My new 1982 GS1100G

[Supercub]

I picked up a 1982 GS1100G with 3800 miles on it. It was a one-owner bike. It is in great shape, the only blemish is a small dent in the tank. The tires are from 2008, so I will be replacing them. It has 100/90-19 front and 140/80-17 rear Michelin tires on it. I found Bridgestone BT45, BT46 tires in these sizes. Are the sizes correct, or as close to original in size as the stock spec of 350-19 and 4.50-17? I want to keep the stock diameters so that the speedo and gearing will be as stock.

 

[Suzukian]

That's a nice really clean looking bike. You will get many years of service out of it.

 

[dpep]

What a great find.

 

[Supercub]

Yes it is a sweet bike. The tank looks like new inside.

 

[bwringer]

The rear is incorrect -- it's supposed to be wearing a 130/90-17. Front is correct, 100/90-19.

Why people do this I'll never know; with the right rubber, these things handle beautifully. With wider stuff, they turn into weird pigs.


And yep, it looks gorgeous! Great find -- they're sure not making any more!

 

[Supercub]

Thanks for the info. The rear looks a little wide. Either the dealer only had that tire in stock or the guy wanted to make it look cool.

 

[Supercub]

For this size bike I imagine the tires should be heavy duty? Many are coming up as bias ply tires. Any recommendations on brand and model? I mostly ride back roads.

 

[bwringer]

As far as tires, I'll give you the very quick summary. There are several longer discussions around here:

- There's no such thing as "heavy duty" tires.
- All the tires in these sizes are bias ply. This is normal for motorcycle tires.

- If you want cheap, great traction and handling, but somewhat short-lived, Shinko 230 or 712 tires are an excellent choice. (Shinko is a Korean company). I ride very hard in all weather, but I don't put that many miles on my GS850G these days (my other bikes get a lot more miles), so that's what I use; I usually spoon on a fresh set about once a year, and I get around 3,000 miles a set. Normal people get about double the mileage. From the saddle, there's little to no difference, so take your pick. The 230 has a higher speed rating (which doesn't matter in the least) and looks weird. The 712 looks more conventional.

- If you want the best traction bar none, never mind the cost, Pirelli Sport Demon. Short-lived, though.

- If tread life matters to you, then the Avon RoadRider MKII is the usual choice.

- The only really "bad" tires these days are Kenda. Avoid anything Kenda; they are dangerous garbage. Bridgestone, Michelin, Continental, and other known brands also make great tires.

- I'd also avoid the Dunlop D404; they look "right" on vintage bikes, and they're fairly cheap, but they are VERY soft and short-lived, and turn evil as they wear.

- Replace your valve stems along with the tires; Napa sells high-quality tubeless motorcycle valve stems at a very reasonable price. You cannot use car valve stems because they are fatter at the base.


If you're mounting your own tires, good suppliers include Dennis Kirk, Revzilla, RockyMountainATVMC and a few others. scAmazon and fleaBay are strictly "buyer beware"; a lot of leftover tires with really old date codes get dumped that way. Sometimes you can end up with a good deal, sometimes not.

I'm currently fighting a ridiculous warranty issue with American Moto Tire (defective Avon for one of my other bikes), and I think they're going to drop off my short list onto my fecal roster... but up to now they've been a good source of tires with great prices.

If you're NOT mounting your own tires, then check with the shop before ordering; many will flatly refuse to mount tires you supply, or will charge a ridiculous amount of money.

 

[bwringer]

Here's my torture test report on the Shinko 230. Please note that the prices given are from many years ago, but the basic idea is about the same.

https://www.thegsresources.com/_for...spension-brakes/60481-shinko-230-torture-test

At that time, I put a lot more miles on my GS850G, so the more expensive but longer-lived tires made better financial sense on a cost per mile basis. Nowadays, since I ride this bike far less, I prefer to spoon on a fresh set every year or so rather than take three or four years to wear out a set of Avons.

 

[Supercub]

Thanks for the post. I found a package set of Shinko 712s on ebay sold by Chapparal for $168.00. I was wondering about bias ply in some of the descriptions. Since I ride multiple bikes, my tires may start cracking before I wear them out. I have a local guy that does my mounting for $20.00, tire off bike, bring your own. I feel good about him working on my stuff, a real detail oriented guy. I may grab tbs Shinkos. I put s set on my Yamaha XV750, I like the looks of them.

 

[Supercub]

Does anyone know a source for a clutch cable 2" longer than stock?

 

[rphillips]

Not sure how many inches longer, but the "L" models had longer cables than the standard models.

 

[Supercub]

I can buy one and try, they are cheap enough. If not long enough, I can make a bendy that would go into the lever perch and send the cable straight down away from the gauges. I would have to braze a new knarp on the cable.

 

[rphillips]

Just wondering Supercub, The "G" baes are relatively tall already. Taller bars on the "G"? ... I don't think I've seen that before.

 

[Supercub]

I put a low rise bar on it and the cable has nowhere to go except over the ignition switch. I have it routed as best possible. I just found this cable on ebay that has a bendy. With the bendy, the cable can be routed thru the triple tree a little lower where there is room for it. Should be here in a week. Suzuki p/n 58200-49300.

 

[Supercub]

The bar that was on it was huge. Yes, it would br hard to imagine anything taller!

 

[850 Combat]

The stock tire translates to a 100-90-19 and 120-90-17 rear. Most people use an easier 130.on the rear. I happen to prefer the stock sizes. For me the steeringfeels more neutral. Nice bike. I had one like it but gave it to my brother.

 

[gtem]

Thanks for the post. I found a package set of Shinko 712s on ebay sold by Chapparal for $168.00. I was wondering about bias ply in some of the descriptions. Since I ride multiple bikes, my tires may start cracking before I wear them out. I have a local guy that does my mounting for $20.00, tire off bike, bring your own. I feel good about him working on my stuff, a real detail oriented guy. I may grab tbs Shinkos. I put s set on my Yamaha XV750, I like the looks of them.

I've been buying tires from Chaparral regularly (three or four sets of Shinko 712s in the last two years), both through Amazon and nowadays directly through their website. Zero complaints. Tires are priced well, arrive quickly, and I've not had any complaints about quality or how they ride. For the relatively few miles I put on in a year, the Shinko 712s are just the ticket for me on these UJMs.

 

[argonsagas]

I picked up a 1982 GS1100G with 3800 miles on it. It was a one-owner bike. It is in great shape, the only blemish is a small dent in the tank. The tires are from 2008, so I will be replacing them. It has 100/90-19 front and 140/80-17 rear Michelin tires on it. I found Bridgestone BT45, BT46 tires in these sizes. Are the sizes correct, or as close to original in size as the stock spec of 350-19 and 4.50-17? I want to keep the stock diameters so that the speedo and gearing will be as stock. filedata/fetch?id=1706706&d=1666900118

What a beautiful find! Congratulations!

And....Welcome to GSR!

 

[salty_monk]

Rocky Mountain ATV is also a decent source of tires...