I want to run a wide tire on a narrow rim.

imwastefull

Active Member
Is it safe to run a 5.10x18" tire on a 18 x 2.15 rim? I know most don't recommend it, but, is it safe? I won't blow a bead on the highway?

5.10 translates to roughly 120/90 and I know that 2.15" rims suggest a 110 width.

This is for an old chopper so I'm not concerned about performance so limit the criticism, please. This bike has no gauges, no front brake, no turn signals, and is jockey shift. Safety is already out of the window.

Thanks!
 
i heartily approve of this thread, and yes a 120 will fit where a 110 may have once lived, just be aware that as the bead will be a bit more pinched together than on a 'correct' rim it will 'balloon' a bit so you may actually end up with less tread on the road
and don't listen to the inevitable nay-sayers, its your bike, do what you want ( sounds like you already have anyway)
pics will be appreciated too
 
Thanks for the help, Spotty. I figured I could whack the tire on the rim, my only concerns are that the bead will hold. Personally, I think it'll be fine but its nice to get a second opinion. I've been known to make a bad decision or two. 8)

The bike in question is a '52 panhead. I tore her apart this winter to play dress up. I'm lacing the star hub to an 18", swapped the wide glide for a springer, and am tossing on some new tins. Cheers!
 

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You'll be fine. As Spotty suggests, you just won't use half of your patch (my outer tread is untouched). I'm doing it on my chopper with no ill effect. In all honesty, I plan to swap for a narrower, but taller MKII, but that's for different reasons...

77150-211018190956-4588489.jpeg
 
you could always get a few old school rim locks and drill the rear rim for them

just incase you have to much applied torque before the burnout starts

they are not difficult to install and may add a bit of safety factor to the bead issue
 
imwastefull said:
Thanks for the help, Spotty. I figured I could whack the tire on the rim, my only concerns are that the bead will hold. Personally, I think it'll be fine but its nice to get a second opinion. I've been known to make a bad decision or two. 8)

The bike in question is a '52 panhead. I tore her apart this winter to play dress up. I'm lacing the star hub to an 18", swapped the wide glide for a springer, and am tossing on some new tins. Cheers!

Please feel free to post up more on that beautiful pan!
 
isnt a 4.00x18 like a 120? wouldnt a 5.10x18 be bigger than that?
 
Yes. I object....... So now you can ignore that and go ahead and do it. ;-)

All joking aside, I just took a 130/90 17 brand new never been used Shinko off a 2.50" 17 rim because it looked too large, but that is a rounder profile tire. It has been replaced with a 120/80-17 which is over an inch smaller and looks much better. But that was on a cast (mag) rim on a very different sort of bike, but it did look oversized.

MikeXS has a 2.5-18 aluminum rim at a reasonable price if that helps any. It's not a huge difference in width but with such a wide tire ever little helps.

For a chop it's probably not too important to perfectly match rim to tire recommendations.
 
Yo! I wanted to drop a heads up. I laced the 18x2.15" rim to a Harley star hub. Even though I popped 2 innertubes getting the wheel together, it ended up perfect. It's not as tall as I had hoped but the fitment is perfect. The tire isn't sunken or stretched on the rim. I haven't ridden it yet but I'm confident it'll work well.

I'll post the old wheel the new set up and the stance it created.
 

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Pics
 

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