Tires

[Donnie]

Is anyone currently running radial tire on there Gs 500 ? If so what the general consenses ?

[Kiwingenuity]

I would be interested in this thread too.. I am looking at a set of BT-92 Radials, but may have to import them and would like to know if it will be worth the effort..

[gsJack]

After a trip to the Smoky mountains back in 01 following my son on his GS1100E with a Dunlop touring tire on my rear I changed to radials before the next year.  Used 2 sets of a Z4/Z2 combo and the improvement was amazing particularly in the wet.  After that I tried some AV36 and AV45/46 radials.  The AV45/46 suited the GS well for fun in the mountains. 

Last radial I had on was in 07-09 when I ran a bias 110/80 Lasertec front with a radial 150/70 RoatAttack rear and still feel they were the best all around handling tires I've had on my GSs.  Since I put those first Metzeler Z4/Z2 radials on years ago all the major tire makers have come out with new bias tires with profiles and compounds more like the radials and the difference isn't so great now.  I've run Roadriders the last 40-50k miles and find they meet my needs now. 

http://www.gs500.net/gallery/data/500/GS500tirelogs.jpg

[gsJack]

The B92 tires are sport touring radials and available in some small bike sizes but have never been available here in the US.

There is a new Michelin Pilot Street radial tire made for small bikes similar to their Pilot Road sport touring tires that comes in 110/70 front and 130/70, 140/70 rears only.  It's been available in Europe and although it's not shown on the Michelin US site yet I've found it listed at Revzilla and Chaparral now so it must be here. 

If looking for supersport radial tires the Pirelli Rosso II tires are available in the 110/70 and 140/70 sizes.  Wasn't much in radials available in the US in our sizes until recently.

http://motoseries.com/articles/2012_pirelli_specs.pdf

[Soloratov]

GsJack - I would assume then the idea is that the radials are really the better choice all around, especially now that they can be found here? I'm not an aggressive rider by any means, but it sounds like the radials certainly make things feel better and provide an overall better riding experience. I'm due for a new rear tire soon, so I might be looking at the radial 140/150 over the 130. I looked at your chart and you seemed to like those.

[gsJack]

Soloratov, my choice of radials in 2002 was based on my riding thru the mountain twisties like a 17 year old back then when I was only 70, I got old since then and the pace has changed. That 130/80 Z2 I found was an excellent choice for me, sticky, much better in the wet, and it had a deeper tread depth giving long life.  Based on my annual mileage I searched for tires that would get me thru the season on only 2 sets without a 3rd set.

When the 2nd Z2 got a non repairable puncture I found a suitable 140/80 AV36 radial locally, I had a radial front.  I liked the 140/80 size and it was a good handling tire.   Later on I wanted to try a 150/70 size on the stock 3.5" GS wheel and got a bias Lasertec followed by a the 150/70 Conti RoadAttack that I really liked best.

Yes, I think the radials are still a little better even now that the bias have improved greatly but the bias Roadriders I now use are all I need and their mileage has been great.  Notice I got 15k miles from a 140 and then 18k miles from a 150 at my current age reduced speeds.    I think the greater load ratings of the larger tires give longer life too and besides I've grown to like the looks of them.

By the way, got both of my cataract blurred eyes fixed over the past year and I'm picking up the pace again but still don't need more than the Roadriders.  Sure is nice to see where I'm going again.   

[Joolstacho]

I've just put a 140 wide BT45 rear on mine. Interestingly, there are comments elsewhere about clearance with the brake torque arm being ok when going to a 140 width rear, but I seem to have a clearance issue with the inner guard on the left side, - signs of tyre rubbing. (Yes the wheel is aligned properly), I'll need to look into it.

[gsJack]

If your referring to the front end of the chain guard just grab it and pull it out a bit, it probably got bent in sometime.  I've had no problem with clearance of any of the 140 or 150 tires with the chain guard since I pulled mine out a bit.

All the 140 tires cleared the brake torque bar on the right and the 150 tires on a stock wheel come close or just touch the brake bar.  I took mine off, laid it across a piece of 2x4, and hit it with a BFH right where it touched the bar and have had plenty of clearance for 150s since.

[yamahonkawazuki]

jack knows all things tires. guys/gals, I take what he says as gospel. well almost lol .

[Joolstacho]

GSjack... yer need a bigger 'ammer!

[basmn]

I have installed the Michelin street radials on a 2008 GS500f. Compared to the OEM BT-45s. The bt 45 tires worked well on this bike I replaced them for 2 reasons. they are the original tires and were 7 yrs old but in great shape and as ususal  with the rear it squared off . so now to the new Michelin streets. Turn in is much quicker (its a good thing) and traction is v good, ride is good, bike feels solid in turns with no issues. I am yet to push them hard yet because of cold temps here in Toronto and there is still crap on the roads. mid turn feels great and the bike does not want to fall in of push out. more to come if it ever warms up here GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
BTW mods
R6 rear shock
race tec front springs
33psi front
36psi rear

[joweaver88]

I have a pair of pirelli diablo rosso II's 140 rear 110 front which are radials... but I will have to get back to you with an opinion in a few months lol.

[prmas]

I have had the Michelin Pilot Street Radials on for a couple of months and about 1500km (900mls) now and like the feel. It is still early and I have not yet gained the level of confidence that I had with the original BT45s. Early impression is that grip is OK but I think that there is less feedback than the Bridgestones. I had a BIG rear lockup and fishtail last week which really surprised me as I did not feel it coming at all. I have never had that situation before but it was an extreme stop and may have been caused by the road surface. I have punted the GS around Phillip Island GP track as hard as I could and never had a lockup although I did have the back sliding a little bit. The PI surface has incredible grip, so much so that I destroyed the front tyre (BT45) in 24 laps. The rear (Michelin PSR) escaped almost umarked.   

Macka

[basmn]

are you running a bias on the front and a radial on the rear ?

[prmas]

For a short time I did have a BT45 on the front and a Michelin PSR on the rear (140/70). The handling and grip was fine. I used it like that on a Track Day at Phillip Island riding as hard as I could and it handled perfectly. The only problem was that the BT45 was destroyed after 24 laps. The next day I put a new MPSR on the front to match the rear. I was really surprised that the handling was so good with mismatched tyres. I could push really hard into corners and run full throttle through the fast sweepers with no problems except coming out of the last big LH sweeping turn onto the main straight. There was a strong gusty wind coming dead ahead down the straight and as I was half way around the wind would hit me on the LHF (say 10 o'clock position) and the bike would shake it's head pretty violently a couple of times until I got the wind directly head on. That was just the wind direction though, nothing to do with the tyres. 

Macka