Steve Saunders Goldwing Forums banner

bt-45

4K views 42 replies 12 participants last post by  DaveO430 
#1 ·
ok going to try the bridgestone bt-45 rear on the front again. tried this 2 years ago and installed it with the rotation opposite of the direction arrow. liked the tire but it started to give a very lite vibration in the handle bar made my hands tingle and then around 8k it started to do the cup thing. this time i will mount it the direction of the arrow and see what happens. i'm hoping to get between 10-15 k on it. would like to use this tire for my trip to alaska next june most all the other tires i have tried on the front last 8-9k before they start to cup have no worries on the rear i run a yokahoma run flat i may trade that in for a little more aggressive winter run flat tire i have one picked out but cant remember the name at the moment. who else has run a bt45 rear on the front
 
#2 ·
I haven't, wouldn't buy a Bridgestone tire for a wheelbarrow. From what I know on the subject it is going to have a buzz vibration at a certain speed, I ran several Michelin pilot activs and they did at 30 mph, and either one is going to cup no matter which direction you run it. I have been using the Avon AM21 roadrider (rear tire backwards) for several years now, it doesn't vibrate or cup but doesn't last as long either.
 
#4 ·
I run the BT-45 on the front just as you do and experienced the exact same condition as you did when it was mounted backwards... So I run it in the normal direction now...

I average 17-20K on the BT-45 as do most others so you should be well satisfied with the mileage aspect of that tire...
 
  • Like
Reactions: fireshine
#5 ·
Yup, another happy BT-54 guy here, and I just love the tire. I have over 14,000 miles on it and it is nowhere near the wear bars yet. I keep the tire about 41 psi and have no signs of cupping either. Set for forward rotation and no buzz. I put about 2oz dynabeads when new and this tire has never let me down even in the wettest conditions. Goes through the water like nobody's business. Can you tell, I'm lovin' me some darkside?
 
#7 ·
It's not a BT-45, but I got 15,700 miles out of the OE Bridgestone Exedra G709 on the front of my 2013 GL1800 before replacing it with another one. No cupping on the original, just not much tread left!
 
#8 ·
I had a the BT45 on my (1500) front & mounted in the correct direction. I got 21k & the only reason I replaced it was it started to get small cracks in the tread. It did start to cup at around 16-18k but not bad. It had 2oz dynabeads I ran it at 42PSI. It was nowhere near the wear bars. I'm not an aggressive rider.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fireshine
#10 ·
Just from my own experience, there are MUCH better tires out there for most motorcycles than Bridgestone offers. One other sure indicator is that so many Japanese makers equip their motorcycles with them and that is solely a financial decision (taking into consideration the big name reputation). You'll almost never get a top of the line tire on a new bike. Not necessarily to be confused with a top Name-Brand, which may reflect market share rather than quality/performance.

But, then again, the BT45 may be exactly what will make YOU happiest on YOUR bike.

We run Bridgestone Ecopia's on the wife's car and they have been excellent. At 175k miles we've replaced the tires several times and I believe these may be the one's I'm the most satisfied with.
 
#11 ·
i have no preference just looking for a long millage tire with low wear rate , it seems this bt45 get hi mileage from the posts i read i know everyone has the preference i read where members get 15-20k on dunlop 3/4 bull I've ran dunlops max is 8k front maybe 9k rear i keep the pressures at recommended setting i ride 2 up all the time and tow a trailer 50% of the time I've ran other tires that members say they get high miles bull, maybe you can if your going 50 and by yourself and on pure asphalt, i live where 80% of the roads are oil and stone like chip seal , like sandpaper i now run a Yokohama envigor rf on the rear 15k and i change it and i have been using a exendra max on the front 10k its the newer one just the max i have used the bt45 once going out west had almost 10k but started to chop had lots of tread left just hate choppy tires so the brand of the tire is a brand i am just looking for a high milage tire that will last for the FRONT
 
#12 ·
I will usually get 32-35K miles out of my 'rear tire' up front. But I do raise the tire pressure by 2-4% which helps curb cupping.

Arrow direction does not matter since the rear tire is designed for acceleration and braking.

I always use tire balance beads.

. . my $0.03
 
  • Like
Reactions: fireshine
#13 ·
Hard Mount

I like the BT45, however it is absolutely the HARDEST TIRE to mount on my front rim that I have ever dealt with. I have the Harbor Freight setup, complete with motorcycle adapter, as well as all kinds of levers and spoons, and tire lube. I get the bottom on OK, and the top lip about 3/4, and that's all she wrote! My next step is to try a heat gun!

Not trying to steal the topic, just asking, any suggestions?
 
#17 ·
I like the BT45, however it is absolutely the HARDEST TIRE to mount on my front rim that I have ever dealt with. I have the Harbor Freight setup, complete with motorcycle adapter, as well as all kinds of levers and spoons, and tire lube. I get the bottom on OK, and the top lip about 3/4, and that's all she wrote! My next step is to try a heat gun!

Not trying to steal the topic, just asking, any suggestions?
never really had a hard time with the bt45 going on the front a little stiffer but nothing like the rear c/t run flat with the 1" side walls well seems like 1' them tires are a bit** to install takes a good hr this year im letting it sit in the sun for a half day then soap it up and try that
 
#16 ·
leave it in the sun, use a large c clamp and sqeeze the opposite side of where it's stopping so both beads will drop into the deep part of the wheel
it should pull right over the rest of the way. I found it a bit of a pain to get the bead to center itself, had to go way over the amount of air I wanted to
LOTS of LUBE when airing it up is important

I personally won't by another one for that reason and it cupped real bad and started splitting in the sipes at about 8 to 10K miles
I know I have side forces to deal with but the Pilot activ doesn't do that and it is a hair wider for better handling to boot

just my 2 cents
 
#18 ·
do you run that with the arrow going in the right direction or is it the opposite? i might try this tire this year and decide which one i will use to alaska next year for the front
 
#19 ·
I installed the "rear tire" on front, with the arrow in the reverse direction.
did so at the advise of others who say that is better because the only stress the sidewalls will get, is when you hammer down on the brakes, and don't want it to come unglued...

I actually wanted to mount it in the proper direction, simply because the Rain Sipes are then running correctly with the tread.

with it backwards, the sipes are pulling water into the center of the tire/tyre and worries me.

I guess if it never rains on me, it won't matter, will it? :)
 
#24 ·
I installed the "rear tire" on front, with the arrow in the reverse direction.
did so at the advise of others who say that is better because the only stress the sidewalls will get, is when you hammer down on the brakes, and don't want it to come unglued...

I actually wanted to mount it in the proper direction, simply because the Rain Sipes are then running correctly with the tread.

with it backwards, the sipes are pulling water into the center of the tire/tyre and worries me.
Actually running it in the reverse direction puts the sipes in the right direction for displacing water. Look at any regular front tire, they look backward but you have to think of the part that is on the road, not what is on top. That Avon will cup if you run it with the arrow forward.
 
#22 ·
I have to make a little change here. I was thinking rear tire for some reason. You may have a little difficulty kneeling on the tire if you have brake rotors on both sides. You may want to use blocking or a bucket. If you can't kneel on the tire, try a clamp of some type. What you want to do is get the tire bead that's closest to you to pull into the drop center as you work you way up the tire. That will give you a little more slack (if I can use that term) to pull the bead over the lip of the rim. You don't want to slosh a bunch of lube so that it gets into the tire, especially if your going to use balance beads. It may cause them to clump together.
 
#23 ·
do you run that with the arrow going in the right direction or is it the opposite? i might try this tire this year and decide which one i will use to alaska next year for the front






I have run it both ways and to be honest can't tell the difference, but I have a sidecar on mine
before I added the car I always ran it so the sipes were correct for rain water displacement, but that was because it made me feel better
 
#28 ·
Guys, the reason tires have a direction arrow is because of the tread layer splice. When the tire is made the tread is wrapped around the tire before vulcanizing. The splice is tapered so there is more surface for bonding. The tapered ends overlap and one is the inner and the other out. The front and rear tires have the wrap going in different directions. The idea is when you get on the gas the splice is pushed together rather than pulling it apart. The front tire sees 80% of the braking. When the brakes are applied (hard) the splice is pushed together.
If you want to run a rear tire on the front the arrow should point in the direction opposite of rotation. The tread pattern will be backwards, but what the heck, the rear tire is designed to be put on the rear. I would rather not have the tire stressed in the wrong rotation, especially after it has 15-20K miles on it and I want to do a blast up to 90 MPH in the desert summer heat. To each their own.
 
#29 ·
Guys, the reason tires have a direction arrow is because of the tread layer splice. When the tire is made the tread is wrapped around the tire before vulcanizing. The splice is tapered so there is more surface for bonding. The tapered ends overlap and one is the inner and the other out. .
I believe that is another myth from the recap days. Remember recapped tires? Until someone shows me otherwise I choose to believe the tread is injection molded to the carcass. Evidence is the **** left on the tire and there is no sign of a splice.
 
#30 ·
i mount a rear tire on the front and mount it the way the sipes run on a front tire so that means you mount the tire opposite direction if its a rear tire on the front .
 
#31 ·
ok found the pics of the bt 45 i mounted back in 2016 you tell me which is the right way to mount the tire the pics are taken from the front which pic is correct? the left or the right ?
 

Attachments

#36 ·
the tire on the left in the photos is the tire on my bike it is a front tire on the front with the arrow going the correct direction the tire on the right in the photos is the bt 45 one is with the arrow going forward and the other is the arrow going backwards the pic on the left is with the new tire bt 45 with the arrow going backwards the sipes match the direction of the front tire on the bike
 
#37 ·
the tire will enter the road(water) with the center of the tire as it rotates the water will be pushed out towards the rear if i install the tire with the arrow forward the water will be pushed forward a front tire is designed to push the water out and to the back when driving
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top