Another stoopid tire question:

[pizzleboy]

I purchased the Dunlop D-205 for my bike, but they order/shipped the wrong one.

Anyways they had a Bridgestone Battle Axe  stock size available right away, which I took (half the price) so I could ride home with the new rubber.

1.  This is another Bias ply, right?
2.  What's this tire like?  Anyone used it?

Thanks

[Kerry]

Battlax is the model name for the Bridgestone BT45.

Yes, bias.  Do you happen to know whether you got an H-rated or V-rated tire?  (Either one is fine.)

Yes, LOTS of folks here ride on 'em.  Highly recommended bias-ply tire for the GS500.  I understand that the 2001+ models come with this tire as OEM equipment.

[Kerry]

OOPS!  Boy, did _I_ speak too soon!

I went to MAW's Bridgestone page and did a Ctrl-F search for "Battlax".  I came up with several different models, none of which was the BT45.  (I know the BT45 is a Battlax model -- they just didn't list it that way.)

Anyway, I guess you'll need to read the model number off the side of the tire before we can get you more detailed info.

My bad!  

[Kerry]

For a visual idea of the range of Battlax models made by Bridgestone (both radials and bias-ply!) try THIS LINK

[Turkina]

Ummm... are you mixing radial and bias ply tires?

[pizzleboy]

FINE!

Why don't I get off MY lazy ass then!

I'll just WALK ALL the way to my BIKE and bend my lazy ass over and find the info myself.

Jeeze, and good board would have checked it out for me  

Thanks for the help so far.  

[tdan553527]

The 04 model comes with the BT45's from the factory, IMO they are great tires.

[pizzleboy]

Ugh.

Bridgestone Battleaxe BT45
65H series 130-80-17

[pizzleboy]

...so much for the nicer radial.

GUess I'll have to wait until next season

[Kerry]

Well, that's CLOSE to the stock size (130/70-17).

The tire you just put on (BT45 in the 130/80-17 size) is the same tire I just wore out.

"NEXT!!"

[pizzleboy]

Kerry:  How many miles did you get on yours?

I got about 10000 KMS on my stock.

I might ride harder than you though.

[Kerry]

Kerry:  How many miles did you get on yours?

See my 2nd and 3rd posts in the message thread
just change rear? bad idea?

I haven't actually changed the tire yet, so it's up to 7,005 miles.  The centerline is all but nonexistent for about 1/3 of the circumference, but the rest of the way around there is still some (inadequate) depth to it.  And there is PLENTY of tread on the edges.  Hmmm, I feel some pictures coming on....  (Dashes outside with camera)

Here ya go!

"Invisible" Centerline

The Rest of the Tire Looks Like This

Notice that I'm definitely into the wear indicators all the way around....  

EDIT: Changed links from sisna.com to bbburma.net

[pizzleboy]

On "average" do the better tires last longer?

10000 KMS seems awfully short for tire life.

[Kerry]

What 10000 KMS?  It's 11200!  (Just kidding - you're absolutely right about the short life of motorcycle tires in general!)

gsJack has mounted several sets of radials, all of which seem to outlast (and outperform) any bias-ply tire.  Radials cost more, but the price-to-miles ratio is still better than for bias tires.  However, radials don't come in stock sizes, so you have to be willing to go a little bigger.

None of these "disadvantages" (higher cost, larger-than stock sizes) explain why I'm not running radials.  It's just that I pre-bought some extra bias-ply tires, which I need to wear out first....

After that ... Radial Land, here I come!