From 101475.671@CompuServe.COM Tue Jan 28 12:06:51 1997 Date: 28 Jan 97 14:33:12 EST From: Steve Lythgoe <101475.671@CompuServe.COM> To: GTS1000 mailing list Subject: Re: Front tire wobble! Hi Mike! >front tire wobble at 50-40mph on deceleration that we all have had they took it up with Yamaha. Yamaha claims that it is due to not running OEM tires. I pointed out that I have run OEM tires in the past and that the problem is there after the first tire change.< I wish I had a pound (or a dollar) for every bike that this happened to! I will follow your progress and commentary on this eagerly. I guess it would be interesting to get hold of a new/fairly new original equipment tyre that was shipped on a GTS and try it on a higher mileage example? FWIW I thought you might be interested to see the latest (January 1997) listing of what's officially recommended for the GTS here in the UK. This is not to say that there are not other approved fitments in other countries (for there certainly are) and of course it is not uncommon to find a good fitment which, for whatever reason, is not approved... === Avon === 120/70 ZR17 (58W) V280 T/L AV35 Azaro 180/55 ZR17 (73W) V280 T/L AV36 Azaro (Check out the new Azaro pattern at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/steve_lythgoe/apic.htm) === Dunlop === 130/60 ZR17 T/L D202F 170/60 ZR17 T/L D202G JLB === Metzeler === 130/60 ZR17 TLO ME Z1 Front 170/60 ZR17 TLO ME Z2 120/70 ZR17 TLO ME Z1 Front * 170/60 ZR17 (72W) TLO ME Z1 * Racing version can be substituted for standard compound version 120/70 ZR17 TLO ME Z2 Front 170/60 ZR17 TLO ME Z2 === Michelin === 130/60 ZR17 TLO Macadam 90X 170/60 ZR17 TLO Macadam 90X 120/70 ZR17 TLO Macadam 90X 180/55 ZR17 TLO Macadam 90X 130/60 ZR17 TLO TX11 Hi-Sport 170/60 ZR17 TLO TX25 Hi-Sport 120/70 ZR17 TLO TX15 Hi-Sport * 180/55 ZR17 TLO TX25 Hi-Sport * * Other possible combinations - Race/Std, Race 3/Std, any Race or Race 3 front with any Race or Race 2 or Race 3 rear === Pirelli === 130/60 ZR17 TLO MTR03 Dragon GT 170/60 ZR17 TLO MTR04 Dragon GT Best regards... Steve Lythgoe Steve Lythgoe - Sharples Tyres, Bolton, UK - 101475.671@compuserve.com ### http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Steve_Lythgoe/homepage.htm ### Please be patient with our pages our leased line is on order... ### ### Online motorcycle tyre fitment database and more motorcycle tyre information ### than you can shake a Kawasaki triple at coming soon to a VDU near you ------------------------------------ I'm running the BT50's also (in120/70 180/55). I really like the tires, but the wobble is probably the worse it has been with any tire. Tom Ruggles ------------------------------------ Subject: RE: Tire recommendations >In browsing German internet sites, I have seen recommendations >for using a 120/70 ZR 17 on the front (instead of the original equipment >130 section tire) and a 180/55 ZR 17 (vice the original 170/60) on the rear. Absolutely! We spoken about this issue several times here and most comments can be found at our mail list archive http://www.moto.net/archives/GTS1000. In short, 120/70 front is a necessity, while the rear can be 180/55 or 170/60. 38 psi front and 40 rear is also important. Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC ------------------------------- D. Sampson wrote: > In browsing German internet sites, I have seen recommendations for using > a 120/70 ZR 17 on the front (instead of the original equipment 130 > section tire) and a 180/55 ZR 17 (vice the original 170/60) on the rear. > I would be interested to hear of any experiences with these alternate > sizes. Hi GTSers ! I bought my GTS second hand 13 months ago and it was equiped with the above configuration (120/70 + 180/55). I had to change both tires 5 months ago and I turned back to stock sizes (130 + 170). I personnaly noticed no real changes and I've done 12000 Km since I have the bike. ------------------------------- i am currently running bridgestone bt57 on the rear in a 185-55-17. it sticks very well and gets decent milage. on the front i have a 120-70-17 in a bt56 which is a softer compound. it also sticks very well and helps the bike to turn in easier than the stock 130-60. what i have found is that with the bridgestones i dont get the front end shimmy on deceleration at 45-50mph that i experienced with the metzlers. in checking with the specs of the bridgestone 185 it does sit a little lower than the 170-60 so with this pirticular tire the back sits a littler lower than stock. each manufacture has different specs for their tires ,they are not all the same. hope this helps. bob johnson ---------------------------------- Almost all riders have jumped to the narrower front (120) A majority have gone to the wider rear (180) The front tire makes a hugh difference with most riders saying "it makes the bike feel 25 pounds lighter" or (thanks Kevin H......Dump those stock Dunlops at the dealer before you pick up the bike! (true true!)) The main difference between the 170/180 rear was best explained to an in-experience GTS rider like me by Joerg in Germany (others confirm deny?). He said it this way "the 170 is narrower and flatter so the bike rolls easier and points more easily with less pressure in the turns (keep in mind he has ample opportunity to ride legally at well over 100MPH). The 180 has (my explaination based on Joerg's input) a "ridge or edge" that you have to get over as such you find yourself pushing the bike into/onto the edge of the tire (I like the feel of that immediate feedback because I haven't had the opportunity to take the drivers courses...maybe next year at Watkins Glenn... I went with the 180/120 combination about 4 weeks ago. You will be amazed. The other suggestion is changing the front steering head bearings too. These two improvements make the bike seem like a new beast. ----------------------------------- I'm now using the 120/70 front and (stock size) 170/60 rear. I wore out the stock (crappy) tires, then went through two rears at 180/55, with one 120/70 front. I like the 120/70 and 170/60 combination best so far. It makes the bike feel lighter and more responsive than stock. It does feel more like stock than the 180/55 rear, in that the bike hesitates slightly at the first pressure to turn, then responds quickly. Tom Ruggles --------------------------- Stock Dunlop D202's(130/60 Front, 170/60 Rear): Disregard the alarmist messages in the manuals and replace them as soon as you can. Grades: Traction -- C; Handling -- D- ; Tread wear -- C-; Price -- Doesn't matter get 'em off the GTS!(F) Overall D- Metzler ME-Z1 130/60 Front with 170/60 Rear: Great balance of treadwear and traction! Narrower front works better. 130/60 ME-Z1f: Traction -- A; Handling -- A-; Tread wear -- B-; Price -- B; Overall -- B+ 120/70 ME-Z1 front with 170/55 ME-Z1R (racing compound) WOWWW!!! FAST transition handling and ungodly grip! Excellent overall handling. 120/70 ME-Z1 front: Traction A;Handling A+; Tread wear -- B; Price -- B; Overall -- A 170/55 Racing Rear: Traction -- A+with honors(Dean's List); Tread wear C- (but who cares?); Price C(varies wildly at the track) Overall B (Not the wisest tire choice, but certainly one of the most fun!) 120/70 BT-57 front with 180/55 BT-57 rear. Very good overall handling, but not quite neutral in a steady-state turn. 120/70 BT-57 front : Traction A-; Handling A-; Treadwear A-; Price B; Overall -- B+ 180/55 BT-57 rear: Traction A; Handling B-; Treadwear A-; Price B; Overall -- B+ Some more opinions: 120/70 is the way to go on the front. Transitional handling improves *dramatically* with the narrower front. 170/60 seems to be the right shape for good steady-state handling. 180/55 looks cool, and has plenty of stick, but seems to need a little maintenance in the sweepers. The GTS is *very* sensitive to tire pressure(long wheel base + steep geometry = finicky?). Try increasing your tire pressures from the recommended pressures. I play with my tire pressures until I like the handling for a given tire and conditions, but I tend to run 37-38psi in the front and 42-43psi in the rear. At these pressures and with the 120/70 front, it feels like a much smaller bike. Over time, riding in the city, your tires will flatten out in the middle. Don't whine about the handling. -- Go carve 'em down in the hills! Your bike will thank you unless you happen on a rabid bob-cat. Don McClellan --------------------------------