TT100

Agree about BT45`s , I think Bridgestone have replaced them with BT46`s now ( Typical Japanese , always changing and messing about with things un-neccessarily) .
Used to fit the original Phantoms now and again , the rear seemed to disappear after about 3000 miles , and that was after getting the most of my moneys worth out of them , once set off down the motorway to Exeter with the white construction cords starting to show through at the back.....wouldn`t let things go that far now.
 
I got cornered a few years ago as I needed two new tyres for a long trip, the usual supplier and fitters (Watling tyres,Catford) could not do me any of the prefered types in a pair, so I (reluctantly) took a pair of TT100's, this ruined my 2000 mile trip and I removed them and burnt them (sorry green party) and got back on Avon road riders pronto.

I used them for years on my then new 750 SF1 (fitted from new as I skipped the stock Contnentals) and later TOG (1200TS) but the modern ones felt just double bad, same bike, same looking tyres

CLEM
 
rocketonarail said:
Agree about BT45`s , I think Bridgestone have replaced them with BT46`s now ( Typical Japanese , always changing and messing about with things un-neccessarily) .
Used to fit the original Phantoms now and again , the rear seemed to disappear after about 3000 miles , and that was after getting the most of my moneys worth out of them , once set off down the motorway to Exeter with the white construction cords starting to show through at the back.....wouldn`t let things go that far now.
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BT45s have been on the market for around 30(!) years, their then cutting-edge technology has been matched (and bettered?) by others. Guess Bridgestone reckoned it was time for an upgrade. BT46 apparently address the long-standing irregular wear issue of the fronts, the tread pattern has been reversed. Have not yet had an opportunity to try them on any of my bikes, pretty pissed though that a 3.50-18 is no longer offered. I'll probably switch to Heidenau for the 3.50/4.00 pairing on the GTL.

Wore down my first Phantom on the 3C in 1800km... thought it might have been a fluke and fitted a second to match the still-OK front, but that was gone in 2000. Now get a minimum of 4500-6000km from modern-ish tyres. Reckon progress has be good for something.

piet
 
Well TT100's seemed alright to me back in the day. No bother scraping the alternator cover or even scraping the stand with the rear wheel off the floor with the shocks jacked up to their hardest setting. I liked them and there were no viable alternatives back then either.
Hang on!!! I'm beginning to sound like Ron. Come back Ron me old mate.
 
in 2019 Dunlop did a promotion for their updated version of the TT100. I do not know until now, what was changed. But they stated, that they are somehow much better than before. I was able to get a free set to test them and to make a short review. Because my Conti CR were really really used and had no bit of rubber left:

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I agreed - did not want them really - but gave them a try

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very easy to be much better than before. :)

Compared to old stone hard TT I see not really a difference:

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from behind:

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I tried them for some days and they were absolute unobtrusive, no problem. Really usable.

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I changed very fast back to Road Attack CR, because I did not want to try them also on the race track. And I did not like the look for my bike.

I would recommend them for a Laverda which has to look completely original and period correct. It can be ridden with them as well.

If someone prefers a Laverda, which rides good, there are better choices.
 
sfcpiet said:
BT45s have been on the market for around 30(!) years, their then cutting-edge technology has been matched (and bettered?) by others. Guess Bridgestone reckoned it was time for an upgrade. BT46 apparently address the long-standing irregular wear issue of the fronts, the tread pattern has been reversed. Have not yet had an opportunity to try them on any of my bikes, pretty pissed though that a 3.50-18 is no longer offered. I'll probably switch to Heidenau for the 3.50/4.00 pairing on the GTL.

Wore down my first Phantom on the 3C in 1800km... thought it might have been a fluke and fitted a second to match the still-OK front, but that was gone in 2000. Now get a minimum of 4500-6000km from modern-ish tyres. Reckon progress has be good for something.

piet
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I knew they had been around for a while but would never have guessed that long....my line about the Japanese always changing things was only tongue in cheek...although when trying to fit a replacement cylinder head to a Yamaha T80 found they had updated the design without telling anyone (or me anyway) , thing wouldn`t go on.
Best technical description for a new tyre was in Bike magazine (yes them again) ,for a new Avon or Pirelli or something which read "a big round rubbery thing with a hole in it"....tells you everything you need to know really.....
 
rocketonarail said:
I knew they had been around for a while but would never have guessed that long....my line about the Japanese always changing things was only tongue in cheek...although when trying to fit a replacement cylinder head to a Yamaha T80 found they had updated the design without telling anyone (or me anyway) , thing wouldn`t go on.
Best technical description for a new tyre was in Bike magazine (yes them again) ,for a new Avon or Pirelli or something which read "a big round rubbery thing with a hole in it"....tells you everything you need to know really.....
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Did some research, seems introduction differed slightly between markets. Germany got them in 1998. While not quite 30 years, 24 years is a pretty decent run for any modern-day product! BT45s are still available in a few sizes, alongside the BT46.

Guess tooling costs have amortised by now. ;)

piet
 
Good as though BT45/6`s and other recently developed tyres are , you have to admit the TT100 is something of a design classic , you can`t mistake them for anything else , and they do complement the looks of sporty bikes from the `sixties and `seventies.
 
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Totally agree,
The TT100 look absolutely right on a 70s bike, I had a new set on my Moto Morini Sport and for me they were great, I am not a fast rider by any means but the handling of that bike was sensationally good for a stock 70s bike. If you want to look the period part I would certainly buy them again. But I am sure you can get better more modern rubber, just a look at the tread pattern and you know they are going to move around more than a modern profile, that is simply obvious. But then again, that's what makes them look right. Horses for courses.
J
 
I am perplexed. The K81/TT100 was released in the late 1960s to suit the Triumph/BSA triples. They were state of the art at the time. But that's 50 years ago. Modern tyres have much more rubber in contact with the road and more sophisticated construction and compounds. So the only plus that i can find for the modern K81/TT100 is that the tread pattern is the same as it's always been. If that's important to you go for it but I care more about performance, and the antique tread pattern undoubtedly compromises that. Even if the current TT100 has been improved with the help of modern technology.

Clearly they fulfil a demand within the market, i am just questioning why you would prioritise looks over performance.

Cheers,

bazzee
 
Personally I find it a shame to have lovely old looking bikes with modern rubber underneath, it just looks wrong. If you are going for as much performance as possible then buy a modern, they will piss all over our old bones no matter what we put on them.
I more than most like to play with things to make them go faster, but for a classic road bike, I like it to look the part also.
But there again I personally don't ride my bikes much and then not terribly fast, that is for braver men than me with less imagination.
Personal preference that's all.
J
 
rocketonarail said:
Good as though BT45/6`s and other recently developed tyres are , you have to admit the TT100 is something of a design classic , you can`t mistake them for anything else , and they do complement the looks of sporty bikes from the `sixties and `seventies.
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Operating theatres are also design classics. They look so fit for a purpose.

Paul
 
Modern rubber, modern brakes - otherwise we'd still be on the Laverda drums on RGSs and the rest! I never cared that much what my bike looked like - couldn't see much of it from behind the bars cranking it through a bend with the throttle about to be twisted wide open on the exit :love:
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Modern rubber, modern brakes - otherwise we'd still be on the Laverda drums on RGSs and the rest! I never cared that much what my bike looked like - couldn't see much of it from behind the bars cranking it through a bend with the throttle about to be twisted wide open on the exit :love:
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I'm still on Laverda drums, and Grimeca drums. Surprisingly good.
If they'd put a 230 mm drum on the back of the RGS, it would have had brakes front and rear.

Paul
 
Back in 1977 motoring journalist LJK Setright ( whose father invented the ticket dispensing machine all bus conductors used to use here in the UK) wrote a magazine article about his ride on a Jota fitted with TT100`s and saying that he had to fit a Dunlop Red Arrow onto the front in order "to make it steer".
He then went onto say " What are we to make of a machine which is simply too fast and heavy that it`s performance cannot safely be used on public roads"....(This was 45 years ago remember) ...implying the tyres weren`t up to it.
This obviously miffed Roger Slater who wrote a reply back stating that Laverda fitted TT100`s in accordance with their policy of fitting only the finest equipment available , and nobody in their right mind would find the limits of these tyres on PUBLIC ROADS ( his capitals , not mine).
He then went onto say that he expected more from Setright than to merely knock out 1500 words and draw the fee.
Again bear in mind this was in the `seventies when some people were still riding around on square section Avon Speedmasters or something...
This reply must have registered with Setright for in the next months column he was full of praise for Laverdas adjustable bar/footrest position.
 
rocketonarail said:
Back in 1977 motoring journalist LJK Setright ( whose father invented the ticket dispensing machine all bus conductors used to use here in the UK) wrote a magazine article about his ride on a Jota fitted with TT100`s and saying that he had to fit a Dunlop Red Arrow onto the front in order "to make it steer".
He then went onto say " What are we to make of a machine which is simply too fast and heavy that it`s performance cannot safely be used on public roads"....(This was 45 years ago remember) ...implying the tyres weren`t up to it.
This obviously miffed Roger Slater who wrote a reply back stating that Laverda fitted TT100`s in accordance with their policy of fitting only the finest equipment available , and nobody in their right mind would find the limits of these tyres on PUBLIC ROADS ( his capitals , not mine).
He then went onto say that he expected more from Setright than to merely knock out 1500 words and draw the fee.
Again bear in mind this was in the `seventies when some people were still riding around on square section Avon Speedmasters or something...
This reply must have registered with Setright for in the next months column he was full of praise for Laverdas adjustable bar/footrest position.
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He was a motoring journalist who was revered at the time but whose articles I couldn't abide.
 
pf1 said:
He was a motoring journalist who was revered at the time but whose articles I couldn't abide.
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I know what you mean , he came across as self opinionated and seemed to be heading up a blind alley a lot of the time , but for me it kind of made his writing interesting , not to everyone`s taste though , a bit like Alan Clark.
Ex magazine editor Mike Nicks once said about Setright , that though he would give the impression of riding hard and pushing things to the limit , there was a Honda GB trackday for the then new CX500 , with all the bike journos there , and while everyone was pushing the little pushrod twin around the circuit as fast as it would go , there was one individual teetering down the straights and wobbling around the corners at 45 mph.... guess who that was.....
 
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