Sportbike tires on a KZ1000?

I have a '79 KZ1000ST equipped with Cheng Shin Hi-Maxx Tires. Overall, I don't have any complaints with the tires, except for one glaring safety issue..These tires are limiting in the sense they don't allow me to lean very far. I feel confident taking sharper turns on the KZ, moreso than what the tires allow at the moment. Despite the heighth of the bike, I feel the KZ is competent with banking turns at a steeper angle than what the myriad of "classic" street tires are intended to do.

The problem I am encountering is that when I "bank" the bike, I can feel the edge of the bottom tire tread crossover into the sidewall, and there is a slight "ridge" where the two meet. It is in this exact spot on the tire that I feel a sudden "loss of control" when making turns. It is like a warning track in a baseball field, telling you that you're close to the point of no return i.e. literally "laying it down". I've seen other tires for these "classic" bikes but they all have the SAME general design flaw in their tread design which is the tread profile only allows you to lean so far. Sportbikes have overcome this limitation by offering a truly "rounder" tire where there is no apparent ridge from crossing over from tread to sidewall. This leads me to the conclusion that classic street tires are limiting for performance. The truth is that there is much better tire technology out there that has been developed for the track. Any suggestions on what tires might foot the bill here? Any race-inspired tire technology for our KZs that have a truly round racing profile that would accommodate some knee dragging? You may think I am crazy to want to lean this beast so close to the ground, but I'm not afraid and I know the KZ is even more capable than what it gets credit for. Suggestions?

Note: Normal turning is boring.

The older KZ's are setup for the bias type of tires and the newer radials will give the feeling you are encountering at the transition point on the tread.

Unless you have a non stock swingarm I think the biggest rear tire would be a 120-18 as a 130-18 might be a tight fit. As for the front a 110-19 might work.

Wild picture. I remember my dad's friend on his new honda 1976 750. He was leaning some mad turns in the parking lot and although I was only 5 or 6 I still remember feeling quite scared for him and thinking him to be totally nuts in need of mental facilities to care for him. My father concurred. But the guy had the bike leaned super low and he was going fairly slow.
Point? I think that if he could do it with the old tires then you could as well. Good idea????????????????? Don't ask me for an honest answer. I have seen plenty of guys push the envelope that far and become separated from there bikes. Not my cup of tea.

The ST uses a strange 4.50-17 rear tire. Not much modern rubber concentrates on 17" unless they are low profile and wide.

onanysunday wrote:

Note: Normal turning is boring.

Best post ever!

Normal turning is boring, but I get down pretty low on my bias ply BS Spitfires, even though people make fun of them as a tire. Next tires I'll be getting are Dunlop GT501's. Supposed to offer sport tire handling in a bias tire.

Try any of these:

Avon AM26 RoadRider

Continental Conti "GO"

Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 H-Rated

Metzeler Lasertech

M50 / M50E Macadam

Bridgestone Spitfire S11

I've used the Metzelers, Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 and Spitfire S11,and the Michelin M50 / M50E Macadam. I'll be mounting a set of the Avons on my LTD when I get it back on the road. Good tires are worth whatever they cost and junk tires arn't worth anything!

Well, now I really didn´t get your point, sorry. You are running some chink-what-ever-POS tires and complaining that "old style " tires wont allow any leaning. Is that it?

Well, scroll to 4min 02sec:



Eddie had about 140rwhp and those guys were Fast!

Loose those POS tires, get new ones and learn to trust them. Gettin modern, 180-190 wide tires means swappin rear swing and thats not an over-nighter to do.