BT45

Report on Bridgestone BT45:
I am running BT45 tyres on my X, stock size 140/70/17 rear. Rear tyre started out with 6mm tread, & wore down to 1mm over 4500 miles (legal UK minimum). So, around 1mm per 1000 miles sounds OK to me. I ride bike pretty hard, including salt covered hard winter. Grip is fine for regular street hooliganism, but I guess BT090 or BT003 would be much better for track. So: great value for money IMO. I just replaced the rear & the front is only 1/2 worn. Maybe I'll try something else in 4500 miles... I do like the idea of the dual compound tyre though.

Are you going to try Avon RoadRiders AM26 in OEM sizing ? They look like a decent commuting tire...

craigq wrote:

Are you going to try Avon RoadRiders AM26 in OEM sizing ? They look like a decent commuting tire...

Yeah, I had thought of them - price is very low & reviews seem OK. Interesting to see how grip/wear compares with BT45. What a shame Yamaha didn't design the WR with more popular tyre sizes............

mash100 wrote:

craigq wrote:

Are you going to try Avon RoadRiders AM26 in OEM sizing ? They look like a decent commuting tire...

Yeah, I had thought of them - price is very low & reviews seem OK. Interesting to see how grip/wear compares with BT45. What a shame Yamaha didn't design the WR with more popular tyre sizes............

I think Yamaha designed the WR250R, then as an afterthought the WR250X. Using the same swingarm the 140/70/17 fits easily,
my 150/70/17 is very, very tight to the chain. Lots of X riders say the 150/60/17 tires fit well.

But a design fit for a 160/60/17 would have been much nicer....

What you running bias-ply tires for?

Wider tires just aren't needed, in my opinion, and would make the handling heavier.
The cosmetics would appeal to a lot of guys, though.

YZEtc wrote:

Wider tires just aren't needed, in my opinion, and would make the handling heavier.
The cosmetics would appeal to a lot of guys, though.

It's not that I want a wider rear tire, I just want a better selection of tires.
Smallest size for good sport touring (dual compound) appears to be 150.
Most of the tires come in 160 size.

I would love to buy Bridgestone BT023 in 140/70/17.
BIG tire poseurs: look at the cruisers out there with size 300 width rear tires.

Ohhh, these sound good, right up my street.

They are listed as cross ply tyres, are the stock tyres radial?

Whats the difference between a riadial and a cross ply? especially swapping over from 1 to the other?


Cheers.

In my experience doing that (going from radial to non-radial), the tires feel as stiff as a brick.

4500 miles, im on the WRR and I have just polished of the rear in 2300 !
And 1200 miles on my KTM 690smc.

Monkeynuts wrote:

4500 miles, im on the WRR and I have just polished of the rear in 2300 !
And 1200 miles on my KTM 690smc.

Jesus Christ Monkeynuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you a millionaire???? There is no way I could afford to change tyres like that!
In answer to the other posts: yes, BT45 is cross ply. I'm not sure about being 'stiffer' than the stock BT090, as I'm an oldy who doesn't get his knee down or get anywhere near a race track, although I do like the odd bit of hooliganism. I would say, though, that the BT090 feels a bit like sticky chewing gum after a hard ride, & the BT45 is much harder compound....
What is weird, is the front BT45 seems to wear as fast as the BT090 Also weird: I measured rear BT45 at 148mm - enough to cause some chain rub in extreme circumstances (see other thread).
Anyway, for everyday commuting, especially over winter, I think the BT45 is a good compromise.

mrgeoff wrote:

Ohhh, these sound good, right up my street.

They are listed as cross ply tyres, are the stock tyres radial?

Whats the difference between a riadial and a cross ply? especially swapping over from 1 to the other?


Cheers.

Stock tyres are radial. The difference between cross ply & radial is quite simple, but I suggest you do a Google search, as my explanation will no doubt be long winded, incoherent, & probably wrong!! I think Dunlop have a pretty good explanation on this. Also, there are various combinations of radial/cross ply front/rear which are legal & illegal, for very good safety reasons. My 2 pence worth: get the same brand/type matched pair of tyres ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
swapping from radial to cross ply I think has almost no technical implications as far as physically mounting the tyres, although I would suggest new tubes every tyre change....

You only live once, and both bike love being screwed hard. Back in the bad old day when the dinosaurs were around and i was very poor we use to get the angle grinder out to cut more tread !!!!!!!!

You only once, and I'm still alive

Good info on tyre typres - sorry, its Pirelli, & NOT Dunlop : http://www.pirelli.com/tyre/ww/en/motorcycle/genericPage/all_about_tyres