What tires are you running

[headsbikesmopars]

Need to re-tire the 'ole' GS. 1981 GS1100E. What tires are you guys running and why? Also where is good source to purchase new tires. Many thanks.
Terry.

[Joe Nardy]

Oh boy! Here we go again!

My favorites are the Pirelli Sport Demons. Southwest Moto Tire and American Motorcycle Tire are both good places to order from.

Thanks,
Joe

[distraction628]

Avon roadriders....ask BWinger how there doing for him mine are sweet!

[chef1366]

I run Dunlop GT501 Arrowmax. Good sticky tire for middle of the road pricing.

[Grandpa]

Front: Metzeler 880, 100/90-19
Rear: Dunlop 491 Elite II, MT90-16

1984 GS1100GK

[koolaid_kid]

We really need to sticky this subject.

[DanTheMan]

We really need to sticky this subject.

Yep, running Pirelli Scorpion S/T's, super great tires 95% on-road, 5% off road, got 8500 miles on them now, just bought a new back tire, the one I've got on it is starting to show wear.:-D Bought them from MotorcycleSuperstore.com .:-D

[bwringer]

The Dunlop 491 Elite II is being discontinued, unfortunately -- great tire. Sticky and wears like iron. You may still find stocks of these for a few more months. It's being replaced with the Elite III (also an excellent, long-wearing and great handling tire), but they don't make an Elite III in 130/90-17 (MT90-17).

For sheer handling ability and making your GS feel 150 pounds lighter, I will also heartily recommend the Pirelli Sport Demons. My Sport Demons only lasted 4,200 miles (YMMV, of course). They still handled beautifully even after the rear was worn out past the wear bars. Also great in the rain.

The Avon RoadRiders are equal to or a VERY close second to the Pirellis in handling and traction, and they are about $60 cheaper a set. With 3,500 miles so far on my RoadRiders, wear is very minimal and I'm sure they will easily outlast the Pirellis by a wide margin. The Avons seem to have a more pointed profile, so turn-in is a little quicker than the Pirellis -- it's almost spooky or nervous-feeling at first until you get used to it. Excellent in the wet.

The Cheng Shin HiMax is also an excellent tire at a bargain price. Many here will put them down, but they haven't actually tried them. Plenty of traction in the dry to drag parts all you want, plus good manners in the wet. And they last a decent number of miles, too -- I went through 3 sets, and got 7,000 to 8,000 hard sporting and commuting miles out of each. They also come in more oddball sizes than any other tire.

If you're mounting your own tires, http://tiresunlimited.com is another great place to order tires from. The two sources Joe mentioned are also excellent. Beware of online "tire shops" that consist of a goober in his mom's basement with a catalog -- unless you like waiting, order from places that actually have inventory.

http://denniskirk.com has also become another good source for tires -- they've recently revised their tire pricing so it's in line with others, and their web site tells you what's actually in stock. They ship same day for free is your order is over $100, too. They used to be horrifically expensive on tires, but not any more.

If you're not mounting your own tires, make sure you talk to your shop first -- most won't mount tires unless you order through them.

[tkent02]

Avon Roadriders

[BentRod]

I have used the above meantioned ChenShin HiMax. In the dry, they have been sticky enough for me to grind pegs, although I have only managed to do it at about 60km/h or slower (I'm new). in the wet, they hold their own when new, but as they wear, you will need to be a little bit diligent with them, and keep your space as best you can.

edit: and yes, this needs to be a sticky

[Macmatic]

I'm running Cheng Shin HiMax tires too and I'm happy with them. I've ridden a lot of both wet and dry miles and the one time it got a little loose was very predictable and forgiving. The rear end kind of said "Hey, 200 miles to go, keep your eye on the ball." and nothing dramatic happened.

I'm not sure what I'll run when I switch to newer rims and radials.

-/\/\ac

[80GS1000]

On the GS before switching to radials: Pirelli Sport Demons. Made a huge improvement in braking and handling from the POS Avon/Dunlop touring tire combo that was on the bike when I bought it. The Pirellis had great grip in the wet and dry, and improved turn-in dramatically.

On the GS now that it has radials: Michelin Pilot Powers
On the GSXR 750: Michelin Pilot Powers

Fantastic tires, unbelievable grip and super stable in the corners. Stickier than bubblegum stuck to a Las Vegas sidewalk in July. Good wearing too, the GSXR has 6000 miles on a set of the PPs and have just hit the wear bar on the rear, the front has another 1000-3000 miles to go.

[Grandpa]

The Dunlop 491 Elite II is being discontinued, unfortunately -- great tire. Sticky and wears like iron. You may still find stocks of these for a few more months. It's being replaced with the Elite III (also an excellent, long-wearing and great handling tire), but they don't make an Elite III in 130/90-17 (MT90-17).

Thanks for the tip, bwringer. I'd seen it elsewhere on this forum, but it now hit me that I'd better get my next 17-in rear Elite II soon. I just installed the stock 16-in wheel on the GK, with an Elite II on it.

Just saw one on eBay.

[Planecrazy]

LOVE the Pirelli Sport Demons -- they completely transformed my 1100G for the better when I pulled the "rock hard" Dunlop 491's off it (they were badly in need of replacement despite having plenty of tread left).

I have the pleasure of riding with Brian (BWringer) several times a year, and respect his experience and opinion where it comes to equipment I haven't used. In the future I might give the Avons a try, but generally I stick with products I've had good experiences with. Where it pertains to tires, I don't mind spending extra for a quality product like the Pirellis ... in my estimation, it's VERY cheap insurance. After all, there is no more important component of ANY motorcycle than the tires...

Regards,

[Clone]

Avon AM51 & AM52. About halfway through the rear after about 5000Km.