'84 FJ1100 tire options

[FJ1100mjk]

I would really like to hear from someone who has ridden the same bike with both the RoadRiders & the BT-45's and find out which of the two they liked better.

Thank you
~JM~

Ask and Ye shall receive. See post number four on page one of this thread. I have used both, and tossed the BT-45's for the RoadRiders.

I found out how much better the latter were (for me, at least) than the former, when I had a set on my Kawasaki and liked them, then bought the BT-45's for my FJ. After riding my FJ a lot in the rain one long weekend, I wasn't a fan at all of the BT-45's. So much so, that I took them off way before their time, and put on the RoadRiders. I like those.

Others like the BT-45's, and that's fine with me, they just didn't work for me. That's all.

Marty

[~JM~]

I would really like to hear from someone who has ridden the same bike with both the RoadRiders & the BT-45's and find out which of the two they liked better.

Thank you
~JM~

Ask and Ye shall receive. See post number four on page one of this thread. I have used both, and tossed the BT-45's for the RoadRiders.

I found out how much better the latter were (for me, at least) than the former, when I had a set on my Kawasaki and liked them, then bought the BT-45's for my FJ. After riding my FJ a lot in the rain one long weekend, I wasn't a fan at all of the BT-45's. So much so, that I took them off way before their time, and put on the RoadRiders. I like those.

Others like the BT-45's, and that's fine with me, they just didn't work for me. That's all.

Marty

Thank you Marty, Thats both good & bad news for me. I like the RoadRiders & have them on a few of my bikes. I recently let someone talk me into a new pair of BT-45's for my FZR/RD-400 hybrid project. I'm concerned that I won't like them when the time comes around that this project is completed. I just bought a new pair of RoadRiders for another project bike. Bet you never guess who I bought them from? Would you believe that Amazon.com had the best online price that I could find. It was just a few cents shy of $200 for both tires with free shipping. Plus they arrived 3 days after I ordered them during the busy holiday season. I was impressed with the ease of buying & the quick shipping!

You guys should all check out Amazon.com when looking for tires & other commonly available parts.

Good luck
~JM~

[rktmanfj]

You guys should all check out Amazon.com when looking for tires & other commonly available parts.

+1

I ordered a ContiMotion rear tire for one of my spare wheels just ahead of the ECFR, and got the best price for it thru Amazon.  Then, a day or two before leaving, I realized that the spare had no brake disc on it.  Amazon also had the best price on the disc as well, and with a free trial of Amazon Prime, got free one day shipping to the campground... it was there when I arrived!

[FJmonkey]

My last two sets of Conti Motions were delivered via Amazon to my door for less than $200. I mount and balance myself so the tires are a great deal... They stick well enough for me and wear much better than the Avon 45/46 that I ran when I had 16" wheels...

[Woodsman]

 I run with the BT 45 all through the Irish winter ( that's a lot of wet days ). They are a good tyre for the money, but keep it down a small bit when the road is greasy and you won't end up in the ditch.
Sean.

[IceFJ]

I have had Metzeler ME880 on my `86 with 16 inch wheels and I find them extremely slippery in the wet and am planning on something else as next set of tires, the good thing (and likely the reason for poor wet performance) is that they are hardly showing any wear after 5000+ KM`s so I will probably have to replace them due to boredom before the wear forces me to.
So IMO Do not use this tire on the FJ

[red]

I have had Metzeler ME880 on my `86 with 16 inch wheels and I find them extremely slippery in the wet and am planning on something else as next set of tires, the good thing (and likely the reason for poor wet performance) is that they are hardly showing any wear after 5000+ KM`s so I will probably have to replace them due to boredom before the wear forces me to.
So IMO Do not use this tire on the FJ

My FJ1100 came to me with old bias-ply Metzlers, and on the advice that I got on this forum, I switched to a set of Pirelli Sport Demons (which are also bias ply tires).  The difference in handling was like night and day.  It felt like I had done major suspension upgrades; I felt far more confidence in cornering and braking.  There may be better tires out there, such as the Avon radials, but I have no experience with them, and I liked the prices on these Pirelli tires.  Talk to everybody, of course, but I feel sure that either Pirellis or Avons will do much better than the tires that you have now.

Cheers,
Red

[FJmonkey]

Right on RED, I ran on the Avons for a few years till the Moditus bit me HARD and I switched to 17" front and rear in the same year. The Sport Demons are reported to handle like radials and the Avons are radials. I can vouch for the Avons and ride with members with the Demons. So unless you ride really hard and have no chicken strips then you can't go wrong with either. But if I had to choose what brand to run to loose my chicken strips, the Avons have my confidence. I also chose stick over mileage, seems like a less expensive kind of insurance...

[Capn Ron]

I have had Metzeler ME880 on my `86 with 16 inch wheels and I find them extremely slippery in the wet and am planning on something else as next set of tires, the good thing (and likely the reason for poor wet performance) is that they are hardly showing any wear after 5000+ KM`s so I will probably have to replace them due to boredom before the wear forces me to.
So IMO Do not use this tire on the FJ

Depends on what you're trying to accomplish.  My last big road trip was a little over 17,000 miles.  I had around a hundred or so pounds of camping gear in Givi hardcases and I left Los Angeles with a brand new set of Pirelli Sport Demons.  Outstanding for grip...really a confidence builder and I had a "let's see how this goes" outlook.  At 5,500 miles, the Sport Demons were done for.  They got me through the Tail of the Dragon in one piece, but it was time for new rubber.  I fitted up Metzeler ME880's at a shop in North Carolina and headed off.  They got me through the rest of the US, Canada from Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island and then back to Los Angeles.  All in all, I put over 12,000 hard miles on the Metzelers in two months.  Outstanding tires...for THAT purpose.

I now have two sets of wheels/tires for my FJ.  One set are a fresh set of ME880's for long touring...the other set are Pirelli Sport Demons for the twisty roads in the Santa Monica Mountains.  Both have their place and in stock wheel sizes, both are a great choice depending on your needs.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[BadBro]

Second year with the Dunlop GT501 on my 1984 FJ1100.  No complaints.  Minor modification but with stock wheels.

[poker007]

       My Dunlops  GT501 work excellent on my 85 FJ 1100. I avoid rain rides.I even scraped
  the left foot peg the  other day and still lean angle left  on tires. IMO Dunlop
  makes a very good tire!

[Tiger]

  ...Get a set of Pirelli Sport Demons...they stick to the road like shite on a woolly blanket  ... You won't regret your purchase

John.

[FJmonkey]

...Get a set of Pirelli Sport Demons...they stick to the road like shite on a woolly blanket  ... You won't regret your purchase

John.

Note to self: Don't ride behind this guy, smells like shite on a woolly blanket...

[Klavdy]

Bias Ply Tyres?
George Bowers would love this thread.

[BadBro]

Recently installed a set of Pirelli Sport Demons (16" stock wheels).  Had Dunlops GT501 before, which lasted for about 18,000km.  No complaints on either tires.  The Pirellis have a "softer" feel.