It's tyre time again....
For the R860 off come the detestable Shinko rim protectors and on go Pirelli Sport Demons.
For the JPS it was a forced choice, the Continental, Metzler, Michelin and Dunlop importers all said "maybe next year", but the Avon importer said that they could scare up a 19" front (which was the problem for the others), so Avon it is.
The 860 was the easiest as it is 18" front and rear, although with the K100 front wheel it takes a 100/100 front and a 110/100 rear. I am currently having a bit of a love affair with Pirelli - both the GSA and the KLE wear Scorpion Trail IIs and I love them to bits. So it was a bit of a blow not to be able to put Pirelli tyres on the JPS - will never happen as they don't make a 19" tyre. It did idly cross my mind to paint the ex-R65 18" front gold and slip it on, after all who would know. Then I remembered an 18" experiment on an RS in the 70s and my memory says it didn't go well, however at the time the RS was suffering wobbles which eventually turned out to be a worn top plate, so maybe the problems were not down to an 18" wheel.
The Avons are a leap of faith based on what others have told me. I last fitted Avons in the 70s and I did not like them at all. At the time I was nearly 50 years younger than I am now and went pretty hard, the problem wasd that the Avons hung on almost as well as the Dunlop K81 and K181s I was running at the time, but unlike the Dunlops gave very little warning that they were about to let go. I "lowsided" my nasty little 350cc racing bike twice and thereafter swore off Avon tyres until now.
Obligatory photo of progress below.