Any recommendations for tyre types and size for my 2000 cali jackal?
Down here I run Metzler 880s and love 'em.
Any good in the wet?
I took McFuzzi’s advice and fitted BT45s front and rear inflated to 40 PSI. I just an ordinary rider not a track day hero and I find they have plenty of grip wet and dry with no tendency to squirm on white lines.
Richard
If you do a search you will find that this has been discussed before.
Tyre’s are a very personal choice by my experiences are as follows
Avon RoadRiders: Bloody dangerous, not fit for purpose.
Metzler LaserTec: Not good
Birdgestone BT45: A fine tyre but the handling goes off long before the tread is worn out which takes the fun out of the last 5000 miles of life.
Michelin Pilot Activ: By far the best tyre I have fitted, lasts well, sticks well and really seems to match the bike. Handling is by far the best of all. I love them.
I am running Metzler ME880 Marathon front and rear on my Cali 1100i and have been very happy with them.DazGuzzi2014-02-12 08:51:52
I’m wondering if we should have a special section of this forum dedicated to tyres, and one for oil too. Both come up with great regularity. My preference for tyres, I ALWAYS use the black round ones.But generally if you ask six people for their tyre preference, you will usually get six different answers, as it’s all personal, and in many cases that preference is all in the mind anyway.
Brian UK2014-02-12 10:03:58
You are sooo right there Brian…Mind you IF you put the tyre listings and Oil listings on a sticky note folk will still ask.
One thing nowadays the majority of rubber for bikes is by far better that what they raced with in the 70’s.
Everyone has personal choice determined by the way they ride.
i’m with Brian now, round n black will do.my 10 penny worth bT45 bl00dy dangerous on 16" wheels even when grossly overinflated. my insurance company pointed out that if book says 33psi and after a smash your round with 40odd psi in the tires you could end up uninsured… I only found this as bt45 were not available in a standard size for a t5 and rang to check they would cover me with ‘wrong’ size onmy new v35 has a pair of brand new heidenau tires fitted for the mot by the dealer as the parked for 25 years originals were perished.was all in a panic about replacing them but after 40 miles i’m rather surprised how well the grip and turn in compared to my t5 even in the cold wet weather we are havingThe Avon road riders were find for me but they did start to crack after 3 year. Recent emails with Avon said they have changed the compound and assure em the cracks are gone for good
40 psi is the correct inflation pressure for the BT45s on the Guzzi California, Iain. (According to the manufacturer’s tyre pressure table now sadly deleted from their site.) I have never had any offs and only two skids, one on gravel washed onto the apex of a turn and one on mud. Although, admittedly, I do ride like a granny!
There IS a difference in Manufacturers settings for tyres and the Tyre companies reccomendation. Sometimes the call centres of insurance companies talk utter guff, as do many call centre staff.
+1 for Lawrie’s Metzler LaserTec Not good on the cali spacial sport, i changed my front tyre after 2500 miles, it felt bad right from the first ride till i took it off when the rear needed changing.
i put continental tyres on and the bike was back to normal, so it was the tyre for sure.
I have 2 new BT45’s on my vintage - any idea how long they will last before the “bad last 5000 miles” and if they are ok in the wet etc (hope fully you dont say they last 5001 miles). Californhihay2014-03-19 20:36:29
Hi, I’m new to Guzzis, and new to Californias; just bought a '96 1100i. The bike is currently fitted with Road Runners - was rather surprised they’re still around - but I’ve been browsing manufacturer’s sites for alternatives. The above comments are interesting and informative; I’ve long been a fan of Michelin (running PR2s on my Aprilia Futura).
I see that Pirelli’s Sport Demon is available in the right sizes for the California 1100; does anyone here have any experience of these? And will they fit? - I’m told that some tyres, although nominally the right size, won’t fit inside the swinging arm.MartDude2014-04-23 17:24:36
Hi, i had the correct size Sport Demon on a 99 Cali EV and it rubbed on the driveshaft tube.Same size Metzeler Marathon does not touch
Hi If tyres are actuall Road RUNNERS dump them as old stock very old around 2004 they changed the name personally been a life long lover of the road runners but to be honest i find the road riders terrible and lots of complaints on casing crack in the depth of tread patern I now use BT45 and wish i had swopped years ago
I don’t know about this -as long as you run at correct pressures (@42 rear, 39 front) BT45s are good past the wear tabs -obviously not so safe in wet, but one dry summer I wore a rear right down to the last 1/2mm and it still felt good.
I’ve bought a pair of Marathons just to feel the difference, but anticipate going back to BT45s.
[QUOTE=lawries] If you do a search you will find that this has been discussed before.
Tyre’s are a very personal choice by my experiences are as follows
Â
Avon RoadRiders: Bloody dangerous, not fit for purpose.
Metzler LaserTec: Not good
Birdgestone BT45: A fine tyre but the handling goes off long before the tread is worn out which takes the fun out of the last 5000 miles of life.
Michelin Pilot Activ: By far the best tyre I have fitted, lasts well, sticks well and really seems to match the bike. Handling is by far the best of all. I love them.[/QUOTE]
Well due to this forum and my lack of experience I am changing my Road riders of my 1100 I as soon as I wear the tread down. However I am interested in what pressures people believe I should run them at until then?
Thanks in advance for any help offered
Just changed a very low tread front bt45, it’s been great on terrible roads and good but was illegal. Unless the rubber is hard / there are no grooves try the pressures I gave above, this seems to give best results.
Just ordered a set of Dunlop Streetsmarts available in OE size for my 2001 Jackal. Chose these rather than Avons on the advice of my local specialist bike tyre fitter, who says that the Dunlops are a more recent product using more modern technology rubber compound. Cheaper than the Avons too!! Will give some feedback when I’ve given them a proper try.