I have a matched set of Kenda Cruziers S/T tires on my byke.(130Frnt/110 rear)I know these tires are more for touring than sport.I keep the air in my tyres set at manufactures psi settings.I tried to go deep in a turn and the bike went wide.I couldn't get the bike to lay over in the turn.It felt like the bike was tryn to slide.When I checked the tyres the ware patch was very narrow,not even close to the edge.These tyres only have a few hundred miles on them.I have a stock 1989 GS500.Could this be a tyre problem or a pressure problem?Oh by the way,I am 5'8",broad in the shoulders and wieght 195 pounds.Should I keep the tyre pressure up because I'm a heavy rider?I'm use to riding gixxers.I haven't rode in a few years and decided to buy a GS for shits and giggles.Any help would be great.Thanks.

Ben_2_go

Believe it or not, Kenda now calls their K657 a sport touring tire and the K671 Cruiser S/T you have a sport tire:

http://www.kendausa.com/motorcycle/street.html

My 02 GS500 came slightly used with a K657 on the back and I thought it stuck in turns about the same as the OEM Excedras did.  I put a K671 on the back of a CM400 once and it stuck a little better than the K657 but I never felt like cornering very hard on either of them in the wet.  There are better tires for cornering on a GS but you should do better than you are on dry roads with those Kendas.

Standard tire pressures should work for your weight, here are Metzelers thoughts on tire presures for various tire sizes and loads:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/MetzPSI.jpg

I like the sport touring radials best on the rear of the GS for easy cornering both wet and dry, running a 150/70 Road Attack rear right now:

Here's a guy using most of a K671:



Read about it here:

http://11109.rapidforum.com/topic=104181661383&search=&startid=1

Thanks.I just ordered,what I was led to believe,a 4.5 Kat wheel with a new tire.Brand of tire is unknown.I believe when I recieve the wheel it will be the same as my GS,but it has a 150 tire.I may give it a try if it's a radial.

I had a set of the Kenda 671s on my bike and I thought they were a little better than stock but obviously not a hardcore sport tire. In the dry I could push the mike moderatly hard and could wear them like the above photo without a problem. I never corner too hard in the rain but the tread is nice and deep they worked really well for me in the rain with good traction under acceleration and braking.

If you need more traction get a sticky tire, but the Kenda is cheap and lasts forever, with decent traction.

You may want to check your suspension, stearing bearings, etc, for wear or other problems relating to your skidish problem.

Quote from: ducati_nolan on May 19, 2007, 12:32:42 AM
I had a set of the Kenda 671s on my bike and I thought they were a little better than stock but obviously not a hardcore sport tire. In the dry I could push the mike moderatly hard and could wear them like the above photo without a problem. I never corner too hard in the rain but the tread is nice and deep they worked really well for me in the rain with good traction under acceleration and braking.

If you need more traction get a sticky tire, but the Kenda is cheap and lasts forever, with decent traction.

You may want to check your suspension, stearing bearings, etc, for wear or other problems relating to your skidish problem.

Thanks.I checked ever thing before I started asking questions.I have found that my fork springs are so soft that when I set on the bike they are near bottom.I ordered a set of Progressive springs,new fork seals,and 15 wieght suzuki oil(cause it was 2.99).If I like the springs,I'll put in a better oil.If I do not like them,I have a friend that will machine A top clamp and stem for a 750 front fork set.He'll do it on the cheap.I hope.Thanks for the help.

Quote from: ben2go on May 17, 2007, 08:44:44 PM
I have a matched set of Kenda Cruziers S/T tires on my byke.(130Frnt/110 rear)I know these tires are more for touring than sport.I keep the air in my tyres set at manufactures psi settings.I tried to go deep in a turn and the bike went wide.I couldn't get the bike to lay over in the turn.It felt like the bike was tryn to slide.When I checked the tyres the ware patch was very narrow,not even close to the edge.These tyres only have a few hundred miles on them.I have a stock 1989 GS500.Could this be a tyre problem or a pressure problem?Oh by the way,I am 5'8",broad in the shoulders and wieght 195 pounds.Should I keep the tyre pressure up because I'm a heavy rider?I'm use to riding gixxers.I haven't rode in a few years and decided to buy a GS for shits and giggles.Any help would be great.Thanks.

Ben_2_go

What psi are you running? 

33 front/36 rear ----->me with my riding gear on I wieght 205 pounds and I set my air pressure at the factory setting for solo riding.

Yeah, stiffer springs will probally help quite a bit. I had a CBR front end on mine for a little whole and it handled a whole lot better. The constant bottoming out on anything other than super smooth pavement can give you an unsettling skittish feeling.