[Bonnie-Sunshine]

I've just upgraded my tyres from the stock Bridgestones to Dunlop GT501. Front is 100/80x19 and rear 140/80x17. I found them quite heavy in my first ride and I think this is what others have found also with the 501's. Apparently this eases once they've worn in. The dealer said it would be around 100km before they are properly scrubbed in. What have others found.

Brendan

 

[Aussie_T100]

I also have just fitted Dunlop GT501's replacing the stock Metzelers on my 2008 T100. It's a little too early yet to make a judgement on their performance as I have only had them on for a couple of hundred K's or so and for the last 100 K's of that I was riding two up which means I was riding much more conservatively than I usually would. Basically I'm yet to stretch their legs and find out just how good (or bad) they are.

I had a little over 16,000Klm's on the Metzelers before they were replaced and in the last 2,000Klm's of their life their performance had dropped off considerably, the rear was prone to slipping in curves if pushed just a little and the front was cupped enough to cause front end wobbles so the Dunlops "appear" to be far superior when you step off worn Metzelers straight on to the new Dunlops.

Not sure if it was my lack of confidence because of the state the old Metzelers were in or my caution regarding the "slipperiness" of brand new tyres but it did take some time to adjust to the feel of the Dunlops, particularly the slight increase in height of the rear due to the size increase.

To sum up, I was figuring that I was "adjusting" to the tyres but there may be some truth in the initial "heaviness" story regarding the GT501's because mine certainly "feel" better after a couple of hundred K's than they did when first fitted.

 

[soggybottom]

I been told 200 miles, almost 3x 100km? There is a chemical release agent in the mold so they fall out easily during manufactor. Why they don't remove that stuff is a mistery. Your supposed to work at scrubbing in, going 100km in a streight line ain't gonna work. Need to do alot of right and left turns starting off mildly and slowly leaning more each turn. I have 300' of dirt to ride on from my house to the pavement, I think that helps some. zigzaging down the road helps on no traffic roads.

 

[Aussie_T100]

Need to do alot of right and left turns starting off mildly and slowly leaning more each turn.

Which is exactly what I have been doing - not just to scrub in the new tyres but to regain my confidence. The near bald rear Metzeler, combined with wet roads (it's the wet season here), had shot my confidence to pieces after a couple of scary slips sideways in medium to high speed turns.

I usually push / lean the bike quite hard in turns (don't we all?) but I have to have full confidence in the traction of the tyres to do this, it's part of the reason why I don't like riding on damp or wet roads - no confidence in the available traction.

No doubt I'll be back to scrapping the pegs again once I'm convinced that the Dunlops are fully scrubbed in and that I actually have traction at the rear once more.

 

[Bonnie-Sunshine]

Well I'm off down the Great Ocean Road past Lorne for Easter to the beach shack. So there will be plenty of twisty stuff to try to start scrubbing in the tyres. Round trip is about 320 km. Generally down there you like to have plenty of confidence in your tyres, but given they are only a day old, I'll be taking it easy. Spost to be a lovely weekend with the weather in the mid 20's and plenty of sunshine ... Whooo Hoooo!!!

http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/regions/greatoceanroad/coast/

http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au/Destinations.aspx

http://www.davidwallphoto.com/searc...1&g=93&g=95&Lids=&Gids=&p=1&n=8996&phrase=all

 

[Aussie_T100]

Well I'm off down the Great Ocean Road past Lorne for Easter to the beach shack. So there will be plenty of twisty stuff to try to start scrubbing in the tyres. Round trip is about 320 km. Generally down there you like to have plenty of confidence in your tyres, but given they are only a day old, I'll be taking it easy. Spost to be a lovely weekend with the weather in the mid 20's and plenty of sunshine ... Whooo Hoooo!!!

I'm envious on two counts, one that you are going to be riding the Great Ocean Road and two that you are having fine weather for Easter.
It looks like showers and 15 to 25 knot winds for Easter for us up here in North Queensland.

Have a safe trip.

 

[Bonnie-Sunshine]

Have a safe trip.

Thanks AussieT. I'm looking forward to a great ride.

Here's an article which compares the Dunlop GT501 to it's closest competitors. This article has been referred to my a number of members on here and it was one of the main reasons I chose the Dunlops. Seems they come out very well compared to a few of the popular tyres we use. Truth is that all these tyres seem to be very good. Apologies if you've already seen this.

Cheers
Brendan

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9780