what tires for 100% street riding?

samuelh · 11-04-2009, 09:42 PM

Just bought a G650GS, I'm a nube, so I wouldn't know any better, but... I'm not all that happy with the factory tires. I'm planning on doing entirely street riding, expressway..etc What tires would ppl recommend?

sgborgstrom · 11-05-2009, 10:38 AM

BMW has put various tires on the 650 over the years. What do you currently have installed and what is it you don't like about them?

I've had tourances on my GS/Dakar and liked them a lot. Currently I have TKC80s that have shown a remarkable amount of grip. The Avon Distanzias currently on my R100GSPD have proven to be a great road-tires.

In my experience the 650s are very sensitive to shock pre-load, tire pressure, streering head bearing adjustment and load distribution. I absolutely loathed the handling with TKCs until I figured out my steering head bearings were notched just enough to be messing things up.

sudani · 11-05-2009, 12:11 PM

I put the Continental Road Attack Radial Dual Sport V-Rated Tires on my 650CS. I was pleasantly surprised how well they work.

samuelh · 11-05-2009, 07:45 PM

So again, I'm very new to this bike and getting back into riding after 10 years, so this may be total nonsense...

I guess the best way to describe it is the bike has (or I am imagining that it has) a little 'shimmy' cornering at about 40mph. It feels like the back end is just loosing traction or something.

The bike has new (120 miles) tourances, so thats probably not the issue? I think the bearings are probably fine, as this bike is also new. So that leaves tire pressure and shock preload... I'm getting a tire pressure gauge this weekend. How do I know if my shock preload is set properly?

[[update]]

The preload was set to 22 clicks from full soft. Even though I'm 265 this seems a little excessive. I backed it off to 15 clicks from soft, will see if this helps.

Thanks
SH

sgborgstrom · 11-07-2009, 11:42 AM

Let us know how your shock setting works. At 215# myself I keep the shock at closer to full pre-load, but I have Jesse bags that tend to be full of crap all the time. the tourances are pretty good tires, when I ran them I kept the tire pressure in the mid-thirties.

samuelh · 11-12-2009, 05:52 AM

The new settings seem to be working well. I also brought the air pressure in the tires back down closer to spec.

Honestly, I think most of the wobble was my crappy riding technique (too tight on the handlebars.) Bike seems good now, but I haven't had it on the highway yet.

SH

11-04-2009, 09:42 PM	#1
samuelh Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	what tires for 100% street riding? Just bought a G650GS, I'm a nube, so I wouldn't know any better, but... I'm not all that happy with the factory tires. I'm planning on doing entirely street riding, expressway..etc What tires would ppl recommend?

11-05-2009, 10:38 AM	#2
sgborgstrom Don't forget your towel Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bainbridge Island WA Posts: 715	BMW has put various tires on the 650 over the years. What do you currently have installed and what is it you don't like about them? I've had tourances on my GS/Dakar and liked them a lot. Currently I have TKC80s that have shown a remarkable amount of grip. The Avon Distanzias currently on my R100GSPD have proven to be a great road-tires. In my experience the 650s are very sensitive to shock pre-load, tire pressure, streering head bearing adjustment and load distribution. I absolutely loathed the handling with TKCs until I figured out my steering head bearings were notched just enough to be messing things up. __________________ Steve "...your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride" A. Bourdain

11-05-2009, 12:11 PM	#3
sudani Enjoying the ride.... Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Glen Ellyn, IL Posts: 252	I put the Continental Road Attack Radial Dual Sport V-Rated Tires on my 650CS. I was pleasantly surprised how well they work. __________________ Susan '03 F650CS “We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions define us.” Virginia Satir "The highways of life are full of flat squirrels who couldn't make up their minds..." Unknown

11-05-2009, 07:45 PM	#4
samuelh Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	So again, I'm very new to this bike and getting back into riding after 10 years, so this may be total nonsense... I guess the best way to describe it is the bike has (or I am imagining that it has) a little 'shimmy' cornering at about 40mph. It feels like the back end is just loosing traction or something. The bike has new (120 miles) tourances, so thats probably not the issue? I think the bearings are probably fine, as this bike is also new. So that leaves tire pressure and shock preload... I'm getting a tire pressure gauge this weekend. How do I know if my shock preload is set properly? [[update]] The preload was set to 22 clicks from full soft. Even though I'm 265 this seems a little excessive. I backed it off to 15 clicks from soft, will see if this helps. Thanks SH Last edited by samuelh; 11-05-2009 at 09:07 PM.

11-07-2009, 11:42 AM	#5
sgborgstrom Don't forget your towel Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bainbridge Island WA Posts: 715	Let us know how your shock setting works. At 215# myself I keep the shock at closer to full pre-load, but I have Jesse bags that tend to be full of crap all the time. the tourances are pretty good tires, when I ran them I kept the tire pressure in the mid-thirties. __________________ Steve "...your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride" A. Bourdain

11-12-2009, 05:52 AM	#6
samuelh Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	The new settings seem to be working well. I also brought the air pressure in the tires back down closer to spec. Honestly, I think most of the wobble was my crappy riding technique (too tight on the handlebars.) Bike seems good now, but I haven't had it on the highway yet. SH