Tyres for SO Italian bikes.

What's good and sticky these days in the old Italian standard sizes,
100/90-18 and 110/90-18 or 120/80-18, H or V rated?

 

Tubed or Tubeless? I have used Maxis with a tube in my Guzzis and they are
excellent. I used to use Pirelli Phantoms or BT45 but the Maxis seem just as
good wet or dry.

JB

 

Continental TKV11 &TKV12 would get my vote?

 

Tubed. It has BT35F/BT45R currently, which seem OK.

 

I've got a conti supertwin on the SOBoxer, seems a good tyre. Conti Blitz
on the front.

 

I've not tried the supertwin, but the Blitz id as hard as rock

 

Gyp says...

I had those years ago on a GSX750EFE, they were of limited use back in
the late 80s.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

Yep. Contis were the only tire that ever scared me on my KZ750E2.
Ditched them immediately for a Metzeler ME33/ME99A combo.

 

I'm surprised. Agreed the Conti TK tyres are scary, but I've never had
any problems with the TKVs

 

Gyp says...

I hated them when I had the GSX, which was 1987 and I can't for a moment
think they've got any better over the last 20 years. Move with the
times, Gyp - forget all the old shite you thought was good in its day
and buy stuff that works instead. I know this would mean throwing the
entire contents of your garage on eBay and looking at buying..shock,
horror...modern tyres etc, but you'll thank me for it, really you will.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

Oh, I'm happy to move with the times and if there's better tyres out
there I'll happily give them a try.

Thing is, having tried the Metz 33/99 combo in the past I preferred the
Contis

So if I am to move with the times what's the best in

90/90H18 & 120/90H18 (R80)
3.25H18 & 4.00H18 (R65)
100/90H19 & 130/90H16 (the other one)

?

 

It was 20 years ago so I'm a bit hazy on the odd consonant, but I do
remember they were Conti TK<mumbles> and were touted as being high
performance tires. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

Gyp says...

Honestly, for those kind of sizes and the bikes you run I'd say Maxxis.
I know they used to be called Cheng Shin, but they've had a massive
injection of money from a European company, I think it's Du Pont, and
their tyres are really quite good now.

They may be at the budget end of the market, but the Barracudas I fitted
to the CB250RS were absolutely excellent. I replaced the rear with a
cheaper and harder Hi-Max, and even though it lasted well over 10,000
miles it still gripped well enough to scrape the exhaust. The Barracudas
were astonishing in the wet.

If you still don't trust Taiwanese tyres then I'd go with Bridgestone
BT45s or similar.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

I'd agree. I've bought them, and they're remarkable VFM, and *way*
better than the Dunlops and Avons and Pirellis of the SOB era.

 

I had Cheng Shin on my Bantam, and they couldn't handle the power of
either the engine or the brakes. Bettering them would not be hard!

I like astonishing in the wet.

I'll definitely consider them, though on the Beemer I'm tempted to work
on the basis that as the Contis have not let me down in the last 18
years (the only time I've had slides was when I swapped temporarily to
Pirellis) they have my confidence, which is a very important thing as I
corner like a girl at the best of times.

Then again, perhaps if I put them on one Beemer to start with... I take
it that the Maxxis are err competitively priced?

The Dunlops on the Hardley are absolute poo though, and Bridgestone
strangely don't have a fitment for any Harleys. The Avon Venoms get a
good write up though

 

On my Moto Guzzi Bridgestone grip well but only last 4000 miles.
Metzlers grip well, are good in the wet and have so far made it past 4000
miles. Steering seems even slower though.

Contis are ok but drop off (eek) when worn out in the wet.

I have run Michelins in the past. They weren't that bad but not
impressive and cost the same as the others.

Avon Roadrunners worked ok on my old Suzuki GS550/GS750s but never had
them on anything with any power, handling ability or brakes.

 

Have to agree than Bridgestone BT45's, old tech though they are, grip
incredibly well. They are quite soft and the fronts do wear in irregular
patterns so its only 2 to 1 against rear replacements. For a SOB like my
beemer said mileage is hardly a problem.

I just put one on the front of an HD1200 Sportster, 21 inch. It was able to
perform most un-HD like manoevers!