Tires

[DocFJ1200]

I am looking for suggestions for my 1990 FJ1200. Seems like the size of the stock rear tire 150/80/16 limits the choices. Thanks in advance for everyone's ideas.

[FJmonkey]

I am looking for suggestions for my 1990 FJ1200. Seems like the size of the stock rear tire 150/80/16 limits the choices. Thanks in advance for everyone's ideas.

When I had a stock rear I used the Avon AV45 radial and the AV46 front. The Sport Demons also seem to be a good tire for stock rims...

[chocker]

I still have the stock size right now. I have all the parts for the conversion, just waiting until the tire is all used up. Why waste a good tire. It is a Dunlop Sportmax Q2. It's a radial. Good durability decent all around tire and good in the wet and not too expensive comparatively.

Mark

[andyb]

It's time for the obligatory rant!

Put some serious thought into converting it to 17" wheels!  It's a hefty price compared to just swapping tires, sure.  But the tires available in 17" sizes are of modern construction, recent design, stick like glue even when cold (assuming you get appropriate ones), AND last longer than anything available in the 16" size.  They also will transform the way it rides.  Plus, you'll have more than like three options, so you can tailor it for how you ride and your priorities (grip hot, grip cold, grip wet, life, ride quality, the lot).

When I did the math, I paid for my rear conversion within the first two tire changes, as the 17" rubber was so much less expensive for much nicer rubber than was available in the OEM size.

It's not like your car.  Motorcycle tire grip and life has changed in unbelievable ways since even the early 90's, and today's rubber is nothing short of amazing.  If you've got another bike that uses modern tires and want to keep the FJ original, I understand... but if you haven't ridden something with quite recent rubber, you owe it to yourself.  You could even go to a dealer and see if they'll let you test a bike with modern tires maybe.  

As an aside, I just put a set of Pilot Power 2CT's on my ZX9, and I'm in serious danger of breaking my long love affair with Bridgestone.  Just brilliant, time will tell what treadlife is like.  

[BadBro]

Just installed Dunlop GT501 front (120/80/16) and back (150/80/16).  No complaints, very nice ride.

[Arnie]

Just installed Dunlop GT501 front (120/80/16) and back (150/80/16).  No complaints, very nice ride.

The reason you don't have any complaints is that you've not ridden on 17" modern radial tires, so you have nothing to compare those to.  In their day (late 80s to early 90s) the GT501s were a reasonable tire).  Time and technology have marched on.

Arnie

[ribbert]

I agree with everything Andy had to say about modern tyres, they are truly unbelievable. My current favourites were road tested in a magazine recently and the tester decided it was pointless pushing any further when he got to scraping, in the wet, on a sports bike!

Andy makes an interesting point about breaking his long love affair with Bridgestone
It is difficult when a tyre exceeds all you expectations to keep an open mind.
I'm just about done with my third set of current tyre choice and most likely will line up for the same again as things stand.
While it would take a lot to sway me away from them, technology moves so fast it is inevitable that something better will come out not too far off.
So, I force myself to research what's out there every time I'm due for tyres. If something looks like half a starter, I will investigate further. At some point, something is going to be so good I will move on. It may even be an update on what I'm using (that would be an easier choice)

I go through nearly two sets a year, so the option of trying something new is never far away nor is disappointing choice a long term commitment.

I had the chance to try out a set of tyres I was considering  last time on a similarly heavy bike with modern ABS in the wet. If someone had told me how fast you could stop I would not have believed them.
On smooth, clean bitumen in the wet, my bike won't spin up even at WOT to redline in first gear.
Where it does lose traction, and has scared the shit out me several times, is overtaking in the wet at high speed on a rough road. The shocker can't keep the wheel nailed to the road and with just the wrong combination of factors, lets go.  When that happens at 6000rpm in 4th or even 5th, the back of the bike always wants to go somewhere other than behind the front wheel. Scary stuff.
Noel

[Bones]

I've got Pirelli sport demons on my bike at the moment, and although they seem to grip & wear alright, they do  tramline badly(follow grooves in the road). 

I had Dunlops on before, and while they tracked ok I had a problem with the front tyre where the beads let go and got a large bulge under the tread resulting in a trip home on a flat bed RACQ truck.

My next choice might be Continentals as I've heard good results from them, but as said before, tyre choice is limited if running standard rims especially 16" rears.
                                                                 
                                                                                  Tony.

[88 orangepeel notch]

I'm also running the Sport Demons, but I only have about 600 miles on them so far.  I was on a tight budget and these fit the bill.  I actually just got done with a 320 mile ride today with a newer CBR1000R and ZX14 and these tires worked great.  Very impressed with them, but I really have nothing to compare them to on Fj's.

Radial tires are very nice as my other bike, 96 GPZ 1100,  has Dunlap Sportmax Qualifiers. But today, it was all about the FJ, man what a great bike. If my rump wasn't so sore and my ears weren't ringing so bad, I'd go back out now.

[The General]

But today, it was all about the FJ, man what a great bike. If my rump wasn't so sore and my ears weren't ringing so bad, I'd go back out now.

Mate, I gotta emphasise that ringing in your ear is a serious medical condition that WILL become permanent if you ride an FJ without ear plugs. I don`t mean if you ride for months without them, I mean the very next time you ride for more than 15 minutes without them could very likely be it.
And yes you will have it for the rest of your life. The pleasure of listening to the silence of a desert at night will be lost. Your wilderness camping will be accompamied by the annoying cicadas every night.cicada noises (Don`t ask me why I know) - and it will sound that way every night in your home bed. (and all day too)

Is this only on FJ`s? the answer is a probably YES but I`ve only tested it with the standard screen. A good mate is in the Motorbike communications business and has tested many bikes for turbulence (incl wind tunnel of a standard FJ), as it affects audio systems and guess what bike he found to be the worst. You really should check out this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus
FWIW I have tested his helmet mounted audio system on a Kawasaki 1100, (years ago) then immediately transferred to my stock FJ to test the same system.(Result was terrible, while Kwaka was near perfect) Both were transmitted from a common fixed broadcast. (His House). It`s to do with the distance from your helmet to the FJ screen as much as design of that screen. (I would love to do the same test using Darrens fj mounted Kawasaki screen). New Communications systems do now work on FJ`s thanks to technology - but they won`t fix your Tinnitus.

[rktmanfj]

Mate, I gotta emphasise that ringing in your ear is a serious medical condition that WILL become permanent if you ride an FJ without ear plugs. I don`t mean if you ride for months without them, I mean the very next time you ride for more than 15 minutes without them could very likely be it.
And yes you will have it for the rest of your life. The pleasure of listening to the silence of a desert at night will be lost. Your wilderness camping will be accompamied by the annoying cicadas every night.cicada noises (Don`t ask me why I know) - and it will sound that way every night in your home bed. (and all day too)

This is great advice... take it, please.

DAMHIKIJKOK?   

[88 orangepeel notch]

  Thanks for the advice guys, point taken.  I've been out of motorcycling for 15yrs and just got back into it this year.  I forgot how loud wind noise could be.  Definitely will use ear plugs next time,  I'm 45, happily married  and a father of 4.  I and my family thankyou for your concern. 

Sorry OP for the little hijack, but safety first.