Hi, everyone
Now that spring is coming up I'm going to get a new set of tires for my GS, I've had a set of Bridgestone BT45 on her, and as much as i love my GS I've always thought she was a bit slim at the rear and I was wondering if any of you had any recommendations for a set of tires which would beef it up a little at the rear, but I don't want to make any modifications i want to keep the bike as standard as possible.

I've run 130/70, 130/80, 130/90, 140/70, 140/80, 150/60, and 150/70 rear tires on my GSs on the stock 3.5" wide wheel.    There was ample clearance all around for all except the 150 wide tires which can touch the brake brace bar and require a slight bend in the bar.

150/70 Conti RoadAttack on the rear of my 02 GS:

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Fat tire accomplishes nothing..unless your a dedicated follower of fashion.

Cookie

Two cool, I'd say you're right, but I think gsjack's favorite was that conti, so i'm personally considering one.

gsJack: which one would you consider to be your favorite?
I do a lot of highway travel, on hot roads, that most of my tires end up flat in the center, and still good on the sides.

I'd be interested in knowing which tire would fit better for me.

The fattest tire is the best..everybody knows that!  Suzuki puts on cheapass skinny tire because they are cheapbastards, and their only goal is to rip off the public with cheap tires.  Suzuki engineers are too stupid to understand the correct tire for a motorcycle, when we all know better that a fat tire is ALWAYS better than a skinny tire...I mean it HAS to be better right?  Bigger is better!  Fat tire looks cool, so it must be cool...it must make bike better, faster.  Chicks look at skinny tire and say Hmmm...skinny tire, skinny____Big tire, big______Motorcycle rider on GS500 is nowhere with the chicks...rider with fat tire on gS500 is chick magnet..It's the American way....Get out the hydraulic jack and open up the rear, the way it is supposed to be.

Be a "real man" and get a fit tire....


Cookie (tongue in cheek...for those of you who can't understand my not too subtle humor)

Ahhh spring fever.  This topic just came up the other week,

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=67043.msg807033#msg807033

Cookie, I absolutely agree with you. Currently living in Indonesia, couldn't count the number of idiots I've seen riding <200 cc bikes around with 160 or wider tries. Ridiculous. However, when a guy who has logged as many miles as Jack has says that a tire preformed well enough to become his favorite, it's going to be considered.

Then again, when that favorite happens to be wider than stock, you're going to have to deal with people who sound exactly like your rant, so I'm going to just let that stand

Quote from: twocool on March 06, 2015, 10:49:47 PM
Fat tire accomplishes nothing..unless your a dedicated follower of fashion.

Cookie

Actually larger tires with their greater load ratings give longer life for one thing.  For example I got about 15k miles from a 140/70 and 18k miles from a 150/70 both Roadriders back in 07-09 which was a few years after the mountain years I frequently refer to and was finally beginning to ride like an old man should.

Back when I first got my 97 GS I tried ME88 and K491 touring tires which gave even greater mileage but after I followed my son to Knoxville and back over the Dragon and up the Blue Ridge with a K491 rear and him on a GS1100E I found some Metz Z4/Z2 radials that fit.  The Z4/Z2 combo used on the trips to the Aderondak and Smoky mountains the following summer were a hugh improvement both in tire life and performance.  The Z4/Z2 radials were when I stopped slowing down much in the rain.

My last trip to the mountains when I was 72 yo made on my 02 GS was on new 110/80 and 140/80 Avon Azzaro sport toring radials and they were outstanding too compared to bias tires of the day.  Back then there was very little in good sport touring radials that fit the GS since they generally started at 150/70 min width.

I think the new Michelin Pilot Street radials made in 110/70, 130/70, and 140/70 sizes are the tire of the future for bikes like ours.  Wish I was still young enough to give them an honest try.  Could be we'd have tires that would satisify both me and the cool one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500tirelogs_zpse04c1f44.jpg 

Interesting to note the newer Honda CBR500R with approx the same dimensions and curb weight as the GS500 has a 160/60 rear tire.  Good to see the Honda engineers are following my lead. Probably a bit of sales department engineering.

I would use what Jack recommends if only for the longer tread life. The rest is a bonus.

regards
mech

My car tires get 60,000 miles...why not use a car tire on your GS 500?


Cookie

Quote from: Old Mechanic on March 07, 2015, 03:06:36 PM
I would use what Jack recommends if only for the longer tread life. The rest is a bonus.

regards
mech

Listen guys...your a bunch that is easy to get rev'd up about the same topics again and again....

I've got to amuse myself somehow...you are easy targets...

Fat tire, skinny tire...whatever..make yourself happy!

Cookie

Quote from: twocool on March 07, 2015, 08:39:48 PM


My car tires get 60,000 miles...why not use a car tire on your GS 500?


Cookie

Quote from: Old Mechanic on March 07, 2015, 03:06:36 PM
I would use what Jack recommends if only for the longer tread life. The rest is a bonus.

regards
mech

It probably could last the lifetime of a motorcycle engine without rebuild.
I get 35k miles out og my cruze's lrr tires.

For one why not to use a car tire, is that the bike will have trouble turning, without rounded edges.

What sorta fish you got hooked up there twocool?

Quote from: MeeLee on March 07, 2015, 08:55:36 PM

Quote from: twocool on March 07, 2015, 08:39:48 PM


My car tires get 60,000 miles...why not use a car tire on your GS 500?


Cookie

Quote from: Old Mechanic on March 07, 2015, 03:06:36 PM
I would use what Jack recommends if only for the longer tread life. The rest is a bonus.

regards
mech

It probably could last the lifetime of a motorcycle engine without rebuild.
I get 35k miles out og my cruze's lrr tires.

For one why not to use a car tire, is that the bike will have trouble turning, without rounded edges.

Why not, many do:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=DarkSiding&nav=start&prettyurl=%2FDarkSidingdirCnt%3d1

A friend put a car tire on his Valk and following him I could see his  rear end lift as he leaned into the curves.    Not for me.

People are Funny....

This was a popular TV show long ago..but still relevant...

Even today,

People are funny


Cookie

Quote from: Janx101 on March 08, 2015, 03:29:48 AM
What sorta fish you got hooked up there twocool?

Quote from: gsJack on March 08, 2015, 05:12:19 AM

Quote from: MeeLee on March 07, 2015, 08:55:36 PM

Quote from: twocool on March 07, 2015, 08:39:48 PM


My car tires get 60,000 miles...why not use a car tire on your GS 500?


Cookie

Quote from: Old Mechanic on March 07, 2015, 03:06:36 PM
I would use what Jack recommends if only for the longer tread life. The rest is a bonus.

regards
mech

It probably could last the lifetime of a motorcycle engine without rebuild.
I get 35k miles out og my cruze's lrr tires.

For one why not to use a car tire, is that the bike will have trouble turning, without rounded edges.

Why not, many do:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.asp?webtag=DarkSiding&nav=start&prettyurl=%2FDarkSidingdirCnt%3d1

A friend put a car tire on his Valk and following him I could see his  rear end lift as he leaned into the curves.    Not for me.

Yeah,
I've seen some custom bikes out here with car tires,
Aside from looking different, they don't particularly drive better...

If I had to choose in rider comfort, between a car tire, or a skinny motorcycle tire, I'd probably get the skinny one.