another tire (ST1100) ?

[astrogt]

i am wanting to go to radial tires on my 01 st1100 non abs. would i be asking for trouble if i put a radial tire on the front and keep the stock bias ply bridgestone exedra on the rear. my front tire is starting to wear and dry rot. the back tire has around 2500 miles on it and i just hate to waste a perfectly good tire.

[nm6r]

Replacing both with radials is fine. Most are running radials on the non-ABS ST1100's.

I wouldn't replace just one tire with a radial.

Maybe someone that has done it will chime in and let you know of their experience, good or bad.

Ray
http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/smile04Bikerwheelie.gif

[RCField]

:biker:

From what I gather cruising this site, many owners do the radial front/bias rear combo.

I am in the same situation with my ST 11 and am planning a 110/80ZR-18 pilot road for the front and when I need a rear will probably go radial in the 160/70ZR-17 size. (maybe an020).

I think it is important to use the appropriate size for your rims.

Cheers

RC

[Horst]

I believe your wheels are the same, so go for it ... I also agree DO BOTH and be absolutely amazed at the improved handling ! :eek: :biker: :biker: :biker:

[Northern Rob]

I wouldn't mix bias and radial. When I bought my bike (used) it had a bias/radial blend like you're talking about. The handling was not great, and when I did rapid deceleration, the handlebars wanted to slap from one stop to the next...- had to really hold on - kind of unsettling actually. Neither I nor my mechanic noticed that we had a bias/radial mix on the tires when we did the pre-purchase inspection. ( must have been having a decaf day). Anyway, switched both to radials and all the problems were gone. If you're going to go that route, just please keep in the back of your mind that you could be compromising your handling - and drive extra defensively until you switch that second tire.

Rob

[Don-STOC237]

Not a big problem if the bias is on the rear. I've done it several times with no adverse effects on handling or stopping. I've run about 4 sets of D220 front radials with Metz ME880 rears, and I've also run the Excedra Rear with a Dunlop D205 front on the standard I use to have.

Some front tires just naturally exhibit deceleration wobble, so the cause may have been the tire in the case previously posted, not the combo.

I've heard you shouldn't put a bias front on with a radial rear though. If you're worried about it though, why not put a bias front on new, then replace both of them with radials when the first one wears out. IMO it's always nicer to replace the tires in pairs, you get the benefit of a nice new set that way instead of always having one partially worn tire.

[astrogt]

thanks for the advice. i went ahead and ordered the stock G547 bridgestone and will replace with radials later on. thanks again....