A couple of our posters here have reported that the 04 GS500F comes with BT45 tires.  Just received my July 04 copy of MCN and it has a comparo test of the Ninja 500 and the GS500.  They say the GS500 has 110/70R17 and 130/70R17 Battlax radial tires.  :dunno:

Engine, Transmission, Suspension, Handling, Riding Impression, Instruments and Controls, Attention to Detail, Value.  Advantage: Kawasaki

Brakes and Styling, Advantage: Suzuki.

Bottom Line: Advantage Kawasaki.  8 to 2

Lets not all rush out at once to trade our GS500 in on a Ninja 500.  :lol:

Think I've paid for that over priced publication long enough.  :guns:

As I recall, BT45 is one of the Battlax models.  I'm guessing MCN just didn't specify which model.

That comparo seems odd, as everything I've heard is that our beloved GS has a much better feel than the Ninja :dunno:   Plus you can can't find a naked ninja  :mrgreen:

My '04 GS500F definately has BT45 tires.  Says "Bridgestone Battlax BT45" on the sidewalls, just was cleaning up the rims last night and noticed.

Quote from: PACMy '04 GS500F definately has BT45 tires.  Says "Bridgestone Battlax BT45" on the sidewalls, just was cleaning up the rims last night and noticed.

Thanks PAC, that's what I recalled.  Either the test bike for MCN was specially equipped with radial tires or MCN doesn't know the difference between radial and bias ply tires.  After reading their comparo with the Ninja, I suspect the later.

There are both bias ply(BT45) and radial(BT010) Bridgestone tires with the Battlax name on them.  MCN did not identify the tire line.  

Their performance figures for the GS are the worst I've ever seen while the Ninja figures are up to par.  The very low gas milage figure for the GS just isn't right.  I've put a total of about 90k miles on my GS's now and never get such low gas milage figures.

gsjack-write to MCN and tell them!

Actually I noticed Baldwin's GS500F had BT45R's on them.

SInce i run BT45's Spec H (140/70/17 on rear) i checked it with mine.. sure enough its a BT45 alright just labelled "R" on the end..

I wonder if Bridgestone makes an radial version now.

"R" is for rear and "F" is for front.