Another Tire Thread

[petemac]

Whats up guys, just to let you no i did do a search before creating a new thread but i was getting to confused so decided to make my own 


I recently acquired a 89 CB-1 for FREE!!!! yes, i no i got lucky.. My dads friend just wanted it out of his garage so i took it. This bike is in MINT condition. It would not stay running so i took it to a friend who cleaned the carbs and now the bike runs and looks flawless.

Only thing that is needed now is some new tires the ones on the bike r dry rotted..

 Couple questions... What size is the stock rear/front tire? Should i stay with the stock size? What do u feel is the best tire for the buck? not looking to be cheap but i dont necessarily need the absolute best tire but if they arent that expensive then i might just get them.. Also which site do u order your tires from?


ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!!!! 

[a_morti]

Hi,
Lucky You!!

Stock is 110/70/17 front and 140/70/17 rear. It's best to stick with those sizes though you can go up one to 150 on the rear.

In Europe best bang for the buck by a very long distance is Bridgestone's venerable BT45. I assume you can buy it in North America? I wouldn't fit anything else unless you need lots of grip. Expect a good 10-12k miles on the pair before they are worn out.

DO NOT fit Avon roadriders. Slightly cheaper than the Bridgestones but absolute garbage to ride on wet or dry.

I would generally recommend getting the tyres from your local bike tyre fitter. Send the business his way and he might remember you next time you need a puncture fixing. At the least you can help ensure he is still there next time you need tyres fitted.

[petemac]

Thank you sir!! will be ordering them today 

[CB1 in SF]

Michelin Pilot Road 2, since you asked

You should find some good deals now that the Pilot Road 3 is out.

[a_morti]

Michelin Pilot Road 2, since you asked

You should find some good deals now that the Pilot Road 3 is out.

Excellent tyres but not cheap and require you to fit a 150 rear.

[CB1 in SF]

I think with the Road 3's out the Road 2's are much more reasonable.  I got mine for $260 per set.  A set of V rated BT-45's was around $200 at the time (H rated may be cheaper).  YMMV, deals vary from vendor to vendor.

[CB1 in SF]

Yeah, the 150 rear is interesting.  It is taller than the stock so for you guys with your countershaft speedo's it'll screw up the reading a bit.  Also it's just tall enough that the back tire no longer spins freely on the center stand.

[petemac]

the site i went to had the bridgestones but they were out of stock on the front tire.. They were the H rated ones. Do u think these will be alrite?

[a_morti]

the site i went to had the bridgestones but they were out of stock on the front tire.. They were the H rated ones. Do u think these will be alrite?

H rated is safe for sustained speeds of 130mph.
V rated is safe for sustained speeds of 149mph.

Unless you've done some serious tuning, H will do, you won't get any benefit using V.

[clarkdw]

I tried a set of pirelli diablos last time in the 150/60 size and I will never again go with the larger size. The 150 rear needs a wider rim. As it wears the transition from straight to turning starts to feel strange due to the squaring off of the tread. Leaning over it feels like the bike is on square tires. I am now using Bridgestone BT003's in the original 140/70 rear profile. (basically a DOT race tire) The bike feels much nicer turning in. I think the BT-45 in the original 140/70 rear, 110/70 front really can't be beat as a general street tire if you are putting on any amount of mileage.

My tires will not wear out but will go hard with age as any tire does after about three or four years so the softer compound is my choice.

[petemac]

the site i went to had the bridgestones but they were out of stock on the front tire.. They were the H rated ones. Do u think these will be alrite?

H rated is safe for sustained speeds of 130mph.
V rated is safe for sustained speeds of 149mph.

Unless you've done some serious tuning, H will do, you won't get any benefit using V.

Dont plan on ever hitting 130 so i think ill be fine with the H ....Thanks for the info!!

[petemac]

I tried a set of pirelli diablos last time in the 150/60 size and I will never again go with the larger size. The 150 rear needs a wider rim. As it wears the transition from straight to turning starts to feel strange due to the squaring off of the tread. Leaning over it feels like the bike is on square tires. I am now using Bridgestone BT003's in the original 140/70 rear profile. (basically a DOT race tire) The bike feels much nicer turning in. I think the BT-45 in the original 140/70 rear, 110/70 front really can't be beat as a general street tire if you are putting on any amount of mileage.

My tires will not wear out but will go hard with age as any tire does after about three or four years so the softer compound is my choice.

i was thinking of going with a wider tire but after what you just wrote i have decided not to. Thanks for letting me no this before i purchased the tires.Any good sites u recommend for tires?

[91cb-1]

If you are going to upgrade your tyre on the rear to a 150, make sure it is a 150/60 this way you keep the same hight but get a bit more grip side to side the only thing is that your tyre is more round than the standard 140/70's, sorry it bugs me that people would put a 150/70 on the rear when they are more difficult to get than 150/60. as for michellin pilots, they come in a 140/70 rear how ever i have used them beside the avons and bt45's all tyres same profile. Avon: pile of shit, Michellin: good sticky don't last as long as avon or bt45. BT45's best bang for your buck don't last as long as Avon but that's because Avon use a hard compound rubber all over, giving longer durabilty but dire grip wet or dry. Pirrelli have just released a strada angel and deamon in a 140/70 they're a bit more expensive than the bt45's but are garunteed to last longer and i've a friend ended up with a head injury because his strada's gripped so hard on a wet white line. he went head over heels into a car the bike did a flip. and it was a WET morning that morning.

[CB1 in SF]

sorry it bugs me that people would put a 150/70 on the rear when they are more difficult to get than 150/60.

Michelin Pilot Road 2
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad2

Pirelli Angel ST
http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/motorcycle/sheet/angel_st.html

Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interact
http://www.metzelermoto.com/web/catalog/moto/moto_catalogo_schedaDescription.page?categoria=/catalog/moto/sport_touring/none&vehicleType=MOTO&product_id=883909&uri=/metzeler/en_IT/browser/xml/catalog/moto/RoadtecZ8_Interact.xml&menu_item=/products/catalog/sport_touring

Dunlop Roadsmart
http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=101

Bridgestone Battlax BT-023
http://www.bridgestone.com/products/motorcycle_tires/products/battlax/bt023.html

5 of the best sport touring tires on the market, please tell me which one comes in 150/60.

Sorry, bugs me when people refuse to admit that modern tire technology has progressed beyond the original design of these bikes.

[a_morti]

Tyre design has come on a very long way since 1989 - of course it has. Especially in radial tyres; anyone on supersports rubber of 1989 would cream their pants at the grip of a lowly sport-touring tyre from this year's range.

However it hasn't come on much at all in the last 10 years for smaller bikes with narrower tyres. I thought it might have so I tried the Avons and they were the worst tyre I have ever used.

If you want to use more modern tyres, you would be well-advised to update to wider rims. Other than that BT45's are the mileage tyre king until you want trackday grip.

ps. I think you will be surprised (91cb1) to find that 150/60-17 almost is impossible to find except in supermoto tyres. 150/70-17 is much easier to get. Type the two sizes into an ebay search, and see what comes up.