Nearly soiled my trousers today!

[cyclechris]

Man,

I was really enjoying my ride home from work when the rear end went while I was in a traffic circle. I've been riding gently because I felt the rear end get squirrley on me on the way to the shop to get it inspected.

I didn't loose it ,but the rear end came around a LOT more than I was comfortable with! I just rode it out and didn't brake. Thank God I hadn't entered the cicrle hot, I would've lost it for sure!

I am going to get new tires! I took a look and those puppies are from 2001, tread left but hard and slippery. I dug around and per Poet's posts I'll try to score 150/70 ZR17 and 120/70 ZR17 ME Z6's for my 1992 GSX1100.

I'll call around tomorrow to see what local shops charge for tires/mounting on or off the bike. I can get the pair online for around $250.00 with shipping so I'll see how close they come to that.

I really wish I had the time to fab up a tire changing setup and do it myself but I've barely time in my schedule to sleep these days. I'll have to just gather that stuff as I see it so hopefully next time around I'm ready to go.

[Mojoe]

Re: Nearly soiled my trousers today!

I am going to get new tires! I took a look and those puppies are from 2001, tread left but hard and slippery. I dug around and per Poet's posts I'll try to score 150/70 ZR17 and 120/70 ZR17 ME Z6's for my 1992 GSX1100.

I hate to burst your bubble, but you won't be installing any Z6's on the kat unless you do a rim swap. your kat has 16 inch rims. your choices of tires are limited. you can get metzellers, but not the Z6. you can get a battlax or a maccadam as well....but no z6's....sorry.

also, don't expect much from your kat in the way of cornering. it does ok at best. I have ridden 4 different 1100's from that era, and all seem to suffer from a bit of instability in railing. on the bright side.....you will get used to it after a while. in the mean time, buy some more trousers cuz you will probably soil a few more before you get the hang of it. this beast is finicky.

[cyclechris]

LOL!

Thanks MoJoe, Oh yeah that 16... I wonder if I can get 020's in 16. anyway glad you caught me before I went barking all the way up the wrong tree! I didn't even pay attention to that. Oh well, too many late nights these days.

Yeah well the bike is a heavy number, but these tires are pretty spent. I'd like to think I can do 20 or 30 in a traffic circle without getting my sphincter all in knots.

[Mojoe]

glad to be of service. it would have sucked if you had of order those tires and try to make them fit. i would lose sleep over it if I was to let that happen to fellow 1100 owner

and ya...20-30 is no problem. in fact, you can do better than many less experienced riders will do on gixxers once you get used to it. but even after 13 years of riding that model of kat, it can still make my ass pucker.
once i get around to it, i am going to try to eliminate the problem. i thought it was just something with my 92 when i first felt it, but the 93 does the same thing. so did the other 2 bikes I tried. i suspect it is the weak forks in the front combined with the rear shock not tuned in right. when i get around to it, i will install the progressive spring i bought for the front, and have the rear shock rebuilt to better specs. if it works, i will let you know.

[cyclechris]

Thanks again for that catch MoJoe,

I can get Avon AV45/46, in 16 inch, for around 230 - 250 depending on how I have it shipped. I'll use that price and call around locally and see what they can do.

[Mojoe]

as long as you are searching for tires, how about sharing what you find with me. I tried searching on americanmototire.com for 16inchers, but there were just so many brands and models to click through, that I got bored and gave up....and stuck with metzellers.
one thing for certain.....when i do get to the 92 I am rebuilding, those stock rims are going on ebay or onto a trailer to pull behind the bike. I have 4 sets of those rims...need a spare?
I will go with busa rims....after modifying the swingarm.

[cyclechris]

Yeah the Avons I found were from AMT. I wish you could search by size. I'll let you klnow if I find someplace with similar prices with that feature.

I was actually thinking about that (switching the rims) but would like to see how new tires in that size work first. If I didn't get ripped of on ebay and actually get that Busa shcok I ordered and it's configuration is such that it bolts on to the bike I may well give that a shot.

I've also got a pair of back up forks I may do myself or have redone with new springs oil etc, and put those on the bike.

If none of that works, then, well I can't imagine none of that would work!

When I got the Bandit, I read about it's terrible stock suspension and I could toss that thing into corners like nobody's business compared to the way I baby this bike. Of course that Bandit's suspension wasn't 14 years old either, and it's tires were new.

On the other hand, it's chassis wasn't as stiff as a Kat, plus its tired were a lot wider (wouldn't that make a rear slip more?). At least I imagine the Kat is stiffer just from looking at the Kat frame.

[TheKlic]

I was "drifting" my kat on one wet day
had the steering full lock and ALMOST dumped it
I understand your feeling exactly
OMIGOSH

[WildKat]

I'll call around tomorrow to see what local shops charge for tires/mounting on or off the bike. I can get the pair online for around $250.00 with shipping so I'll see how close they come to that.

If you go to a dealer they'll usually charge you just a flat fee per tire. You can save yourself alot of money if you take the tires off before taking it to the shop to get mounted.

The guy I take it too will mount a tire for 25.00. 8)