• Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.

Oh No - Not Tires

Unfortunately no, the difference in sidewall makes minimal difference to height just has more sidewall to get the same diameter, definitely worth a try has made a lot of difference in feel, I also run a 120/70/16 Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT on the front which has dropped the front bit, decreasing the lean angle. With the 200 it used to feel a bit like it was trying to ride up the rear tire to much If that makes sense. Much easier to corner now. Good luck.
 
roadventure said:
How about some more detail on that rubber fender extender? ;)

I had been thinking about doing something like that. Where is it attached?
Click to expand...
P1010566.webptysse no2.webp

This is a mudgard that i bought in a local shop in Norway during a trip.

I used tyraps to fix it. Now more than 10.000 km later, i am still pleased with it.

Tysse is a make of trailers in Norway.
Grtz Rudy
 
Rudy,

Thanks for the great photos! I have some left over trimmings from a rubber pick-up truck bed pad (~6mm thick). Based on your idea, I am going to cut out a piece and use it as a mud flap similar to yours. I haven't had the opportunity to ride in the rain with my California yet but have always been suspicious about practicality the rather short rear fender on a bike called "touring".
 
roadventure said:
Rudy,

Thanks for the great photos! I have some left over trimmings from a rubber pick-up truck bed pad (~6mm thick). Based on your idea, I am going to cut out a piece and use it as a mud flap similar to yours. I haven't had the opportunity to ride in the rain with my California yet but have always been suspicious about practicality the rather short rear fender on a bike called "touring".
Click to expand...

44.webp
Result after a day gravelroads and tunnels in Norway, without the mudgard.
In real life the license plate is white and red.
Grtz Rudy
 
Just mounted a pair of Avon Cobras on my 1400 Custom, got 8100 miles out of the OEM Dunlops.
Anybody been full circle with the Cobras on the 1400 ? What kind of total mileage should I expect ?
Wes
 
Fast1400 said:
Just mounted a pair of Avon Cobras on my 1400 Custom, got 8100 miles out of the OEM Dunlops.
Anybody been full circle with the Cobras on the 1400 ? What kind of total mileage should I expect ?
Wes
Click to expand...
I have a set of AVON Cobras on now. I'll let you know after July. I will be taking what I estimate to be a 7000(+) mile ride before then and am hoping to not have to do a tire change along the way.
 
8,100 miles out of the OEM Dunlops?! I got 4,154 on mine but it may have gone another 1,000 tops. I was taking a trip so they came off. I put on Avons at 9,502 miles (in between was a set of Metzlers) and sold the bike with about 5,000 miles on those but I think they had another 1,500 to 2,000 left in them.

Dave: I think you'll make it other than flat spotting the center if a lot of highway. I did like the Avons best.
 
abbienormal said:
8,100 miles out of the OEM Dunlops?! I got 4,154 on mine but it may have gone another 1,000 tops. I was taking a trip so they came off. I put on Avons at 9,502 miles (in between was a set of Metzlers) and sold the bike with about 5,000 miles on those but I think they had another 1,500 to 2,000 left in them.

Dave: I think you'll make it other than flat spotting the center if a lot of highway. I did like the Avons best.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response Rudy. I too have liked Avon tires best on other bikes too and always got as good or better wear out of them than I had with other reputable brands. But, being so new to the California, they are an unknown. I do know that 5000 miles out of the OEM tires was a reality for me. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

I see on your "list-o-bikes" that you have a Honda PC800? I've never ridden one but have always been intrigued by them being such a practical design.
 
8100 is reasonable for me though. I got 7500mi out of a set of Dunlops. Talking to the Dealer this week about replacing the rear tire on my Touring, he gave me a couple of other options; the Avon AV72 and the Bridgestone EXEDRA MAX. I have no experience with either. I would appreciate any feedback on the AV 72's or the EXEDRA MAX's. I just finished a set of Metzeler ME 880's and while I only got 4500 mi out of the rear. They rode softer and stuck better than the Dunlops.
 
roadventure said:
I see on your "list-o-bikes" that you have a Honda PC800? I've never ridden one but have always been intrigued by them being such a practical design.
Click to expand...
I have owned 4 PC800's but only 2 were my riders. 2 were used to make one for resale (one 98 wreck and one 94 in bad shape). The trunk on the rear is extremely practical. With a Givi 52 on the back I have more capacity than a GL1500. I sold my first 98 with 48,000 miles on it after I bought this 98 with 8,000 miles on it. I haven't ridden the PC much and it only has 13,000 on it now. I run Metzlers on it and usually get 8,000 to 9,000 miles if they don't split first. The Metzlers on the PC's are prone to splitting in heat under load. Like a Guzzi they were made in limited numbers. I think only 525 or so of the 98's so I need to own two more to have had 1% of the production. The most was 1989 as Honda thought they would sell. Wrong. A really nice bike to ride mine having gone from Ohio to the Cabot trail twice. Once two up.
 
njlefevr said:
8100 is reasonable for me though. I got 7500mi out of a set of Dunlops. Talking to the Dealer this week about replacing the rear tire on my Touring, he gave me a couple of other options; the Avon AV72 and the Bridgestone EXEDRA MAX. I have no experience with either. I would appreciate any feedback on the AV 72's or the EXEDRA MAX's. I just finished a set of Metzeler ME 880's and while I only got 4500 mi out of the rear. They rode softer and stuck better than the Dunlops.
Click to expand...
Just changed from the stock Dunlops to the Bridgestone Extra Max, I got 14000kms from the original tires. I am liking the tires so far, initial input into turns are softer, i hope i get 14000kms or I will install Dunlops again. Of note the rear brake pads were in dire near of change with the tires, I had 5% nearly metal left of the pads.
 
Replaced the Dunlops that came on the bike at 3,500 rear & 9,100 front. Wretched tires! The center grove grabbed a hold of every grove in the tarmac and was absolutly hell on expanded metal bridges & scarified pavement. I am now running Avon Cobras in EOM sizes and am delighted with both the handling and the longevity of the tread. I have 8.5K miles on the rear and it stills looks good.
 
I bought my California Touring 3 weeks ago with 3750 miles on it on original fit Dunlop tires.
Now I hadn't ridden for thirty years prior to this and to say that those Dunlops didn't inspire confidence was an understatement, however they have now been replaced with Avon Cobras and the difference is incredible.
I mean I was still enjoying riding the bike, but now it reminds me a lot more of my old Convert from thirty + years ago.
 
WP_003072_zpsp27amamk.jpg

Michelin commander after a 9000 km. trip in 6 weeks, loaded with 2 adults and Luggage.
Very pleased with it. Grtz Rudy
 
Last edited:
Yes, it is the costum with a 6 inch rear wheel.
The Original 200 dunlops where completely used after 6000 km.
You can see on the picture, the wheel is damaged; caused during a tire-change on a trip in Norway.
Thats the reason, i wanted a tire that last longer.
Grtz Rudy
 
rudylexus said:
Yes, it is the costum with a 6 inch rear wheel.
The Original 200 dunlops where completely used after 6000 km.
You can see on the picture, the wheel is damaged; caused during a tire-change on a trip in Norway.
Thats the reason, i wanted a tire that last longer.
Grtz Rudy
Click to expand...

Rudy,

Thanks for the picture of the 180/65 tire. I will probably go to that size when I replace my current rear tire. There are many more choices in that size.

Another "bone-head" choice by the MG engineers is the rear tire size. This bike really should have a 5.50 inch wide rear wheel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top