tyre dilemma..

[bugjuice]

my front tyre is wearing thin, and the vagueness in the wet is starting to loose it's fun.. The tread is starting to become a faint memory on the carcass which isn't like me, but that's ridin the tits off it for ya..

The dilemma I have is, do I;

a) fork out $220 for another identical Battlaxe to replace the one I have, thus keeping the same level of trust in the tyres, and keeping them matched front to rear etc, since the back one was replaced with a Battlaxe a hard 2,000k's ago, and probably has another 6 or 7 left in it.. still a good tyre..

b) buy a part worn tyre that 'does the job' and just don't push as hard, but concentrate on the wheelies so that the back gets worn quicker, but who knows how predictably it'll hold under pressure..

c) bite the expensive bullet (which I can't really afford now), get a new front and rear of what I want to try (something like a Corsa pair etc), instead of waiting till they run down, and see if I can flog the back on TradeMe for a hundy or so

I just want to ride the bike to the best of my ability, but I don't want the front tyre to give up on me, especially with the weather being particulally crap at the moment..

Also, my tyre is 120/65/17.. I had a look in Cycletreads last night, and they had a Mezza (?) tyre for a hundy, which had heaps of meat left on it. But it was a 120/70/17. I also saw some 120/60/17s.. the middle number, I'm assuming is the centre diameter. How much can this vary without getting scary?

[zadok]

Please get a new front tyre. I guess if second hand is all you can afford, get one, but change it whatever.
Insurance probably won't cover you for an accident either WHEN they check the bike.

[Mr Skid]

d) Find some school kids to entertain with a burnout in your lunch break, then replace with a matched set.

[Quasievil]

my front tyre is wearing thin, and the vagueness in the wet is starting to loose it's fun.. The tread is starting to become a faint memory on the carcass which isn't like me, but that's ridin the tits off it for ya..

The dilemma I have is, do I;

a) fork out $220 for another identical Battlaxe to replace the one I have, thus keeping the same level of trust in the tyres, and keeping them matched front to rear etc, since the back one was replaced with a Battlaxe a hard 2,000k's ago, and probably has another 6 or 7 left in it.. still a good tyre..

b) buy a part worn tyre that 'does the job' and just don't push as hard, but concentrate on the wheelies so that the back gets worn quicker, but who knows how predictably it'll hold under pressure..

c) bite the expensive bullet (which I can't really afford now), get a new front and rear of what I want to try (something like a Corsa pair etc), instead of waiting till they run down, and see if I can flog the back on TradeMe for a hundy or so

I just want to ride the bike to the best of my ability, but I don't want the front tyre to give up on me, especially with the weather being particulally crap at the moment..

Also, my tyre is 120/65/17.. I had a look in Cycletreads last night, and they had a Mezza (?) tyre for a hundy, which had heaps of meat left on it. But it was a 120/70/17. I also saw some 120/60/17s.. the middle number, I'm assuming is the centre diameter. How much can this vary without getting scary?

Well I say bite the bullet and fork out for a pair of Diablos, dont worry about the 65 profile, get a 70 series you may want to drop your forks yokes 3-5mm though, I didnt but it was suggested.
Stay with matched pairs whatever you do, you will find particulary with Pirelli that the fron works with the rear in the wet, ie the front clears the water for the rear tyre, they work together.
Other than that buy a second hand (good Pair) until you can afford a set of what you want. hamilton Motorcycles have matching Pirellis cheap, ex race testing 10 laps ish, this might be an option, if so let me know I can sought them out for you.
Most importantly if your front is shite replace it quickly.
PS its impossible to get the front and rear to wear out at the same time( normal riding) so bite the bullet buddy

[Quasievil]

check these out

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-29369951.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-29415821.htm

Just a thought

[Quasievil]

Oh also the middle numer 60 or 65 or 70 isnt the width, its the height and represents a % of the width, ie a 120/70/17 is

120mm width
70% of the width is the height (profile)
17 is the Wheel rim (in Inches)

Get it

So if you have a 120/65 17 you now have a 65 % of 120mm in the height, therefore you have changed the ride height geometry of the front of the bike, and may therefore want to adjust your Yokes.

Get it ? sweet

[vifferman]

What sort of Battlax have you got on, Buggy?
You could try getting a BT-014 on their if you want something that tips in nicely. It should last about the same as the rear, if the rear's still got life left in it.

Incidentally - I've noticed this week that the BT-020s on my bike really don't like runnignat less than the recommended pressures. The front was wandering all over the place, especially on coarse-chip seal, and seemed to be tramlining a bit. So, I checked it the night before last, and it was down about 4-5 PSI when warm, so I pumped it up to 36-ish, and it was much better yesterday and today. Only thing is it makes the ride over crappy surfaces and coarse-chip less comfortable (vibrates a bit on coarse-chip).

[V Twin Raver]

Other than that buy a second hand (good Pair) until you can afford a set of what you want. hamilton Motorcycles have matching Pirellis cheap, ex race testing 10 laps ish, this might be an option, if so let me know I can sought them out for you.

I need a new Diablo for the rear. The one on it does nothing to inspire confindence in the wet (thats combined with a little lacking of confidence in my head too at the mo). Do they do Diablos? What kinda money you reckon?

[vifferman]

So if you have a 120/65 17 you now have a 65 % of 120mm in the height, therefore you have changed the ride height geometry of the front of the bike, and may therefore want to adjust your Yokes.

Get it ? sweet

Not just that, but the profile also affects the way it tips into corners, so you may find that the steering speeds up / slows down a bit as a result. Best to stick to the 'normal' profile if possible.

[Quasievil]

Oh and the tolerances and actual mm and percentages vary slighty between manuafacturers also.

Oh and profiles are different to, for example the roundness on a bridgestone will be different to the roundess to a say AVON, so with mix matched tyers they will handle like shite as the front will want to tip into a corner differently to the rear and it feels all fucked up.

anything else ?

[Quasievil]

Not just that, but the profile also affects the way it tips into corners, so you may find that the steering speeds up / slows down a bit as a result. Best to stick to the 'normal' profile if possible.

Yes Yes ya beat me by a milli second

[Quasievil]

I need a new Diablo for the rear. The one on it does nothing to inspire confindence in the wet (thats combined with a little lacking of confidence in my head too at the mo). Do they do Diablos? What kinda money you reckon?

I will go in today and find out what they got for you okay, send me you number by Pm dude, fuck you got a nice bike

[bugjuice]

check these out

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-29369951.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-29415821.htm

Just a thought

Thanks for those links. The first link I already have on my watch list, the second I hadn't seen before. Could be an idea.

Don't worry, I don't plan on riding like this, and I'm probably over-exaggerating slightly, but the front does need replacing. And I am keen on keeping a pair if poss. That second link would be a good option, as I have an 012 on it at the moment, so an 011 would be the next best thing. Then in the summer, when I can really use the grip, I can save and get a set of Diablos or Corsas..

[V Twin Raver]

I will go in today and find out what they got for you okay, send me you number by Pm dude, fuck you got a nice bike

cheers mate - on two counts!!

[bugjuice]

wow, you guys have been busy for me!!

At the moment, it's got Battlaxe 012 front and rear, and in my limited experiance with different road tyres on a 600, these have looked after me, and I'm sure I wasn't pushing them the most.
And I had figure out what the 60/65/70 bit meant, just didn't know how much of a difference it'd make. I know that it'd mean a different fall in.
That 011 looks like a good match for now, and I'll just treat it nice for now, which means I get both Battlaxe's at both ends, and with it being half worn now, it should be about the right sort of wear to replace both in the summer..