tyres

[mr t]

Hi guys
I'm Chris and this is the first time Ive done this so hope it comes out right. I have just bought a GPZ1100 after a long break from riding and it goes very well. The tyres are bridgestone battlax and although the rear one is fine the front one is worn flat on both sides and looks like a triangle .Can someone please tell me if this is normal wear or should I replace it

[Kwaka-Kid]

You should probably replace it dude, Im guessing maybe shes a dual compound as the 'axes generally are, so whoever was riding must have been hanging those corners pretty low! and gotta be honest, shes made for Radials so stick with them, if you can get Perilli Sport Demons in the right std size id say go for them! i like them so far, otherwise in Radials i never moaned about michellin macadams. Good to hear from you dude, and welcome to the site!

[Slim]

Tip for new members (perhaps needs adding to the FAQ section???):

Don't listen to Kwacka Kid's advice on tyres! He's young & insane & fairly notorious for running some really bad rubber on his bikes!!! How old were those tyres on the GS??? :eek:

I run an 010 Battleax on the front and an 020 Battleax on the rear of my CBR600 and love them, but I'm guessing your bike is a bit heavier than mine & might have different needs. Unusual wear for your front tyre - makes me wonder if the previous owner didn't have enough money to replace both tyres last time they were changed (it's normal to go through 2 rears for 1 front tyre).

Wait for some of the other guys to show up with their thoughts on the subject. :)

And welcome. :)

[dangerous]

Its not to uncommon for tyres on the older bikes to wear like that as the wheels them self are a hell of a lot skinnyer than bikes today, however I'd say that the've been given a hard time but thats what they there for.

Is your bike injected or carb? I have a mate that streached his Kawe 1100 an extra 110mm he was going to drag it 10 years ago, when he started the project and as the bike is some what out of date it's not compatable even with a Wisco big bore kit and all the trimings. So its now a bike to do the rallys on.
He runs the same tyres as you.

[Jackrat]

Gidday dude,Yeah that wear is pretty normal on a duel compond.
As already stated the sport Demon is the way to go.I'm not saying the batlax
is no good, just the demon is a newer design and made for bikes like yours.
Or so the guy in the shop told me.

[Kwaka-Kid]

run an 010 Battleax on the front and an 020 Battleax on the rear of my CBR600 and love them, hehe! nasty slim :) (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1#) :) but he cant run 010's, i love 010's /090's (even softer!) but unfortunatly back in 82 im guessing shes only made to take a 130 rear tyre max, they only make 010's down to 160 i think. back then the bikes are Designed to run on crossplys so stay with it, no use really stretching a big 160 etc to fit on a 2.5" rear rim, because thats all she'll be! anyways gotta shoot to work. cu -and hey, at least i didnt advise him to run with the tyres :)

[Lou Girardin]

I thought they had a 3 or 3.5 rear rim.
Lou

[DEATH_INC.]

I thought they had a 3 or 3.5 rear rim.
Lou
My mates '81 had a 2.75" on the rear from memory....
I always ran the battlax's on my old turbo when I used crossplys,nothing wrong with them.The Conti sport is not too bad either,I've got a couple of mates that have used 'em and like 'em.

[Kwaka-Kid]

yep cant complain much about the conti's but ive only used 2nd hand ones that were hard as they were approx 10year old ex-race tyres. but what crossply tyre has been most recently developed? the Sport Demon! well thats what i go off anyways, and am loving it.

[Coldkiwi]

man.. KK giving people advice on NEW tyres and compounds thats not 'lets just breakout a space saver'???

will wonders never cease?!

[Kwaka-Kid]

hey jsut quickly, on that subject, i had 3 space savers to throw out the other day.. and did, but kept one.. why? IT FITS MY NC35 racebike! YEEEEHAW! im thinking a KB BBQ around my place with all your old spacesavers, just round out the 4 holes a little and whadda yah know, lines up with the 4 dowls sticking out of centre hub, and then bolt on, okay its not perfectly safe but far out im getting excited, firstly it would be nice to try and ride on and secondly imagine the burnouts! FREE RUBBER! YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAW! aww yeah, i wanna go ride.. pitty the engine case is still off.

[Blackbird]

Your tyre may be a dual compound, but there is something else to think about too. Your GPZ is probably similar in weight to my 'bird and if you push on a bit through the corners, there are 2 other factors to think about. If you countersteer heavily, that also scrubs the side of the front tyre. I noticed this on my old K100 RS when trying to keep up with my mates who had sportier machines. The other factor is that the tyre you have on might not be suited to the weight of the bike. When I bought the 'bird, it had the older Battlax tyres on it and my front tyre triangled off. I was advised by international 'bird riders that the carcass construction simply wasn't rigid enough for the weight and speed. I ended up with Azaro's and have been very happy with them. This isn't necessarily a recomendation of one tyre brand over another, just that lighter bikes can get away with a lighter carcass construction. Something else for you to ponder!

Cheers

Geoff
:scooter:

[Pickle]

Hi Mr T
what model GPz11 is it? that will determine what type of tyre to use.
reason I ask is there was a GPz11 introduced a couple of years ago ( engine based on a ZZr11) with modern wheel sizes where as the older models ran narrow 17inch rears with either an 18 or 19 inch front.
If it is one of the older models try Metzeler ME33's on the front & ME99's on the rear, these tyres suited those bikes when they were new. I had the GPz 750 ZX model & ran those tyres and could get the engine down without falling off, also has it got the concentric chain adjusters if so spin the axle so it is on the bottom it will give you more ground clearance & speed up cornering.

[Kwaka-Kid]

Its all Personal preferance now... and i can say i hated those metzlers! still got my ME33 on front and its yuck, when the ground is wet is when they are definatly at a loss to the macadam in my mind, would just slide everywhere, touch a white line and thats it! so much for apparent "progessive slide" Michys had it far better refined :p

[What?]

If it is one of the older models try Metzeler ME33's on the front & ME99's on the rear, these tyres suited those bikes when they were new.
That's what I run on my 83 CB1100. Good tyres imo.

[mr t]

Tip for new members (perhaps needs adding to the FAQ section???):

Don't listen to Kwacka Kid's advice on tyres! He's young & insane & fairly notorious for running some really bad rubber on his bikes!!! How old were those tyres on the GS??? :eek:

I run an 010 Battleax on the front and an 020 Battleax on the rear of my CBR600 and love them, but I'm guessing your bike is a bit heavier than mine & might have different needs. Unusual wear for your front tyre - makes me wonder if the previous owner didn't have enough money to replace both tyres last time they were changed (it's normal to go through 2 rears for 1 front tyre).

Wait for some of the other guys to show up with their thoughts on the subject. :)

And welcome. :)
front tyre has some small cracks in the side wall so maybe it is a bit old.Thanks for the thoughts