Tires aren’t just BT46! Michelin’s belted bias—GSX1100S inspection, tires and more

It’s gotten quite cold and we’re really feeling that year-end vibe now.
Parts are coming in—some yes, some no, it’s all mixed up.

We basically don’t do halfway disassembly, so if you’re thinking “I left it here and nothing’s happening,” please bear with us a little longer.
We’re working through the domestic GSX 1100 SR smoothly.

Michelin Road Classic is a “belted bias” tire

We’ve been recommending Michelin tires lately.
For street riding, they offer great cushioning, low wear, and excellent wet grip—it’s all good.

Older bikes with narrow rim widths don’t have many options, so you end up with something like the BT46.
But when I looked into it properly, I found the Road Classic was available in the right size, so we went with that.

The size markings in the photo—100/90B19 and 130/90B17—that B mark is the sign of a belted bias tire.

It hasn’t worn down much, but quite a bit of time has passed, so we’re replacing it.

The inside of the wheel gets a thorough cleaning

If you clean the rim area thoroughly,
the chances of an air leak are greatly reduced.

Cleaning the hidden inside also feels good.

A regular bias tire—it’s fun to spin it once

Michelin tires generally have very little runout when spun and hold a clean shape.

Radial tires in general tend to maintain a clean shape,
but bias tires don’t always.
Lift the bike and spin the wheel—you might be surprised at what you see.

By the way, if the beads aren’t sitting out cleanly, the shape won’t be right.
When we work on tires here,
we repeatedly drop and reset the beads to get the best shape.
Since tire changes are labor-intensive, feel free to skip it if you’d rather.

When you spin this Michelin Road Classic, it holds a shape as clean as a radial tire.
If you send out a product in good condition, the tire’s performance really shines.

New hub damper! Fork clamp cleaned up nicely

It’s reassuring to replace rubber parts while they’re still available.
The front fork lower clamp was pretty corroded, so we cleaned that up too.

Michelin Road Classic—design, shape, and performance all excellent

It’s a very neutral and easy-to-ride tire.
If you’re running this kind of old bias tire, remember that tires are a fun consumable.
Try different options and find what you like best.