Tires advice

[hdal]

I bought a 56 Pan with a set of Cokers on it. They are very thin and i want to change them.
I ride the bike a lot and want to put something on it that will last a little longer and still fit. The original tires were 5.00 x 16. I don't know how to convert to the new metric sizing like Dunlop etc. use.
Any advice?

[DuoDave]

The Avon SM Mk2 is a pretty good tyre. They look suitably period, last well, are suitable for front or rear, and aren't too expensive. They are still listed as 5.00 x 16.

[panhead]

Motorcycle Tire Size Conversion Chart:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle- ... e-data.htm

[sleeper]

I like the Avon SM Mark II's also, like Duo-Dave listed.
They grab v.good in rain & are great looking & wear well.

Did I mention, I like them ?

[harley49flchopper]

I like the Avon MK II also. I've put about 8,000 miles on my current Avon and it's going strong. Gives the correct profile for 5.00 x 16 too. That's important on a rigid frame.

[sleeper]

hdal-

Changing to modern tires, have several draw-backs (at least)
(1) they are low-profile about 25.4" 1" shorter than the Avon Mark II's, which are "Full Profile" & look correct, w/modern rubber, & construction.

(2) this affects accuracy of speed-0 = will read faster than actual speed.

(3) also affects overall gearing, making it geared a bit lower= slower top speed, w/Higher RPM's

(4) shorter tires = same rake 'but' less trail. Measure & see.

(5) they just don't look right IMO

[King]

Hi All

Great analysis of the tire situation Billy.

I don't know if my experience was unique or not but here's what happened when i tried a "modern" tire about ten years ago. A friend of a friend was putting a narrow springer on a new Harley and sold me the excess tire, brand new, for $20. Good deal. I mounted it on my front wheel and first time around the block I got an intense wobble in tight turns. Checked out the front end and all seemed tight and right but the problem persisted. Swapped wheels putting an old style stright grove type tire on the front , wobble gone.

King

[sleeper]

King-

Thank U.

My 2 cents, about your tire situation. We know:
(1) mixing a bias ply & a modern tire doesn't agree.(un-safe)
&/or :
(2) shorter on front, effectively reducing 'trail'
to an amount that was subject to wobbles.

I would have liked to measure your trail then. Curious.
I think tire mis-match was the biggest factor here, though.

[VintageTwin]

These babies are knock-offs of the popular '60's Goodyear Speed-Grip?. They are high performance tires (rated for at least 65 mph) that ship with plenty of mold-release and stay slicker than snot for months, so don't let them kill you dead. If you put them into action too early, they'll skim-stone you off the road, through a fence, and out into the weeds. The good thing about them is the tread pattern that extends over onto the sidewall, which is where you can put the tire in a (slighty inclined) curve. Their good...and their cheap....a hard combo to beat, at $53.99. $53.99... Number 4, on your J.C. Whitney card. Number 4. The way Cheng-Shin is written on the tire almost looks like the word "Goodyear". So run a set and have a Good....Year out there.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... ogId=10111
Don' t forget a rim strip and the side-stem tube for big hole rims. Set the tires in the sun for a few hours before you try and mount them.