Yamaha TRX850 Enthusiasts Forum

i was thinking of fitting the corsa 120/70 to the front and keep the diablo on the rear ,,as any one done this ????

I always used 020s on the xjr perfect for it and found it best to replace both tyres at the same time as the front slid a few times even though there looked like plenty of life left, when exploring lean angles and trying to get the knee down on the trx after a track day at kirkistown last summer my side stand dug in and lifted the back end I almost highsided, tight left hander 60mph for some reason I have never touched the peg down on the right, what trye preasures do you all use

When I had Mac 90s i used whatever is in the handbook....(28/32???) but with the 014s I'm using 36/42.

phuk72 wrote: even so I would always opt for a stickier tyre unless ALL I wanted was long life. They black hops are all that keep you upright and so a few quid invested is worthwhile.

Hear, hear. Having done it at least three times that i can remember (I'm talking 20+ years ago ) I've no desire to ever slide down the road after feeling the front end fold underneath me... ever! Back then, you didn't have much choice- front tyres all had their shortcomings- but these days there's really no excuse for not using decent rubber.

Oh and just in case it has'nt been mentioned
Check your tyre pressures

Thanks for all your helpful input guys

Checked tyres just before and the front was at 31psi, rear 34 (as opposed to recommended 33 fr/36 rear!). Def. will pump them up tomorrow before ride to work.

Hans, I think your point re: trx vs 1000s has some merit, I played swaps with my best mate/usual riding buddy who has a k6 gsxr1000 and the riding experience was... ... that thing felt and moved like a sharply honed weapon (and this was just after I had gold valves installed) - totally bonkers! Perhaps the fact that most of these bikes now weigh in at only ~170 kilos (and have sportier rubber) allow them to be thrown into a corner with a bit more aggro without asking as much of the front tyre? (Except of course the poor rear on the exits - heck, at least on the trixy you don't have to worry as much about a high-side!)

Come to think of it, the times I have had the front slide/step/skip to the outside were when pushing downhill as opposed to coming up, and the tight hairpins where this was happening the other day occurred at the bottom of a decline before becoming an incline (ie - road decreasing and increasing in elevation rather sharply through quite a tight corner). I imagine this would put even more stress on front end grip - perhaps an earlier turn in would be better and a delayed (or less aggressive) roll on, at least until the rear was also on the incline? Or perhaps a sticky tyre would help (or at least mask/forgive my poor technique on tricky corners like the above).

I have seen tyres that look like an eraser after hard use (balled up bits of rubber), however I definitely do not get that, only a little on the edges of the tyre grooves, and of course that worn strip on the very edge of the profile. Greg, as you mentioned it looks more 'polished' after hard riding. I'm not sure of its age, but I guess a few of my questions will be answered when I change it! Perhaps it's me, perhaps it's the tyre being asked too much

Apologies for all the waffle, but I am just loving the new bike and trying to get the most out of it! Thanks again people for your input

JL wrote:Thanks for all your helpful input guys

Checked tyres just before and the front was at 31psi, rear 34 (as opposed to recommended 33 fr/36 rear!). Def. will pump them up tomorrow before ride to work.

Hans, I think your point re: trx vs 1000s has some merit, I played swaps with my best mate/usual riding buddy who has a k6 gsxr1000 and the riding experience was... ... that thing felt and moved like a sharply honed weapon (and this was just after I had gold valves installed) - totally bonkers! Perhaps the fact that most of these bikes now weigh in at only ~170 kilos (and have sportier rubber) allow them to be thrown into a corner with a bit more aggro without asking as much of the front tyre? (Except of course the poor rear on the exits - heck, at least on the trixy you don't have to worry as much about a high-side!)

Come to think of it, the times I have had the front slide/step/skip to the outside were when pushing downhill as opposed to coming up, and the tight hairpins where this was happening the other day occurred at the bottom of a decline before becoming an incline (ie - road decreasing and increasing in elevation rather sharply through quite a tight corner). I imagine this would put even more stress on front end grip - perhaps an earlier turn in would be better and a delayed (or less aggressive) roll on, at least until the rear was also on the incline? Or perhaps a sticky tyre would help (or at least mask/forgive my poor technique on tricky corners like the above).

I have seen tyres that look like an eraser after hard use (balled up bits of rubber), however I definitely do not get that, only a little on the edges of the tyre grooves, and of course that worn strip on the very edge of the profile. Greg, as you mentioned it looks more 'polished' after hard riding. I'm not sure of its age, but I guess a few of my questions will be answered when I change it! Perhaps it's me, perhaps it's the tyre being asked too much

Apologies for all the waffle, but I am just loving the new bike and trying to get the most out of it! Thanks again people for your input

A few points to pick up on here:

If you are pushing hard on warm roads in warm conditions, you do not need anywhere near the recommended PSI. As an example, I run as low as 27psi on the front on track days.

A gixxer thou (or whatever) isn't actually any noticable amount (perhaps a tank of fuel at most) lighter than the TRX. The sharpness comes from the geometry of the bike not the weight (the TRX is an inherently stable bike which means slower turning)

The reason it's more inclined to slide downhill is because you have or weight on the front. Basically you have shite tyres that can't cope with what you are asking them to. Stciky tyres would most certainly help.

The polished effect is due to the tyres overheating - you are asking too much of them. The tyre balling you refer to comes from very sticky tyres being ragged - you will not get 020's to do that.

In conclusion, you are asking too much of the tyres (or have I already said that )

phuk72 wrote: ...
In conclusion, you are asking too much of the tyres (or have I already said that )

Some good pointers there (again ), cheers phuk. New front tyre, next chance I get! Although the psi was down, I didn't think that would have made too much of a difference either.

Interesting point about geometry - my mate couldn't believe how comfy the trx felt and how planted it was through corners. It's one of the things I really love about it!

Just a thought, but is the tarmac in Oz any different from that in Europe or other parts of the world? This again would affect tyre performance.
And just for the record I have BT020's on the front and rear, and have no problem with them running 32 and 38 PSI.

Dave E

slow codger wrote: Just a thought, but is the tarmac in Oz any different from that in Europe or other parts of the world? This again would affect tyre performance.
And just for the record I have BT020's on the front and rear, and have no problem with them running 32 and 38 PSI.

Dave E

Yep - it's a whole load warmer

Just a thought, but is the tarmac in Oz any different from that in Europe

Yep - it's a whole load warmer

...and upside down.


.

slow codger wrote: And just for the record I have BT020's on the front and rear....

I don't think you put quite the same demands on your tyres though Dave....

trixynut wrote:

Just a thought, but is the tarmac in Oz any different from that in Europe

Yep - it's a whole load warmer

...and upside down.


.

^^^^
Pretty much sums it up! Oh - perhaps less traffic? Or is that obstacles?

JL wrote: ^^^^
Pretty much sums it up! Oh - perhaps less traffic? Or is that obstacles?

Challenges

Honk wrote

I don't think you put quite the same demands on your tyres though Dave....

Right again, But you never know this year...........................

Will admit that if I was doing as many track days as some of the people on here then they would be swapped. And there is an 18 going on the rear!

Dave E