What tires are you running on your Marauder?

CLRibbon · 11-01-2013, 08:16 PM

I have a 2000 GZ250 with original tires. The bike has less than 5000 miles on it but it's obvious that the tires are hard. Time to replace them!
I would like to get into a softer sport tire if possible. Please let me know what you are running and if you are happy with them.
Thanks much!
CLR

Water Warrior 2 · 11-02-2013, 01:41 AM

Oh yeah, they are old enough to hurt you big time. Check their actual date of manufacture on the side of the tire. A little oval molded into the side of the tire wall. It will have 4 numbers. Ex: 0938 would mean year 2009/week 38. If a seller says a 4 or 5 year old new tire is still good tell him/her to prorate the tire and installation on a five year life span.
I ordered online and received tires only 5 months old and was very happy with their performance because I knew I would wear them out in 2 years. That was on my Vstrom 650. The seller was Jake Wilson in Washington state. They sell a lot of tires at a fair price. Free shipping in the lower 48 if I remember correctly.
Other members can tell you what they find acceptable on the GZ.

5th_bike · 11-02-2013, 10:29 AM

I had Dunlops installed by the local dealer, I bought them there too, which came out good in the end, because the (new) rear tire had a bump and they replaced it for free.
I could have saved money by ordering them online, but I would have had to pay for the mounting twice, and then the hassle about whether the tire or the install would have been wrong (shipping them back - waiting etc.).
So my advice is to make it a one shop stop.

JohnC · 11-04-2013, 12:48 PM

I'm pretty sure week 38 of 2009 is 3809, not 0938. Prior to 2000 codes were 3 digits, so 389 would be week 38 of 1999 (or 1989, or ...)

Five or six years tops, regardless of how much tread you may have. A tire failure on a motorcycle is not something you want to experience.

I put a Pirelli Sport Deamon on the front and a Kendra Cruiser on the back. Similar treads. So far, so good...

**jonathan180iq** · 11-04-2013, 02:24 PM

I have a large list of matching and non-matching somewhere... Hold on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Modifying the GZ - What's Available?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There aren't many tire options for our bike that come in a matching set. There are, however, many options if you don't mind mixing up tire brands and/or going to a slightly smaller tire up front.

The factory tires sizes are: 110/90-16 (F) & 130/90-15 (R)

The rim width for the front wheel is 2.5" and the rear wheel width is 3.0"
That being the case, a size 100/90-16 front tire will work on this bike. It does have an overall diameter decrease of 9mm over the 110/90-16 but that isn't really very drastic.

Samato has verified that alternate tire size 100/90-16 will mount up with no problem.

As well, the 120/80-16 alternate tire size is another choice for the front tire and has been successfully mounted by MRLMD1.

Factory replacement tires: 110/90-16 & 130/90-15
Dunlop D404 (only available through a Suzuki dealer)
Metzeler ME77 (only available through a Suzuki dealer)
Cheng Shin C906 & C907 (possibly no longer available)

Rear Factory Replacements:
Kenda Challenger
Pirelli MT66 (Route 66)
Maxxis M6103
Cheng Shin Marquis
Metzeler Me 77

Factory Replacement Front:
GBC Green Shark
Metzler Lasertec
Pirelli Sport Demon
Avon Roadrider AM26
Conti Ultra TKV11
Kenda K671 & K673

100/90-16 Front:
Bridgestone BT45
Maxxis M6002
Cheng Shin C6000
Kenda Cruiser
IRC Durotour

Matching tires with low profile front: 100/91-16 & 130/90-15
Kenda Cruiser

Water Warrior 2 · 11-04-2013, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnC

I'm pretty sure week 38 of 2009 is 3809, not 0938. Prior to 2000 codes were 3 digits, so 389 would be week 38 of 1999 (or 1989, or ...)

Five or six years tops, regardless of how much tread you may have. A tire failure on a motorcycle is not something you want to experience.

I put a Pirelli Sport Deamon on the front and a Kendra Cruiser on the back. Similar treads. So far, so good...

My bad. Should have gone down and checked the digits on my Ranger tires to see what came first. I don't mind being corrected if I am wrong. Especially if it saves somebody's butt. Thanks JohnC.

CLRibbon · 11-06-2013, 07:01 AM

:2tup:Wow! that's a lot of great info, thanks a bunch,
C

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

I have a large list of matching and non-matching somewhere... Hold on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Modifying the GZ - What's Available?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There aren't many tire options for our bike that come in a matching set. There are, however, many options if you don't mind mixing up tire brands and/or going to a slightly smaller tire up front.

The factory tires sizes are: 110/90-16 (F) & 130/90-15 (R)

The rim width for the front wheel is 2.5" and the rear wheel width is 3.0"
That being the case, a size 100/90-16 front tire will work on this bike. It does have an overall diameter decrease of 9mm over the 110/90-16 but that isn't really very drastic.

Samato has verified that alternate tire size 100/90-16 will mount up with no problem.

As well, the 120/80-16 alternate tire size is another choice for the front tire and has been successfully mounted by MRLMD1.

Factory replacement tires: 110/90-16 & 130/90-15
Dunlop D404 (only available through a Suzuki dealer)
Metzeler ME77 (only available through a Suzuki dealer)
Cheng Shin C906 & C907 (possibly no longer available)

Rear Factory Replacements:
Kenda Challenger
Pirelli MT66 (Route 66)
Maxxis M6103
Cheng Shin Marquis
Metzeler Me 77

Factory Replacement Front:
GBC Green Shark
Metzler Lasertec
Pirelli Sport Demon
Avon Roadrider AM26
Conti Ultra TKV11
Kenda K671 & K673

100/90-16 Front:
Bridgestone BT45
Maxxis M6002
Cheng Shin C6000
Kenda Cruiser
IRC Durotour

Matching tires with low profile front: 100/91-16 & 130/90-15
Kenda Cruiser

CLRibbon · 11-29-2013, 12:58 PM

Well we have been trying to come up with a good combination of tires and nothing seems to be a acceptable match .

I have ran Pirelli Road Demons on my kz1000 before and think that they are one of the best cornering tires out there but the tread doesn't match the Pirelli Route 66 that is available for the back.
We contacted Pirelli about whether or not the Demon front and the Route 66 back could be paired and they said it was not a good idea, probably to cover their butts

Speed is not the problem with the set up IMO but cornering is and I would like to find the stickiest combo available.
Big miles are not a concern because she will probably only be riding around 2000 miles this year while she is learning and I would be happy to buy her fresh tires every 2 or 3 years to keep her safe

The Road Demon front and a Shinko SR734 rear is what we are leaning towards even though they don't have matching treads, judging the the reviews they are probably the softest tires out there.

We don't ride in the rain or wet roads so I'm thinking that tread patterns in the center are not as big an issue as how both tires react with each other in the corners.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated,

Thanks, CL's husband

CLRibbon · 11-29-2013, 01:10 PM

Well we have been trying to come up with a good combination of tires and nothing seems to be a acceptable match .

I have ran Pirelli Sport Demons on my kz1000 before and think that they are one of the best cornering tires out there but the tread doesn't match the Pirelli Route 66 that is available for the back.
We contacted Pirelli about whether or not the Demon front and the Route 66 back could be paired and they said it was not a good idea, probably to cover their butts

Speed is not the problem with the set up IMO but cornering is and I would like to find the stickiest combo available.
Big miles are not a concern because she will probably only be riding around 2000 miles this year while she is learning and I would be happy to buy her fresh tires every 2 or 3 years to keep her safe

The Pirelli Sport Demon front and a Shinko SR734 rear is what we are leaning towards even though they don't have matching treads, judging the the reviews they are probably the softest tires out there.

We don't ride in the rain or wet roads so I'm thinking that tread patterns in the center are not as big an issue as how both tires react with each other in the corners.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated,

Thanks, CL's husband

[attachment=1:22fw0nl9]tire Pirelli.JPG[/attachment:22fw0nl9]

Water Warrior 2 · 11-29-2013, 03:02 PM

All things being equal as they say. If different tires brands are basically both soft and grippy then give it a shot. You may end up with a great combo that works well. If it does/doesn't work then it is experience to share with others.
The OEM tires that came on Lynda's GZ seemed to work well in most conditions and returned acceptable wear. The bike cornered well in the twisties and nary a vibration. But because of the grooves running around the circumference of the tread it was a bit twitchy on a road with grooves and on steel grated bridge surfaces. She just let the bike do it's dance and all was well.

11-01-2013, 08:16 PM	#1
CLRibbon Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 11	What tires are you running on your Marauder? I have a 2000 GZ250 with original tires. The bike has less than 5000 miles on it but it's obvious that the tires are hard. Time to replace them! I would like to get into a softer sport tire if possible. Please let me know what you are running and if you are happy with them. Thanks much! CLR __________________ 2000 GZ250 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

11-02-2013, 01:41 AM	#2
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? Oh yeah, they are old enough to hurt you big time. Check their actual date of manufacture on the side of the tire. A little oval molded into the side of the tire wall. It will have 4 numbers. Ex: 0938 would mean year 2009/week 38. If a seller says a 4 or 5 year old new tire is still good tell him/her to prorate the tire and installation on a five year life span. I ordered online and received tires only 5 months old and was very happy with their performance because I knew I would wear them out in 2 years. That was on my Vstrom 650. The seller was Jake Wilson in Washington state. They sell a lot of tires at a fair price. Free shipping in the lower 48 if I remember correctly. Other members can tell you what they find acceptable on the GZ.
	0

11-02-2013, 10:29 AM	#3
5th_bike Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: HoCo, Maryland Posts: 1,349	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? I had Dunlops installed by the local dealer, I bought them there too, which came out good in the end, because the (new) rear tire had a bump and they replaced it for free. I could have saved money by ordering them online, but I would have had to pay for the mounting twice, and then the hassle about whether the tire or the install would have been wrong (shipping them back - waiting etc.). So my advice is to make it a one shop stop. __________________ 2005 "Saturn Black", stock + tach Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

11-04-2013, 12:48 PM	#4
JohnC Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 127	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? I'm pretty sure week 38 of 2009 is 3809, not 0938. Prior to 2000 codes were 3 digits, so 389 would be week 38 of 1999 (or 1989, or ...) Five or six years tops, regardless of how much tread you may have. A tire failure on a motorcycle is not something you want to experience. I put a Pirelli Sport Deamon on the front and a Kendra Cruiser on the back. Similar treads. So far, so good...
	0

11-04-2013, 02:24 PM	#5
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? I have a large list of matching and non-matching somewhere... Hold on. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Modifying the GZ - What's Available? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There aren't many tire options for our bike that come in a matching set. There are, however, many options if you don't mind mixing up tire brands and/or going to a slightly smaller tire up front. The factory tires sizes are: 110/90-16 (F) & 130/90-15 (R) The rim width for the front wheel is 2.5" and the rear wheel width is 3.0" That being the case, a size 100/90-16 front tire will work on this bike. It does have an overall diameter decrease of 9mm over the 110/90-16 but that isn't really very drastic. Samato has verified that alternate tire size 100/90-16 will mount up with no problem. As well, the 120/80-16 alternate tire size is another choice for the front tire and has been successfully mounted by MRLMD1. Factory replacement tires: 110/90-16 & 130/90-15 Dunlop D404 (only available through a Suzuki dealer) Metzeler ME77 (only available through a Suzuki dealer) Cheng Shin C906 & C907 (possibly no longer available) Rear Factory Replacements: Kenda Challenger Pirelli MT66 (Route 66) Maxxis M6103 Cheng Shin Marquis Metzeler Me 77 Factory Replacement Front: GBC Green Shark Metzler Lasertec Pirelli Sport Demon Avon Roadrider AM26 Conti Ultra TKV11 Kenda K671 & K673 100/90-16 Front: Bridgestone BT45 Maxxis M6002 Cheng Shin C6000 Kenda Cruiser IRC Durotour Matching tires with low profile front: 100/91-16 & 130/90-15 Kenda Cruiser Login or Register to Remove Ads
	1

11-29-2013, 12:58 PM	#8
CLRibbon Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 11	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? Well we have been trying to come up with a good combination of tires and nothing seems to be a acceptable match . I have ran Pirelli Road Demons on my kz1000 before and think that they are one of the best cornering tires out there but the tread doesn't match the Pirelli Route 66 that is available for the back. We contacted Pirelli about whether or not the Demon front and the Route 66 back could be paired and they said it was not a good idea, probably to cover their butts Speed is not the problem with the set up IMO but cornering is and I would like to find the stickiest combo available. Big miles are not a concern because she will probably only be riding around 2000 miles this year while she is learning and I would be happy to buy her fresh tires every 2 or 3 years to keep her safe The Road Demon front and a Shinko SR734 rear is what we are leaning towards even though they don't have matching treads, judging the the reviews they are probably the softest tires out there. We don't ride in the rain or wet roads so I'm thinking that tread patterns in the center are not as big an issue as how both tires react with each other in the corners. Any thoughts would be much appreciated, Thanks, CL's husband __________________ 2000 GZ250
	0

11-29-2013, 01:10 PM	#9
CLRibbon Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Ottawa, IL Posts: 11	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? Well we have been trying to come up with a good combination of tires and nothing seems to be a acceptable match . I have ran Pirelli Sport Demons on my kz1000 before and think that they are one of the best cornering tires out there but the tread doesn't match the Pirelli Route 66 that is available for the back. We contacted Pirelli about whether or not the Demon front and the Route 66 back could be paired and they said it was not a good idea, probably to cover their butts Speed is not the problem with the set up IMO but cornering is and I would like to find the stickiest combo available. Big miles are not a concern because she will probably only be riding around 2000 miles this year while she is learning and I would be happy to buy her fresh tires every 2 or 3 years to keep her safe The Pirelli Sport Demon front and a Shinko SR734 rear is what we are leaning towards even though they don't have matching treads, judging the the reviews they are probably the softest tires out there. We don't ride in the rain or wet roads so I'm thinking that tread patterns in the center are not as big an issue as how both tires react with each other in the corners. Any thoughts would be much appreciated, Thanks, CL's husband [attachment=1:22fw0nl9]tire Pirelli.JPG[/attachment:22fw0nl9] __________________ 2000 GZ250
	0

11-29-2013, 03:02 PM	#10
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: What tires are you running on your Marauder? All things being equal as they say. If different tires brands are basically both soft and grippy then give it a shot. You may end up with a great combo that works well. If it does/doesn't work then it is experience to share with others. The OEM tires that came on Lynda's GZ seemed to work well in most conditions and returned acceptable wear. The bike cornered well in the twisties and nary a vibration. But because of the grooves running around the circumference of the tread it was a bit twitchy on a road with grooves and on steel grated bridge surfaces. She just let the bike do it's dance and all was well.
	0