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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kane on April 20, 2021, 12:00:03 AM

Title: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Kane on April 20, 2021, 12:00:03 AM
I’ll be needing to put new rubber on my T3 project. The wheels are the skinny cast ones, like on the early LM. I’ve read somewhere that bias ply tires are better for a Tonti bike than radial tires. Is this true, and if so why? I don’t know a whole lot about tires, but I’ve thought that radials were better and are the standard in performance tires. What works best for these old bikes with skinny wheels?
Thanks
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Stevex on April 20, 2021, 03:58:20 AM
I've read nothing but good things about radials on these bikes. Continental's radials are made in sizes that will fit our bikes.
Next month I'm ditching the wooden Pirelli Demons on my LM2 and fitting  a Road Attack 3 to the front and a Classic Attack to the rear.
I run tyres on my bike tubeless. Interestingly, when I talked to Continental, they recommended 120/90-18 for the rear, but I may stick with the 110/90-18.
Good read here https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/conti-radial-review.16623/#post-124002 and here https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/radial-tyred-tonti-s.15699/
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Kane on April 20, 2021, 07:57:32 AM
Thank you, Steve. Much appreciated!
Cheers
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Wayne Orwig on April 20, 2021, 08:12:54 AM
I had tried radials a couple of times on my 2004 EV. I had to WAY over inflate the tires to keep it from squirming all over the place.

Once, I just bought them and tried them. Had to change them out. The other time I was on a cross country trip and that was the only replacement tire I could find. It got me home, where I replaced them.

They didn't work on that Tonti.
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on April 20, 2021, 08:24:23 AM
Oh, boy.. a radial vs bias tire thread.  :cool: :boozing:
Classic Attacks rock.. :thumb:
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Bulldog9 on April 20, 2021, 08:28:10 AM
I’ll be needing to put new rubber on my T3 project. The wheels are the skinny cast ones, like on the early LM. I’ve read somewhere that bias ply tires are better for a Tonti bike than radial tires. Is this true, and if so why? I don’t know a whole lot about tires, but I’ve thought that radials were better and are the standard in performance tires. What works best for these old bikes with skinny wheels?
Thanks

I have my Convert Rims off at the shop having new tires put on. It had the Bridgestone BT45(?) and I replaced them with Pirelli Route 66 tires.

I believe the book called for 4.10-18. Used the same sizes as the Bridgestone 100/90 -18 Front and 120/90 - 18 Rears. The shop is swamped right now, will report back once I put a few miles on them.
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Guzler on April 20, 2021, 01:23:47 PM
I have my Convert Rims off at the shop having new tires put on. It had the Bridgestone BT45(?) and I replaced them with Pirelli Route 66 tires.

I believe the book called for 4.10-18. Used the same sizes as the Bridgestone 100/90 -18 Front and 120/90 - 18 Rears. The shop is swamped right now, will report back once I put a few miles on them.

Put the 66s on my '77. Much better than sport demons for me. 120 rear too.
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Motorad64 on April 20, 2021, 02:13:23 PM
I've got 3k miles on Classic Attacks on a 78 LM1.  90/90 front 120 rear.   I'd like to try a 110 rear but have nothing but good things to say about the handling.  Incredible grip. 
They do not track on grooved pavement, have terrific grip/feel in the wet and ride very comfortably.  Not sure why you wouldn't buy them.   
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: moto-uno on April 20, 2021, 04:01:03 PM
A couple of caveats here , first the Le Mans 2 rims are a WM type , originally tube type . They also don't have the
inner safety ridge . If the manufacturer ( such as Dunlop) says to use tubes if fitted to tube type rims ,You should
be good to go . But if there is no reference to being used on tube type rims , contact the manufacturer , sales
people are sales people , not generally tech experts . The very fact that 2 completely different experiences have
been voiced here reinforces my concerns . Simply because they hold air isn't enough , balloons hold air too  :azn: . Peter
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: pete mcgee on April 20, 2021, 04:33:26 PM
I tried Bridgestone BT 53's around 20 years ago, on a Lemans 3, handled like a shopping trolley on meth.
However looking back I may have simply cocked up by not running with higher pressures, I stayed with the tried and true 32 F  and 36 R. Probably should have gone 36 F and 42 R. It didnt occur to me at the time, been using BT 45 ever since with no issues at the std pressures.
Enough people on here HAVE sucessfully run radials with good results to basically prove low pressures were probably the issue.on mine.

Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on April 20, 2021, 06:21:24 PM
I've got 3k miles on Classic Attacks on a 78 LM1.  90/90 front 120 rear.   I'd like to try a 110 rear but have nothing but good things to say about the handling.  Incredible grip. 
They do not track on grooved pavement, have terrific grip/feel in the wet and ride very comfortably.  Not sure why you wouldn't buy them.

I have nothing left to say, your honor.. :smiley:
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: LowRyter on April 20, 2021, 07:01:30 PM
OK, I can dip my EV pretty low down in the corners with those Metzler 880.  So will I get the enjoyment and economy <Guzzi content> with those new fangled radials?   

DOUBTFUL.   :azn:

(https://g1.img-dpreview.com/B1DE727C74AB45CEABA3DF42439B8BB4.jpg)

I like to get all the tires can give.   :evil:
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Chuck in Indiana on April 21, 2021, 03:48:56 PM
You could shave off those chicken strips and glue em in the middle.. :evil:

 :smiley:
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: LowRyter on April 21, 2021, 04:20:32 PM
You could shave off those chicken strips and glue em in the middle.. :evil:

 :smiley:

The scary thing is that Darren I rode to the Talihina campout.  About 200 miles from the house.  When we rode the scenic drive, I said the bike seems to handle funny.  Anyway the next day we were heading home and hitting the twisties on a back highway I'd never ridden, doing a good 90 for stretches or more for about 50 miles, stopped for breakfast, and then I saw the tire.  WOW.  Had to get towed home.
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: Stevex on April 22, 2021, 03:49:49 AM
A couple of caveats here , first the Le Mans 2 rims are a WM type , originally tube type . They also don't have the
inner safety ridge . If the manufacturer ( such as Dunlop) says to use tubes if fitted to tube type rims ,You should
be good to go . But if there is no reference to being used on tube type rims , contact the manufacturer , sales
people are sales people , not generally tech experts . The very fact that 2 completely different experiences have
been voiced here reinforces my concerns . Simply because they hold air isn't enough , balloons hold air too  :azn: . Peter

I talked to tech(at)conti-tyres.co.uk, the clue's in the first word.
Yes the LM2 wheels don't have the 'safety' ridge to keep the tyre on, but exactly the same thing would happen with the tubed tyre.
I'd rather have the slower deflation of a tubeless puncture that the blow out of a tube.
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: chuck peterson on April 22, 2021, 05:56:52 AM
We’re kinda talking the same thing here, but what’s available in bias ply.

Any one use dunlop 11/90/18 d404’s?

A couple manufacturers are redoing vintage tread designs w modern compounds..looks great
Title: Re: Radial or Bias Ply tires for a Tonti
Post by: 80CX100 on April 22, 2021, 06:41:19 AM
We’re kinda talking the same thing here, but what’s available in bias ply.

Any one use dunlop 11/90/18 d404’s?

A couple manufacturers are redoing vintage tread designs w modern compounds..looks great

     I had a pair of those put on my CX because it was the only option available to me from the dealer doing the safety check at the time.

     I wouldn't do it again, they've never let me down, but if my judgement is correct, I think they ride stiff even aired down and I know I'll never wear them out.

     For my G5, they might be more suitable, longer life, slower pace etc, but I regret having them on my CX, they'll be in the garbage long before I wear them out. fwiw