Trail Wings

[alexw]

WHat's the concensus on the Bridgestone Trail Wings? Riding to work today and for the first time at has been very wet, the first time really since I have hada the 1200GS. Round the corner I go and wehey I felt the front end slide away just for a moment. Once I pulled the seat material out of my arse I tried again and both tyres felt that they were sliding, not a good feeling Has anyone else had this on these tyres?

Cheers,

Alex ......

 

[Coolcarbon]

Had them as OE when I bought the bike, they seemed fine...both wet and dry..

 

[John Armstrong]

Ok in the dry, but I didn't like the "feel" in the wet.

 

[alexw]

When you say you didn't like the feel, could you elaborate. It actually felt like I was riding on knobbly's, that's what I felt this morning in the wet.

 

[Big Lee]

Could`ve been a little oil/ diesel on the road or some slipperyness when the rain hasn`t washed the road after the dry spell?
Still doesn`t inspire confidence!

 

[alexw]

Anybody got any experience with the Avon Distanzia's?

 

[Britishbeefy]

Recently changed my TWs for Tourances. Didn't like the TWs at all in the wet, every ride felt like my early experiences of riding a GS400 on spindly hard things, no confidence at all. And they were pretty hopeless on a slightly muddy field as well, so I'm not totally sure what the point of them is.

 

[Mouse]

Trail Wings - they don't call them "death wings" for nothing! Personalyl I liked the Dunlop D607 on the GS.

 

[alexw]

Recently changed my TWs for Tourances. Didn't like the TWs at all in the wet, every ride felt like my early experiences of riding a GS400 on spindly hard things, no confidence at all. And they were pretty hopeless on a slightly muddy field as well, so I'm not totally sure what the point of them is.

Have to agree with them being shite offroad, I was in a camping site trying to move off and they took all their time to grip. Aren't the D607's more on the road tyre?

 

[Shep]

Trail Wings - they don't call them "death wings" for nothing! Personalyl I liked the Dunlop D607 on the GS.

Got to agree with Mouse, Trail Wings are about the only tyre I wouldn't have back on a 12GS, just wait until they get a bit of wear on them I found them very unstable when worn and unable to hold a line in fast corners even at their best. And they're crap in the wet, as you have found out

It TrailWings are all you've had on your bike then you are in for a real treat if you change them to a better tyre (d607, anakee's, tourance, 020's, Battlewings all have their supporters on here)

Shep

 

[alexw]

I like them when it's dry, I feel very confident about getting the bike right over. However In the wet it is a very different ball game, you could try i think but it might not be good for the health. The trouble is I have a lot of tyre left, but I don't want to sacrifice my safety for a tyre that does not instill confidence.

 

[Neil W]

I had two sets of Distanzias on my 1150 (they were obtained v cheap) , they seemd ok at first but went off quite quickly and were never very confidence inspiring in the wet. Go for Michelin Road Pilots or Bridgestone BT20's if you use the bike solely on road.

 

[Shep]

Knowing what I know now, i would change them asap, but i also appreciate reluctance to change tyres with a few miles left on them, choice is yours.

I have Battlewings fitted at the moment and i like them alot, but they also got a sort of thumbs down on that tyre test in 'bike' mag, so who knows.

Perhaps i'll try Tourances next, a lot of the "old" boys on here like them

Shep

 

[alexw]

The trouble is that I plan to do more offroad stuff, not too extreme pretty mucj green laning stuff. I would however like a tyre that is a lot more capable than what I have at present. I have heard that Battlewings are good but it is like everybody says ,horses for courses.

 

[Shep]

The trouble is that I plan to do more offroad stuff, not too extreme pretty mucj green laning stuff. I would however like a tyre that is a lot more capable than what I have at present. I have heard that Battlewings are good but it is like everybody says ,horses for courses.

TKC's on a spare pair of wheels then

Save up them pennies

Shep

 

[alexw]

I did think of that until I started pricing a set of spoke wheels, once I picked myself up from the floor I decide against it. Maybe later when I have spare cash oozing out of my rear end.

 

[John Armstrong]

Why not remove the death wings and put some Tourances on. Then if / when you sell the bike, put the teflon tyres back on. New owner will be happy as they've got almost new tyres on the bike.

Won't work on someone who knows which tyres go with the GS though

 

[Schtum]

The trouble is that I plan to do more offroad stuff, not too extreme pretty mucj green laning stuff. I would however like a tyre that is a lot more capable than what I have at present. I have heard that Battlewings are good but it is like everybody says ,horses for courses.

You'll forgive me for wondering whereabouts in Scotland you're going to do this "green laning", Alex...? You are aware that the opportunities for riding off road in Scotland are pretty limited? We don't have any RUPPS or BOATS.

As for the Trailwings, I had them on the my GS from new and I rode through the depths of the slippery Scottish winter on them. They were a bit less planted than subsequent Tourances but I quite enjoyed that. Also as they wore out there was a period towards the very end where they were absolutely superb in the dry. However, if you really can't get on with them, swap them out for a pair of Tourances.

 

[AndyT]

WHat's the concensus on the Bridgestone Trail Wings? Riding to work today and for the first time at has been very wet, the first time really since I have hada the 1200GS. Round the corner I go and wehey I felt the front end slide away just for a moment. Once I pulled the seat material out of my arse I tried again and both tyres felt that they were sliding, not a good feeling Has anyone else had this on these tyres?

Cheers,

Alex ......

I had them on my 1200GS and hated them. Just as you described kept sliding out in the wet. I much prefer the Metzler Tourance and they last longer too