Was thinking about digging up the old thread about mixing tyres from a few weeks ago, but looking again it got a bit silly, so I think I'll leave it where it lies.

Just got a rear tyre fitted to the Bandit. The old one was completely square and had NO tread across about half its width. I knew it was bad, but I can't believe the difference the new tyre has made. It's completely cured the serious high speed oscillation that I was starting to think was rider induced. Rock solid now at speeds 20 - 25 mph higher than I was happy with before (I'm not telling you what speed that is though, 'cause I'm not really a hooligan ). Oh, OK then. Very near the claimed top speed for a B6...

And the back end no longer skips about on tar lines / cracks in the road / white lines. Magic!

I was slightly concerned, because the front tyre has a couple of thousand miles left on it, but the tyres I was running have both been discontinued by Bridgestone. So I went from an (old) BT-54 150/70 rear with (old) BT-50 110/70 front to the same (old) front with a BT-020 rear. And the bike handles better than it ever did.

"What's the point of this rambling?" I hear you ask. Well, in my limited experience, there's no problem mixing old and new tyres (given the caveat about mixing cross ply and radial). And even though it sounds obvious, if your bike starts behaving like a biy@tch and your tyres look a bit worn, look no further.

Should have known that already, shouldn't I?

Yep.

'Nowt like experience as my old Gran used to say.

Mind you, she never did change the squared off Bridgestones on her wheelchair.

BT-020 super road tyre, have been tempted away from them buy the Tyre Fitters. Tried Avon Azuro's absolute rubbish in comparison, poor grip in the wet, skippy in the dry got through them in 4,000 miles on the Thundercat, that's both front and rear, 020's I get 5,000+ on the rear and 8,000+ on the front, needless to say 020's back now only done 150 miles as yet but they are so much better.

You do too many motorways and not enough twisties DrB



- square tyres indeed!!! at your age too



I think bridgestone replaced the BT54 with the 020's though, so they should be thoroughly compatible

I understand the important thing is not to mix and match tyres from different manufacturers, cos they construct their tyres differently.

Did you know that motorcycle tyres are still made by hand - that's why they cost so much in comparison with car tyres.