Tire Tyre type and use question

[quawk]

Have been going through the past threads and posts about tire brand and sizes being used on RE5s. As I am still some time away from being able to ride my bike, and therefor needing to replace tires, am researching what tires others are using and recommending to use or not use. Are some of the tires being used and recommended, apparently actually tubeless tires being used with tubes, as would be needed on our bikes? Have read the post by Wayne about a flat that was diagnosed as being caused by inadequate air pressure when using a tube in a tubeless tire. I think I have only tried using a tubeless tire on a vintage spoked wheel once, and don't remember having any issues, but that bike was ridden a very limited amount of miles. (It was a Bridgestone Spitfire of the front of a first year Gold Wing) Is this commonly being done, and if so do other members have any comments or recommendations? Wayne's post seemed to indicate to keep the air pressure up if going this route.

[quawk]

To add to my above post has anyone run Bridgestone Spitfire tires on the RE5? If so, good or bad? I run them regularly on my daily rider, an '86 Gold Wing.

[hudson]

I have run the Spitfire Bridgestones and was happy with them. They were recommended by member timpa136 and sizes Front 100/90 x 19 and Rear 120/90 x 18  When I was having trouble locating another black wall front I called Bridgestone and learned that the Spitfire line had been discontinued and their replacement is the Battlax BT46. Some Spitfires can still be found in warehouses but are no longer made. I have not run the Battlax but will be running them next summer. The 100/90 front  is a little wider that the original and I have to let the air out or remove a caliper to install the wheel but once installed it fits just fine.

I also have an un restored original RE that I've mounted  IRC Grand High Speed tires on to be as close to original as I could  They come in the original size  3.25 x 19 and 4.00 x 18  But are GS-11 instead of the original GS-8 type

Bridgestone also seams to have quality inner tubes that are made in Japan unlike most everything else seems to be made in china or worse.

Brian

[quawk]

Brian.... Thanks for the response and info. Many years ago after purchasing, working on, and getting my old project Gold Wing running and rideable, I put on a set of BS Spitfires on the recommendation of a well known gold wing guru. I been through several sets of them now, and as you said, I'm happy with them. I've been digging around on-line and it looks like you can still find them in the RE5 sizes. I think I will probably try them on mine. When the supply dries up I'll just have to try something different, like we all will, as our usual favorite tires get discontinued.

[quawk]

Brian... I meant to ask in the previous post, what's the difference between the GS8 and the GS11 type? Tread pattern/design?

[hudson]

 The tread pattern is different and probably construction of the case, But without side by side comparison very few would know. I just wanted them to look period correct.

I did save the original tires. They are bagged and put away, to much trouble for a picture comparison.

Brian 

[timpa136]

             



     Spitfires showing sidewall cracks now but have been happy with them.

[timpa136]

A lot of good info here from Wayne, too.

re5rotary.proboards.com/thread/2467/tyres-thatd-tires-outside-empire



This one a Bridgestone but INOUE had similar tread pattern as original equipment.

[wayne]

For what it's worth from a qualified friend. Among many industry qualifications, he was also a motorcycle tyre tester for two major brands back in the day. Can't recall which brands but if it wasn't Dunlop and Avon, it'd be Bridgestone and Michelin. He was considered an expert (still is) by bike magazines and race teams.

Don't stray too far from original tyre sizes. Pick a modern tyre that's reasonably close. For example, on the GSX1100 stock was 4.5" so a modern 120 is pretty close (112.5 vs 120). If 4" was stock, look for something close like 110.

The further you move away from stock, the more likely to compromise the original bike's handling characteristics. I've seen evidence of this myself (inducement of a high speed weave on a VJM where none existed before, turned out it was a 'known thing among racers and was due to the 5mm higher profile of the AM tyre changing the steering geometry).

I have read that wider the tyre, the more lean angle required for any given turn radius all other things being equal. IE you'll be working that little bit harder.

Just throwing it out there, I'm always open to bona-fide expert advice.

[quawk]

What tire was used originally on the RE5?

[wayne]

I think it varied, perhaps over time or market, but in Australia it was IRC 3.25H 19 front and 4.00H 18 rear.

[timpa136]

Jan 2, 2022 1:54:38 GMT -5 wayne said:

I think it varied, perhaps over time or market, but in Australia it was IRC 3.25H 19 front and 4.00H 18 rear.

I believe the Original equipment tires were a step up in construction for the RE5 but not sure exactly what.

I believe they were only available from a Suzuki dealer for the first year or so, I believe

that held true  for the V series IRC tires for the  78 GS-1000 as well.

USA saw both Inoue (IRC) and Bridgestone with very similar tread patterns as original equipment.

Don't forget the magazines likes the  bikes handling, granted big strides in tire technology

came later.
Tim


Tim

[quawk]

Without having documentation or other verification, I had suspected that Suzuki would have sourced tires from a Japanese tire maker. They had several top quality manufacturers (IRC, Bridgestone, Nitto, and I think at one time even Dunlop produced tires there) to choose from. Others would be more of an authority than I, but I couldn't imagine them sourcing tires elsewhere. I think there loyalty to country is something that has been lost since then.

[wayne]

No idea what IRC is like today but back in '75, Japanese tyres were junk. Gripped like they were made of melted down LP records as I used to hear back then.

And they really were. I reinstalled my OEM tyres at one point as I was short of a quid and quickly found the limits. It wasn't just Jap bashing.

It all started to change in the late '70's and by 1981 when I bought a new GSX1100 it had so many personal firsts:

First Jap bike I didn't have to immediately change handlebars (low Euro style) and tyres (Bridgestone getting it's act together). First Jap bike where you could actually feel the swingarm following bumps and undulations in the road (rather then just skipping from one ripple to the next), the headlight lit up more than just the front mudguard and you could actually hear the horn from more than 2 metres away.

But in 1975..........

[timpa136]

Jan 2, 2022 22:21:24 GMT -5 wayne said:

No idea what IRC is like today but back in '75, Japanese tyres were junk. Gripped like they were made of melted down LP records as I used to hear back then.
But in 1975..........

I don't know whether to laugh or cry but there's some of us who love our LP's, with

our record washers, anti static gizmos, disc preeners. Needle brushes and tonearm

precision weight adjusters and anti-skate calibrations.  Tim