Tyre advice for F650GS single

[Greger]

Don't know if anyone can answer but are the Pirelli Sport Demon a tubeless only tyre?

I have read elsewhere that you should not use a tubeless tyre with a tube due to excess heat buildup causing an issue with the tube.

I have Anakee on at the moment ( new second hand bike ) and am finding the front unsettling on some tarmac surfaces - call it skittish. I don't like it and am looking to change to a road biased tyre to help with the learning curve until I feel like going off road.

I have seen some comments about the Tourances having the same tendency to follow ruts or poor surface defects as well.

Seems an expensive hobby guessing at which tyre to get and learning by experience so if you can save me the 'what to try next' syndrome I would be very grateful.

Some feedback from the F650.co.uk forum was to run the Anakee at 35psi rather than the 28-32 in the book - what say you to this?

Cheers.

p.s just got to say passed part 2 last week so now free to roam at will...

 

[Hustler]

Hi Gregor,
Of course the trouble with asking lots of people the same question is that you get lots of different answers.
But for what it's worth, I run Tourances with tubes (although I'm not sure I can run tubeless in my 2002 model) 27 front, 30 rear.
Good luck and enjoy.
And edit - no idea about Pirelli Sport Demon I'm afraid but suspect Google will know.

 

[Greger]

We can't run tubeless on our wheels but are the Pirelli suitable for both tubeless and tubed running?
As for lots of answers, that's the fun of trying to sort through them all.
Cheers

 

[Hustler]

We can't run tubeless on our wheels but are the Pirelli suitable for both tubeless and tubed running?
As for lots of answers, that's the fun of trying to sort through them all.
Cheers

Google says they're tubeless so why would you want to run them with a tube ?

 

[John Armstrong]

Google says they're tubeless so why would you want to run them with a tube ?

As the 650 single wheel isn't airtight as delivered by Mr BM.

 

[Hustler]

As the 650 single wheel isn't airtight as delivered by Mr BM.

What I meant really was why buy a tubeless tyre in the first place, simply use a tyre that's designed to run with a tube.

 

[Greger]

As a complete novice to the bike tyre buying community I do not know what to get.
The Pirelli Sport Demon was one recommended by a member as a brilliant road only tyre for the 650 single - tubed version - hence the question about tubes.

Other wise old members have recommended the Tourance, which I am also leaning towards - pun intended; and have indicated the Pirelli would be over tyreing the bike. I don't really mind this, or the additional cost.

All I want to do is get the best grip and secure feel I can get. If I decide to play off road a lot I will worry about that then.

The Anakee felt really shit on the way to the part 2 last week - not good timing. It felt skittish and insecure when in a straight line when running across either course tarmac reinstated trench and also when crossing onto a smooth as silk new patch of tarmac.

Left me feeling very unsure about where to put the front wheel and had me tensing up and over concentrating on the bloody road surface...

Of course this may all be down to the feel of the bike which to be fair I have not been out on much yet.

The grip in corners and otherwise seems fine - it's that wondering feeling I don't like.

 

[Dansin]

I've gone through 2 sets of Anakees on mine and found them to be a really good tyre, especially in the wet. Ah well, horses for courses I suppose!

Can't comment on the Pirelli's, but Tourances would be a pretty safe bet.

 

[talltony]

The Anakee is a great tyre on the 650 - I wouldn't use anything else myself.
The tyre pressures given by BM are in my opinion a touch low,I run 33 front,36 rear unladen.
It's quite normal to feel the differences in road surface,learn to relax and look further ahead.
As you are such a novice rider I suggest getting more experience in different
conditions before you blame or change the tyres.
It might also be worth having the steering head bearings checked as any wear or notchiness here can make the front feel odd.
They are a bit of a weak spot on these bikes.

Tony

 

[Greger]

All good points talltony.
I will try higher pressure first, and the relax bit as well - the feel of difference is more akin to feeling slippy or wandering - is this the feel you mean? As for novice, I am one on this bike altough I had a 125 for a year to play with so it may just be a quirk of the BM. And I have heard the same about the head bearings although I think these are fine, partly from a check and partly from the selective nature of the feel of the bike subject to road surface.

Cheers
As for the TL and TT bit, I have found on the COnti web site that all of their TL can be run with a tube on tube wheels so it seems the Pirelli may be the same. Pirelli web site is not clear so I am still looking for confirmation on this.

 

[dakarjim]

i use tourances on mine (i run a 19" front wheel)

they're not too bad, but all i can compare them too is metz saharas which were crap imho


gonna try conti's next, Flipfly had a thread earlier this year and he decked his pannier cornering so that looks good enough for me!


btw i was told that it didnt matter if you put a tube in a tubeless tyre by a bike garage. mine are marked tubeless and 9k miles on all is good!

 

[FatAl]

Ding Dong Avon calling!

A pal of mine is running Avon Distanzias on his Dakar, he had TKC80s prior to the Avons. He likes the Avons better than the TKCs as he finds they grip better on tarmac although he states they are not as good in the rough stuff. The Avons certainly don't stop him flying along the back roads, wet or dry, I'll probably fit some to my R100GS when my Conti Escapes wear out.

 

[barrym]

A pal of mine is running Avon Distanzias on his Dakar, he had TKC80s prior to the Avons. He likes the Avons better than the TKCs as he finds they grip better on tarmac although he states they are not as good in the rough stuff. The Avons certainly don't stop him flying along the back roads, wet or dry, I'll probably fit some to my R100GS when my Conti Escapes wear out.

Good man! You know it makes sense to buy British when you can.

I had them on my F650GS and they were good, however I switched to Avon Roadriders at the next change as I only ride on the road. They performed very well.

 

[Flipfly]

i use tourances on mine (i run a 19" front wheel)

they're not too bad, but all i can compare them too is metz saharas which were crap imho


gonna try conti's next, Flipfly had a thread earlier this year and he decked his pannier cornering so that looks good enough for me!


btw i was told that it didnt matter if you put a tube in a tubeless tyre by a bike garage. mine are marked tubeless and 9k miles on all is good!

Conti escapes are only good for the Dakar not the standard GS as they only do the front on the 21" IIRC.

Check your tyres vintage Greger. Sometimes tyres go hard with age and then you lose a huge amount of grip.

I'm afraid that what you may be suffering is winter riding!!! The roads are very slippery at the moment and cold tyres are not too much fun. In Summer you will be drowned with exceptional feel through the bars and the sound of scraping toe sliders. In the winter, most of us totter around at 3/10ths and are happy to get home alive.

If you want a proper scare, try a new set of knobblies on an icey road

I doubt running a tube in the Pirelli tyre will cause a problem. The 650 is not dripping with huge speed or massive torque. If you got any heat in the tyre in the current climate you deserve a medal and a works Yamaha GP ride.
Nobody will ever say it though as there is too much of a liability issue. It may become an issue in the middle of summer though.

Loosen ya grip on the bars and let the front wag around, it'll set ya up for off roading it next year

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Conti escapes are only good for the Dakar not the standard GS as they only do the front on the 21" IIRC.

I have Conti Escapes on my GS with a 19" front wheel. For a "dual purpose" tyre they're pretty damn good on the road. (I wouldn't use them on anything more serious than than gravel or grit off-road.)

 

[komatias]

you can use any tyre with tubes. The tourances say tubless on the sides iirc too as do the TKC as do my supermoto pirelli's. The difficulty is getting them over the rim

 

[Redrichard]

I found that Tourances were really stable for the road on my 650 Dakar, dont think dual purpose tyres are good for anything more than a bit of gravel, if you are going offroad fit the appropriate rubber

 

[Micky the mooch!]

If you want a proper scare, try a new set of knobblies on an icey road

Looking forward to my tkcs arriving shortly then .....can't be any worse than my bald tourances!!

 

[Flipfly]

I found that Tourances were really stable for the road on my 650 Dakar, dont think dual purpose tyres are good for anything more than a bit of gravel, if you are going offroad fit the appropriate rubber

I'd disagree with that statement. TKC's are actually really good on the road (enough to give a good friend of mine a run for his money on the cat & fiddle. He was on an 1150 ADV with Anakees fitted. He's a nice rider too and we were fair pushing on (within the speed limits of course!)).
Admittedly road tyres will be a little bit better at giving feedback to the rider, but you can push a TKC far further than most give em credit for. On the very limit a road tyre will out perform a TKC, but you'd have to be going pretty silly to really notice

 

[Greger]

tyre pressures F650 single

The Anakee is a great tyre on the 650 - I wouldn't use anything else myself.
The tyre pressures given by BM are in my opinion a touch low,I run 33 front,36 rear unladen.
It's quite normal to feel the differences in road surface,learn to relax and look further ahead.
As you are such a novice rider I suggest getting more experience in different
conditions before you blame or change the tyres.
It might also be worth having the steering head bearings checked as any wear or notchiness here can make the front feel odd.
They are a bit of a weak spot on these bikes.

Tony

Hi,

a late update, finally managed to get the tyre pressures up using digital gauge. At the same time lowered the front forks to original setting. Previous owner had bike set lower by 28mm.

One or both have improved the feel of the front a lot so I am now a happier bunny.

I did a test run before making the changes and a rerun today on the same road etc felt much more secure.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Cheers..