Tires for 1980 XS1100 Special

[MaximPhil]

They have to, they wear out so quick.

Phil

[madmax-im]

I got a rear Shinko once where it was so bad it made the bike feel like the front tire was out of whack, YMMV.

interesting experience...you have me wondering if this is what i am experiencing...I think my next set of tires will be something completely different just to see if those vibrations go away

[jetmechmarty]

I few posts back, I was looking for this. Appropriate for a tire thread.

[bikerphil]

Ben, you can check it with the tire up off the ground and lay a flat 2X4 under there and spin the wheel, put it close and look closely and you can see if it's uneven.

Marty, every tire thread has some useful information,

[BA80]

Ha ha ha ha ha Marty. Your a funny guy.

I think I'll start an OIL thread.

[gene]

Haha...YAh an oil thread would be good.

[jetmechmarty]

Hey look! A GoldWing!

[madmax-im]

Ben, you can check it with the tire up off the ground and lay a flat 2X4 under there and spin the wheel, put it close and look closely and you can see if it's uneven.

Marty, every tire thread has some useful information,

Thanks Phil I will try that

[cajun31]

Gene

As you have already surmised tire threads have a tendency to end up a lot like oil threads. They get very opinionated and in the end can be a bit confusing. However, you did want answers Hopefully you will put some thought into how and where you ride and will make the right decision that suits your needs as well as your budget. I am on my second set of spitfires and from what these guys have stated I am assuming the spitfires from 10 years ago are not the same as the spitfires of today. I can't really tell yet because I have only put about 3500 miles on the set I installed this spring. They seem to be holding up fairly well and I will admit that most of my riding was on the highway with no drastic twisties to speak of. If they continue to hold up well on the highway and give me another 10 to 15 thousand miles I will be good with them and probably buy another set. I am not that aggressive a rider so my tires probably last longer then they would for someone else. Good luck on your search. By the way any new rubber is better then old worn out.

[gene]

Everyone has been a huge help on getting me up to speed. Can't wait to get this project on the road. Hopefully in 2 weeks. New ignition switch is due in Wednesday. I still need to complete the brake caliper rebuilds and put the wheels on once the bearings and tires are on.

I will keep you all posted. BTW, the Jardine 4 into 1 header sounds so good. Music to my ear.

[trbig]

I few posts back, I was looking for this. Appropriate for a tire thread.

Gotta aim more for the eye, Marty.

[gene]

All this investigating and my mechanic already bought my tires. He bought Bridgestone's. lol

I will let you know how these work. I was going to go with Dunlop E3's.

[TopCatGr58]

I found the 110/90/19 to have a better feel on the front. It just BARELY fits in there and I had to modify the inside of the front fender on my SF to keep it from rubbing but tit feels more stable to me.

Hey Greg, that's what BRAs are for!

Hey Gene,

I'm a bit late to this party, but wanted to add a few more cents worth to the knowledge base. I, too, run a 110/90-19 on the front of my special, and like Greg said, you may need to enlarge the mounting holes of the fender to allow you to tilt the front a bit more UP so that it's a little farther away from the surface of the tire....because at high speeds the tire expands and can RUB on the inside if there's not enough clearance.

Next, as was stated, BIAS PLY is what is recommended for our classic bikes, not RADIALS. Next, you'll want to check out the LOAD ratings for the tires you're looking at....the Dunlop D404's are not rated to handle as much weight, and I think the 501's are not much higher vs. the E3 which replaced the Elite 491's in their product line.

Finally, it seems like many of the tire manufacturers have gone to softer stickier compositions to provide better performance with reduced tire life....so that folks have to buy them more often, so don't fret, your Bridgestones will probably wear out sooner than you will want them to if you ride often enough, so you'll have the chance to SHOP for other tires soon enough, so you may also want to look into learning how to mount/balance them yourself for the future.

T.C.

[gene]

Thanks TC. I figure the same. I wasn't going to slow the guy down. The wheels have been there for a week already. lol

I figure just put them and so I can keep moving ahead on this project.

Btw, I haven't put a tire on since I put one on my Dads 69' Triumph.

[jetmechmarty]

weight, and I think the 501's are not much higher vs. the E3 which replaced the Elite 491's in their product line.
T.C.

FWIW, the GT501 is the tire Dunlop recommends for our bike. The E3 is listed as the option. I never had issue with the GT501 and I ran quite a few of them and often two-up.

Gene, I'm sure the Bridgestone tires will be great.