Stuff to do to bike

[Clearlynotstefan]

So I've decided not to go nuts upgrading my ninjette, I simply don't have the money, and it runs and looks great to me, which is awesome. Heres my concern, Its got stock tires on it, and from what I understand, they blow. Also, I'm 220 lbs (and 6'5 and find this bike REALLY comfy btw) and am considering putting a sv650 shock on the rear. My friends that ride say it will make a world of difference, I'm broke right now and hesistant to spend any money I don't have to. I have solid evidence I need a tighter rear suspension, in the fact that my licence plate is shaped like a C from hitting my rear tire!

If I spend the $40 on the 650 shock, will it really improve the feel of the bike that much? If so, should I still spend the money on some new tires?
If you had just enough money to replace either the tires or the rear shock, which would it be?

and finally, IF I decide to replace the tires, I'm down to a few choices. Please base your opinion on Grip/Price/Longevity
Sport Demons
BT45's
MT75 - Which im a bit afraid of because I'm already too tall for this bike!


Sorry for so many questions, but look forward to all your opinions!

[k-os]

All I have to say is if you're tires are stock they're 11 years old and are due for a change for sure.

[Clearlynotstefan]

While I agree they need to be replaced, what is more important, the year, or the miles? The bike has 3500 miles on it, but the tires are none the less 11 years old. HOWEVER, when closely examining them, I noticed not a single sign of dry rot.
I have so many questions to post later regarding tires, its all so confusing! Ah hell lets get one over with now

I am starting to like the looks of the MT75's, but they will lower my bike slighly. Will putting the sv650 shock on the rear (raising the rear) offset this?

[coondog]

the stock rim protecters are rocks, they'll last 20,000 miles so leave them. i'm the online MT75 pusher but you might want to go the extra inch, it's important for your size. first thing is definetly get a rear shock. gt501 tires are race (expense) tires but firm in the middle which would suit you on the road, and still beautifully soft on the sides for strong cornering when you're down with that. these bikes do not need upgrades in general, they're all prop luxuries. save your hard earned cash and just ride brother ride.

["A"]

New tires will likely provide better result than SV650 rear shock.

[Too40gawlf]

Originally Posted by Clearlynotstefan

While I agree they need to be replaced, what is more important, the year, or the miles? The bike has 3500 miles on it, but the tires are none the less 11 years old. HOWEVER, when closely examining them, I noticed not a single sign of dry rot.
I have so many questions to post later regarding tires, its all so confusing! Ah hell lets get one over with now

I am starting to like the looks of the MT75's, but they will lower my bike slighly. Will putting the sv650 shock on the rear (raising the rear) offset this?

The age of the tire is more important than miles. After about 4 years or so, the rubber starts degrading and weakening. If in fact you do have 11 year old tires, then get them replaced ASAP, broke or not. Check the date code on the tires: it will be a series of numbers on the side wall, something like this: XXXX4306. The 43 means weak 43 of the year 2006.

Here is a link to explain:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4621263_read...ate-codes.html

BTW, get the sport demons - they are awesome.

Also, check your brake pads and consider a brake fluid flush.

[Clearlynotstefan]

just did a brake fluid flush last week! haha thanks for the help

[mrlmd]

Old rubber is gets hard and brittle regardless of what it looks like, and the tires lose their grip on the road. This is a safety issue, those tires are 5 years past replacement so get new ones ASAP.

[Clearlynotstefan]

but which ones! ahhhhh

["A"]

Originally Posted by Clearlynotstefan

but which ones! ahhhhh

Any new tire would likely produce good result in comparison to 11 yr old tires.

[Alex]

Agreed.

[Clearlynotstefan]

Alright, I appreciate the help guys, but really. I'm ordering tires tonight. WHAT AM I ORDERING lol

Obviously the sport demons are highly reviewed. Whats the life on them like tho?

The BT45's are cheaper then the SD's, does anyone have experience with them perhaps? Grip/life?

and the MT75s, which are the cheapest, and have great grip, but will lower my already low bike, and wear easily.

HELP!

["A"]

Personally, if you're not doing aggressive riding all the time, you have roads like my area that's full of potholes and rough pavement, I'd just go with less expensive tires..
Get to know your new tires' performance limits well in an empty parking lot and get to know how hard you can push them, more than likely that's further than you would push them on public roads.

[cwb48]

Get the Sport Demons in stock sizes. I had them on my '01 and they were a huge improvement over the stock Dunlops. BTW, the OEM tires were available, so they might not be that old.

Chris

[phr3ek]

i would go for the shock first

as long as the tires have life in them, they are good and shouldnt be replaced unless you want more performance out of them

getting the shock in also stops the plate from hitting the tire causing premature, uneven wear

fix your suspension and the tire will last longer than it used to

[Cuongism]

Originally Posted by phr3ek

i would go for the shock first

as long as the tires have life in them, they are good and shouldnt be replaced unless you want more performance out of them

getting the shock in also stops the plate from hitting the tire causing premature, uneven wear

fix your suspension and the tire will last longer than it used to

His tires don't have life in them though, they're 5 years overdue. The tires are what connect him to the road so for safety reasons, they should be replaced first. The tires will also have a bigger impact vs what he's riding on now.

You might be able to find a newgen shock at a salvage yard for cheap. I believe it's a direct swap as well and is said to be a good upgrade. So my answer would be to upgrade both

[CynicalC]

you can't ride on tires that old. It's just dangerous. Especially on the island between the chemicals and salt all over the roads in the springtime, and 11 years of weather cycles...

[Clearlynotstefan]

We don't know btw that the tires are actually 11 years old. It's perfectly reasonable the they were replaced with the identical tires at some point. I havent checked the tire code yet, so I'll know tomorrow. They are def the same tires as the stock tires that came on the bike

[mrlmd]

Why start this whole thread and discussion without first checking the date stamp on the tire sidewalls which you know exists? Simply, if the tires are more than 6 years old, replace them, and then later, because of your weight, if you want to go for a heavier shock, do that too. You will find arguments and preferences for each brand, there is really not much difference in them, you sacrifice longevity for road stickiness. Get what you can comfortably afford, it's much better than what you have on now. When you get more knowledgeable about the bike and if you still have it, next time you buy tires, you will get what you think you want.

[Alex]

The date code may be only 3 digits. If so, the first two digits are still the week of the year, and the last digit is the year from 1990 - 1999.

Although, as has been stated in this thread pretty clearly, if any tire has a 3 digit date code, it's almost certainly past its usable life anyway.

[coondog]

I just assumed the tires aren't 11 years old with the full description of them. As for tires it's a shame Conti's aren't made in our sizes anymore (i think). They were great riding tires, inexpensive, soft compound but lo and behold demand controls supply and the sizes we need are no longer listed under "road attack" or some such name. It's been awhile and as anyone that reads me knows it's MT75 or nothing (actually take the 500 til' they come in. But to put another player in the game, continentals are players.

[Clearlynotstefan]

Why do you prefer those tires?

[FrugalNinja250]

I actually prefer Kenda K671s. They're a great all-around tire with excellent life and stick way better than the OEM Dunlops ever could. They are also really affordable. I get 18-20K out of the rears and well over 20K on the fronts. The last time I got a pair they were like $110 for the pair, shipped.

[coondog]

Originally Posted by Clearlynotstefan

Why do you prefer those tires?

they were made with the ninja 250 rim in mind and for inexpensive racing tires for the bike, they have a great soft compound. at one time several tires fit the rims but alas not enough demand went for them. pirelli is one of racing and tires top names and they kept the MT75's, thankfully. nowadays many adjust and use the GT501's for the track as they last much longer and are safer, with soft outer compound but a bit harder middle for speed and endurance. i've run BT45's and the GT501's after my first set of MT's and went back to them for fit, feel (for me), and price.

[JeffM]

Should I bring up the Pirelli scooters.......