle Superstore had both listed a while back but seem to have only the rear now.  Don't know why.

Tires Unlimited has both sizes listed but there seems to be some typos, the 110/70 front says VB instead of H speed rated.  As you can see they sell for much less than the other sizes of GT501 tires as they did also with Superstore.  Might be worth a call to clear that up or maybe you can find them elsewhere.

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIRES/Dunlop/dunlop_gt501.htm

[Pelikan]

I'll give them a ring tomorrow.  Probably gonna pick the 501 up to match the rear.

[gsJack]

Chaparral has it for $71.

http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/dunlop-gt501g-front-tire/331-4970.aspx

[nozomicannabis]

Just finished researching tires and I'm down to either - Pirelli Sport Demons, GT501's or the Avon Roadriders. Since I'm not an experienced rider and I probable won't be able to test the limits of the tires completely; it will boil down to cost.....

I'm currently running a 140 for the rear tire, because I figure a larger tire will provide a wider contact patch. A technician told me; by running a larger than recommended tire, I doing damage to the engine - Is there any truth to this? 

Note: I have not modified the bike in any way. Current tires have very little space between them and the swing arm - not touching though.

[Pelikan]

I'm currently running a 140 for the rear tire, because I figure a larger tire will provide a wider contact patch. A technician told me; by running a larger than recommended tire, I doing damage to the engine - Is there any truth to this?

I think saying it's damaging the engine is overstating things, but given the wider contact path/increased friction, the engine will have to work harder to provide the same amount of forward movement (thus slowing you down).  I doubt the difference between 130 and 140 is all that significant.

[Pelikan]

Chaparral has it for $71.

http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/dunlop-gt501g-front-tire/331-4970.aspx

What's the difference between the 501G and the 501?  Link provided takes me to 501G, which only has the 110/70-17 size, but a search for GT501 brings up a GT501 page that has every size except 110/70-17?  I noticed the same thing for the rear tire.  G suffix lists only the one size (130/70-17) while plain GT501 lists all other sizes.

The only difference between the two pages that I could see are the "G" ones mentioned "O.E. replacement for the Kawasaki Ninja" in the description, whereas the others didn't.  Maybe the "G" just indicates Ninja 250?

Both 501G tires (front/rear fit for the GS, and, by extension, the Ninja) are listed as V-rated?  It seems like every place I find this tire lists a different rating (H at superstore, VB at the prior link, and now V).  Either way, I think this is the right tire, so I guess I should go ahead and order it?

[gsJack]

From Dunlop Fitment Guide:

Suzuki | Model: GS 500F (04-09)
Front Rim Size: 3.00x17  |  Rear Rim Size: 3.50x17
Recommended Front Tire:
Tire : GT501G   |  Size : 110/70-17   |  PSI/Loaded : 33 
Recommended Rear Tire:
Tire : GT501G   |  Size : 130/70-17   |  PSI Rear/Loaded : 36/41

Dunlop site with fitment guide:  http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/default.asp

I also have a paper copy of a new Dunlop Motorcycle Tire Guide and at the bottom of the listing of specs for the original the GT501 tires that have been available for years now, all V speed rated and some belted and some not, they have added a note:

"Additional sizes in H speed rating for Honda CRF230M, Kawasaki 250 Ninja, Kawasaki KLX250F and Suzuki GS500F models."

Unfortunately all the tire makers are rather slow updating their online sites to show new products now available. 

The BT45 tires that came on your GS500F were also G spec tires and you can see the difference here now:

http://www.motorcycle-karttires.com/glamourindex.aspx?productID=3&LookupID=8

The G spec BT45 have 1/32" less tread depth than the regular BT45 tires of the same size so Suzuki can get them cheaper.

Maybe we'll get the detail specs/dimensions for the GT501G tires someday.

[gsJack]

...............I'm currently running a 140 for the rear tire, because I figure a larger tire will provide a wider contact patch. A technician told me; by running a larger than recommended tire, I doing damage to the engine - Is there any truth to this?............... 

No.  As a matter of fact you more often get a smaller contact patch when running a wider tire on a rim narrower than it's preferred rim width because of the rounder shape.  I find I get longer tire life with the 140/70 and longer yet with the 150/70 rear tires on my GS due to their greater load ratings.  I like the handling feel of the rounder shapes and also they look better too!   

[Toogoofy317]

I run a 150 BT45 on the back and love it. I also, have a practically new front tire up in the for sale section. Can probably give you a mighty good deal if your interested!

Mary