03 EX500 Tire Selection, Help my wife

[djltoronto]

Found the link to the bias tire comparison - it was from Bike magazine in 2008. It can be found at http://www.ex-500.com/wiki/index.php/Tire_Comparison

You may find it useful.

I posted that in post #6.

[fugue]

I posted that in post #6.

Well, lookee... there it is. I must be blind. Oops!

Edit: btw... took a couple rides on the ex w/ am26's and they feel nice. Way better than the stock exedra's, and that's just from the scrub-in ride. Will see how they work the rest of this season.

[djltoronto]

Well, lookee... there it is. I must be blind. Oops!

Edit: btw... took a couple rides on the ex w/ am26's and they feel nice. Way better than the stock exedra's, and that's just from the scrub-in ride. Will see how they work the rest of this season.

I mounted up the AM26's on my GF's bike this weekend and went for a quickie.
All good so far. She likes them.


Better/more detailed results in a few months.

[djltoronto]

The "scallops" are not from the tire, but the front suspension, the rebound is off.

Bridgestone mentions nothing of this in their reply below, and I specifically asked if it could be related to a suspension issue.

I've had experience w/ the BT45s cupping also, but still managed to get 15000 km out of a front regardless. Like Franko! mentioned, it's likely a suspension issue, but most bikes that run bias tires will also have damper rod forks (non adjustable), so it's not like it's an easily fixed problem.

Bridgestone essential says it's not a suspension issue (though they did not say that directly).

I tend to think the scallops are caused by the tire exclusively, and not the suspension at all.
The video you linked hardly talks about scallops.

From - http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html

Bridgestone seems to agree with this

...but then, you'd tend to be wrong.

Bridgestone themselves says he's right!




After emailing Bridgestone directly and asking why the cupping - including the same pics I posted here...


My exact wording

My girlfriend has a 2007 Suzuki GS500f.
Came equipped with BT-45's and we have since bought a second set of BT-45's

The problem is, the front tire scallops (cupped) pretty badly - 2 sets of tires now - exact same results.
The problem only exists off center (the center track of the tire is still smooth, but the part of the tire used for cornering is cupped/scalloped).


Is this cupping/scalloping a sign that:

• Something is wrong with suspension?
• Something wrong with the tire?
• Normal for this tire?

I've attached some pictures.
It's only the front tire that exhibits this! - the rear tire just get's squared off which I'm sure is normal.

Any info you have regarding this would be greatly appreciated.

And their response.

Mr. djltoronto (edited for privacy)

Some irregular wear on a motorcycle tire is typical. You can’t rotate tires like you can on your car to help prevent the irregular wear. The reason you get cupping just off of center is because that is the edge of the contact area, which tends to slip as the tire moves through the footprint. The best way to minimize the irregular wear is to keep up with your tire pressure. It should be checked at least once a week. You can also run a little bit higher that the Suzuki recommended pressure (up to 41psi max) to make the tire stiffer.

Thanks,
Adam Kaempf
Sales Engineering Manager - Consumer Products
Quality Division: Voice of the Customer
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations

And a picture, just for the hell of it - taken hours before I swaped the BT-45's for the Avon AM 26 Roadriders

[skapan]

+1 for tire pressure. Cupping is greatly reduced if proper pressure is maintained. At least half the bikes I see have front pressures 5 pounds or more less than they should be - and this is a simple check that will extend tire life. The rear is not as bad as the tire is a lot larger, but still should be ckecked regularly. Tire design is another variable, if you choose a tire like Metzeler that does not have tread blocks it will not wear in the same manner.

[just_luc]

ive been very happy with the bt-021's that came stock on my 650r, i hear the bt-023's are supposed to be even better.. and then everyone seems to have good things to say pr2's/pr3's...

havent quite decided what im doing yet, but the bt-021's should take me to the end if the season anyway..

[djltoronto]

+1 for tire pressure. Cupping is greatly reduced if proper pressure is maintained. At least half the bikes I see have front pressures 5 pounds or more less than they should be - and this is a simple check that will extend tire life. The rear is not as bad as the tire is a lot larger, but still should be ckecked regularly. Tire design is another variable, if you choose a tire like Metzeler that does not have tread blocks it will not wear in the same manner.

But - define proper?
My GF rides street only, and uses the Suzuki recommended pressures. (I realize that trackday riders use pressures recommended by the tire MFG, but surely for street commuting on a GS500f, the Suzuki recommended pressures can't be considered wrong, can they?

She checks her tire pressure at least weekly, and rarely needs to add. Tires have never been below 2 lbs of suzuki spec (I think it's 36 rear and 33 front - listed on the sticker in the headstock - by the V.I.N.).

[djltoronto]

ive been very happy with the bt-021's that came stock on my 650r, i hear the bt-023's are supposed to be even better.. and then everyone seems to have good things to say pr2's/pr3's...

havent quite decided what im doing yet, but the bt-021's should take me to the end if the season anyway..

Are any of those tires avail in the sizes that fit an EX500 or GS500?

[just_luc]

Are any of those tires avail in the sizes that fit an EX500 or GS500?

No idea sorry,

i assume the bridgestone and micheline websites would have sizes..

[RetroGrouch]

Wow, those prices are low.

[djltoronto]

No idea sorry,

i assume the bridgestone and micheline websites would have sizes..

What I meant to say was - none of those tires belong in this thread - they don't make sizes that fit the bike(s) in question.