Running the same size tire front and rear

[jfman]

How terrible is it to run the same size front and rear tire?

Reason I ask is that I may run a rear rim on my front hub to accomodate for 17in tires...

I would have identical rims(well no the hubs of course) and since I already have quite a few good 120 70 17 tires in my garage I'd run two of those....

Right now with my 18inch wheels I run a 120 in the back and a 110 up front and all seems well....


Insight apreciated..

This is on a GS400 BTW...

Thanks guys!

 

[Tim]

Totally common. Typically it's always a good idea to stick to stock wheel size/geometry etc. to maintain what the engineers originally designed for optimal handling, but I'd think you'll be fine with 17's front and rear.

I run 18's on my XS650, and the 2011 Suzuki TU250X I just bought my wife runs 18's as well. Lots of bikes with the same size wheels on both ends.

I think the smaller rear rim sizes found on some of the Japanese bikes might have been to allow a wider/taller rear tire and still remain the same diameter as the front. But that's just a late night guess on my part - never thought about it before.

I run a 110 rear and 100 front on my XS650. The TU has a 90 front and 110 rear. A 110 front is just heavier and would make handling worse frankly - you'd be better off with narrower rubber on both ends.

 

[jfman]

Thanks for you insight.

When you install a 17in rim on a wheel that had an 18 rim, do you have to buy customs spokes to accomodated for the slightly shorter distance between the hub and the rim (1/2 inch shorter my guess) of is there enought threads/play to use the stock spokes?

 

[Tim]

You'll need new spokes - Buchanan is a good source for customs. You doing a super-moto or something?

 

[jfman]

Not a supermoto build. I dont know if I can call it a cafe racer either because I am keeping the stock bar and bikini fairing on this GS400S.

This is *my* bike (well an identical one)

Picture this bike with supermoto rims on GS hubs, upgraded front caliper and rotor, cafe tail hump.

 

[Evorussell]

Not a complete thread jack, but related question.

Tires are often sold as "front" or "rear" is there anything to prevent one from running them in the non-advertised position other than tread pattern?

 

[SCARE!]

on our little Honda's, if tyres are hard to come by size-wise, we run the same front tyre on the rear but mount it backwards..

 

[Big R]

Evorussel, read my response here:
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39631.0