Uncle Phil
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Being the curious animal that I am, I still plan on doing a measurement when I get some time. Empty heads and inquiring minds want to know ...
Metzeler still makes their Z6 radial in the proper front and rear sizes you want, if you haven't bought yet.I have read just about every thread on tires. I have a few questions that still remain. I have a 1991 ST1100.
Stock tire
F 110/80/18
R 160/70/17
I know everyone knows that and it is posted over and over, but i am having a difficult time finding a Matched set of tires.
I also have read that for the rear it is ok to go 170/60/17, but there is not a tire made that works front and rear.
Looking at Bstone T30 GT Rear = 170/60/17, but what front tire? Bstone T30 None GT? are they 2 different of tires to run together?
Mich. PR4 ... same story, what front tire ?
Can I go 120/70/18 on the front to run PR4 or T30 GT?
Is there a big difference in the T30 GT and standard T30 ( which comes in stock sizes )
Sorry for so many questions. 1st year with the bike. Love riding again.
+1 . But don't mix a bias tire with a radial.No need for a matched set... people run mixed all the time. Tires are like oil... opinions vary wildly. FWIW, I'm running a Bridgestone Exedra G547 on the front and a Michelin Commander II on the rear of my '01 ST11. I got the Exedra at a good price and bought the Commander for long life. I run beads in both.
Any particular bad experience? Just curious as I have thousands of miles doing it with no issues at all. I can't find a radial rear that will get me to and from the West Coast or Alaska so I always run a bias rear and a radial front on those trips.+1 . But don't mix a bias tire with a radial.
Phil : Interesting. Thanks for that info. I have never mixed bias & radial. That's just the general wisdom I have heard on several forums. What about a bias on the front and radial on the rear ? Do you think that would be a problem ? Now that I think of it, I might have read one way is OK, but the reverse, not. I'll see if I can find that article, again.Any particular bad experience? Just curious as I have thousands of miles doing it with no issues at all. I can't find a radial rear that will get me to and from the West Coast or Alaska so I always run a bias rear and a radial front on those trips.
That's the paragraph that's scared me off of experimenting with radial tires on bikes designed for bias ply, at least so far. One of these days I'll probably give it a try. I'm on my first set of new tires on the ST so I went with OEM Exedras to get a baseline. I do like the fact that bias tires generally last longer than radial.Found this at the Dunlop site :
" Bias and radial tires have significantly different dynamic properties. They deflect differently, create different cornering forces, have different damping characteristics, as well as other differences. In order for radial tires to be introduced into the two-wheel market, it was necessary to change certain characteristics of the motorcycle. The introduction of the radial tire led to such things as modified frames, wider wheels, new steering geometries and suspensions. Therefore, it is recommended that a motorcycle be used with the type of tire construction that it came with originally. If a change is to be made, then it should only be done if the motorcycle or tire manufacturer has approved the change. Above all, do not mix bias ply and radial tires on the same motorcycle unless it is with the approval of the motorcycle or tire manufacturer. "
Conflict is stressful Jim...........does 'round' and 'slippery' reduce that conflict?.I'm conflicted ..... can't decide which type of thread is better - an oil or tire thread ???
......pretty much the case with me also, but by the same token, I don't want the back-end feeling or looking like it needs a short skirt or 'booty' shorts if I decide for a 'short' to wick it up in the mountain twisties here.I've run the ME880, didn't like it, made the bike feel like a truck. I'm very happy with the Michelin Commander II on the rear. I've used all models of the Avon since '93. Always liked them for handling, not for mileage. I'm old enuff and slow enuff, mileage counts more for me now.
That confirms what I suspected, heard someone say they wear like Iron. Of course the trade off of Hard compound and less traction. I remember them on my Magna and when they were squared off it was apparent in the corners.I've run the ME880, didn't like it, made the bike feel like a truck. I'm very happy with the Michelin Commander II on the rear. I've used all models of the Avon since '93. Always liked them for handling, not for mileage. I'm old enuff and slow enuff, mileage counts more for me now.
Yeppers, that's me - I ride like an old manIf one doesn't notice any difference, so be it, but I suspect that crowd's largest percentage of riding is just 'cruising' down the road without the occassional adrenaline rush 'pushing' things a bit in the twisties, as THAT's when mis-matched tires and modern frame designs WILL rear their ugly head.