Alright don't flame me because of my lack of knowledge for these bikes because I'm new to them.  Been a truck dude all my life and recently fell in love with the motorcycle love as well.  Anyhow...

I see on the 600cc bikes they have a much wider tire.  And was simply wondering if it was possible to get a wider tire on the rear of these gs500's or its just simply too much work. Thanks in advance.

Some on here have put as big as 150 on the rear of the GS....the stock size is 130.  I think the 140 will fit fine.  The only bonus that you gain going with a 150 size is a bigger variety of tires to choose from.  You don't gain any performance and you probably lose some (relative) snappiness from spinning the extra weight of the bigger rubber.

-My 2 cents.

thank you, im more concerned with the handling. I was hoping a wider rear tire would help me that much more while riding in the rain. I live in oregon and am riding year round so possibly that much more traction would possibly make me that much more safer ;p

One of the unsung benefits of a lower horsepower lighter bike is that it is easier on tires, so you can run a softer compound and still get decent mileage ~ the Pirelli Sport Demon seems to be popular around here. Most people will tell you the bike doesn't really benefit that much from a wider rear tire, although people have done rear wheel swaps to allow for even bigger rear tires up to 160mm

Skinny tires tend to do better in the rain - better at pushing water away from the contact patch, less risk of hydroplane. Bigger bikes have bigger tires because they need em. The little GS, with it's low weight and low horsepower really doesn't, and works great with the stock 130/140mm wheel.

If you insist on installing a larger rear rim anyway, the best route is to install one of the newer Katana rims with a 160mm rear tire. There's some good info on how to do so on the wiki.

I also would not suggest spooning anything bigger than a 140 on the stock wheel.  In doing so, you mess up the profile of the tire as the beads are squeezed in there and the profile gets balooned.

Here in Seattle, I have been happy with the stock  Battleaxe tires. Mainly it is fresh rubber for better traction. I've bought bikes with old rubber and they have no traction even when the rear tire was bigger. For Seattle, my rule is always put new rubber on the bike.

I rode twisties yesterday with liter bikes and jmill with his GS500. (I think he has a slightly bigger tire). I had no traction problems at all. Nearly crapped my pants twice, but no traction problems or keeping up with the "bigger boys".

Consider going with stock, fresh tires that the bike was designed for. If you find the need, then go to a different size or material. You have no basis for comparison if you never use what the bike was engineered for.

Quote from: adidasguy on April 16, 2012, 05:19:41 PM
Here in Seattle, I have been happy with the stock  Battleaxe tires. Mainly it is fresh rubber for better traction. I've bought bikes with old rubber and they have no traction even when the rear tire was bigger. For Seattle, my rule is always put new rubber on the bike.

I rode twisties yesterday with liter bikes and jmill with his GS500. (I think he has a slightly bigger tire). I had no traction problems at all. Nearly crapped my pants twice, but no traction problems or keeping up with the "bigger boys".

Consider going with stock, fresh tires that the bike was designed for. If you find the need, then go to a different size or material. You have no basis for comparison if you never use what the bike was engineered for.

+1....No complaints on the BT 45's