Wider Tire Widths

"Remember that the handling doesn´t get better with the beefy tires, but who cares..it looks cool.."

I completely do not agree with this at all! a wider tire is MUCH better for handling, anything 200 and under in the back and going up to a 120 in the front is a HUGE diffrence! they do not get tied up in cracks in the road and offer much more surface area... there is a reason most rockets rock a 190 rear and 120 front... it is also one of the main reasons i bent over backwards to make sure that i could get a 120 on the front of my harley... just a huge diff even over the 100 series i had on the front
 
he was probably talking about the classic beefier tires. they are more square/tall and cornering isnt the same as a modern rounded tire.
 
even so a vintage tire with the correct speed rating will handle it as well... hell the ones on the enfield i have still let me lean that sucker almost down to its engine cases...
 
JRK5892 said:
even so a vintage tire with the correct speed rating will handle it as well... hell the ones on the enfield i have still let me lean that sucker almost down to its engine cases...

I agree with Wider, but not neccisarily wider AND taller. Going wider can have better results but wider and taller can have sidewall flex etc. Higher speed rating will generally help sidewall stiffness etc. It all depends on a bunch of variables. I went from a 90/90 18 Front to a 110/80 18 and way improved the handling on my 450. The height (overall Diameter of the tire changed very little but the width (contact patch) was increased a lot. You need to look at the actual measurement of the brand of tire you want also, one manufaturers 110/90 may not be the same overall diameter and width as anothers. Also went from a Cheng Shin POS to an Avon. Went to a higher speed rating and firmer sidewall and softer rubber compountd with a modern rounded profile and a wider rear tire also. The rear was slightly taller than the Dunlop that I had but stiffer sidewalls so improvements there to.

Going from the old inch 4.00 x 18 to a metric modern size is not exact either. You have to get what is close to the right size. And also a Dunlop model "X" 4.00x18 is not always the same as a Firestone modle "Y" 4.00 x 18. Check the specs and look at the diameter, reccomended rim width all that jazz.

Just like car tires, you can get more than one size that is close enough to fit. 195/55/15 is the same as a 205/50/15 or at least close enough not to fudge your speedo up and the handling change is crazy.

Cheers,
 
and to refer back to cars. i never did anything that was conventional with those things either.
i used to stretch 215s on 9" wide wheels.

bottomline, its all cosmetics, and as long as it fits and fills with air, im happy.
 
I found that American Motorcycle Tire (americanmototire.com) has the DURO HF314 which is pretty darn cheap and comes in 3.50-18, 4.00-18 and looks very similar to the Coker vintage tires. Oh, and the tires are only like $40.
 
crazypj said:
Most MX bikes until aboutt 5~6 yrs ago used 2.15 x 18 rear rim.
Check they are 36 hole before you buy, (anyone need a 2.15 x 18, 32 hole rim? ???)
You have to modify the spoke hole angle for narrower hubs on CB.
Not sure about CB450, think its only 1.85 but I'm pretty sure CB750 is 2.15

PJ

thanks PJ! always so full of information for me :)

is it safe to run MX wheels on the road? I'm not trying to hit the ton, just around town.
 
crazypj said:
dropping 40 ft out of the sky is going to put a lot more stress on rim than you can give it with a CB360 :D

PJ

haha, true. I was more worried about speed ratings. But I guess MX bikes haul ass too.
 
Deli Sandwich said:
btw, i think i answered my own question.
my real concern was 1.85" width rim with a 4.00.

the wrenchmonkees seem to not care about that have fitted fatter tires on skinny rims.

examples:
Standard hubs and rims, stainless steel spokes.
1.85 x 19 front - 2.15 x 18 rear.
Firestone Deluxe Champion 4.00 x 19 front - 4.50 x 18 rear.

monk10_01.jpg


Standard wheels. 1.85 x 19 front - 2.15 x 18 rear.
Firestone Deluxe Champion 4.00 x 19 front - 4.50 x 18 rear

I'm going with dual purpose tires next time, Beemer style (19 front, 18 rear); I think the extra grip will make up for the wobbliness. You could also look into a shouldered hub/ track wheel for a wider tire.
 
Kev Nemo said:
I'm going with dual purpose tires next time, Beemer style (19 front, 18 rear); I think the extra grip will make up for the wobbliness.

What are you running now?
 
hey guys,

thought i would put in my 2 cents.

on the cd175 the rear rim is 1.85/17 and i run a 4.00 on it and a 1.65 on the frt and run a 3.00
and i am told by the guys that installed them tht i could go a little bigger like a 4.25 and possibly a 4.50 on the rear. and a 3.25 on the frt.
they also said that after that i could go bigger yet, but would have to run a none tubed tire, would have to weld up the holes.
i am currently building a bobber and it has a 16 on the back and a 17 in the frt. i was told i could run the 4.00 on it, but running into a problem. hard to find one, 16 by 3.50-4.00 and have the same tread pattern on the frt tire.
any way, just thought i would add to the post.
later.
 
crazypj said:
I got this bridge I'm trying to sell..................................
Don't you realise, majority are in it for the money?
Its the reason salesmen exist.
You can fit most any width tyre, doesn't mean its right or safe.
You could cut you head off, I wouldn't recommend it though ;D

PJ

I just did a spit take PJ. Warn me before you crack off some funny shit like that.
 
Stock tire size is a 3.0x18 on the CB360, so I'd imagine it could fit a 3.50, if for no other reason than I've got a 4.0x18 on the back and it works fine.

If you can go a size up on the rear I don't see why you couldn't on the front.
 
ok PJ according to your chart it says that I can't run 110/90 on anything less than a 2.15 wide rim, when that's a very common size on these bikes. Technically, according to that chart, I can't run a 100/90, which I'm pretty sure almost 80% of all Cafe conversions have on the front.
 
PJ's correct that while you can certainly physically mount the balloon tired on a 1.85 rim, they are going to allow for a bit more deflection under load, especially corner loads.

However, due to the tall sidewalls on the 'Stones and the vintage nature of the tire's design...they're going to flex more than a BT45 or any other 'modern' tire. As such, even on the 'proper' rim size you'll have to change the way you ride the bike. If you're putting these tires on a bike (any bike) then it becomes a boulevard style cruiser regardless of your handlebar choices. And that's totally ok. I have a bike sitting in my garage that's ridden for no other reason than to run around town and look cool...well...once it's finished it'll look cool. right now it looks like a pile of loosely bolted parts...regardless.

It comes down to usage and what you can adapt to as far as road manners are concerned.

When I was heavy into the 4x4 scene I took my truck from 31" tires to 38" tires, after appropriate suspension and fender work was done. As I expected it handled differently.
I hate to draw parallel between someone's bike (that's not a Rokon) and a 4x4 truck but the effect is similar to what you should expect with these tires. It's going to be ridable. It's going feel different doing so. You'll have to make adjustments in how you ride it.

I plan on running a 19/16 firestone combo on my bobber. It'll look cool, handle just fine for what it's intended and there just aren't many bikes around that are running them.

At the most extreme, think about the fools 'styling' around on raked out choppers with extended forks and 300 series rear tires. I think you'll be fine.......
 
I don't doubt that they'll squirm. I'm a new rider so I take turns pretty slow as it is.

I'm interested to try a 3.50x18 on the front, whether I like it or not, I have no idea. Just to take some pictures and say that it had been done.

All else fails, I switch it to the rear and get a smaller front tire.
 
PHeller said:
I don't doubt that they'll squirm. I'm a new rider so I take turns pretty slow as it is.

As an old rider to a new rider, the last thing you want to be doing is making your bike handle worse than it should.
 
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