Tyres
Tyres
To
calculate the effect that changing tires or changing the front
or rear sprocket has on your motorcycle's final drive ratio,
click
here
to download this handy final drive ratio calculator.
To be useful, that's the aim of this website, the tyres are separated according to the different FJ models rims.
16" rims FJ1100 and FJ1200
Unfortunately, it seems that AVON has decided not only to stop manufacturing the Avon XD/Spirit for 16" rims, which was the best option available, but has also stopped manufacturing the Avon Roadrider diagonals.
PIRELLI SPORT DEMON: very popular these here in Spain because are relatively cheap and are widely available, I've riding different FJs with a couple of these fitted, last time in my summer 2017 just purchased 1TX.
Excellent tyres,
but in 1.986, 30 years ago, and fitted in my RD 350, with only
60 CV and 100 kg
less weight.
These Pirelli are an ABSOLUTELY INADMISSIBLE FITTING, flexing the tyre wall merely giving medium throttle even having the bike straight, and amplifying each white line, longitudinal slope, irregularity and bump of the tarmac, more so the more worn the tyres are, making the riding dangerous in several moments.
After only 200 km. and in spite of riding on cold weather on 2.017 summer with my just purchased 1TX, the tyres overheated on my long, fast habitual journeys, crystallizing and transforming onto hard black rocks. Yes, like stones. If the weather would have been hot, as normal in Mainland Spain on July, I think the tyres would have disintegrated, throwing pieces of rubber all around. DANGEROUS TYRES. DONT FIT THOSE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE
METZELERS FOSSILTEC or anything similar (Lasertec) comes from 1980 and I had fitted in my Laverda Jota. Judge yourself.
DUNLOP STREETSMART these are byass-ply constructed. I fit this front tyre in combo with my rear Avon Ultra due to the non existence of radial tyres on 120/80/16 measures.. Its much better than BT45 front, lasting more due to a rigid and modern carcass and the wear is more uniform and consistent for the tyre life. Give more confidence and rigidity in sport riding, and it last around 4.000-5.000 km. the front tyre in fast riding, excellent in the abrasive and hot Tenerife tarmac. Available in 16" front. STRONGLY RECOMENDED
OE 17" front rim FJ1200 1988 on, 3CV. 3XW, 16" rear
There better choice here are the new AVON SPIRIT ST, replacement for the Ultra, available on 16" rear rim size.(UPDATE: NOT AVAILABLE IN 16") These are the only modern radial tyre available for the FJ. Like its written above, the radials are better than the byas-ply tyres for the radial construction that give more rigidity to the carcass of the tyre to support power and weight
The
AVON COBRA is available as a
16" radial rear tire. It's very expensive and only suitable for
custom motorcycles. I'm waiting for feedback from a group member
who's testing with it, but I recommend upgrading to a 17" or 18"
rim. I've owned and tested Avon Spirit and ULTRA tires and
continue to use Avon Spirit on my FJs with 17" and 18" rims.
I have read tests where the same British journalists, country of origin of the Avon, conclude that these Spirits are worse than the Ultra that replace in the Avon catalogue. Well, I think the opposite: the Ultra are more rigid, triangular and therefore more sporty, but they are so rigid to they are hard and uncomfortable when used 120/180 fitment, these do not have the high wall of the 150 at the rear. These Spirit are much more comfortable, with great grip riding hard (which I did with the 2 FJs mentioned, especially trying to follow my friend Alberticu with his knee on the ground in his Bandit 1250 with Öhlins), do not go away, give confidence on the motorcycle lying down and are excellent in all of tasks, from calm ride to play race.
Maybe an Ultra at the rear were better for this 3CV with the 150/80/16 wall because it will last longer and is more sporty. With the Spirit on, the rear wheel feels a bit remote in sporty riding, as if the rear was away behind. This sensation don't exist with the Ultra which, being stiffer and harder, in this case does not take its toll of uncomfortably due on the enormous 150 rear balloon wall. In 170/180 fitment I am clear that I prefer the Spirit
As a preview to
the next section, deciding whether to change rims or not, the
3CV, with its more closed geometries chassis than the 3XW, and
more rigid, without the "invention" of the 3XW elastic anchor of
the engine, the 3CV is much much better on sport riding than the
"gentrified" 3XW, you can go much faster with more peace of mind
and it is more precise than its more modern sister, even when
this 3XW has modern rims fitted.
Of course, as mentioned a lot of times, the 3CV is harder to ride and vibrates more. But when you screw the throttle, the truth is that I don't care of vibrations and I prefer this 3CV, even with original rims, a thousand times over the 3XW. And my hands did not feel numb or anything similar in 12 hours of continuous travel that we have ridden a lot of times in my 3CV
IMPORTANT NOTE: FJ front OE rim size is 3". 120/70/17 modern tyres are designed for 3,5" rims. Even although is physically possible fit 120 tyres in 3" rims, the tyre is forced around the rim, making the breaking unstable, the curve front feeling unsettled and the tyre wear faster and suffer from odd degradation. The Correct 3" fitment is 110/70/17, that make the FJ 88 on more flickable and recover the fast aplomb of the bike. Tested. The only incovenience is the uncomfortable feeling on bad tarmac with the low profile
The Spirits performance is absolutely AWESOME: they have lasted 10,000 km. To date, there are no other tyres that match this figure. And if there are, not with its excellent level of grip, stability, excelent behaviour and confidence until the end of their lives.
IS IT AN IMPROVEMENT TO CHANGE THE RIMS?
I would like to make a though about the necessity or not changing the OE tyres to modern STD rim sizes to fit modern radial tyres. In another section of this web you have all the info to proceed, with different combination.
Here my 1TX with 16" rear and 18" rear due to the no availability of Avon tyres
There is no doubt that the modern tyres resides in fact the evolution of the motorbikes, more than in chassis o powerplants. Mi 3CV is more rigid, stable, confident and comfortable in sport riding. But...
My 1TX with BT46 or AVON tyres fitted with their tall profile, literally "eats" everything: each irregularity and pothole of the road are absorbed without hesitation. In different roads with degraded tarmac in Mainland Spain where my 3CV jumps with the bumps and feel uncomfortable with its low wall modern tyres, my 1TX ride effortless, "flying" low, absorbing everything and giving a comfortable ride even on that bad surfaces.
And in a typical
route of mine in Mainland Spain of 700/800 km. of hard riding in
secondary roads my 1TX makes the riding more rested, comfortable
and less strained on the day to day more degraded surfaces of
our roads.
Its true that my 1TX feels more weighted, with more inertia in sport riding, due to the not suspended weight of the rims. But it is very agile due to the 16" front rim and you can go side to side without effort.
Do you need modern rims for an ordinary use of the bike?. Forthright not. In fact, that big balloons are better to long journeys.
The problem will come if you suffer any problem with your tyres on travel, including wearing, if it is needed a change on tyres, because tyres on the OE sizes will not be available at once, and we will must wait a couple of days waiting for a new tyre. In STD sizes, whenever the problem would be, we will find tyres on STD sizes. And I know what I'm speaking about because I always change my tyres on route in my Holydays on Mainland Spain, France or Andorra.
For those of
us who have fitted modern STD 17" rims in our FJs (or more rare,
18" rear) the type of tyre to fit resides more on preferences,
style of riding, use of the bike, climate, kind of roads... than
in the quality of choice. Modern tyres are stratospherically
better now that when the FJ appeared, and we have a wide variety
to choose from.
Opting between 170
or 180 rear is too about personal preferences. 170 tyre makes
the bike more agile. I prefer 180 because I pass the edge of the
170 tyre on sport riding. On closed track is better the 180 too.
IMPORTANT NOTE: don't fit R o Race compound tyres. The modern tyres RACE carcass are designed for lighter bikes. Bikes of the 80.90 era are weighty and don't match those light carcasses. Any sport-touring tyre is widely superior on a RACE tyre from the FJ era and these tyres are more properly fitted on our bikes, on road and on track.
Before to recommend a determinate tyre, I have to say that my case is very peculiar: with high temperature always on a very abrasive tarmac, fast riding solo on very slow, tight and curved roads, and going from 2.200 m. height to the level sea in about 30 km. abusing on brakes and on front tyres, I degrade the front tyres on the edges very fast.
Good tyres are DUNLOP ROADSMART. these last about 6.000 km. both, front and rear. Riding on Europe, on more open roads, the Dunlops last about 10.000 km. at the front, 6.000 at the rear. Very triangled shaped make the FJ agile and light side to side. RECOMENDED
MICHELIN PILOT: Several types I've tried crystallize and become rock hard because they overheat. Even the BT46s, which aren't radial, are much better. BAD. Very trendy for motorcyclists who drive on the highway, but on curves, their dual compound either crystallizes from overheating or disintegrates at the edges. NOT RECOMMENDED
BRIDGESTONE
T30S:
Bridgestone
new T30 tyres were tested in my FZ 750 in OE sizes 110/70/17
(correct mount to the 3" OE rim) and 140/70/18 The carcass is
too hard for the FZ weight, so much that I have to reduced the
rear preload. The front don't give the confidence that the MZ8s
provide and the bike loose agility, needing more effort to side
the bike to the last part of the lean Definitively these tyres
are for more calm riding oriented bikes.
Pilot Roads, RoadSmarts or even own Bridgestone BT20/21/23 give more grip, feeling and flickability without sacrifice stability I will not recommend T30s over the MZ8s unless I get more duration. The advantage is that these Bridgestone do not suffer odd degradation as the Metzelers. Only if duration is your only goal. Even a modern byass belted tyre like BT45s or Dunlop StreetSmarts are better. HORRIBLE TYRES!
METZELER Z8 evolution from the Z6, that I don't like in my FJ because are very directional and the bike don't need more stability. Sport riding vastly improved without loose in stability or general surefooted handling. Suffer from odd degradation, sharpening the front tire and the rear flattening, making obligatory the tyres change long before tyre wear do necessary. I've used them in my Yamaha FZ 750 1990, and the life expectancy before the odd-degradation characteristic is around 6.000 kms.
In hot days and with temperature on them, slide like on an ice tarmac with the lines black stripes gravel with asphalt cracks are covered. I suffer a couple of scary moments due to this characteristic. Be careful!
And give to the bike the agility of a tanker, common characteristic of other Metzeler tyres. NOT RECOMMENDED. HORRIBLE TYRES!
BRIDGESTONE BT016 are race tyres from 7 or more years ago, so the carcass si not so light like other tyres, so I decided to tested in my 3cv. WOW!. The handling is excellent, the grip is awesome and the bike feels that 50 kg. are removed from the bike. Their duration is no more than 5.000 km. in fast riding. RECOMENDED
BRIDGESTONE T31
I was a
little reluctant after my bad experience with the T30 tyres, but
I trust on the advice of my friends from Neumaticos Richard in
Madrid, and I fitted a pair in Madrid in the beginning of my
2019 summer holydays annual travel. The main requirement was a
10.000 km minimum life, not to make a pit stop in the middle of
my travel, so that I didn't repeat with the excellent and sport
Dunlops RoadSmart III.
Just only to ride up on the bike, without even to start the engine, the sensation was that the rear height of the bike had been lowered respect to the previous BT16s. BAD thing!. I like agility to ride on tight curves without effort AND not disturbing the high speed aplomb, both worlds available with 16s or RoadSmarts.
After 8.500 km. I have to say that they were a success: these Bridgestones are extremely comfortable tyres, stable and even cold and damp tarmac you can go fast and confident with them, not suffering any strange behaviour and gripping perfectly.
The bike loses a bit of agility, but in return the confidence when lying is fantastic, one of the best I've ever tested. The grip is incredible and you can lay up or down or change the trajectory while on your side, there will be no problem. Fast curves at no-brain throttle are their strongest point.
With much (A LOT, seriously) hot weather they have not overheated or crystallized or suffering degradation for excess temperature in long hours of riding. A whole 10 in this point..
The only but is that on fast and hard riding all this comfort does not give you feeling about the tarmac that you have underneath, leaving the direction a little loose and with a sensation of the whole bike is "floating" on the asphalt. This same feeling makes these tyres incredibly comfortable and absorbent on poor condition tarmac, for 95% of the situations and riders, very suitable for routes of up to 900 km on a day, 700 being the most average figure.
CONCLUSION: a great Sport-Tourism tyres. In fact, the best I've ever tried for long trips with extended solo rides at high speed, in all assortment of climates and situations, with that remarkable feature of comfort and absorption properties in all circumstances. Only Avon Spirit are better (for tourism and race) I would only fit the RoadSmart III if I knew with certainty that my trip was going to include closed-tracks days, for the Dunlops superiority in very very sporty riding. This year I was frustrated on this possibility at the last minute, so I could not evaluate the BT31 in this environment, but already on the road they warned me that more than 80% (following an R1 mounted by my friend Miguel Angel, a crack guy!) They float too much to be confident.
But the
latter is for 5% of users. For 95% of riders, 95% of the time,
daily use, travelling and sport riding on road not too extreme,
I have to strongly recommend them.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
Avon Spirit 180/170/160 rear/120 front
I've posted the feedback above. They're much more triangular and sporty, gripping like a sports tire and lasting like a touring tire. They're precise, excellent for sporty driving, and last about 8,000 km on the demanding asphalt where I live, which could easily be 10,000-12,000 km on the Iberian Peninsula, without any change in their handling or wear.
The carcass is hard and the compound is soft, so you have the best of both worlds, tourism and sport riding in one tyre
I use Spirit tires on all my FJs.
RECOMMENDED. ABSOLUTED SUPERB TYRES ON FJs
Bridgestone BT016 PRO
I had been told that they were better than the BT016 (without PRO) and that they lasted longer. Well, it will be a placebo effect as they are newer, but I have not noticed a difference in grip, yes, excellent, but as the wear progressed, a worsening in the handling of the motorcycle, until their complete destruction at just 4,000 km. In other words, they have lasted less than the previous BT016 (without PROones). Could it be because of a softer estructure that makes the weight of the FJ eat them? Of course, I'm not going to repeat it, there are not proper tyres for the FJ, because on lighter bikes they do last a lot longer. NOT RECOMMENDED