Tyre suggestions please gents

Ok,

If anyone has noticed (or gives a shyte) I have purchased Mr Hewitt of this
parish's BMW K100RS.

(add comments, guffaws and sad notes here)

He suggests the BT45 on the front is due for replacement so I have checked
several manufacturers and links from within UK.Rec for prices.

So,
Do I stay with the 45 or would anyone out there have experience of a better
lump of doughnut shaped rubber?

Town and occasional long distance riding, all weathers, no track use (It
*is* a K100!) and I like to corner carefully and safely rather than knee
down. (Although probably quite difficult on that)

Many thanks
Happy Xmas etc


--
-
-

Robbo
1500GL 1988 Goldwing (Rebuild in process)
BMW K100 RS 1984 (Pending)
BotaFOF #19
E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003
B.O.S.M 2003
FURSWB#1 KotL
YTC449
PM#7

\= /=
\= / /=
\ \= / /=
\\\' , / //
\\\//, / //,
\_-//' / / /<,
\ /// <//`
/ >> \\\`__/
/,)-^>> _\` \\\
(/ \\ //\\
// _//\\\\
(( ((

 

Well the K100, once you've got some speed going, is no sluggard and I've
embarrassed a couple of modern bikes on my RT. Mind you that's probably
because they couldn't ride at all not because I could particularly well.
It's most definitely not a sports bike though!

But the tyres... I'm not convinced by BT45s (after 3 sets). They seem
to wear badly on my K100, both the rear and the front seem to 'rip'
where the tread blocks meet the tyres, this makes me uneasy. I don't
think the BT45 was designed for very heavy bikes (although I could be
wrong).

The Metzeller ME33/55 combo seemed better but I think this has been
discontinued and replaced by the ME550 rear.

Others have good things to say about Avon tyres; but I've never tried
these on the K.

 

I did mail you back, but your BTi server seems to not like my messages,
most of them have been bounced. You should have the second attempt by
now.

Indeed, it doesn't get knee down easily, and I never did. Likewise I
tend to corner carefully [1]. The K100 is actually fairly stable even
with the shagged tyre on it.

Of course you need to remember that the back has a matching 45 on it
too.

 

Avon Azaro ST AV45 110/80ZR18
Avon Azaro ST AV46 140/80ZR17

best tyre I have EVER used on a K .... not the cheapest but who gives a
toss they're f*cking brill!



--
Steve Parry

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

http://wrexhamseals.tripod.com

 

wrote in

There are 2 versions of the BT45. The original H rated version which is
designed for middleweight bikes like my mate's ER5 which handles really
well on them.

More recently, they introduced a V rated version in sizes to fit those
bikes that had cross ply tyres as OE. Early CBR6 and Pan Euros come to
mind. This tyre should cope with the K100.

I assume your tyre supplier provided the V rated tyre that is specified
for the K100?

 

Robbo wrote

I still have a complete(ish) set of spares for one a year or so younger
if you are interested.

 

Yup, they're the V rated ones; just checked two out of the three sets.
(third set's elsewhere now... prolly in some dodgy remould sold by
Vince).

 

The (v) BT45's on my K11 handled and gripped nicely but the front was
ripping up badly.

 

Front and rear on my K; front is worse and has been in both cases. I
think they're just too heavy.

 

My GTR is a similar weight. I had Dunlop radials on it. Never again. Got
let down ( me that is, not the tyres ) by a couple of places who were meant
to be sorting some BT45s for me.

In the end, I got some Maxxis fitted. Revelation time. Vastly more stable
than the previous Dunlops. Chicken strips reduced to a matter of a couple
of mm. Excellent in the dry, excellent in the wet and not bad in damp
conditions. So far I've put about 3,000 miles on them. The rear is squaring
off, but the front has not exhibited the cupping the Dunlops did.

I trashed the Dunlop rear in 3,000 miles. Thing I like is the lack of
'squirming' from the front when riding in a spirited fashion coupled with
predictable and progressive grip from the rear.

Overall, thus far, I'm impressed. Of course, I am a Northern Monkey, and
therefore prone to fits of pikeydom in extremis.