GS 1250 Tyre Question

[Steve Bass]

Question for the GS1250 owners here....

Tyre pressures. Manual states 2.5F & 2.9R but tbh I'm struggling with feel in the rear.
Feeling is grainy and shimmery and just doesn't feel keyed to the road.
Tyres are the Bridgestone Battlax Adventures
Bike is a non A model, no heavy luggage etc and circa 1300kms on the clock.
Thoughts??

[TT1138]

For what it’s worth, have you considered that it might be the tyres?

Just from personal experience of their sports touring tyres I’ve always hated Bridgestones, they feel very ‘numb’ on the road.

My 850GS has the pressures as yours but on Michelins, and feedback to the rider as to what the tyres are doing is excellent.

[trickywoo]

Try the same front and back. 36 psi is a pretty common choice on other types of bike.

It’s not going to do any harm.

[Blippy]

I've always run those pressures on my two LC GSs, but only ever had Michelin Anakees (III or Adventure).

Never felt anything other than totally planted on the road.

[spareparts]

Steve Bass said:

Question for the GS1250 owners here....

Tyre pressures. Manual states 2.5F & 2.9R but tbh I'm struggling with feel in the rear.
Feeling is grainy and shimmery and just doesn't feel keyed to the road.
Tyres are the Bridgestone Battlax Adventures
Bike is a non A model, no heavy luggage etc and circa 1300kms on the clock.
Thoughts??

Steve,
I run 34-36f and 40-42r. So standard or slightly lower - especially on the rear. At 42, some tyres do feel skittish and dropping to 40 helps them key in. The GS is surprisingly sensitive to different tyres, and there is huge variety. Most performant on tarmac is Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2s (sticky and best for feel), Conti Trail Attack 3 (common favourite for all round), or Mich PR5 (most sticky and typical Michelin pointy turning but a bit numb imho).

I haven't heard a single good thing about Bridgestones for the GS and ChipChap struggled with them on our last trip as they wore unevenly and were just crap. We swapped bikes and I found the rear sliding way too early. Avoid the A41 imho.

I'm currently running Karoo Streets which are pretty good for 30 gravel and 70 tarmac, but deafeningly noisy. Good enough to scrape the pegs tho on tarmac... M&S rated too.

[Steve Bass]

spareparts said:

Steve,
I run 34-36f and 40-42r. So standard or slightly lower - especially on the rear. At 42, some tyres do feel skittish and dropping to 40 helps them key in. The GS is surprisingly sensitive to different tyres, and there is huge variety. Most performant on tarmac is Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2s (sticky and best for feel), Conti Trail Attack 3 (common favourite for all round), or Mich PR5 (most sticky and typical Michelin pointy turning but a bit numb imho).

I haven't heard a single good thing about Bridgestones for the GS and ChipChap struggled with them on our last trip as they wore unevenly and were just crap. We swapped bikes and I found the rear sliding way too early. Avoid the A41 imho.

I'm currently running Karoo Streets which are pretty good for 30 gravel and 70 tarmac, but deafeningly noisy. Good enough to scrape the pegs tho on tarmac... M&S rated too.

Ade,

Thanks for your help. I recall you posted about the tyres but thanks to the PH wondersearch system I couldn't find it.
So regards the Bridgestones, I just am not enjoying the ride but didn't think modern tyres could be so sketchy. Tip in is fine but through the corner and on the gas leaning over, I swear that the rear is sliding. Not big and leery enough to get the TC stepping in but definitely detectable by my backside. And it's not consistent so you can't even play with it. I've been up and down with the pressures to no avail, just feels awful. And this was from the box. Initially I thought it was just the tyres needing to bed in but I've given them a good workout through some local twisties and they don't seem to generate much carcass heat. Ive switched the auto suspension off to make sure it's not that. And I'm riding in 30 degree air temps so hot road temps which you would think would heat the carcass up nicely. But whatever I've done, the rear just feels awful at anything more than 100kph in a faster corner.
But at least it seems to be a consistent complaint with the Battlax's.

What is it with OEM fitment tyres....

Edited by Steve Bass on Thursday 19th November 05:52

[spareparts]

Steve Bass said:

Ade,

Thanks for your help. I recall you posted about the tyres but thanks to the PH wondersearch system I couldn't find it.
So regards the Bridgestones, I just am not enjoying the ride but didn't think modern tyres could be so sketchy. Tip in is fine but through the corner and on the gas leaning over, I swear that the rear is sliding. Not big and leery enough to get the TC stepping in but definitely detectable by my backside. And it's not consistent so you can't even play with it. I've been up and down with the pressures to no avail, just feels awful. And this was from the box. Initially I thought it was just the tyres needing to bed in but I've given them a good workout through some local twisties and they don't seem to generate much carcass heat. Ive switched the auto suspension off to make sure it's not that. And I'm riding in 30 degree air temps so hot road temps which you would think would heat the carcass up nicely. But whatever I've done, the rear just feels awful at anything more than 100kph in a faster corner.
But at least it seems to be a consistent complaint with the Battlax's.

What is it with OEM fitment tyres....

Edited by Steve Bass on Thursday 19th November 05:52

Yep, what you describe is what ChipChap initially said to me. I thought he was just making excuses so we swapped bikes. I had a go. And he (and you) are right! Awful tyres. Felt greasy, or perhaps like when sidewalls collapse suddenly under load... not sure. Make the change, and then see how you go with the new hoops. But I wouldn't touch Bridgestones. I've had umpteen sets of PST2s, can't say enough good about them. Enjoyed the PR5s for a bit, but just don't like Michelin V-shape. Pirelli just know how to make a tyre with great feel imho, and the confidence they give you is worth whatever they lose in outright compound grip. TA3s are the current darling tho.

[Chipchap]

Steve
I had A41 Adventures on my GSA TE from new. Initially they were fine. Then on my first big trip it rained a bit and whilst the front was solid the rear was less so. Once they had miles on them they were fine.

Changed 1st set at 4000 miles and happy overall.

2and set if A41 were brilliant even in torrential rain. Swapped these early as I was going on a big trip.

3rd set were new on day of departure at around 7250 miles. Bike was freighter for a 15 day adventure.

3000 miles in and the front right was below the wear bars and was still fine under braking but was less than confidence inspiring on right turns.

Then in Montenegro the back started to misbehave. Uphill rights fully loaded at around 35 to 37 degree lean angle. 160 kph as you see your exit point and wind on the throttle the rear steps out. TC light flickers. Bum clenches tight eyes open wide !

So that was the end of me and A41 Adventures. Now got Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 on.

My tyre fitter did comment about how difficult the A41 was to fit and that it hard extremely hard side walls. That really backs up the slides as the carcass doesn't deform the footprint decreases as lean increases so you essentially ride off the edges.

Not a lot of fun on a 400kg express train fully freighter.

[Steve Bass]

Ok, so not just me being a Sally then.

As you say Al, 160k into the corner, lean and throttle to drive it out and it's like there's tiny granules between the tyre and the road. And then these sudden slides which kind of dissuade you to add lean and suddenly your corner plan is out of the window and it's all about trying to settle the bike and make the corner.
I'll probably go for the Pirelli's although Michelin used to make my favourite slick front tyre. So V shaped and pointy it was stupendous and I've never gone as quickly since they stopped being made

And silly question... anything to be aware of when discounting the GS rear wheel?? Hold it on the brake and a long tommy bar??

[spareparts]

Steve Bass said:

I'll probably go for the Pirelli's although Michelin used to make my favourite slick front tyre. So V shaped and pointy it was stupendous and I've never gone as quickly since they stopped being made

If you like V-shape pointy Michelin front tyres, you may like the Mich PR5. The PR5 sidewalls on the rear are so steep in standard 170 size that you will be peg down and still not reach the edge of the rear tyre.

[Steve Bass]

spareparts said:

If you like V-shape pointy Michelin front tyres, you may like the Mich PR5. The PR5 sidewalls on the rear are so steep in standard 170 size that you will be peg down and still not reach the edge of the rear tyre.

I'll look into it