ST1100 / Michelin PR2

Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
30
Location
Canada
Bike
99 ST1100 (Std)
So I purchased my NTM '99 ST1100 (non ABS) a week ago and am slowly working my way through it as my winter project. Right now I'm looking at tires and after reading as much as I could here on the forums I'd pretty well decided I couldn't go wrong with a set of Bridgestone Battleax BT-023, certainly for the conservative style of riding I'll be doing. It's also one of the few that's available in the sizes I need - 110/80-18 front and 160/70-17 rear. I plan to buy from an Ontario MC parts supplier with a racing background and what seems to be a pretty good understanding of the various brands / types of tires currently available ... and he's suggesting I instead go with the Michelin PR2 at both ends, judging it (in his own experience of course) as preferable to even the PR3. Problem is, the PR2 isn't available in a 160/70-17 for the rear so he's recommending the 160/60-17 instead which will lower the rear a bit from stock and according to him slow the steering a touch. I'm 5' 10" but with a fairly short inseam and even though my ST is wearing a Saddlemen Stealth seat I'm still finding the bike a bit difficult to paddle around in the workshop so if a 160/60 effectively drops the seat height a bit I'd count that as an advantage. He's suggesting that with my conservative riding style I'd probably not notice the slightly slower steering so the only negative I can think of is I'll have to be more careful when walking away from the steed with it sitting on the side stand. Any comments, alternate suggestions?
 
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Mark

Gotta make tracks
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It will be much harder to put on the center stand, as in *REALLY* difficult.

The rear of the bike will be lower, relative to the front, so you might notice a bit 'lighter' front end too.
 

Outlaws

Outlawarrior
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Feb 17, 2007
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76
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Aberdeen SD
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'91 ST1100
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6726
Size difference is minimal.
You will be very happy with the performance and wear.
Enjoy your new ride.
 

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Joined
Feb 16, 2008
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209
Location
Deer Park, WA
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2006 ST1300
The Pilot Road II is the best tire I have ever run on the 1100.
I have used the same size as the 1300 rear 170/60. Putting it on the center stand should not be a problem and I don't think You will not be disappointed.
 

DonMac

My backyard
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Tumtum WA 99034, near Spokane
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1998 ST1100
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8436
That is the best tire combination for riding on the ST, BUT getting the bike on the center stand is more difficult and the bike is more prone to fall off the side stand, as mine has done, twice. I'm now running Bridgestones in the correct size.
 
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OP
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Greyfox
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Nov 12, 2012
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Canada
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99 ST1100 (Std)
I just used this tire calculator http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tirecalc.php?tires=160-70r17-160-60r17 that shows me a 160/60-17 will be 1.26" smaller in diameter than a 160/70-17, which will certainly reduce my seat height and make it much less of a problem for me and my short inseam to paddle the ST around. After pondering the centre / side stand issue for awhile it's occurred to this could be overcome by parking the bike's rear tire on something that will elevate it about an inch ... as an RV owner I've got a box full of plastic Lynx Levelers, one of which weighs next to nothing, will easily support the weight, and when sitting under the rear tire would elevate the bike about an inch, thereby restoring most of the original clearance between the underside of the bike and ground level, thereby allowing both the centre stand and side stand to operate properly. I just tried it in the workshop with the current tire and there's no doubt this would solve the problem if I do decide to go with the smaller diameter 160/60-17. I've got a Honda passenger backrest with storage bag in which I could store the Lynx OR I could just toss it in one of the several tanks bags I own.
 

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sirepair

Let's RIDE!
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Chillicothe, Ohio
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2003 ST1100P
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7105
I ran a PR2 on my 1100 and noticed everything that has been mentioned, along with less ground clearance. Personally I like the Avon Storm II Ultras, but I am currently running a BT023 front and will be mounting up the Darkside rear this afternoon. Trying to be open minded about all the different tires available...
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
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209
Location
Deer Park, WA
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2006 ST1300
I do my own tire mounting and balance the rim first to find the lightest spot and then mount the tire. I have rotated the tire on the rim a time or two to find the position which gives me the least amount of weights.
I'm not sure at this point why you would not go with the Bridgestones as I hear they are really great tires and as Don says they are in the right size.
The difference in in the 160/70 and the 170/60 tires is .39" from the axle to ground. T hen if you measure from the front axle to the rear and think of the center stand being positioned about half the distance or less you are really only changing the distance to the ground at the center stand less than 1/4".

No body has to read any farther as the next comments are just my opinion.....
Many times we get an idea in our minds, we focus on it, and because someone says it is more difficult, It will be more difficult.
If you find it is harder to put the bike on the center stand go have you wife do it because she has not read that it is more difficult. Ha! Ha!
Many years ago I golfed and if there was a water hazard on the course I would hit it. If it was only 30 yards out I would hit it, If it was 200 yards out I might have one of my better drives of the day just to hit it.
 
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Greyfox
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Nov 12, 2012
Messages
30
Location
Canada
Bike
99 ST1100 (Std)
Wow! That's a lot of weight on the tire you have...
Nope, not me ... that's the current Dunlop Arrowmax D103 the PO was running on the rear. I only bought this bike a week ago and this is yet another reason to replace both front and back tires.
 
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Greyfox
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
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Location
Canada
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99 ST1100 (Std)
I'm not sure at this point why you would not go with the Bridgestones as I hear they are really great tires and as Don says they are in the right size.
If you'd read my original post you'd see that's exactly what I was intending. I'm just asking for input on the PR2s because they've been specifically recommended and because a smaller rear tire will lower the bike, making paddling it around a lot easier. All options are still on the table, I just want to understand all the various advantages / disadvantages before I place the order.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Messages
209
Location
Deer Park, WA
Bike
2006 ST1300
If you'd read my original post you'd see that's exactly what I was intending. I'm just asking for input on the PR2s because they've been specifically recommended and because a smaller rear tire will lower the bike, making paddling it around a lot easier. All options are still on the table, I just want to understand all the various advantages / disadvantages before I place the order.

I did read it and was trying to say the Bridgestones have a good reputation, but personally I'm a little more inclined to go with the PR2's. Another option is of going with the same size as the ST1300 rear tire and it will not have any disadvantages, but will not drop the rear of the bike as much.

I'm in the process of doing a complete rebuild of a couple more 1100's this winter. Hope you have a good time working on your bike this winter. They sure are great bikes.
 
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Greyfox
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
30
Location
Canada
Bike
99 ST1100 (Std)
The difference in in the 160/70 and the 170/60 tires is .39" from the axle to ground. T hen if you measure from the front axle to the rear and think of the center stand being positioned about half the distance or less you are really only changing the distance to the ground at the center stand less than 1/4".
Just thinking out loud here but if we assume that tire size calculator I referred to earlier is correct then a 160/60-17 will be 1.26" smaller in diameter than a 160/70-17 which in turn means that when the bike is sitting on the centre stand the amount by which that smaller rear tire would sit off the ground will increase by half that amount, or .63" not the .39" you mentioned if I were to instead switch to a 170/60-17. It also means that when sitting on both tires the bike's rear axle will sit .63" closer to the ground and because I'd be sitting on the seat only about 12" in front of the rear axle I estimate this would lower my seat height between 1/2" to 5/8" ... add that to wearing thicker soled riding boots and it just might give me enough to more comfortably paddle the bike around without being on tippy toes. Right now my Saddlemen seat height is sitting at ~ 31.5" and with an inseam of just ~ 29.5" that's a bit tall for me, especially compared to what I was used to with my previous GoldWings, so I don't want to prematurely discount the idea of going with a one size smaller rear tire, whether it's a 160/60 as recommended by the tire shop or 170/60 as you're suggesting.

While increasing the rear tire's ground-to-tire clearance by 5/8" with a 160/60 will also reduce the bike's lean angle with the side stand deployed I don't see this reduction as being so severe that the bike should constantly be in danger of falling over as many have suggested. Back in my earlier riding days years ago I used to always carry a small piece of plywood to throw down under the side stand of my bike in cases where the ground surface was particularly soft and I never had any concern about the bike sitting too upright and being in danger of falling over. As an experiment I just threw a piece of 5/8" plywood down on the floor of my workshop to emulate this with the current tire and while it does reduce the bike's lean angle somewhat the reduction isn't as severe as some would suggest so I'm not yet convinced this should be a legitimate concern when going down just one size in the rear tire.

Many times we get an idea in our minds, we focus on it, and because someone says it is more difficult, It will be more difficult.
I'm here because I'm always open to ideas from others and I do appreciate the input whether I agree with what's been offered or not but at the end of the day I'll make my decision(s) based on my own conclusions. Most times that approach seems to work well for me, occasionally it doesn't, but that's how we learn.
 
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