Has anyone fit their GS with dual sport tires? There are alot of dirt roads where I live and I need to buy a new set of tires. I was wondering if anyone has done this. I am not going trail riding on my GS, but I would like to have better traction on the dirt roads.
no, but it's ok I stayed in a holiday inn express last night. just make sure you get tubeless ones. as the gs rims are not designed to work with tubes, and don't have beadlocks. I'd try to figure out what they are running stock on the BMW's and on the triumph tigers for a good starting point.
good point. I hadn't thought about the tubeless issue. Thanks
I was considering getting dirtbike tires, and screwing screws in them for during the winter. It might be considered reckless, and a bit illegal?
they make studded bike tires. and tire chains for bikes.
Quote from: davipuI'd try to figure out what they are running stock on the BMW's and on the triumph tigers for a good starting point.
The F650GSs use tubed tires. I think the 1150 and 1200 do, too.
I have searched the sites from various tire manufacturers .... no luck. What tire will offer the best dirt road traction? Anyone.
An off-road GS, thats a new concept, it might be kinda cool. Id like to see that. Do tires and something with the suspension, oh yeah!
If you want it to be seriously offroad, get an offroad bike - it'd be easier than conversion of the GS to wheels with tubed tires. If you just need to go over dirt roads once in a while, get good street tires and be careful on the dirt roads. There's no reason to compromise 90% of your riding for the other 10%. I'd think the suspension of the GS would be more limiting on trails...
just ride street tires in the dirt.. it teaches you very quickly what you can and can not do :lol:
really for occasional dirt/gravel roads I wouldnt opt for a dirt tire... just becarefull and be willing to learn/feel it out before you get too confident.
I dont' think he's talking about trying to go and run the baja 500 on the GS. Not everyone lives in a completely urban envrionment. They may make something for the new Suzuki DRZ supermoto which has 17 inch wheels, bu thten again they might have tubes.
Jake
exactly jake42. If I wanted to go off roading I would buy an off road bike. I am talking about dirt roads that can be reached by automobiles. I have ridden on dirt roads with my BT45's for 10 - 25 miles. The GS suspension is fine for these roads, the street tires aren't the best for these conditions.
I was hoping to find tubeless dual purpose tires something like the Michelin Sirac Tire (75% on-road, 25% offroad) just in GS sizes. All the supermoto and dual sport tires I find like the AVON AM43/ AM44 Distanzia Tire are offered in the oh so popular 120/70HR17 for front. The rear can be found with 130/80 , 140/80, and 150/60 ... they may work. Have I missed one that may work?
well the gs is still ok for dirt roads tho... i've hit gravel going 80mph when the road surface changed abruptly.. and i've also traveled 50-75mphs one this one dirt/gravel road coming back from our local track. Not that I would ever recommend anyone to try it but once you do get used to it its definitely rideable with street rubber.
jags, I think you can fit a 120 on the front of the GS. I remember reading that sometime ago when i was searching for tire info. If that's the case, then you might have your setup. If so, I wanna see pics. And I'm jealous that you're in AZ and I'm stuck in PA.
jake
thanks jake. I heard that the 120 isn't a good idea, but I will research it. I won't tell you that the temperature currently gets to the low 80's for the high and low 50's for the low. :) I also won't tell you that I ride all year 8) .
120 is fine specialy for sticky tires,just run a little bit under press 3-7psi but no more. as to off road tires, yeah you could im sure but i can tell you dirt roads Kill chains in 1/3 the time and is hell on everything else that has slides or pivots. you would have to look into the same tires they use for motard to handle dirt and street.
I ride my 04 with stock tyres home to my parents farm alot and have to travel down 8km(5miles) of dirt/gravel road and never have a problem. Granted I know the road but I am still able to do up to 100km/h (60m/h) without any problems. The bike does move around a bit but its fine. One section of the road is just dirt and gets very slippery in the wet but the stock tyres handle that as well, though it can get interesting. I have also moved sheep on my Dad's farm with the GS without a problem. You just have to go easy on the throttle and be careful on the front brake as I have locked it once due to lack of traction.
thanks on2wheels..... I guess I will just suck it up :thumb:
120 tires do not go well on the 3" rim. They pinch and distort the carcass.
You can find good dual sport tires (semi knobbies even) in 110/ R17.
have not many run the mich pilot 120's and the dunlop 207/208 120 on 110 rims without issues? i have and few others i know have and they hold well. perhaps its depends on what manufacture's 120 as they all seem to fit differently for same sizes. as to offroad tires, alittle pinch wont hurt too much as most knobbies ara generaly run at lower pressure then street tires and flex alot more for grab. i was thinking of putting streets on my XL250R, its got 17" rear an handles a 120 now, the front would be more tricky
Not to completely hijack, but I definitely think we need pics of sheep wrangling on the GS, on2wheels.
Pilots came out in 110 R17 for a little while. While a 120 will fit on a 3" rim and the bike will go down the road with it on. It isn't ideal and no tire guy, racer, or other expert you ask will recommend it.
I bet you suffer excessive wear with it (like the center wearing down fast) and at close to racetrack speeds, handling will be all jacked up. Falling in, and the edge of the tire not making contact at high lean angles would be my guess.
Pirelli offers several tires with various levels of street or dirt bias. I had a set of Dragons on my KLR a few years ago and it gave very good street traction (more than the frame could stand!!) and still retained an off road capabliity. I know the rear came in 130 to 150 sizes, but not sure if they make a 110 R17 front.
Pirelli doesn't offer a 110/70 17 front. I can't find anyone that offers the front tire in that size.
I am going to have to resort to a street tire. Which one would have the best tread pattern for the occasional dirt roads?
who siad you had to get matching tires?
Quote from: jag69I am going to have to resort to a street tire. Which one would have the best tread pattern for the occasional dirt roads?
Metzeler ME33 Lazer.
Bringing this back to the top because I'm having the same issue - keep seeing roads I want to go down, and they're all gravel. I was just thinking there should be something with a bit of a dirt bias that fits, but apparently they are few and far between.
Please post again if you make a purchase, I'd appreciate some insight into the process. I parked mine til spring, which allow for lots of extra research time.
Update for nutjobs like me that are going to ride dirt this summer. My extensive internet perusing confirms scratch's post.
Metzeler ME33 is gone now, replaced by the Lasertec with the same tread pattern.
Appears to be the best option. I may have the local ship fit them this spring to replace my weather cracked exedras, and hit the dirt. Will post again if all goes well.
Having traded my DRZ400S for my GS, I have some warnings on "dual sport" tires. The % road/street ratings are meaningless. You need to look at your local conditions to see what kind of tires you need. In locations with a good mix of crushed gravel, sand and clay/caliche, you may have conditions that actually prefer a good soft street tire. If you have loose sandy gravelly, you probably will not get enough knobby to appreciably bite. Even if you did, as you drop into a soft surface it moves your contact patch forward which reduces the trail and makes it wiggly. Most sand riding is technique. Sit back, keep up your speed, stay on the throttle, keep the front light. Properly done, it will hunt around, but will want to stay up. If you have muddy greasy conditions, do what I did, take the other road.
There really aren't any dual sport tires in 110/70-17 F and 130/70-17 rear. the Meztelers are simply the least sport-oriented and have more grooves and channels.
Note to self: sand is bad. I'll mostly be on gravel/dirt roads, so I think I'll be ok, at least until it rains.
I ride in VA alot
and there are plenty of dirt goat paths still there
I run B-stone BT-96 race take offs
my next set of tars is/are some old dunlop race tars
it aint the tire
get used to riding in loose gravel and it will help you out in weird situations on the street
havint the bike bounce and slide under your but allows you to feel the traction conditions
if the road gets real bad . . . slow down and keep going
yesterday i was bombing through the woods following deer trails on a cheapo chineze Z-50
just for S&G's
It would be nice to put on the same rubber that's on the V-Strom's, but I think you might be out of luck. I looked around to see what tyre brand and model the V-Stroms have but came up empty.
The GS500's size is unusual as is and even with 10mm width and 10% profile height to play with, doubt anything will fit that carries the aggressive tread you're looking for.
But then I'm not an expert on the subject -- I've never tried anything but stock sizes.
Try searching for Lazertech tires. I think they are from metzler. They are very orientated for wet riding and has lots of cuts in it. This could be good for dual sport riding.
To see a pic of them input "metzler lazertech" in google picture search window.
Quote from: RedShift on February 26, 2006, 06:20:13 PM
It would be nice to put on the same rubber that's on the V-Strom's, but I think you might be out of luck. I looked around to see what tyre brand and model the V-Stroms have but came up empty.
http://11109.rapidforum.com/area=41
Stroms use 110/80/19 front,150/70/17 rears.
Avon Distanzia come in 120/70R17SM front; and 130/80R17 140/80R17, and 150/70R17 rears all approved by Avon for 3.0 F and 3.5 R rims.
I like the Lasertecs. <G>