Reasonably price tire options for CB350 cafe

alzcbz

Been Around the Block
I'm putting together a cb350 café bike and it's time to get some tires. Been doing some searching and undecided on the modern sporty tire vs the traditional.
Price point: I'd like to stay under $150.
Tire size: 90/90/18 Front and 100/90/18 Rear. Inch sizes would be 3.00-18 and 3.50-18, respectively.
Running 1.85x18 rims front and rear.

I'm sure my riding style would be somewhat sporty, at times, but would the traditional tread patterns be alright? Another issue is tire size availability. Seems most modern design tread patterns start off at 100/90 for the fronts. I have put a 100/90 Shinko 712 on a rear rim and it looked and road fine, but that large on the front seems like it would be awkward.
I know there are some reasonably options out there, but I'd like to get some firsthand opinions.
Thanks
Al
 
Check out the Kenda's. Have a set on the CB500. They have been good tires. Have a new set on the 350 we are about finished with. 90 in the front, 100 in the rear.
 
J-Rod, which Kenda did you go with? I don't see those sizes listed for the Cruiser or Challenger.
 
J-Rod10 said:
Check out the Kenda's. Have a set on the CB500. They have been good tires. Have a new set on the 350 we are about finished with. 90 in the front, 100 in the rear.

I'll second that. I use Kenda's for 350Fs, and they're great tires for the price.
 
If you went Kenda you'd have to get a Cruiser front and Challenger rear, so slightly different tread designs. Probably the most economical choices for those sizes and matching model/tread would be the Duro HF918s. I think you could get them both from J&P for around $150.

FWIW I have Kenda Challengers on my CB350 and like them a lot, although I went to a 100/90 front 110/90 rear. Kinda ballooney, not sure if I like the look as much as I thought I would. I'd probably go with the stock sizes the next time I buy.
 
krafty said:
If you went Kenda you'd have to get a Cruiser front and Challenger rear, so slightly different tread designs. Probably the most economical choices for those sizes and matching model/tread would be the Duro HF918s. I think you could get them both from J&P for around $150.

FWIW I have Kenda Challengers on my CB350 and like them a lot, although I went to a 100/90 front 110/90 rear. Kinda ballooney, not sure if I like the look as much as I thought I would. I'd probably go with the stock sizes the next time I buy.

This is what I run, Challengers, 110/90 and 100/90. Mine were $120 for the set w/o tubes.
 
Neither the Cruiser or Challenger are available in 100/90 rear.
As for the HF918s, they also have the front 90/90 but no 100/90 for rears. I don't see any difference in stock photos of the HF918 for front and rears. Wonder if I could run a 100/90 front on the rear? Going to see if I can contact someone from Duro.
 
Remember that you can usually run a front tire on the rear, or vice-versa, by flipping it around so the tread is running in the opposite direction. Just remember to tell that to the person mounting it.
 
I am actually running a 110/90/18 on the rear of my 350.

I have a Avon I just bought for my 500 that says front or rear on the tire. Little pricier, but a great tire.

I did pick up a set of Avon Storm's for my CB750 for $150 on eBay. But they are 180 and 120.
 
From Kenda: "Unfortunately we don’t have anything that’s a matching pair, which is the only thing we can recommend. We have a 110/90-18 Challenger that would likely be fine on the rear as its just one size up."

I don't have an issue running a front tire on the rear as long as the pattern for their designated rear tire is the same as the front. Usually the front and rear have differing patterns: front has a center tread for steering.
 
Stock rims.

110/90/18 Challenger in the rear.
90/90/18/18 Cruiser in the front.
 
Not sure what math you are using, but it is 25.4 mm per inch. A 3.50x 18 is 88.9 mm (90 on a tire..) so a 90/90 x 18 is the same as a 3.50 , 3.00 = 76.2 mm, say 80, so 80/90 in front is the stock size.

A 110/80 is 110/25.4 = 4.33 inches....
A 100/80 is 3.93 inchs (say same as 4.00

You can use those sizes if the rims are wider than stock. Stock CB350 rims are narrow, and 3.00x 18 in front and 3.50x18 in the rear is the largest tire that fits CORRECTLY on the 1.60 rim in front, 1.85 rim in back.

Do whatever you want, but staying within guidelines will give you the best handling and steering. Goinf wider reduces performance. If someone says they are using wider tires on the stock rims and it handles well, they don't know how the bike is supposed to handle.

In fact, wider rims with the stock tire sizes improve handling over stock....I am doing that myself. My bike handles better than it did stock. It is more responsive and feels more planted.
 
Mydlyf which tires do you run and size?
I found some tires from VeeRubber that don't look bad, load and speed rating are good, and the sizes would work too. 80/90 front and 100/90 rear. Anyone have an idea as to where I could purchase some?
http://www.veerubber.co.th/web/mview.php?Pname=VRM-106&Ptype=Street%20Tires&lang=en
 
I am using 3.00 x 18 on front with a 1.85x18 rim and 3.50x18 rear with a 2.15x18 rim. Front is a swallow, rear is a Cheng Sen. They were JC Whitney specials and cheap. They are for holding air. Intend to get new tires this year. Looking at the Duro brand. Not a lot of choice out there

Sent from planet Earth using mysterious electronic devices.
 
The best cheap tires I know if run about $45 each and they are called Shinko 712.

For a stock cb 350 I would go 90 front 100 or 110 rear. I am running these sizes and as a bonus I am using wider aluminum rims from mikesxs. They look amazing how it spreads out the tires making them look great and perform great!

EDIT: I actually didnt use the shinko 100 front, it doesnt need to be that big even with my wider 2.15 alum anodized rims. I use a Metzler lazertech 90f and shinko 712 110 rear.

34-3182 H 2.15x18 36 hole shouldered aluminum rim Black 90.00
 
I'm running 1.85 rims front and rear.
Shinko doesn't make a 90/90-18 front. That's the problem.

I am probably going to have to mismatch the front/rear tires.
Going with the Shinko712 100/90-18 rear.
Duro HF918 or Kenda K671 Cruiser front in a 90/90-18.
 
90f 100r are what I always get on a stock 360 or 350. Perfect.

And yeah Shinko doesn't make a 90 front. Besides thier front isn't very good anyways. Get a battle ax 90 front for around $90 and get the 100 rear from Shinko for $50
 
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