Hi Y all
Time for tire shopping again. My Bridgestone BT 090 140/17 rear tire is shot.
I did not record my KM start so I cannot report on the longevity. Seemed too short, but when I checked back I have had them on for 18 months. Maybe 7000 KM's. Front is still good but the rear is almost slick. A little tread groove left on the sidewall. They still grip like gum to hot tar though.
Now question time.
What have you got on. How much wider can I squeeze in. ( My chain guard touches the 140, but I have heard about wider being fitted?
What mileage did you get and how grippy are they?
What would you buy for 100% street.

 

You know I'm currently running the DS rear distanzia in 130/80, very slick, does not stick well at all in rain, but I have 10k miles with A LOT of tread left. The front will do stoppies in the rain, but that's the SM compound, if you want sticky tire that is perhaps 95% street 5% rough roads/dirt, then a 150/60 (SM compound) rear Distanzia is quite the tire.

That being said, I'm putting on new tires tomorrow, Pirelli diablo rosso ii, 120/70 and 140/70. They say you can squeeze on a 150/60/17, but I don't want to risk buying a new tire and the dealer not being able to fit it on and then charge me to put my old tire back on (I get free install on new tires), AND THEN being stuck with my old tire still on the rim and a brand new tire I can't return...Give me until tomorrow when I install them and I will take a picture of the clearance and give you an idea if you can put on a 150 if that's the route you wish to go

 

My brother runs Distanzias on his Buell Ulysses and my friend runs them on his DRz400. Both like them fairly well and they do have better dirt/gravel capabilities than a common street tread should you do occasional back road and groomed trail stuff.

I would recommend against wider, because the extra weight, which is both unsprung and rotating, eats more power without any benefit other than cosmetics. I would think the best tire for performance would probably be the 130 considering my 650 runs a 130 and it has enough traction to drag my toe in a corner (done it) with the Duro Median dual sport tire so I'd assume a good street tire would do as well. The 140 would add weight, but would possibly be available in more brands/models.

Of course if it's looks, do whatever you prefer, but be prepared for the chain to hit the tire. It does on my friend's DRz with a 150, knicks up the sidewall some, but he likes the look.

 

The problem with the 130 is getting proper aspdct ratio to match the 120/70 front, otherwise you ed up witg a bike jacked up and ot gets real twitchy at 65mph. My experience at least.

 

These Bridgestone BattleAxe BT090 are standard tires on the Yamaha WR SM race model.
Rear 140/70/17 and front 110/70/17 and according to the Manufacturers site, are for track use. I have no issues with them other than that my 331 seems to have eaten the rear. It seems like a very soft and sticky compound. My mates always complain about riding behind, as the tires are picking up and chucking back road grit. I am not interested at all in off road for the SM as I have Knobblies on my original rims for Dirty Weekends.

 

Thanks Matt, that will be cool to see. I think Joel Thailand has that or similar setup. I am hoping he will poke his nose into this thread and comment on his experience with the Pirelli's

 

I am running the distanzias in 120/70/17 front and 150/60/17 rear sm compound and clearance is not an issue. That being said its only marginally better off road than a full on street tire and the back tire does not like to be wet
As RBslapmatt said I can stand it on its nose in the rain but the back...even shifting down and feeding out the clutch to fast will cause rear wheel slide!!

 

Its like the tire is made of plastic in the rain haha!


The pirllis are dual compound and on smj they are known for good mileage

 

after spending some time looking at the tread on the rear... the blocks are quite a bit larger than the front, which is PROBABLY why it acts like a slick in the rain!!
Its weird it has never stepped out on me in the rain while cornering. just don't brake down shift or give to much throttle (not a problem on the stock bike) for you 351ners.

 

Exactly, that's why I decided not to fit a 150/60/17 rear because the ***** are so huge they are mm away from hitting the chain. The 140 diablo I had installed today has more room between it and the chain than the 130. So Graham, the 150 would most certainly fit, at least in the pirelli diablo rosso II brand








Looks like a real motard now!!!



Before...