Mouse
Registered user
Gipsy said:
Does it matter though? The next rating down (V? I forget) is fine for the alleged 130mph top speed of the 1200GS. And if you never go above 100 (I don't, honest) you can fit "Q" rated tyres, should you need to.
Bridgestone 020 tyre pressures
- Thread starter Gipsy
- Start date
Does it matter though? The next rating down (V? I forget) is fine for the alleged 130mph top speed of the 1200GS. And if you never go above 100 (I don't, honest) you can fit "Q" rated tyres, should you need to.
Mouse said:
Yes! Well, legally, anyway. A vehicle must be fitted with tyres rated for the maximum speed that the vehicle is capable of reaching, not the maximum speed that the driver/rider has imposed on himself. And the GS will reach an indicated speed in excess of 130mph - not sure how accurate the speedo is and BM don't help by quoting the top speed as "in excess of 200kph". Hedging their bets, probably. What do magazine road tests say?
You could fail an MoT for having tyres with an incorrect speed rating but:
1) no 1200's have been MoT'd yet
2) afaik no MoT testers actually check speed ratings - it's not part of the test
3) even if the above wasn't true, how would the tester know what rating you're supposed to have?
But since the tyre is the only contact you have with the road you'd be mad to cut corners.
Didn't I read somewhere that someone who'd fitted TKC's got pulled because the tyres weren't rated for the bike? Think it was on an 1150 Adv....
I've now done about 100 miles on the 020's and they've transformed the bike. But maybe that's not entirely fair because the Dunlops weren't balanced (see separate thread) and I also changed to Renthal bars (999 McGrath bend) which change the riding position considerably (for the better - it's like a different bike) - changing lots at once kind of clouds the picture.
But now I love my bike! I have reached the edge of the rear tyre, though, and nothing's touched down (right hand side, local roundabout) - either the 020's have a different profile or.......not sure, but I'd expected to have the footrest touch down before I ran out of tyre - some warning would have been nice
Maybe it's because I have the rear preload fairly high and this improves ground clearance enough to keep the footrests away from the tarmac. Anyway, the bike's brilliant on 020's - highly recommended.
But now I love my bike! I have reached the edge of the rear tyre, though, and nothing's touched down (right hand side, local roundabout) - either the 020's have a different profile or.......not sure, but I'd expected to have the footrest touch down before I ran out of tyre - some warning would have been nice
Maybe it's because I have the rear preload fairly high and this improves ground clearance enough to keep the footrests away from the tarmac. Anyway, the bike's brilliant on 020's - highly recommended.Stu-13
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Thanks for the mini review of the 020’s. I can see a trip to FWR to pick up a set for the warmer months ahead. Not sure how to get the old D607’s back home, they have only got 1,800 miles on them. What’s the best way to get them back on a bike?
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I've now done 2500 miles on my first set of 020's now and am very pleased
with them indeed. The 607's were going to be hard to beat but now I'm used to the Bridgestones they are in a different league.
Most of the above mileage has been done at three figure speeds on M-Way's, and fully loaded. There is very little sign yet of any squaring off and I fully reckon them to get me back to the UK in a legal state (total trip should be approx 6000 miles) which given the bikes weight, speeds and M-Way use is, I think, very impressive.
The biggest difference I have noticed over the 020's is (apart from as Sprogy says, getting to the edge of the rear tyre rather easily
) the superb high speed stability, it's as if the bike is on rails.
I still find them a bit harder to tip into a turn but once over they are very accurate and precise - I loikes them
Andres
with them indeed. The 607's were going to be hard to beat but now I'm used to the Bridgestones they are in a different league.
Most of the above mileage has been done at three figure speeds on M-Way's, and fully loaded. There is very little sign yet of any squaring off and I fully reckon them to get me back to the UK in a legal state (total trip should be approx 6000 miles) which given the bikes weight, speeds and M-Way use is, I think, very impressive.
The biggest difference I have noticed over the 020's is (apart from as Sprogy says, getting to the edge of the rear tyre rather easily
) the superb high speed stability, it's as if the bike is on rails.I still find them a bit harder to tip into a turn but once over they are very accurate and precise - I loikes them
Andres
Gipsy said:
If you remove the small black plastic body side panel below the fuel tank on the LHS where your knee usually sits, it has a sticker on its underside with all the tyre sizes and pressure combinations for one up/two up/ luggage. Hope this helps.
Mouse
Registered user
sproggy said:
Sort of half agree with you there. Obviously you shouldn't run a tyre that's totaly unsuitable for the purpose, but I'd personally be totally comfortable with a tyre that's rated to (say) 100mph because I would deliberately not ride faster than that.
I think what you remember is someone's bike failing the SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) test because it had TKCs fitted, which are not rated for the top speed of the bike. But it's totally legal to use a tyre rated at a lower speed. Otherwise "space saver" spare wheels for cars wouldn't be legal.
Companies like BMW have to be very aware of potential liability, I don't think they'd fit TKCs as standard if there was the slightest possibility of it making them liable for some damages.
