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RE: Tyres for an XT?

rbon450 — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:14:57 GMT

Oh sorry!!! I have not enough knowledge about it. You can search in Google.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:52:57 GMT

endemoniada_88 (28/07/2009)

I've always been told that spring clips are OK up to about 50 horse, so you're probably within limits there. But I'd be a little cautious with the pulses from a big thumper - I would imagine that's more significant than the outright power in stressing the link clip.

We did once try a home splitting and rivetting operation on a mate's bike - it wasn't altogether successful. Without the proper tool it's surprisingly difficult to get enough force on the rivet to peg it securely! However, our friendly local dealer banged it in in about 5 seconds for free (after we pushed the bike there).

Haven't listened to a Cream album for ages..might have to dig one out now!

Ah, well that's a relief then! Since I posted the last message I have been looking it up on the web, and there are plenty of US pages that talk about spring clips on chains as if they were the only show in town, so perhaps it's more common than I thought. It seems to be holding up OK so far, anyhow. Buying a chain tool hardly seems worth it for me - 50-odd quid for something I'll only use every couple of years. I've got several ones for bicycles, but I doubt if they would be man enough. I think I'll stick with the split link for now and see how it goes.

Cream - ah yes, my top band throughout my teens! I stll maintain that Eric Clapton's guitar solo/s in the live version of Crossroads is the best improvised rock guitar ever.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:45:09 GMT

Haven't listened to a Cream album for ages..might have to dig one out now!

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:26:31 GMT

Sorted! I have put new chain and sprox on today. The noise is gone, and bloody hell it's like having a new bike! Smoother, quieter, easier gear changes, all good. The chain was beyond its service limit, but I couldn't find any tight spots and it seemed in good nick otherwise. The rear sprocket had almost no wear at all. But the front sprocket was well worn, hooked and in a bad state.

The chain came with a spring clip link, so I didn't even need to drop the swingarm, although I am slightly nervous about that. I haven't had a motorbike without a solid chain since the Jawa days of the 70s, and even my pushbikes have all had solid chains due to the Disraeli Gears. [Kultural reference for men of a certain age.] I suppose it must be OK, or M&P wouldn't sell 'em like that, but oo-er, Missus. At least it will make it easy to drop the chain off for cleaning, so perhaps overall it's a good thing. At least it's not a 140bhp snorting beast capable of 180, when I really would be worried.

Any thoughts, boys and girls?

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:42:17 GMT

I've checked chain tension, wheel alignment and for stiff links and signs of rubbing - nothing. The noise is there if you run the bike on a paddock stand, and it seems to be where it runs over either the plastic swing-arm protector or the little pulley that sits under the chain's lower run. Lifting or moving the chain while it is running (don't try this at home) makes no difference, and while riding the bike downhill with the engine off, bouncing up and down on the pegs makes no difference either. So it looks like it isn't an alignment problem. I've slackened the rear shock off and removed and lubricated the pulley, and it's a bit better. But I've also measured the chain and it's getting out of spec. 10 links should measure a maxmum of 150.2 mm and they actually measure 150.5. As you correctly say, I am expecting to replace them soon anyhow (thebike came to me with no history), so that will just bring it forward. B*llocks - it's a swingarm out job.

On a lighter note, here are some pics of the new tyres.

And one of the bike for good measure:

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:54:35 GMT

My first thought would've been tight spot, especially since it started under extra compression at the back. Could be the rear wheel just out of alignment, perhaps? Or the rear sprocket beginning to show signs of wear. I'm sure you would have noticed the shiny spot by now if it was the chain rubbing against frame or swingarm anywhere!

Most anything else should give more of a clunking sound, in my experience - worn cush drive, for example (I presume the XT has a cush). I did have a rear sprocket mounting bolt work very slightly loose once, started off as an odd scratching sound as it just touched the swingarm but very quickly became a full-on clattering!

Are the chain and sprockets fairly elderly - you sound like you're already half-expecting to replace them?

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:14:55 GMT

Thanks Endo. I did promise some pics of the new tyres a while back - I'll see if I can do some tomorrow.

Next problem is a noise. A kind of shushing, slight scr@ping noise, about a third of road wheel speed, so almost certainly the chain. Happens under drive and on the over-run. Only really noticeable when riding next to a wall and the sound is reflected back, but if yo listen hard it is there at other times too. I've looked and looked at the chain and the roller things it goes over, and I can't find any tight spots or signs of wear, but something is rubbing somewhere. It started when I put a top-box on, and went away when I jacked up the shock, but now it's come back. I'm going to have a really good look tomorrow, but I think it may be new chain and sprox time.

Thoughts?

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:28:17 GMT

That's a result, then! Apart from the pushing - my sympathies on that one.

Hope it continues to run from this point forth.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:30:17 GMT

To close the last episode, the new reg-rec cured it and the bike ran fine for a while (then the wiring to the non-existent side stand switch went funny and stranded me 2 miles from home with a big hill in the way. I haven't pushed a bike that far for many years, and I don't really want to do it again). But the bike is sorted now and going like a good 'un.

I went for Avon Distanzias in the end. They were the cheapest 90% road option by a mile, and with my reduced hours I am having to be careful with the old cash outlay. I've only done about 100 miles in the wet on them so far, so they aren't scrubbed in (in fact, they still have some flappy moulding materials in the centre of the tread) but first impressions are quite good. They wander in a straight line a bit more than the Trail Wings, but corner grip seems good, at least as much as you can tell on wet roads in a British 'summer'.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:18:35 GMT

Heh, thanks. It was very good to have the hub separated from the rim, and be able to clean it down and repaint it. I like clean wheels, but the effort and skinned knuckles involved in getting them just isn't worth it, in my view. So my wheels tend to remain grubby - or at least as clean as they can be with a spray of Muc-Off and a pressure hose That's why I opted for stainless spokes - good looks, zero maintenance. I also took the opportunity to wire-brush some of the rust and crud from the 'crotch' of the swinging arm, where it had started to deteriorate, and put a fresh coat of paint on there too. It's only a patch, but it's better than nothing.

One day, I'm going to strip it down completely and refurb the entire bike. I think it's worth it. It won't be a showroom or concours effort, though. I will be rebuilding it for regular use, and make some modifications to make it more reliable and robust, and weatherproof (although it's all those things already).

I now have a new reg/rec on order, so by tomorrow night I should know if it is a goer again, or not.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:16:36 GMT

To be fair, I was more interested in the rebuild than the tyres! That's a neat job - looks so much better than the OEM shot...and I don't think anyone should ever worry about having a slightly less than pristine machine. They're there to be used. Very clean bikes make me think that someone hasn't learned that particular lesson yet...

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:09:38 GMT

Oops - you were asking for a pic with the new tyres, and I have posted the rebuild with the new spokes. Sorrreeeeee.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:08:40 GMT

Well, here's the old one:

And here's the new:

I think I've got them the right way round The new one's had a couple of mucky journeys since I fitted it, so it doesn't look quite as shiny as I had hoped.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:59:29 GMT

Speaking of new tyres...had my RF re-shod with BT020s yesterday and am busy enjoying the experience. I knew the Shinko Podiums it came with were rubbish (I mean, Shinko? Who???), but it took a comparison to realise exactly how utterly rubbish they were. Even unscrubbed and in the obligatory take-it-easy period, the Bridgestones are just serene and unruffled by (to be fair, not extreme) conditions that had the Shinkos scrabbling for grip and twitching all over the shop. I knew I hated budget tyres for a good reason!

Look forward to seeing your handiwork, BD.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:41:00 GMT

Yes, I'll post a piccy when I get it all sorted. Today, however, I have a mystery misfire which needs attending to first. I'll make a separate post on that; perhaps you might have an idea what's going on

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:13:37 GMT

Nice work - perhaps needs a picture post once the re-rubbering's done?

If it was a vote on looks alone, the TKCs would win hands-down...it's almost a shame that that isn't the only consideration!

RE: Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:39:40 GMT

Thanks for the advice bud. I had a pair of Tourances on the XT660R on which I returned to biking a few years ago. They didn't give any problems, but on the other hand I was getting back into riding after a ~10 year gap, so I was hardly throwing it about. (That came with the next bike, the Bandit.) I think I need to be honest with myself and go for road-biased tyres, although I just love the look of chunky knobblies on a trail bike. I have never ever ridden on Metzelers, so that would be a new one for me. I guess it will come down to price and availability. I do like the look of the Enduro Saharas, though. Perhaps they would be a good compromise between my actual and fantasy needs.

On another matter, I am feeling quite proud of myself just now. The rear wheel of the XT was very unstable with a lot of loose spokes. I tried tightening them up, but they were mostly seized, and then they started to break one by one. So I bought some new spokes and rebuilt the wheel, even making myself a truing jig out of wood offcuts to do so. That was a first for me - I've built bicycle wheels before, but never a motorcycle wheel. With the newly-painted hub and de-rusted rim, and 36 lovely polished stainless spokes, it looks marvellous. And it handles now, too A new set of boots would set it off perfectly.

RE: Tyres for an XT?

endemoniada_88 — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:02:52 GMT

Well, not having any kind of an off-road bent myself, I'd probably plump for Tourance EXPs. Mostly gleaned from the biking press, rather than my own experience, to be fair, but they seem to be the purest road tyre of the lot (although if you're green-laning, the Enduro Saharas would possibly be the better choice out of the Metzeler stable). The consensus seems to be that the TKCs are more off-road with some tarmac abilities, so possibly the wrong bias for what you're after: I'm not sure I'd want that tread pattern underneath me on-road!

Usually hear Bridgestone BattleWings and Michelin Anakees spoken of as good primarily-road tyres, roughly equivalent to the Tourances but pricier.

Again, personal opinion, but I've always found (modern, at any rate) Metzelers to be stable in all conditions with no hideous surprises to spring, so I'd be quite happy to go with one of their range.

Tyres for an XT?

Black Dog — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:26:50 GMT

The XT has a well-worn pair of TrailWings on, which I am not too keen on. They will need replacing before too long, so I'm up for a bit of advice.

I quite fancy the Continental TKC80s, although I have to admit this is for the looks more than anything. I don't do any serious off-roading, just the occasional bit of light green-laning. Most of the mileage is the daily commute on main and back roads, wet and dry, clean and filthy/muddy depending on the weather and what the farmers are carrying about this week. A few big names come to mind:

Michelin Anakee
Dunlop Trailmax
Avon Distanzia
Metzeler Enduro 3
Michelin Sirac
Metzeler Tourance

I have heard both good and bad about all of these. I suppose if I ignore the looks, then what I am after is grip on the tarmac. Mileage is secondary. But if anyone told me that the Contis were OK on the road, then I'd probably go for them Bear in mind that my only big off was on knobblies in the wet, though - I get nervous around big gaps in the tread

Endo - have you any pearls to offer on this one? Or anyone else? All suggestions welcome.