What tires do you use?

[dbeardslee]

I'm running Chicken Skin Marquis front and rear. If you're looking for a tire that's cheap, wears poorly, doesn't stick well wet or dry, cups like there's no tomorrow, and gives you heart failure in the twisties, then these are the tires for you . They're going away this winter and will be replaced with Pirelli Sport Demons. It was a toss up between the Pirelli's and Bridgestone Battlax BT45V's. Magic 8 Ball said do the Pirelli's - who am I to argue with the Universe . Motorcycle Superstore - http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...cle-Tires.aspx - had the best price I could find anywhere, and they have free shipping on orders over $75.

[trbig]

You need to keep with that front tire! Think how much better of a rider it's making you. If a tire only went smoothly and easily where it was supposed to all the time... what skill is that?


Tod

[dbeardslee]

Tod - Too true, too true. Here's the real reason I need to change tires. There's a thing in aviation called pucker factor. Suffice it to say that I've already come close to loosing my seat cushion on several occassions .

[Eveready1100]

I run my '79SF on Bridgestone Spitfires. 28lbs front/42 lbs rear. Good (audible) feedback when tyres are working hard, good wet weather grip, and last very well considering weight of bike and my love of twisting mountain roads. Average life 17,000 klms front and rear. (not into drag racing)
Regards,
Errol

[chrisso]

A question???

Ive got the original Manual for the XS, it says for hi-speed 40 psi rear, 36 front; as this was obviously for tyres from 30 odd yrs ago would this still be valid?? I do run these pressures & it seems Ok??

[Axel]

32 - 38

Chrisso
My pressures are pretty close to that . My front was cupping at the lower pressure

[snowdog51]

tires

chin shin are bad but tractoin is over rated

[Dan Hodges]

Bridgestone Battlax V Rated 45 Tires & Shock Treatment

I have Bridgestone Battlax 45 tires which are V rated on my Special. I use the 100-90 x 19 up front and a 130-90 x 17 on the rear. The front is 3.9 inches wide and is 26.1 inches tall. The rear is 5.25 inches wide and 26.2 inches tall and this is .25 inches wider and an inch taller than the Dunlop 130-90 x 16 rear tire I had been using. This rear tire and wheel width combination is the same exact configeration as that used on a mid eighties Suzuki GS 1150 EF which was putting 100 hp to the ground and was considered a cutting edge sport bike at the time. Both Dunlop and Bridgestone make a sticky V rated tire in the 130-90x16 size but it's only 25 inches tall and 5 inches wide. The killer V rated 140-90 x 16 rear tire is 25.7 inches tall and 5.6 inches wide and will not clear the driveshaft housing. I went with the 17 inch rear wheel for my Special for the additional roll out and width afforded by the tires that are available for that size rim. A 1985 GS 1150 EF Suzuki weighed 563 pounds wet and would run the quarter in 10.80's @ 125 mph and I figured that the upgraded Bridgestone tire for the big GS would be more than sufficient for my Super Special which is (only) putting 96 hp to the tire but with 7 ft. lbs. more torque. In regards to tire spin from a dead stop, some of this is due to the shaft jacking effect of shaft drive (the pinion trying to climb the ring gear) and the rear shock extending too easily/quickly which unloads the rear tire when the shock comes to the end of it's travel suddenly and stops. Conversely, when you close the throttle abruptly at speed while in gear the opposite occurs and the rear end (chassis) tends to squat or sink. Most of the shocks on these old Elevens are either wore out or they have some cheap after market shock that doesn't work properly. A good shock is velocity sensitive on compression and extension in addition to being adjustable and will definitely help get you launched however the swing arm of an XS is too short to begin with and the shaft drive arrangement only makes it harder too control this rise. The stock shocks on the Eleven were okay but they needed to be stiffer on extension which would have been harder on peoples tail bone and lot's of soft tail bones bought these bikes. Air shocks, you don't even want to go there unless you are packing a load and if that's the case, chassis rise and tire spin is the last thing you have to worry about. The 418 series rear shock made by Progressive Suspension will help your Eleven out of the gate and with a sticky set of tires you might be looking at another steel in that clutch pack.

[Montreux_Blue]

I went with the Dunlop Elite III for the rear, will get the front later. So far so good. Scratched the kickstand turning the other day.

[trbig]

Elite 3 rear... Ridden like I was trying to break something... 15k+ miles and still going!!

Tod

[Wildkat]

Ridden like I was trying to break something...

Your neck?



Elite 3 on the front and soon to be on the back as well

[trbig]

Your neck?

???? Just remember that if that happens... I was probably having a H*&L of a good time!!

Tod

[snowdog51]

tires shocks

put a real shock a used yami ri shock

[oldyam80sg]

I have Metzlers on the bike now and have used that tire for a while.I used to ride alot in the rain and that brand of tire was great on the road.Never had a problem with control with them.

[trbig]

I ride all year around. The only thing that stops me is packed ice/snow on the roads. I ride when it's 14 degrees, and I ride when it's 114 degrees. I'm one of the weird ones that actually ENJOYS riding in the rain.. if I have the right gear on and not getting soaked. I ride in the straightaways AND curves & twisities harder than anyone I have rode with and keep up with modern bikes in the curves. (I know of some 40 mph curves done WELL in XS of 100+) I did the transmission fix on this bike less than a year ago and it's going out again due to the hard riding and wheelies.

All this said, the Dunlop Elite 3 rear tire has performed flawlessly, and I am finally needing to replace it. There are still some tread grooves showing, but there's no doubt it's time to change. I have clocked a tad over 16 thousand miles on this tire riding the way I do, which is MORE than double of the best previous tire. (Avon Venom) It wouldn't surprise me a bit for a SANE person to get 20k miles out of one of these tires. Most people on here would need to change it due to age before they wear it out.

No, I don't have any association with Dunlop. No, I haven't tried all the other brands to compare.. BUT. If someone has a tire story that beats these.. I'd love to try them. I always griped about a conspiracy and how they can make a car tire that performs AND lasts a long time, but not a bike? I was right.. It apparently can be done for a bike also.

Tod