[SDSUsnowboards]

Rules:
List your tires with dimensions.
Link to a manufacturer discription for each tire or the pair.
Comments about how good/bad your tires are to you.

Front:
Bridgestone BT56F 120/70ZR17
Back:
Metzeler Sportec M-1 180-55ZR17

metzeler's
Bridgestone's (unfortunately, I can't link directly to the tires.)

I checked what tires I had on my bike, suspecting it was the original setup as I bought the bike with only 4,000 miles on it. Imagine my suprise to see the sportec m1 in the back. I was going to buy front and rear sportecs for my next pair of tires because I was curious to see if they were "all that". The front looks like it might have came with the bike but I thought dunlopes were the originals. :???:

It doesn't drop into corners as fast and lose as I'd like but my suspension is lowered which might be affecting that. It could also be the front tire but I can't say for sure. I've never had tires slip on me except when exiting parkinglots on wet roads at night. So the sportec in the back must be pretty awesome. It's worn noticably in the short 2 months of riding time I have (about 2K miles) but not extensively.

 

[themeatmanlandry]

http://www.imotorcyclestore.com/cgi...p0365+_DCatNum_02S21METSPO_01PageType_02ML_01

Sportec M-1s. Front and back. 120/60ZR17 and 160/60ZR17 (I think).

The only comments I can make are:

1) No slippage, but I really haven't gotten to thrash these tires;
2) I also sense the turn-in reluctance that you speak of, but it seems to me that they WILL dive deep in the corner, you just have to be willing to dive with them. So far, I'm still showing significant chicken strips;
3) About the time I got the front and back M-1s, I started having to ride it to work everyday. This has resulted in a flat spot, and thus hte tires aren't as comfy in the twisties as they should be.

I will replace them with Metzeler Z6's in a few weeks.

 

[Freakinout]

Front:
Pirelli Diablo 120/70/17

Rear:
Pirelli Diablo 150/60/17

Comments:

I love the feel from these tires on my ex500. The rear is getting near replacement time after about 7K miles. Luckily the 500 has just little enough HP not to wear out tires too terribly fast, even the softer compound ones.

 

[Nexus242]

front
Metzeler Z6 120/70-17 (should have been 120/60 but chit happens)
rear
Metzeler Z6 160/60-17

They are only my second set of rubber but I'm quite happy with them so far.

 

[prekarious1]

Right now using Dunflop D208's front and rear. 120/70/17 front 190/50/17 rear.
The only thing that I do like about the Dunlops is that it is very easy to predict when they will slide. Warm up time takes a little bit longer than other tires I have used. Turn in is easy aside from switchbacks, have to work at those but that might also have something to do with the bike I'm riding.

Will be using Michelin Pilot Powers next ( in about a week or so ), found a really great local price on them

 

[DrBob]

Front: Metzeler ME 880 Marathon size 80/90-21

Rear: Metzeler ME 880 Marathon size 150/90-15

Absolutely fabulous tires! I get over 20,000 miles out of a set (compared to <8000 on the OEM tires), and the bike handles 200% better than with the stock Bridgestones. They are better in the rain and last longer than the Avons (but the Avons do handle a little bit better in dry weather), and handle better than the Dunlops and Challengers. These are the best tires I have ever had on a cruiser, and I will never buy anything else again.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

So I switched to metzeler m-1s front and back now.
metzelers

The very first thing I noticed is the bike felt heavier. It felt like someone else's bike. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Then the street had some very mild curves and that's when I noticed the tires like to drop. Later, merging onto the freeway, I got a good lean in and I was impressed with how little effort it took to get the bike leaned properly for the turn. It practically did it by itself and in fact, I needed to apply pressure to keep it from leaning further.

Later on I took some curves a little more aggressively (keeping in mind my tires still need to be broken in) and the difference from my old tires (earlier post in this thread) is nothing short of night and day. The back tire feels more prominent... it feels like it's steering the bike as much as the front, when before it felt like I was being pulled and turned by the front wheel alone.

It drops into a lean almost without any help from me but straitens back up easily without complaint. Turning feels more secure and confident. Particularly at low speeds. I'm pretty happy with these.

Cons: none yet. I guess it's wobbly in a mostly strait line because of the heavy feeling and the willingness of the bike to drop into a lean now. something to get used to.

 

[LayinLo]

Later on I took some curves a little more aggressively (keeping in mind my tires still need to be broken in)

After you get that slight film off the tires and they are warm......you're O.K.





I'm thinking about switching to sport touring tires. A guy we ride with takes the curves faster than any of us and uses them. No problems. He rides track too. He uses race tires there, but says that the tires we ride on the street are the same tires they were racing 5 years ago. If they were putting hard corners back then, no one should have a problem on the street cuz no one is supposed to be riding that hard on the street.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

That sure is something to think about. Share your results when you get your tourings!

 

[Gixxerdale]

Dunlop 208's

 

[Louis]

The ones that came with the bike:

Dunlop 120/60 ZR17
Dunlop 160/60 ZR17

 

[gsJack]

On my 02 GS:

Avon AV45 size 110/80/17 front
Avon AV46 size 140/80/17 rear

Best all around tires I've used so far. Have about 12.5k miles on them and should last about 14k.

http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/us/en/Product.asp?ProdType=SportTouring

On my 97 GS:

Bridgestone BT010 110/70/17 front
Avon AV36 140/80/17 rear

Ran 110/70 Z4 front and 130/80 Z2 rear on this bike for 02 season and replaced with same for 03 season and the rear was cut and destroyed after a month so I put the AV36 rear on because I could get it locally right away. After bike was totalled in July, I needed a front in a hurry to get it inspected and restored from salvage and ended up with the BT010 front. Bought the 02 slightly used in Sept and this 97 became my backup/winter bike.

Both bikes need tires shortly so I have a set of the new Avon AM51/52 tires in transit that are bias ply OEM size, 110/70/17 and 130/70/17 and will try them on the 02 GS first. These tires are priced very good right now and have become very popular on the gstwins.com forum. If I don't like them after being spoiled by three years and many thousands of miles on sport-touring radials, I'll replace them on the 02 and put them on the 97 winter/backup bike.

http://www.avonmotorcycle.com/us/en/Product.asp?ProdType=TouringXply

 

[stevie c]

Pirelli Diablos (not corsa).

Find them great in the dry, warm up fast, confidence inspiring in the wet too.

 

[GIXXER-Mike]

Front:
OEM - 120/70 17 Dunlop 218 (5,100 mi.)
No link for the 218's

Rear:
Replacement (after screw) - 180/55 17 Metzeler Sportec M1 (3,000 mi.)
http://www.metzelermoto.com/en_86/t...atid=86SPSUP&productid=16829&nome=SPORTEC_M-1

Noticeable warm-up difference w/the Dunlops when both were on. Bit more of a warm-up time than the Metzeler. Still ride my same warm-up route (8mi.) before beginning my somewhat aggresive riding :mrgreen: .

Wish I could've gone w/both Metzeler's but the budget was a bit tight during that time so I'm just gonna see if the Dunlop will last as long as the Metzeler so I can go w/2 new tires.

The Dunlop doesn't show any sign of giving in at this point .

 

[LayinLo]

That sure is something to think about. Share your results when you get your tourings!

I've always liked the Metzeler's and Maxxis, but after seeing and hearing him talk about this, my next set will be touring tires. I'm even considering putting on Continentals....:lol:

I'd be glad to post up after I get them on.

 

[Pinhy]

Stock tires:

IRC Grand High Speed GS 130/90-16 F 170/80-15 R
67H and 77H rated.

http://www.irc-tire.com/mce/

are these any good? im sure my next set will feel like night and day though, cause i wont be cheap with tires.

.

 

[Dwayne Hicks]

Feichi 80/90 front and rear. Just the front tire looks like it belongs on a motorbike from the 1930's. The rear tire is cool though.