NOT YOUR REGULAR TIRE THREAD..... Read on

[OB_Bob Lynch]

Valkex What type of rideing do you do. I just had a rear tire blow out just under 120 mph, and I myself had to look for a new set of tires. Are you price shopping, looking for traction, or looking for mileage. What I found out from several companys might surpize you. I know it did me. First I posted the tire question several days ago and recieved some very good answers, and with that, I made my decision. But when I went to purchase, several differant tire dist brought some very important info to my atten. I'd like to share this with you. All dist techs agreed that the horse power the busa has can cause an incorrect tire to fail due to the heat, speed, and torque from the massive rear wheel hp the monster has. Suzuki has teamed up with bridgestone to make a tire just for this bike the Battleaxe BT56ZR(58w) j series. The (58w) is the weight the tire can hold with the proper tire pressure. ZR is the speed rating, the J means it's a special design for a certain make or model. Thier books require the bridgestone j because of the above factors. They said the would sell me another tire but they all highly recommended staying with what the manufacture of the bike, Suzuki, recommends. My girlfriend who works for State Farm Ins told me if they have a claim due to tire failure that caused a wreck, the adjuster will check to see if the proper tire that is required by the bike's manufacture was installed. Weather or not if they reject a claim is very unlikely. Armed with this info I went back to a proven set of tires the Battleaxe 56J for my busa. I'm not saying their might not be other tires that will work or perform better, but when several other tire dist techs highly recommends staying with a certain make, I'll listen to him.

 

[OB_KawAbuser]

Slowhand you will fiind the bike turns in much quicker and is very sure footed!!!!

 

[OB_valklex]

Staying on the subject, how do you know a tire is warm enough to ride on the twisties? What is the best/quickest way to warm them up other than a burn out? My tires never get hot to the touch, so warm is OK? Lets hear the experts!!

 

[Guest]

Quickest way is speed, the sports have raised the bar in performance rubber for the street. If your running anything else, your selling yourself short.
I cant wait to mount that 200, are they finally available now?

 

[OB_Bob Lynch]

I found what blew out my rear tire just under a 120 mph. When I went removed the tire I could hear something inside. When Suzuki removed the tire off the rim we found a razor blade from a carpenters knife inside the tire. I guess the front tire picked it up and sent it on edge straight into the rear tire. Damm my luck, this was the strangest thing that I ever seen. 201mph came by for a afternoon ride and I showed him the tire and he could not believe it either.

 

[OB_redelk]

Valklex, I had to chime in on this one. I have gone through over SIXTY front (27) and rear (35) tires in the past 38 months. I have tried tires from several diffferent manufacturers as well.

From what I gather, your looking of a longer wearing tire rather than a "sticky" perfomance tire. Is this right? As several folks have mentioned, no matter how "slow" you ride, you need a tire that can handle the power your beast has (about 40+ hp more than my "tricked out" 7R).

Keep in mind, high speed isn't the only time "grip" is important. Dodging that cage that pulls out in front of you might be a more practical example of the importance of good grip. Also, a "high milage" tire takes longer to "heat up" and provide optimum grip, than a more proframance oriented tire. These factors must play a part in your tire choices.

Another aspect to keep in mind, is that the tires are a part of your suspension. Even though the sizes might be the same (from brand to brand), different tires have different effect on your suspension and how it reacts to bumps, ripples and so on.

A certain type of tire might be perfect for your needs, but if your suspension isn't set-up to take advantage of that paticular tire, it won't "handle" worth a crap! In most cases, I sugest staying with the type and brand that came with a paticual bike.

This is a "fail safe" choice, since the bike was designed and engineered with those specific tires. If you wish to spend some time "tinkering" with your suspension settings to accomidate a different brand, please do so. BUT, if you do change brands of tires, you WILL have to adjust your suspension to take full advantage of what that brand of tire has to offer. To not do this, will short change yourself and the tire.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR QUEST!

[This message has been edited by redelk (edited 28 February 2000).]

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Yeah Bob, that's always a risk, that you get some goofball wrench doing your work who doesn't know his a s s from his elbow. My recommendation, don't ever go back there again. If you find a dealership with a decent service department, get to know a couple of the guys names (especially the service Manager), and become a regular there. You get treated better that way, because they know you'll keep coming back.

I just figure if I mount it myself, I have no way at all to balance it or really do the job right at home. Things I can do right, I do myself. I just try to know my limitations and work within them. Ride safe.

 

[OB_redelk]

On each tire, the manufacturer will put a small "balance" mark on the sidewall of the tire. For D207's, it's a small yellow "o", on one sidewall. When mounting the tire onto the rim, the mark is supposed to be in line with the valve stem. I take great care in assuring that it is PERFECTLY lined up with the rim's valve stem.

I've always used the dealer's static balancer. Honestly, it's not worth a sh-it. I "re-level" it, before I'd use it (they don't, when doing other customers' tires). I've been VERY LUCKY and really haven't needed to use any weights. There are 2 things to keep in mind about this. One, my 7R doesn't exceed speeds of 150 mph (actual, not indicated) and two, if I spent an hour (on the dealer's piece of crap) trying to static balance each tire, the would be a possible need for one of the smallest weights (.10 or .25 gram?), for a "perfect balance".

The most important thing to remember, is to line the mark up with the stem, as best a possible. This will reduce (or eliminate) the need for all lot of weight(s).

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

I had one more thought about guys who change tires on their bikes by hand, instead of having a shop do it. Do you balance the tire?

When I did that on my little Hondas in high school, I just didn't worry about it. I figured it was close enough, and I would just live with it if it was a little bit out of balance. But to have that attitude with a Busa, I'm sorry but you'd have to be a loser to be like that. Do you have a static balancer? Access to a spin-balancer? That's why I fork over the ten bucks and have them do it.

 

[OB_Bob Lynch]

Bear, Had a tire replaced at suzuki. After standing there and watch this butcher fu*k up my rim I had to step in and say something. I was asked to leave the area, and when I picked up the tire there was no weight on it. Have you ever seen a tire balance perfect, as they claimed to have? Bob

 

[OB_Johnnycheese]

that is not always the case Redelk.
If you happen to have a piece of s*** Avon
heck I put over 300 grams of weight on it still not balanced turned it 180 so dot was not with stem and balanced with 200 grams still way too much weight I never buy a Avon again.

 

[OB_Johnnycheese]

you would not beleive the amount of wheels that do not get weights I just did my friends ZX11 second tire in a row no weights.
We do not spin balance we static balance.We do it on rolling vees.
It takes more time but my busa has no wobbles or bobbles at 150 plus.

 

[OB_redelk]

I had the same problem with a 190/50 Azero! If I had put any more weights on the rim, it would have looked "polished" at a distance. Tried the "180 thing" too. No luck. The front wasn't as bad, but I didn't like the way it handled (personally). Fortunatly, a nail put the rear tire and me out of our misery after 1500 miles! I scraped the front and went back to D207's on the 7R.

 

[OB_cbxchris]

some michlens have no dot....all tires are static balanced at track for what thats worth.