Sp00ks Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 42 minutes ago, Grum said: Well if thats the only indented four figure number then you are approaching 10 year old rubber! What brand is it? I'd be replacing that old hardened front tire for sure. ???Why am I seeing a tire on what appears to be a polished wheel, when your bike has black wheels? Is it just reflected light from a sparkling clean black wheel? Yep, that is the only four figure number I can find. Bridgestone Battlax. It's a reflection on the rim. funky lighting. Rim is black. Yes it's sparkling 🙂 And that is a concrete floor that is paint splattered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp00ks Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 Question/Opinion: The rear tire is a brand new Bridgestone Battlax. The front tire needs replacing, would you replace it with the same Bridgestone Battlax or go with something else since the front typically last longer than the rear? Yes I will take suggestions but don't want this to turn into a tire/oil/brakes etc. thread. I'm not sure I will put the same tires on it next time so.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted February 3, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2021 Welcome to the asylum Sp00ks. That is one fabulous looking machine and it's the best generation of VFR and in the fastest color. You obviously have great taste in mc'c. I have a set of grab bars (pillion grips) I could possibly be convinced to part with. Private message me if you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted February 3, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2021 12 minutes ago, Sp00ks said: Question/Opinion: The rear tire is a brand new Bridgestone Battlax. The front tire needs replacing, would you replace it with the same Bridgestone Battlax or go with something else since the front typically last longer than the rear? Yes I will take suggestions but don't want this to turn into a tire/oil/brakes etc. thread. I'm not sure I will put the same tires on it next time so.... No harm in just replacing the front with any quality brand tire you like. Just check the production date to ensure your getting fairly fresh rubber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted February 3, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2021 20 minutes ago, Sp00ks said: Question/Opinion: The rear tire is a brand new Bridgestone Battlax. The front tire needs replacing, would you replace it with the same Bridgestone Battlax or go with something else since the front typically last longer than the rear? Yes I will take suggestions but don't want this to turn into a tire/oil/brakes etc. thread. I'm not sure I will put the same tires on it next time so.... I've used Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires for the last ~100,000 miles on my 2001 VFR800fi. I've never needed to replace them at less than 7,000 miles. And they have performed amazingly in heave rain. Amazon has front ones for sale for less than $100. https://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Touring-Motorcycle-Radial-50ZR17/dp/B081HJ4HX8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=pilot%2Broad%2B2%2B120%2F70ZR17&qid=1612392790&s=automotive&sr=1-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWE9QSUFUNVM4M1MwJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTY2NDQ4M0NSSzJPOVhXMUNCQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTkzMjA4MjJSRkdEQ1ZZTTJJVSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1 I can recommend them highly. YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp00ks Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 2 minutes ago, MaxSwell said: I've used Michelin Pilot Road 2 tires for the last ~100,000 miles on my 2001 VFR800fi. I've never needed to replace them at less than 7,000 miles. Amazon has front ones for sale for less than $100. https://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Touring-Motorcycle-Radial-50ZR17/dp/B081HJ4HX8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=pilot%2Broad%2B2%2B120%2F70ZR17&qid=1612392790&s=automotive&sr=1-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWE9QSUFUNVM4M1MwJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTY2NDQ4M0NSSzJPOVhXMUNCQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTkzMjA4MjJSRkdEQ1ZZTTJJVSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1 I can recommend them highly. YMMV Done! I was looking at those already and do Michelin car tires as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted February 3, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 3, 2021 17 minutes ago, Sp00ks said: Done! I was looking at those already and do Michelin car tires as well. Agree with Maxwell. Wasn't going to mention it but Michelin are my go to tires as well. Interesting how the Pilot Road 2's are still being made yet the 3's and 4's aren't (apparently). The latest is the Road 5 for which I have on the front and a PR2 on the rear. Always been happy with the PR2's. YMMV. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp00ks Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 10 minutes ago, Grum said: Agree with Maxwell. Wasn't going to mention it but Michelin are my go to tires as well. Interesting how the Pilot Road 2's are still being made yet the 3's and 4's aren't (apparently). The latest is the Road 5 for which I have on the front and a PR2 on the rear. Always been happy with the PR2's. YMMV. Cheers. I was looking at the Michelin Pilot 2 and the Pirelli Angel GT. I am a big proponent of good tires and good brakes. I'd rather stop than go if given the choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FromMaine Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 In my opinion Good rubber is the single biggest upgrade you can make to an older bike. Although I prefer Bridgestones, you are looking at quality tires in the Angels and P2's. Bridgestone makes 19 varieties of BattleAxes, throw out the 2 race only versions and the bias vintage ones and you have 16, so a wide range. Looking at your picture it looks as though you have a BT-016, possibly an 015. No matter both are Original Equipment on new bikes, which means they are built to a price. The 016's I rode were fine in the corners and in the rain, they do not have a reputation for lasting very long though. So whichever front you choose, have a look at its matching rear, and its characteristics for cornering, rain, cold, etc, because you're likely to need a new one sooner than you think. Nice looking bike BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 I love my PR2's and the Amazon price is great. You wouldn't go wrong with the Pirellis either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RC1237V Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 Yep, toss that puppy! Match the front to the rear, looks like a Battleax in the rear, but can't make out which model. Fresh tires and some twisty tarmac are what weekends are for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 That is a great looking bike. Fastest color too. 🙂 JMO, but I think those numbers you posted aren't the date code. There should be 4 numbers in a smaller circle, maybe even raised numbers rather than indented like those. And they can be easy to overlook. And they should be by themselves. And I wouldn't go by the looks of the rear tire, I would also check the date code on it too. Better safe than sorry. 18,000 miles on a 23 year old bike could mean that it hasn't been ridden much, if any, since the rear tire was mounted. And that could easily have 5-6 years ago, or more. With 18,000 miles, that would most likely have been the third tire, so if he rode 10,000 miles the first 5 years, that means it was only ridden 8,000 miles over the next 18 years. One other thing worth doing, IMO anyway, is to replace the 23 year old rubber brake lines with new lines. And if you're going to do that, then stainless brake lines is the way to go. If you wrap your hand around the front brake line, then squeeze the brake, you'll be able to feel the line expand. Just like the rest of us, it gets softer when it ages. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RC1237V Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 They look different on each brand, and have changed a bit over the years.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer RC1237V Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 Per "Tire Rack" they were a 3-digit code before the year 2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted February 4, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 4, 2021 14 minutes ago, FJ12Ryder said: That is a great looking bike. Fastest color too. 🙂 JMO, but I think those numbers you posted aren't the date code. There should be 4 numbers in a smaller circle, maybe even raised numbers rather than indented like those. And they can be easy to overlook. And they should be by themselves. And I wouldn't go by the looks of the rear tire, I would also check the date code on it too. Better safe than sorry. 18,000 miles on a 23 year old bike could mean that it hasn't been ridden much, if any, since the rear tire was mounted. And that could easily have 5-6 years ago, or more. With 18,000 miles, that would most likely have been the third tire, so if he rode 10,000 miles the first 5 years, that means it was only ridden 8,000 miles over the next 18 years. One other thing worth doing, IMO anyway, is to replace the 23 year old rubber brake lines with new lines. And if you're going to do that, then stainless brake lines is the way to go. If you wrap your hand around the front brake line, then squeeze the brake, you'll be able to feel the line expand. Just like the rest of us, it gets softer when it ages. 🙂 Great suggestions. +1 for the stainless brake lines. There was a group buy on these a few years ago. I especally noticed a big improvement in feel as a result. And 5th gen brakes are famous: 60 to 0 in 108.7 feet. But, with the linked brakes, they must be use together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sp00ks Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 Thank you all and especially @mello dude I got my new R/R in today and got it replaced during my lunch hour. The Kit from Roadstercycles made it all but plug and play. It is definitely charging much better than before. Installed some LED tail lamp bulbs while I had the rear farings off. I have a penciled in appt. next week to have the new tire mounted and balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted February 5, 2021 Member Contributer Share Posted February 5, 2021 4 hours ago, Sp00ks said: Thank you all and especially @mello dude I got my new R/R in today and got it replaced during my lunch hour. The Kit from Roadstercycles made it all but plug and play. It is definitely charging much better than before. Installed some LED tail lamp bulbs while I had the rear farings off. I have a penciled in appt. next week to have the new tire mounted and balance. Now all we need is some pics from your upcoming rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Congrats on that beautiful 6th gen. and welcome to VFRD!! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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