I beg forgiveness for starting yet ANOTHER tire thread ...  :lol:

... but -please- I hope I'm not doing a mistake fitting these tires on the GS (I'm looking for stickyest, remember ?)

Suggestions ?

Should I go ahead ?  :dunno:

Mixing different brand of tires could be a bad thing. Especially since you are wanting sticky tires and would be riding hard.

But isn't the Pilot Power stickyer ?

:dunno:

But they're both radial - and in the same category - so I would say it's a "go", right ?  :mrgreen:

Hmm .. they could have a different profile, though ... one pointier that the other ... dang - I'm trying to find some more info ...

If by M1 you mean the Sportec M-1, they don't come in a 140/70 rear size.  Narrowest rear is a 150/60 for both the Sportecs and the Powers.

Blast !
I'm such a tool ... I actually meant to say ME-1 ...

Oh, well ... I'll buy them after all and report back ...  :x

Quote from: Gioro_TBlast !
I'm such a tool ... I actually meant to say ME-1 ...

Oh, well ... I'll buy them after all and report back ...  :x

The ME1 is a bias ply tire and a bias rear with a radial front is not a good mix.  If fact it's illegal in UK according to Avon.

(Note: In the UK it is illegal to fit a radial front tyre with a crossply or bias-belted rear tyre. It is also illegal to fit a bias-belted front tyre with a crossply rear tyre. Fitment legislation may differ in other countries, therefore national laws should be observed.)

I remember way back when radial car tires first came out in US and they told is if we mixed a new pair of radials with a pair of bias to always to put the radials on rear.  Same thing on cars as on bikes and car handling is not nearly as critical as bike handling unless your racing them.

Thank you.

I have reconsidered.  

This is a bit controversial...but you can fit a 150 on that rear rim.  It's the same rim as on the old Katanas and they've been fitting 150's for years.  I'm currently running a 150/70 in combination with an SV shock and a Katana front end.  The bike is a lot taller now, and I don't have to worry so much about dragging parts.   :mrgreen:

dunlop has a radial rear tires that fit the gs

Tire : D208 SM   |  Size : 120/70R17   |  PSI/Loaded : 25    
Tire : D208 SM   |  Size : 140/70R17   |  PSI Rear/Loaded : 29/33    

they are actually making them for the suzuki drz 400 sm

later,
Chris

how come you're fitting a 120 onto the front?
anybody know the pros & cons?

last I heard someone fit a 120 on & it just BARELY cleared.

i have had a 120 on my bike... the only clearance issue was having to unbolt the caliper to put on the rim...

i am running bt-090 race tires on my gs at the moment (bike is track only right now)...

the rear tire is the hard one to find in a 140 radial... you can get 110s for the front in most brands, but dunlop is the only one with a sport radial in a 140 width... at least that i have seen...

later,
Chris

looks like it might require a tube

dunlop does have another new radial set though...

D205 HIGH-PERFORMANCE STREET Radial

D205 Front
110/80ZR17    57W    BW    32JM-69    3.00    24.09    4.21    5/32    506 @ 42

D205 Rear
140/80ZR17    69W    BW    32JL-87    3.50    26.10    5.70    9/32    716 @ 42

Quote from: 84TAVeRT on July 24, 2006, 10:29:35 AM
looks like it might require a tube

dunlop does have another new radial set though...

D205 HIGH-PERFORMANCE STREET Radial

D205 Front
110/80ZR17    57W    BW    32JM-69    3.00    24.09    4.21    5/32    506 @ 42

D205 Rear
140/80ZR17    69W    BW    32JL-87    3.50    26.10    5.70    9/32    716 @ 42

Those D205 have been around for many years, getting a bit dated now; the newer Avon AV45/46 in the 110/80 and 140/80 would be a much better choice in my opinion.

Quote from: 84TAVeRT on July 24, 2006, 09:56:38 AM
dunlop has a radial rear tires that fit the gs

Tire : D208 SM   |  Size : 120/70R17   |  PSI/Loaded : 25    
Tire : D208 SM   |  Size : 140/70R17   |  PSI Rear/Loaded : 29/33    

they are actually making them for the suzuki drz 400 sm

later,
Chris

Those D208 SM tires have preferred rim widths of 3.5" front and 4.5" rear and would have their shapes distorted quite a bit on our 3.5" rear rims.  The 140/80 are made for 3.5" rims and the 150/70 are made for 4.0" rims and both would be a better fit on standard GS rims.  Some of the 150/70 are actually approved by their makers for fitment on the 3.5" rims.

the 150/70 is best on a 4" rim... so a 150/60 is not "ideal" for a 4.5" rim? is the rim slightly too big for the tire or will it suffice?

Quote from: l3uddha on July 24, 2006, 06:30:55 PM
the 150/70 is best on a 4" rim... so a 150/60 is not "ideal" for a 4.5" rim? is the rim slightly too big for the tire or will it suffice?

A 4" rim is the preferred rim width for both the 150/70 and 150/60 tires.  The 4.5" rim is also an approved fitment for the 150/60 supersports like the Avon Vipers, the Metzeler M-1 and M-3 Sportecs, and the Pirelli Diablos.  Michelin just posts the preferred rim sizes for their tires and refers their customers to their dealers for other fitments.  Don't see any reason why the 150/60 Pilot Sports or Powers won't fit the 4.5" wheels as well as the others do.

Don't forget that most of the 150/70 and 150/60 tires that fit the GS's 3.5" wheels w/o any clearance problems do so because they are squeezed down on the narrower rims.  A tire is about 5mm narrower or wider on a rim that is 1/2" narrower or wider.

In other words a 150/70 or 150/60 radial that is 149 mm wide on a 4" wheel will be only about 144 mm wide on a 3.5" wheel and about 154 mm wide on a 4.5" wheel.  In other words, a Pilot Power will be about .4" wider on your 4.5" wheel than the same tire would be on a 3.5" GS wheel.

Ow, my head hurts

Ok so if I want to stay with stock rims what can I run for a little more lean?

What other rim choices are there?

What tires are good for those?

Sorry, I'm a recovering car guy.

I get what you're saying runsilent; thanks.

do you then think that the 150/60 tire being "spread" 4mm on the 4.5" rim will hinder cornering ability at all?
...or will the difference be pretty much unnoticable and can be neglected?