Tyres again.... Howz about BT45s

[Warthog]

I'm going to leave myself at your collective mercy with this post as it probably leaves me vulnerable to abuse, but I'm a trusting chap, so here goes.

I have read many posts on Tyres and which ones to choose. I had been considsering the BT020s or even Road Pilots to replace the Tourances that came with the bike. They're not bad , but my confidence in a bike is directly related to my confidence in the tyres, hence grip over longevity.

One set that I am considering, purely because they performed above what I expected and last a decent while are .... wait for it...BT45 bridgestones....

I know they are cross-ply, but I have had them on two light bikes: XBR 500 and CB1 400, as well as the heavier '97 TDM 850 (201kg dry to GS 228kg dry). I they performed well on all of these, quite happily rimming the tyres in the dry and gripping rather well in the wet. So, these tyres are quite a bit cheaper than the others I'm considering and have performed well on another bike, a mere 27 kg lighter. So any reasons to avoid them like the plague? The only reason I can think of is wet weight difference being probably around 40-50kg difference with the added fuel and oil volume of the GS.

Let the abuse begin.

BTW, feel free to abuse (I know its a form of release for a lot of you), but please back up said abuse with techincal arguements so that I might understand the error of my ways....

 

[Nostromo]

They make a BT45 150/70 R 17 69H (or 69V) rear but I dont think there is a 110/80 R 19 59H front available unless you have 18" rims then there are 58 H and V rated fittings.They recommend BT-020's and a lot of places will refuse to fit anything thats not recommended but 45's are the only fitting listed for a K1100LT & RT so weight cant be a problem.
I agree that BT45's are great tyres apart from the strange wear pattern on the front, mine always wore down 1" in from the edge while there was plenty of tread on the rest of the tyre.
IMHO you wont notice much difference between the 45's and the 020's but the 020,s are the approved fitting and better looking.

 

[wessie]

BT45s are a very good tyre. I have two friends with ER5s who highly rate them. They are also a recommended fitment for the FJ1200 uber-barge so weight is not an issue.

BTW, BT45s are available in both radial & cross-ply construction: see Nostromo's post.

My advice relates entirely to insurance. It is a condition that your bike must be roadworthy. Using a tyre that is not a recommended fitment might make the bike unroadworthy in the eyes of your insurance company.

Obviously, you would need to make a claim before this became an issue. However, if you do make a claim then an on the ball assessor, who's job is to minimise his employer's liability, will bring the matter to the attention of the underwriter. It is likely that the underwriter will attempt to apportion some, or all, of the liability onto you. If a third party is involved then the sums of money involved could be substantial.

Only you can answer the question of whether you are willing to accept this risk in return for a small short term financial gain.

 

[Mouse]

A simple question to Bridgestone should sort this out: "Are BT45s suitable for fitment to bike x?"

 

[wessie]

A simple question to Bridgestone should sort this out: "Are BT45s suitable for fitment to bike x?"

Followed by a response from the office junior, "use a matched pair of BT020 or Deathwings as listed in the catalogue."