1982 GS450L Tire Options

[Guest]

OK, please don't flame me as I have searched a lot on this subject.

What kind of tires are you guys running on 450L bikes. I am having a hard time finding a matching set of vintage style tires. I'm not interested in changing out the rear wheel for a 17 at this point either.

[bwringer]

Stock was 4.60-16 rear, 3.00-19 front (some fiches have a typo showing 3.60 for the tire, but a 3.00 tube). That translates to 120/90-16 and 100/90-19 in modern sizes.

The rear is going to be a little harder to find. The one worthy choice that comes in the correct rear size is the IRC Durotour RS310:

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=649&products_id=2162

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=33_145_151&products_id=2158

There's also a Kenda in that size, but they are absolutely awful tires -- downright dangerous, in my experience.


Personally, I would not go to a 130/90-16 rear. There are skrillions available, but the wheel is very narrow and the handling will be goofed up because the tire will be squeezed into the wrong profile.

[John Park]

A 3.00 19 is 80mm wide, 655mm diameter - or thereabouts, depending. This translates to an 80/90 19 - except that it only seems to exist as a dual sport tire. A 90/90 19 is about as close as it gets being 90mm by 645 high. A 100/90 should be on a 2.15 rim which won't be stock on a 450.

I don't think there's any point in going to a 100/90 front on this bike. For the same reasons not to go to a 130 on the rear.

[potato potato]

That makes sense, the information I had listed 3.6-19.

Good to know about the Kenda tires, I will avoid those.

Assuming you guys have run 100/90 on the front or should I go with 90/90 as John mentioned?

[Steve]

I will agree on avoiding Kenda tires. They are only (marginally) useful to keep the rims off the floor when moving the bike around.
I will not even get on a bike with Kenda, let alone ride it.

Stick with the 90/90 tire on the front. Your wheel is not wide enough to properly support a 100/90.

.

[potato potato]

OK, I'm leaning towards Avon AM26 Roadrider tires (90/90 Front, 120/80 Rear). I mounted Avons on my Harley and was very impressed.

Anyone running these tires? Assuming I will be OK running tubeless front and rear. I know my front wheel calls for tubeless but cannot remember if that text is on the rear (will check tonight).

[bwringer]

Good catch on the front, y'all -- 90/90-19 would indeed be best.

You need a 120/90-16 on the rear, not a 120/80-16. The Avons are indeed great tires, but I don't think they're available in 120/90-16.

The parts diagram shows tubes front and rear. However, if the wheels are marked "tubeless tire applicable" then install new tire valves and go tubeless.

[potato potato]

Good catch on the front, y'all -- 90/90-19 would indeed be best.

You need a 120/90-16 on the rear, not a 120/80-16. The Avons are indeed great tires, but I don't think they're available in 120/90-16.

Is the 90 aspect ration needed from a handling perspective? I did not realize that a half inch shorter sidewall would make or break that tire.

The search continues...

[Gorminrider]

...you don't necessarily need matching tires do you?...and dare I say it- especially on an L. No I don't have anything against 'em but the look of the bike does not suggest " Isle of Man" criticality to me.
And the back seems to wear out before a front tire anyways.

So I'd just get as close a conversion of the original sizes as I could that had similar front and back tread patterns ....also, Lower aspect tires will be harder to mount on slightly wrong rims( correct mme if I am wrong)...(inch versus metric) especially if you are doing it yourself. PS: recommend buying some proper bead lubricant in the latter case- it's a big help!

[potato potato]

Good point. I also did not consider difficulty to mount the shorter sidewall.

At this point I will probably go with the IRC Durotour referenced by bwringer.