Hello everybody.
I got my GS500FK5 last october for my first sportbike...great bike.
I ride it every chance i get, even in 20 degree weather...I now have 4200 miles on it. I glad to see there is a enthusist site for this bike, it's just too bad that there aren't alot of performance parts available.
What is the biggest rear tire that can fit on this bike?...I'm leaning as far as i can go, any further and i'll be on the sidewall...
Welcome mello.
You can check the faq threads for lots of info on tire sizes or you can do a search as well.
Stock tires should be 130X70X17's
Plenty of people on here have fit 140's on there, myself included. Some also like to increase the sidewall height to 80 (they say it makes the bike fall in quicker to turns).
One of the mods, Pablo ran a 150X60 on his for awhile but had some trouble with fitment and with the way it felt.
Currently I'm running Pirella Sport Demons in these sizes.
Front 110X70X17 - same as stock
Reaer 140X70X17 - one size up in width from stock.
Hope that helps.
Jake
edit.
Just go to search
Type tires, click match all terms and make sure you click to display the results as topics.
You will see a ton of topics on tires.
Jake
Quote from: jake42 on January 25, 2006, 12:35:16 AM
Stock tires should be 130X70X17's
One of the mods, Pablo ran a 150X60 on his for awhile but had some trouble with fitment and with the way it felt.
Currently I'm running Pirella Sport Demons in these sizes.
Front 110X70X17 - same as stock
Reaer 140X70X17 - one size up in width from stock.
Hope that helps.
Jake
Yep, 150/60 is the largest that will fit on the stock rim without hitting the chain. Note that the exact width of the tires, even tires of the same size, vary quite a bit from one manufacturer to another. My 150/60 michelin pilot sport just barely fit without rubbing the chain or the brake torque arm (connecting the rear caliper to the front of the swingarm, preventing it from rotating when applied).
The big drawback of using the 150/60 is that it gets pinched a bit on the stock rim, causing a smaller contact patch when riding in a straight line and making it impossible to get to the edge of the tire, even if the bike were laying on its side, dropped. That in and of itself isnt a bad price to pay for super sticky tires, and a little wider tire too, but as the tire wears down that point where the edge becomes unatainable (not due to lack of ability of the rider) that spot gets sharper and sharper, creating a condition where if you get leaned way over and cross that edge you've given yourself a super small contact patch and the bike falls in really quickly from there too. So much that it freaked me out every time it happened-making the bike feel like it was low-siding.
Because of these reasons I strongly recommend the Pirelli Sprot Demons-probably the stickiest tire available for the stock rim. A very good tire. you could do a 130 or a 140 too.
One last thing, everyone (including me) are interested in a wider tire for the rear...let me tell you that when you park up next to a bunch of other sportbikes, even the 150 will look tiny compared to the 180/55's and 190/50's on modern sportbikes, and the 150, pinched on the stock rim isnt actually much wider than stock... Thats why you should leave well enough alone and stick to stock, or very close to stock.
I'm just gonna say welcome! These guys have answered the question.
If you want the latest supersport street radials, the 150/60 is the only size that will fit the 3.5" rear rim on the GS500. Tires like the Avon Viper, Metzeler Sportec, Michelin Pilot Power, and Pirelli Diablo. This fitment is not approved by the tire mfgs in this country, but many, many people are running them on the GS500 and Ninja 500. For a lot of good tire threads on the Ninja 500 aka EX500 which has same size wheels since 94 as the GS500 see:
http://www.ex500riders.com/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=b643564a203b0b6a57f0b908795cb1e2
There are some good sport touring radials in the 140/80 and 150/70 sizes that also fit. Some of the 150/70 are approved by their mfgs for fitment on the 3.5" rim and some are not. Some will fit w/o alteration and some will require grinding a bit off the brake torque rod for adequate clearance.
The newest sport touring bias ply tires are all very good and include the Metzeler Lasertecs and Michelin Actives as well as the Pirelli Demons mentioned above. The Lasertecs and the Demons are available in the 150/70 size and approved for fitment on our rims.
I'm currently running the Lasertecs in the 110/80 and 150/70 sizes and they feel as good to me as the Avon AV45/46 radials I ran, but won't last as long them.
Seems like the 150/60 fitment on a 3.5" wheel is OK in Japan:
http://mc.bridgestone.co.jp/en/products/battlax/bt92.html
http://mc.bridgestone.co.jp/en/products/battlax/bt090.html
I want to be gsJack when I grow up... 8)
would it be safe to just swap out the rear tire for a 150/60, and just leave the front stock?
Thanks for all your guyz' help... i live in cincinnati and am down to ride with anyone...if you're from the area, check out this site...i met one of the guys from there on sportbikes.com....great group of guys!
www.erlangerbikersclub.com (http://www.erlangerbikersclub.com)
It's not good to mix bias ply tires with radial tires and the tire mfgs just say don't do it. You probably have OEM BT45 bias tires on now so you are suggesting a BT45 front with an unnamed 150/60 supersport radial rear.
Actually a bias front with radial rear works in some cases, but a radial front with a bias rear is a definite no-no and actually illegal across the big pond to the east.
I put a BT45 set on my 97 to replace the then OEM Excedras and the rear went 9600 miles. Three years later I put another BT45 rear on and was pushing it much harder and it was half worn out in less than 2k miles. I went to the Z4/Z2 combo for better handling and greater milage and the rear Z2 went about 14k miles but the Z4 front was badly beveled at 10k miles and I put on a half worn bias belted GT501 on the front with the Z2 radial rear to use them up. The first couple of fast sharp turns the bike felt like it was falling out from under me much like Pablo described above with the worn 150/60 Pilot Sport. After a couple turns I some how compensated for the strange mix and it never did it again for the 3k miles I ran that mix.
I might try that BT45 with a radial rear, but I'd use a 150/70 sport touring radial instead of the supersport radial. Wouldn't suggest it for anyone else but it's your bike, your life, and your choice. :laugh:
Again...thank you for the good advice! :thumb: