Rear tyre for GSF1200?

[austin1960]

Hi Austin here from Christchurch, I have just bought a 1997 Suzuki gsf1200 and I need a new rear tyre. It has a Bridgestone battleaxe BT45R 180/55zr17 at the moment? Has bridgestone battleaxe on front, is the rear tyre the best for this bike. I am 48 years old and not as much a hoon as I once was, cheers.

[Katman]

I am 48 years old and not as much a hoon as I once was, cheers.

The Battlax will be perfect for you.

[megageoff76]

Correct me if im wrong, but i pretty sure the BT45 is a cross-ply tyre, designed for small light weight bikes.

Your Bandit should be fitted with more heavy duty radials.

[Katman]

They don't make crossplys that wide.

[jrandom]

I didn't know you could get BT45s in that size.



Also, Google tells me that the BT45 is only H or V rated (210kph or 240kph, respectively), which would be a concern for me on a bike like a Bandit 12.

On the whole, it sounds like an odd choice; personally, come tyre replacement time, I'd go for the current state of the art in sport touring tyres, the Michelin Pilot Road 2.

[Cajun]

tires come down to personal choice,
choose a brand of your perfernece, be it micehlin, bridgestone, pirelli, metzler etc

going from bridgestone site http://mc.bridgestone.co.jp/en/produ...ine/index.html

BT54 = OEM
BT012ss = Race
BT014 = sports
BT020 = touring

[banditrider]

Metzler Z6 - I used to get around 10k on them. Good in the wet.

[mouldy]

Hi Austin here from Christchurch, I have just bought a 1997 Suzuki gsf1200 and I need a new rear tyre. It has a Bridgestone battleaxe BT45R 180/55zr17 at the moment? Has bridgestone battleaxe on front, is the rear tyre the best for this bike. I am 48 years old and not as much a hoon as I once was, cheers.

You have a BT54 not a BT45 but that really doesn't matter , try its great grandson , the BT021 ( the BT54 begat the BT57 begat the BT020 begat the BT021 ) which is Bridgestones latest sports tourer and a great improvement on its predecessors , give Don a bell at Pitlane he should be able to sort one for you

[Hitcher]

Avon Storms.

[jrandom]

Avon Storms.

Actually...

... Pilot Powers.

[Hitcher]

Actually...

... Pilot Powers.

I see...

What's the wear rate like?

[jrandom]

What's the wear rate like?

Er, well, I used most of the brand-new rear filling the St Paul Gallery's 7-storey atrium with smoke at surfchick's exhibition opening. I've given up on riding it back into shape; I'll just throw it away and get a new one next week.



I hope Alex appreciates the sacrifice.

But, aside from that, I've put about 1,500km on so far, and they've done very well.

The sides on the rear scalloped a bit too quickly for my liking in the first 500km, but I believe that was down to the pressures being too low - the fitter set them to 33 psi rear, 31 front, which is all very well and good for a 600cc sportbike on a racetrack, but entirely unsuited to a GSX1400 on the road.



At 40 rear, 36 front for the following 1000km, they've been much more stable and the wear has been almost unnoticeable.

I wouldn't be surprised if I got close to 10,000km from a fresh rear, to be honest. I look forward to reporting in after putting on a new rear and going through a set properly in the next few months' time.

And their on-road performance is definitely better than the Pilot Road 2s. Noticeable in the dry, and very noticeable in the wet.

I doubt that I'll go back to 'sport touring' tyres. The PPs just grab onto the road so much betterer.

[Hitcher]

I doubt that I'll go back to 'sport touring' tyres. The PPs just grab onto the road so much betterer.

I shall note your progress with interest. If you're able to get over 10,000km out of a set, I may try some myself. Are you planning to do a comparison with Avon Vipers or other similar tyres in that class? James Deuce is currently playing in the Metzeler space, after having been a loyal Avon bloke for a while.

Perhaps as tyre science and construction becomes more sophisticated, the boundaries between the different classes of tyre are becoming less distinct. With the exception, of course, of knobblies.

Certainly motorcycles that lay down a few squillion foot pounds of torque make demands on tyres that bikes with mere horsepower cannot even begin to imagine. My nipples have hardened.

[Pumba]

Continental Road Attacks. Great sport touring tyre that gives great millage. And if you like a little more confidence at time use a Conti Sport Attack on the front instead.

Once the OEM Pilot Powers on the Triumph are dead I will be going back to the Conti's.

[jrandom]

I shall note your progress with interest. If you're able to get over 10,000km out of a set, I may try some myself. Are you planning to do a comparison with Avon Vipers or other similar tyres in that class? James Deuce is currently playing in the Metzeler space, after having been a loyal Avon bloke for a while.

I'll see how I go. I feel no particular desire to sacrifice my riding in the service of scientific enquiry; should I find tyres that suit me perfectly, I'll stick with 'em.

However, if I do swap brands at the next tyre change, I'll try Continentals.

Certainly motorcycles that lay down a few squillion foot pounds of torque make demands on tyres that bikes with mere horsepower cannot even begin to imagine. My nipples have hardened.

Y'know, one of the nicest things about the Pilot Powers, compared to the PR2s, is the tippier profile.

Betty now turns in with little more than the power of thought, and the triangle-like profile allows very silly amounts of throttle to be applied from very early on in a corner without the back wheel entering the Drift Dimension - not only is the compound stickier, but I now have a greater amount of rear-tyre rubber on the road when cranked over than I used to.