Newbie .... about tires ???

[fzfile]

Hello.
I am a new rider. I am hooked completely.

I have a Suzuki GS450 (circa 1983) to get some chops on. It has been ridden and handed down by 4 of my friends who will be the folks that I will be riding with most of the time, especially my roommate.

We are The Sons of Evel...... because of the Suzuki and because its just plain funny ...... we made tee-shirts and everything. My roomate Jason has a Guzzi, my best friend Jon has a Triumph, Pete has a Harley and his brother Rob (who last had the SOE (Suzuki of Evel)) a Virago. I am already saving for a BMW 1150RT. I want to do EXTENSIVE touring ..... like across country.

I've gotten in about 450 miles in 5 rides so far and am really getting the hang of the bike .......... where tight S-turns intimidated before, now I want them all the time.

Its really a great and easy learning bike .... if a little short on power .... but thats a good thing for a brand new rider.

As I am starting to really like leaning through tight turns I know that I need to be able to trust my traction and as the bike still has the well worn originals, I NEED NEW TIRES.

So ... after my little introduction .... my first of many questions are:

1) What do the numbers mean on the tires. 100/90-19 .
I know the -19 is for the wheel size i.e. 19".

2) Can I replace with different numbered tires ... if I have 100/90-19 can I use 120/90-19 ??? or some other slightly different number combo.

3) whats a good bang for buck, durable, good traction tire.

4) And finally ..... where's the cheapest place to get them.

Thanks in advance for any help and advise and I am looking forward to chatting about this whole motorcycle "thang".

-mike

[Nibblet99]

1) What do the numbers mean on the tires. 100/90-19 .

I believe it is width / height - rim

where:

Width is in millimeters,
Height is percentage of the radius of the width
Rim is the wheel size in inchs

Someone will probably tell me i'm wrong though.


As regards different tyres, you could replace them with 100/80-19 's, but as it changes the height of the bike off the ground, and the angle where the tread stops, you'll find it affects your bike, when leaning it over. Hence I'd recommend sticking with the original size.


Finally, with which tyres are best, I have no clue whatsoever, so someone else will have to take over here

Andy

[totalmotorcycle]

Hi Mike,



Welcome to the TMW motorcycle community!

To answer dozens of questions tires/tyres just read our Motorcycle Tire/tyre Guide right there on Total Motorcycle:
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/maintenance.htm

It's just a start as it doesn't answer ALL your questions, but it will help a little.

You picked a great starter bike to learn on, the GS450 is an excellent bike.

Enjoy and ride safe.

Mike.

[poppygene]

Welcome, fzfile! Glad you're enjoying two-wheeling. It is addictive, huh?

Anyway, you need tires. You really need tires! If that's 22 year-old rubber you're riding on, I hope you're taking it very easy. Older tires get hard and lose their ability to grip the road, especially when the surface is wet. It's a very small contact patch you rely on for your safety, and if that patch doesn't stick to the road no other part of your bike matters very much. My advice is to spend whatever is necessary to get some quality rubber on the ground.
Some name brands you can trust: Bridgestone, Dunlop, Metzeler, Avon and Pirelli. Dunlop and B'stone will probably be more reasonably priced than the others.
Since this is your first bike, you should go to your local bike shop and have them help you select the proper tire for your bike.

[fzfile]

Very cool. Thanks for the replies guys.

Poppygene, I went asked my friend Jon about the tires after reading your reply and they aren't actually the original tires .... but they are pretty old and they deffinitely need replacement.

Thanks for the link .... very helpfull.

-mike

[nyrblue35]

i saved alot of money by buying my front tire here rather than at local dealers. 6 bucks in shipping you cant argue with that. :

http://www.ronayers.com

[TechTMW]

I'll give my and recommend Bridgestone spitfire (s11) sport touring tires. They're decently grippy and last a good while too, plus they're probably one of the only brands that come in the sizes you need!!

I'd also recommend going w/ stock size tires, or maybe one step up, but don't overdo it - you'll change the handling characteristics of thee bike (Sometimes better, but usually worse)

[iwannadie]

ive seen alot of guys around here with race slick style tires, no tred on them at all. is it a good idea to ride these tires on the street? they offer the best grip right, it doesnt ever rain so you wouldnt have to worry about that. or is it a bad idea to ride slicks on the street?

[Sev]

If it rains there, then do not use these. The sole purpose of a tread is to allow the tires to maintain contact with the road surface during wet conditions. Water is pushed to the side by the treads and the parts that stick out will still contact the ground. This means you still have a part of your tire touching the road.
However a racing slick, or treadless tire will literally float over the surface of standing water, meaning that you're going to be hydroplanning the second you hit a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of standing water. Hydroplanning on 2 wheels is VERY VERY bad.

[Gadjet]

I second Tech's recommendation of the Bridgestone Spitfire S11 tires. They are considered a 'sport-touring' tire, which means that they have a harder compound on the center for long life, and a slightly softer compound on the sides, to help grip the road better in cornering. I have been running these tires on my bike for the last year and they are excellent value for the money.

Your local dealer should have them, and while you may be able to get them cheaper on the internet, you really should support your local dealer - if you don't, he might not be there anymore when you really need his help.