Transalp owners - gearing changes

[far queue]

Is that Mitas a tyre brand or a type of tyre made by pirelli or someone?? I have been looking at a tyre catalogue at my local today - they recommended a Pirelli ST something. Waiting to hear back on what price but he expected them to be high 200's. These E07's sound like they would be worth a look for me.
cheers

Mitas is the brand ... http://www.lmsimports.co.nz/history.php
And here's a pic of the E07 ... http://www.lmsimports.co.nz/products.php?cat=2
We get them from Dirt Action Service in Chch, pop in for a look the next time your up.

[Ruralman]

Mitas is the brand ... http://www.lmsimports.co.nz/history.php
And here's a pic of the E07 ... http://www.lmsimports.co.nz/products.php?cat=2
We get them from Dirt Action Service in Chch, pop in for a look the next time your up.

Hey thanks for that. It looks a very flat profile ? does it tip over OK and hang on alright on the seal?
Looks like its got plenty of rain grooves but I'm amazed that Transalper got 14,000km out of it.
I'll get my local bike shop to follow it up as well.

[Ruralman]

I have just been out to the shed and checked the chain set and sprockets that were on the bike when I bought it.
Front 15 tooth, back 48 tooth.
I went to a Ulysses club meeting last night and asked a friend, who has just bought a brand new TransAlp 650, to check his back sprocket size and he has just rang and said it is a 48 tooth.
He hasn't checked the front but we guess it will be a 15 tooth (probably standard size)
I had a fantastic ride into Oamaru and back last night, just wished it could go on forever, quite disappointed when I arrived home, felt like going on over the Lindis and back just for the hell of it! (Was eleven o'clock and her indoors would not have appreciated that!)
I am very happy with the current gearing of 15/49, to go to 50 at the back might be a tweak too much but I would like to try it some time.
I just have to get the tyre combo right and get my windscreen just how I want it and this bike will be perfect for our needs, I still like it more every time I ride it. Cheers John.
PS: Sorry about the confusing post above.

Just goes to show that you need to look at both sprockets (and no I haven't checked my front one) - the key thing is the revs at certain speeds. What revs is your mates new T/A pulling at 100km/hr?

[oldrider]

Just goes to show that you need to look at both sprockets (and no I haven't checked my front one) - the key thing is the revs at certain speeds. What revs is your mates new T/A pulling at 100km/hr?

I think they pretty close to the same as mine but I will ring him tomorrow and get him to check and let you know soon as I can..
Him and his wife toured about 12000 miles around Britain and Europe a while ago on a Honda 900? They are not noobs.
His last old bike was a Honda CB 750 and he just loves his TransAlp.
He's a couple of years older than me, had bikes all his life. Cheers John.

[Transalper]

Hey thanks for that. It looks a very flat profile ? does it tip over OK and hang on alright on the seal?
Looks like its got plenty of rain grooves but I'm amazed that Transalper got 14,000km out of it.
I'll get my local bike shop to follow it up as well.

How far over do you think your going to go? They tipped over just fine for me. I may not be the fastest rider around (especially on the straights) but i'm also no snail in the twistys. The tread is quite deep to start with so you get a lot of tyre for your money. At the price they are, i reckon they'd be worth a try unless you specifically wanted a block pattern (and by the sound of it you don't). I'm sure you wouldn't be dissapointed.
To make the E07's work well off road (not really for mud) you do need to lower your pressures. But then you have to do that to all the road bias duelsport tyres i've seen and/or tryed.
With these things around i don't know why anyone would bother paying more (other than the fact i've only seen Dirt Action stocking them).
No doubt when we finally meet (assuming its summer and i can't find mud anymore) i'll have my old half used E07's back on.

[Ruralman]

How far over do you think your going to go? They tipped over just fine for me. I may not be the fastest rider around (especially on the straights) but i'm also no snail in the twistys. The tread is quite deep to start with so you get a lot of tyre for your money. At the price they are, i reckon they'd be worth a try unless you specifically wanted a block pattern (and by the sound of it you don't). I'm sure you wouldn't be dissapointed.
To make the E07's work well off road (not really for mud) you do need to lower your pressures. But then you have to do that to all the road bias duelsport tyres i've seen and/or tryed.
With these things around i don't know why anyone would bother paying more (other than the fact i've only seen Dirt Action stocking them).
No doubt when we finally meet (assuming its summer and i can't find mud anymore) i'll have my old half used E07's back on.

Local shop knows nothing about them but I'll try a couple of Dunedin outlets. Thanks for your help on this, and you're right it does sound like the sort of tread pattern I want, as I regard my bike as a highway and gravel road bike and keep the off road and rough stuff for my dirt bike.

[Ruralman]

Local kawa shop has followed up and can get those E 07 Mitas (apparently theres a 7 day wait for more stock so someone is obviously buying them other than just Transalper!)tyres.
They will do them at $140 rear, $110 front + freight. The Pirelli we looked at was going to be $340 and the Michelin $320 just for a rear. Huge difference in price and from what Transalper says maybe not much, if any, difference in performance.
Nothing much cheaper about running a bike if you were going through tyres at that price every 5000km eh, then I suppose saving $ is sometimes a justification we might give for riding a bike, but its nothing to do with the real reason we ride - its 'cos we bloody well want to.

[oldrider]

Ruralman, I have asked my friend with the new T/A about the revs and he thinks his is the same as mine but he will check it out as soon as he can.

Carl, those Mitas tyres. Do you use a heavy duty inner tube with them?
What sort of speeds have you done on them?
You say you find they hang on well in all conditions, they certainly look like a good tread pattern, just what I fancy for my bike actually but I like to beat it up on the wrigglies when I'm on my own and the one thing I need to be able to trust the most is the bit that touches the ground. Can't beat good tyres.
I was keen to get a set of those Pirelli Scorpions but they have never been available just when I need them.
You certainly cant blink too hard at the price of the Mitas but.......it leaves me just a little nervous...you pays peanuts you can get monkeys.....ouch!
Interesting kind of profile on the Mitas, shaped like the old fashion tyres in the 50's, are they radial or cross ply? Cheers John.

PS: Have any of you heard of a bike accessory supplier in Auckland called "Desmodromics"? I have been trying to E-mail them about another windscreen for the bike but no response so far. They are listed as the NZ agent!

[far queue]

You say you find they hang on well in all conditions, they certainly look like a good tread pattern, just what I fancy for my bike actually but I like to beat it up on the wrigglies when I'm on my own and the one thing I need to be able to trust the most is the bit that touches the ground. Can't beat good tyres.

Interesting kind of profile on the Mitas, shaped like the old fashion tyres in the 50's, are they radial or cross ply? Cheers John.

I've got the Mitas E09's on my bike, a more off road/mud oriented tyre than the E07, and I find they stick well to the seal as well. My mate has the E07 on the back of his KLR650 and has found the traction good on the road also. Although I haven't used the E07 myself, I would trust it on the road. Mitas are great tyres and great prices.

The E07 profile in the pic on their site looks kind of square, and indeed the profile of the ones I've seen on the rack in the shop look the same, but they have the correct rounded profile when on the bike.

[oldrider]

I've got the Mitas E09's on my bike, a more off road/mud oriented tyre than the E07, and I find they stick well to the seal as well. My mate has the E07 on the back of his KLR650 and has found the traction good on the road also. Although I haven't used the E07 myself, I would trust it on the road. Mitas are great tyres and great prices.

The E07 profile in the pic on their site looks kind of square, and indeed the profile of the ones I've seen on the rack in the shop look the same, but they have the correct rounded profile when on the bike.

Thank's Owen, I will take a serious look at these Mitas tyres, if I can find an agent handy. The Tourance tyres are good on the road but very limited as you move further off it. Treacherous on wet green grass.....ouch! I canned off, bent the bike and my bloody leg, it's still bloody sore too!
What about my other questions? Cheers John.

[far queue]

What about my other questions? Cheers John.

Oh all right then, if you insist

Do you use a heavy duty inner tube with them?

Yes

What sort of speeds have you done on them?

150kph - me on the E09, my mate on the E07

radial or cross ply?

Black and round with hole in the middle.

PS: Have any of you heard of a bike accessory supplier in Auckland called "Desmodromics"?

These people ... http://www.desmodromics.co.nz/ ? No, never heard of them.

I have been trying to E-mail them about another windscreen for the bike but no response so far. They are listed as the NZ agent!

Really? Good luck.

[oldrider]

Who was that masked man! Thanks (x six) again Owen, your kindness is only exceeded by your obvious good looks! Cheers John.

[Transalper]

...can get those E 07 Mitas...will do them at $140 rear, $110 front + freight. ...

Those prices sound about right, was almost a year ago i got the e07's. I look foward to hearing if they satisfy you. If they don't then i'd consider taking em off ya hands.

...Do you use a heavy duty inner tube with them?
What sort of speeds have you done on them?
You say you find they hang on well in all conditions, .... but I like to beat it up on the wrigglies when I'm on my own ....
Interesting kind of profile on the Mitas, shaped like the old fashion tyres in the 50's, are they radial or cross ply? Cheers John.

PS: Have any of you heard of a bike accessory supplier in Auckland called "Desmodromics"? I have been trying to E-mail them about another windscreen for the bike but no response so far. They are listed as the NZ agent!

arrr... the one on the front had a standard tube in (E07 was on bike when i bought it) untill i put a new E07 tyre on, then i used a extra heavy duty tube. The rear got a extra heavy duty tube when i first got the rear tyre on. I tell you the extra heavy duty part don't help when you run over a large fence staple in the Lake Tennison area and the tyre spins on rim while flat.
What speed you ask... well i think the bikes been to around 160km/hr on them
but i generally cruse at 105 and don't consider anything that requires me to get the speed up in a big way to be worth passing, hence the "I may not be the fastest rider around (especially on the straights)" comment of mine. Also... im not sure if you had a specific set of circumstances in mind so find that to be a tricky question.
Might just be easier to put them back on and go chase you somewhere to find out if i can keep up. Is that a trip south comming on i feel?

I think they be cross-ply but do not quote me on that.

As for the windscreen... i replaced my old CBR1000F one once thru a place called ummmm... Visual plastics...maybe... ummm... crap i can't remember, but it wasnt the place your asking about. I sent them my old one and they made a nice new copy but with a higher double curved area then sent them both to me..

[Ruralman]

Ruralman, I have asked my friend with the new T/A about the revs and he thinks his is the same as mine but he will check it out as soon as he can.

PS: Have any of you heard of a bike accessory supplier in Auckland called "Desmodromics"? I have been trying to E-mail them about another windscreen for the bike but no response so far. They are listed as the NZ agent!

Look forward to hearing re that new bike & revs.
I put a higher windscreen on mine - the honda Dunedin crew got one in and it didn't fit, can't remember the name now, but they wanted to send mine up to make a copy and basically I didn't want to be without any screen at that time. I asked at Hasler Honda in Balclutha 'cos I thought Joan Hasler had a higher one on hers - she did and they got one for me. Its a GIVI screen and it went straight on with all the holes etc lining up well. Its not a 5 min job changing it over and some of those rubber things you screw through are a pain to get back in but it has been worth it. I don't get any buffeting and it certainly keeps a lot more wind & weather off my chest.

[Ruralman]

[QUOTE=Transalper;744805]Those prices sound about right, was almost a year ago i got the e07's. I look foward to hearing if they satisfy you. If they don't then i'd consider taking em off ya hands.


arrr... the one on the front had a standard tube in (E07 was on bike when i bought it) untill i put a new E07 tyre on, then i used a extra heavy duty tube. The rear got a extra heavy duty tube when i first got the rear tyre on. I tell you the extra heavy duty part don't help when you run over a large fence staple in the Lake Tennison area and the tyre spins on rim while flat.

I'll let you know but from your recommendations I think they'll be staying on.

Just out of interest what do you take with you to fix a flat tyre out in the wops?? What have you used and what worked/didn't. I usually take a repair kit,tools, levers etc with me on trail rides but its a big job on the side of a trail compared to some of those quick patch up kits - providing they work OK