Tyres (that'd be Tires outside the empire)
Nov 20, 2016 0:36:28 GMT -5
Al Corelli and mercwagonman like this
Post by wayne on Nov 20, 2016 0:36:28 GMT -5
I've been asked to put up a tyre FAQ by a newer member. He's right, these questions do come up now and then. Anyone can weigh in here. If you can provide similar information, I'll incorporate it into the main Tyre FAQ. Here's a start, it will expand with time.
Hard information like tyres sizes have been accessed from the manufacturer's website. Comments, unless specified, are opinion only.
TUBES: As you may read below, I've personally had problems with a tube. I've adopted a new tyre, new tube policy. Member TIMPA136 got advice from a tyre guy recommending he sticks with Michelin tubes. Timpa136 also notes that when he did compare some tubes, the Bridgestone example seemed noticeably thicker.
DUNLOP TT100 K81 tyres.
RE5 Sizes: (these are the only sizes available in Australia that would suit the RE5)
Front- 3.60H19 or 4.10H19
Rear- 4.25/85H18 or 4.10H18
Comments:
I run 3.60 front, 4.25 rear at 32/36 psi and while I've experimented with higher and lower, that's a nice balance.
I've spoken directly to Dunlop about these tyres. They assure me that while they are a '70's design, the rubber compounds are current technology. I've used these tyres on all my mid-seventies bikes. I find them a good honest tyre that will handle spirited riding to the limited ground clearance of waterbottles and GS750's. They may handle the additional clearance available on an RE5, I never got that far with these tyres . Dunlop told me that they are available in an "R" compound (race) but expect your mileage to drop considerably. I find the standard tire okay in the wet, I've never had a fright on K81's, but I don't push my luck in the rain.
Wear- 4 to 6,000 klm on the rear, 15,000 klm plus on the front.
Positives- Period look. Triangular profile quickens up the steering (this could be a negative as well). Cheaper than all other brands in Australia. Extremely long wearing front (could be a negative as well).
Negatives- Fast wearing rear. Front can be locked easier than some tyres under hard braking. Relatively low profile does nothing for speedo/odo error, can be around 8% out.
From the Dunlop website:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
METZELER LASERTEC
RE5 Sizes: (these are the only sizes listed from Australian retailers)
Front- 100/90H19 or 3.25V19, 3.50H19,
Rear- 110/90H18 or 120/80H18, 120/90V18, 130/70H18, 130/80V18
Comments:
I run 100/90H19 front and 120/90V18 rear at 36/40 psi (on advice). I've been warned by my tyre guy that these are the pressures I should run when using tubes in a modern tubeless tyre like the Lasertec. I had a flat in the front and was told that the 32 psi I was running had been too low causing excessive flex which led to an abraded leak around the base of the tube's valve stem. I ride with a full fairing so am carrying a bit of extra weight over the front. The increase to 36 in the front has had no detrimental effect and I've gone through one and half fronts since the flat with no repeat.
My tyre supplier who is a well known Australian racer told me that the Lasertec was the best 19" tyre on the market. Board member PMCB has also found this to be an excellent tyre as have I.
However, I have issues with the rear. The grip available on a good dry road is excellent and it was the first tyre that gave me the confidence to scratch with an RE5. However, I've had two big frights with the rear. It seems that if the road surface is not in perfect condition, the rear will let go with no warning. Both incidents were at relatively low speeds and lean angles because in both cases I thought the surface wasn't up to scratch. I got away with them both but only just on the second one. I will not use these again. Fellow board member PMCB has come to a similar conclusion that the rears "are a bit of a dog".
Wear- Around 8,000 klm from the rear and I'd estimate about 10,000 from the front, it still had 1.5 mm after 8,300 klm.
Positives- Excellent grip and feel at the front. Rounded profile gives more progressive steering than the K81's. Higher profile gives noticeably higher ground clearance (not that RE5 needs it) and reduces odo error to around 4%.
Negatives- None for the front. Higher profile makes that that skinny little side stand even more scary with the lean angle when parking the bike (see the last photo). When the rear tyre lets go, I've found it does so without warning. That's MY experience and I won't use the rear ever again. Not expensive per se but about 40% more than K81's in Australia.
From Metzeler website:
Metzeler Touring Spezial Block C
Contributed by James Saunders
Front- 3.50 x 19 57P (RE5 sizes available: 3.00/-19, 3.25/-19,3.50/-19)
Rear- 4.00 x 18 H 64 (RE5 sizes avaialble available: 3.25/-18, 3.50/-18, 4.00/-18)
Positives- Vintage look. Well known established brand.
Negatives- TBA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heidenau Tyres.
RE5 Sizes:
Front- 3.25 x 19 K44 (only front size available in the K44)
Rear- 4.00 x 18 K36 (also available as 3.50 x 18)
Comments:
The 4.00 and 3.25 sizes above are what a friend runs on his old Suzukis including his RE5.
Heidenau claim that they are a vintage look tyre with modern performance.
From my friend's perspective, they have a very tight bead but this apparently varies with the size. The ones mentioned above are tight so presumably they could be hard work to fit yourself. They are, in my friend's experience, a reasonable tyre but he believes they lose their feel fairly quickly and aren't the best choice for handling on the RE5 (it's probably not that bad for lesser mortals like me, he's a lot more sensitive to "feel" than I'll ever be having raced Suzuki's in the '60's and '70's).
Wear- 8 to 10,000 klm on the rear, similar on the front.
Positives- Period look. Heidenau promote these as "Vintage Tyres"
Negatives- In my friend's opinion, if you're having handling issues with your RE5, these won't fix it.
Hard information like tyres sizes have been accessed from the manufacturer's website. Comments, unless specified, are opinion only.
TUBES: As you may read below, I've personally had problems with a tube. I've adopted a new tyre, new tube policy. Member TIMPA136 got advice from a tyre guy recommending he sticks with Michelin tubes. Timpa136 also notes that when he did compare some tubes, the Bridgestone example seemed noticeably thicker.
DUNLOP TT100 K81 tyres.
RE5 Sizes: (these are the only sizes available in Australia that would suit the RE5)
Front- 3.60H19 or 4.10H19
Rear- 4.25/85H18 or 4.10H18
Comments:
I run 3.60 front, 4.25 rear at 32/36 psi and while I've experimented with higher and lower, that's a nice balance.
I've spoken directly to Dunlop about these tyres. They assure me that while they are a '70's design, the rubber compounds are current technology. I've used these tyres on all my mid-seventies bikes. I find them a good honest tyre that will handle spirited riding to the limited ground clearance of waterbottles and GS750's. They may handle the additional clearance available on an RE5, I never got that far with these tyres . Dunlop told me that they are available in an "R" compound (race) but expect your mileage to drop considerably. I find the standard tire okay in the wet, I've never had a fright on K81's, but I don't push my luck in the rain.
Wear- 4 to 6,000 klm on the rear, 15,000 klm plus on the front.
Positives- Period look. Triangular profile quickens up the steering (this could be a negative as well). Cheaper than all other brands in Australia. Extremely long wearing front (could be a negative as well).
Negatives- Fast wearing rear. Front can be locked easier than some tyres under hard braking. Relatively low profile does nothing for speedo/odo error, can be around 8% out.
From the Dunlop website:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
METZELER LASERTEC
RE5 Sizes: (these are the only sizes listed from Australian retailers)
Front- 100/90H19 or 3.25V19, 3.50H19,
Rear- 110/90H18 or 120/80H18, 120/90V18, 130/70H18, 130/80V18
Comments:
I run 100/90H19 front and 120/90V18 rear at 36/40 psi (on advice). I've been warned by my tyre guy that these are the pressures I should run when using tubes in a modern tubeless tyre like the Lasertec. I had a flat in the front and was told that the 32 psi I was running had been too low causing excessive flex which led to an abraded leak around the base of the tube's valve stem. I ride with a full fairing so am carrying a bit of extra weight over the front. The increase to 36 in the front has had no detrimental effect and I've gone through one and half fronts since the flat with no repeat.
My tyre supplier who is a well known Australian racer told me that the Lasertec was the best 19" tyre on the market. Board member PMCB has also found this to be an excellent tyre as have I.
However, I have issues with the rear. The grip available on a good dry road is excellent and it was the first tyre that gave me the confidence to scratch with an RE5. However, I've had two big frights with the rear. It seems that if the road surface is not in perfect condition, the rear will let go with no warning. Both incidents were at relatively low speeds and lean angles because in both cases I thought the surface wasn't up to scratch. I got away with them both but only just on the second one. I will not use these again. Fellow board member PMCB has come to a similar conclusion that the rears "are a bit of a dog".
Wear- Around 8,000 klm from the rear and I'd estimate about 10,000 from the front, it still had 1.5 mm after 8,300 klm.
Positives- Excellent grip and feel at the front. Rounded profile gives more progressive steering than the K81's. Higher profile gives noticeably higher ground clearance (not that RE5 needs it) and reduces odo error to around 4%.
Negatives- None for the front. Higher profile makes that that skinny little side stand even more scary with the lean angle when parking the bike (see the last photo). When the rear tyre lets go, I've found it does so without warning. That's MY experience and I won't use the rear ever again. Not expensive per se but about 40% more than K81's in Australia.
From Metzeler website:
Metzeler Touring Spezial Block C
Contributed by James Saunders
Front- 3.50 x 19 57P (RE5 sizes available: 3.00/-19, 3.25/-19,3.50/-19)
Rear- 4.00 x 18 H 64 (RE5 sizes avaialble available: 3.25/-18, 3.50/-18, 4.00/-18)
Positives- Vintage look. Well known established brand.
Negatives- TBA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heidenau Tyres.
RE5 Sizes:
Front- 3.25 x 19 K44 (only front size available in the K44)
Rear- 4.00 x 18 K36 (also available as 3.50 x 18)
Comments:
The 4.00 and 3.25 sizes above are what a friend runs on his old Suzukis including his RE5.
Heidenau claim that they are a vintage look tyre with modern performance.
From my friend's perspective, they have a very tight bead but this apparently varies with the size. The ones mentioned above are tight so presumably they could be hard work to fit yourself. They are, in my friend's experience, a reasonable tyre but he believes they lose their feel fairly quickly and aren't the best choice for handling on the RE5 (it's probably not that bad for lesser mortals like me, he's a lot more sensitive to "feel" than I'll ever be having raced Suzuki's in the '60's and '70's).
Wear- 8 to 10,000 klm on the rear, similar on the front.
Positives- Period look. Heidenau promote these as "Vintage Tyres"
Negatives- In my friend's opinion, if you're having handling issues with your RE5, these won't fix it.