Front tire options for the blacksheep 16 inch rim

[gumby302ho]

 I did the rear tire last season and now I need to do the front. I am running the battleaxe bridgestone on the rear which I dont mind and was running the same in the front but it started cupping or flagging leaving raised ridges and had read somewhere that they were known to do this. I would like to know what you 16 inch originals FJ r's are running in the front, I ride aggressive and I dont mind the battle axe but not much to choose in 16's, same old story I know, but the flagging issue when the tire wares down is bothersome. Has anyone tried the metzeler 16 inch front? Whats my options in the 16 inch world?
    Donnie

[Charlie-brm]

I'm in southern Ontario, as a nearby point of reference. I did - not - like - the - Battlax - at - all.  I had them on both ends for my first two seasons with the FJ. They are not garbage but they just felt like replacement tires. The next two years I took the advice of another 1984 owner in Ontario and went to Pirelli Sport Demon, front and rear. That front tire brought a smile to my face for a change. Way better feel of what was going on out front. I was more comfortable to lean further with feedback.

On my last changeover the rear Sport Demon was unavailable and I heard good things about the Avon so that's my back tire now - Storm 3D X-M rear 150/80 ZR16.
The front is a second Pirelli Sport Demon 120/80 16. Pete's Superbike, Montreal most of the time for my tires. As you might have surmised, I get approx. 2 seasons in Ontario on my tires. I wish I had the distance involved to share with you.

[Flynt]

Whats my options in the 16 inch world?

Avon has the 3D series sport tires front and rear for 16" now.  Called 3D Ultra Sport for the front and 3D XM Storm (or some such crap) for the rear.  I have the 3D rear and the older Avon (AV-45 I think) sport tire on front of my '84 and they are excellent tires.  My '92 has 17" wheels and Michelin Pilot Power tires...  the Avons perform very similarly with a nice feel at the edge of traction and very nice wear pattern.  I recommend you try Avon.

Frank

[balky1]

I have Metzelers in the basement currently  waiting to be installed. I'm running on Bridgestones also and have the same front problem with wobbly effect at low speeds now. A friend of mine runs Lasertechs for ages and gets 40-50k km out of the front. By the feel the compound does seem to be harder than Battlax.

[gumby302ho]

Whats my options in the 16 inch world?

Avon has the 3D series sport tires front and rear for 16" now.  Called 3D Ultra Sport for the front and 3D XM Storm (or some such crap) for the rear.  I have the 3D rear and the older Avon (AV-45 I think) sport tire on front of my '84 and they are excellent tires.  My '92 has 17" wheels and Michelin Pilot Power tires...  the Avons perform very similarly with a nice feel at the edge of traction and very nice wear pattern.  I recommend you try Avon.

Frank

The Avon 3D series from what I can find only offers for the 16 inch front 130/70 16, I dont see 120/80 16 in the ultra sport, slight difference in size, is this the tire your referring too Frank?

[Flynt]

The Avon 3D series from what I can find only offers for the 16 inch front 130/70 16, I dont see 120/80 16 in the ultra sport, slight difference in size, is this the tire your referring too Frank?

I didn't look past there being a 16" version available.  The 130 might be a bit wide for the stock rim...  and I have not tried this ultra sport tire from Avon.  You might check around for the older AV45 with some of the bigger distributors.  I bought a few of them when they were discontinued last year in the 120 width...

Frank

[fjbiker84]

I ran the Battlax for several sets of tires back 10-12 years ago when I first got my 84.  I thought they were OK but then discovered the Avon AV-45 and AV-46 and have had them on my bike ever since.  Unfortunately, Avon discontinued that model so I bought a set of the Speed Demons which I have in the garage ready to install when my current Avon set wears out.  I've read good things about the Speed Demons on this website and like the tread design.  Hopefully Pirelli will continue to make this model in 16" going forward.

[red]

I ran the Battlax for several sets of tires back 10-12 years ago when I first got my 84.  I thought they were OK but then discovered the Avon AV-45 and AV-46 and have had them on my bike ever since.  Unfortunately, Avon discontinued that model so I bought a set of the Speed Demons which I have in the garage ready to install when my current Avon set wears out.  I've read good things about the Speed Demons on this website and like the tread design.  Hopefully Pirelli will continue to make this model in 16" going forward.

.
I have Pirelli Sport Demons on my '85 FJ, and they are fine.  They give real confidence in cornering and braking.  If Pirelli ever stops production on them (I hope not!), then I might get back to my 17" wheel upgrade. 
Now, I just wanna ride!     

[Alf]

Sorry, but I cant understand how nobody can say that those Sport Demons are good. Even riding at moderate speeds last summer in my just bought 1TX because the bike was not completely perfect like is now, after 120 labour hours, both tyres flexed all around steadily, even at moderate acceleration in curves, getting hard-rock in 2.000 kms due to the temperature and then sliding in each curve, even it was the colder summer that I´ve riden in years. I think that in a normal temperatures summer the tyres would have losted pieces of rubber

Those Pirelli worked wonderfully in my RD 350 30 years ago, but are DANGEROUS tyres fitted in an FJ

And no, It was not the first time that I´ve tested those Pirellis in a FJ. A lot of FJ owners fit those because are cheap and inmediatly available for 16" rims.

Sorry again, but I cant understand how is not forbidden to sell those tyres to fit in a bike like the FJ

[Alf]

Opposite to that Pirelli Rubbish, BT45s are more rigid and make the feel planted in any circumstance. Only really accelerating very hard you can feel flex the rear, or when the speedo is over 210 km/h, and a light side to side sliding can be felt at the rear. Nothing dangerous or worrying. The problem is that the front has cupped in 2.000 kms and the front handling is sh** now

Side to side with another 1TX fitted with the Avon radials, ST front and Ultra rear, the bike fitted with these radials is more comfortable AND feel more rigid and planted. Both bikes with the same suspensions settings. A BIG difference!

So I'm going to try now a StreetSmart front (rigid and stronger than the BT45) and Ultra rear... I know, I know, radial and diagonal... but there are not too choices around. And no, I want to keep stock my 1TX because my 3CV have already fitted 17 rims