GT Radial Champiro VP1 review for britman (and anyone who is interested)

[mark81]

https://simpletire.com/gt-radial-p205-60r16-100a1545-tires?stmodel=champiro-vp1&stcategory=all-season&sttype=passenger&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4827BRDJvpbVuKvx-rIBEiQA2_CzsCy1_J74jQXNNZqvDmrq5n-kbY_o1RYjl1pWFUaYJSEaAqD28P8HAQ

Britman, I saw on BPP's post you had ordered one of these.    I didn't want to crap on his post so I started another. I assume you had seen my link to it when i mentioned it in another post. Just wanted to let you and everyone else that is thinking about this tire I am impressed with it especially considering the price. I am running 38psi in it and showing some extra wear in the center. Taking that into consideration i still don't know that i would adjust pressure to extend tire life. Hopefully Ky,Dave will chime in and remember the mileage when he installed the tire.  I have over 7000 miles on it currently + what Dave put on it when he owned the bike.  The handling IMHO is pretty good and no issues in the twisties. I got a few compliments from the guys i rode into inzane with from Knoxville on how well it went through the turns pulling a trailer. No issues dragging pegs and feels stable at any angle.

Went through the back of the dragon and tail of the dragon on the way home from inzane + smokinjoe and his buddies took us through some pretty twisty roads on the way there too. I have a lot of 75-80+mph time on the slab with the tire too. With and without the trailer. Also it behaved fairly well on gravel roads. 

Let me know what you think when you get it installed and a few miles on it. DISCLAIMER  I may be biased since this is the only CT i have any experience with

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Nice shot Mark. I'll have to check records for mileage I had. I know from experience weight of a trailer drastically reduces mileage on the rear tire. Will get back with mileage when I get a chance 

[mark81]

Nice shot Mark. I'll have to check records for mileage I had. I know from experience weight of a trailer drastically reduces mileage on the rear tire. Will get back with mileage when I get a chance 

>

Thanks Dave 

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Here's most current entries I had to give you idea of what to check and when it would be due to check again.

37,000 Oil Changed and new front Tire ( Shinko ) Front Brakes looked good

40,650 Oil Changed

41,200- Added Champiro 205/60/16 Car tire after doing nut cage mod as Battle-Ax was wore to threads. U-Joint inspected and good. Final drive oil changed and complete drive Line inspected and re-lubed before reinstalled. All gears looked great and same as previous inspection.

May 2015- New Battery

44,908 Oil Changed, Starter Switch cleaned although looked fine.

[..]

7000 miles

[big d]

My question is how does it handle in the rain. The sipes are not wide so it doesn't look like it would shed water out from under so it might hydro plane.

[..]

My question is how does it handle in the rain. The sipes are not wide so it doesn't look like it would shed water out from under so it might hydro plane.

Sunday morning on wet roads was OK.

[..]

10,500 miles



Torrential rain on the BRP and it gripped.

[mark81]

   that's about the mileage and condition mine was in when i changed it. Maybe I had a bit more wear in the center.  Figured it wouldn't make it another 10k till the next service.

[..]

The center is slightly more worn due to me running it at about 38psi for the first couple of thousand miles.

Now it's at 34psi.

[Mr Whiskey]

10,500 miles



Torrential rain on the BRP and it gripped.

Good to know you're gettin' some miles in Brother!
See ya in Aug.

[..]

12,500 miles

[..]

13,500 miles



Saturday coming is forecast to be dry and that will be the last ride for this tire.

Another 1,000 possible on the main tread but no more wet roads for the shoulder. 

[..]

14,000 miles.



Looks like it has some life left until you compare with new.

[Hook#3287]

Looks like it has some life left until you compare with new.

Heck, I'd run it for another 1000.

[Jess from VA]

I ended up changing out my Goodyear at 37.5K and it had more tread than that one.  Some don't like it.  I think it's a great tire. 

With CTs, we often end up changing them when it is time (or past time) to do rear end (and maybe other) service, before they are really gone.  There's no sense in tearing off the back end for service, then sticking a car tire back on that only has 2-3K left. They're not that expensive.  And tearing off the back end is not all that enjoyable (at least for me), I'd rather be riding.

One thing is for sure, a worn car tire is still a good tire.  A worn bike tire is not a good tire.

I think most CTs really come into their own (handle best) after they have 6-10 K on them. 

[..]

Looks like it has some life left until you compare with new.

Heck, I'd run it for another 1000.

Having worn off the tread on the rounded shoulder I had no idea how much rubber there was left before there was no rubber left.

[..]

I ended up changing out my Goodyear at 37.5K and it had more tread than that one.  Some don't like it.  I think it's a great tire.  

With CTs, we often end up changing them when it is time (or past time) to do rear end (and maybe other) service, before they are really gone.  There's no sense in tearing off the back end for service, then sticking a car tire back on that only has 2-3K left. They're not that expensive.  And tearing off the back end is not all that enjoyable (at least for me), I'd rather be riding.

One thing is for sure, a worn car tire is still a good tire.  A worn bike tire is not a good tire.

I think most CTs really come into their own (handle best) after they have 6-10 K on them.  

37.5 k miles makes me think of hard compound. I like knowing that a tire will grip when I'm peg scraping uphill on a reducing radius at 60 mph.

[Jess from VA]

I tell you Paul, I have ridden my GATTs to the very limits cranking and banking in tight corners, high speed, and hard braking, and in the snow and wet and cold for years now, and they grip like glue.  And I don't run them soft but 40psi.

But yes, when you go to Tire Rack and compare compounds, the GATT does have a higher compound number than most of the tires guys are using now. (UTQG 640)

The GATT was pretty popular 10 years ago.  Since then many have found it too square and/or less forgiving than other tires.  I wouldn't know, they work great for me so I have just stuck with them.  But I can't recall anyone ever saying they were slippery... in any road condition.

As you know, there are many good attributes to car tires beyond simple longevity.  But 15K would not be satisfactory longevity for me.  I don't think 20K would be satisfactory either.

Now if I could just get a good front tire that lasted longer than 8K.  (But not a Dunlop)

[mark81]

With CTs, we often end up changing them when it is time (or past time) to do rear end (and maybe other) service, before they are really gone.  There's no sense in tearing off the back end for service, then sticking a car tire back on that only has 2-3K left. They're not that expensive.  And tearing off the back end is not all that enjoyable (at least for me), I'd rather be riding.

This is why I've never gotten over 12k on my ct. id rather have newer tires more frequently at a cheaper price.  I also have a tire changer which makes darkside tire changes easier than finding a shop willing to.