Tires

[thepanman]

New to the board. looks like there is tons of useful information here. Anyway, i was running a avon 130/90 16 on a swingarm frame. I just bought a rigid frame and I'll be running a six inch flat fender. What are my options on tire size? I want to get a real beefy rear tire, what is the largest size I could go with. And what are some of you chopper guys running?

[haggis]

thepanman,
I run DunlopD402 HD on the rear..it should fit nice under a 6'' cover...looks good against a 21'' up front
(3.00-21R Avon)...Haggis

[Fast Ed 53]

thepanman, I'm running a custom fatboy wheel with a 140-80 avon. I cut down a rigid fatbob fender and brought it down to hug the tire. I've got about 5/8" clearence on each side and about a 1/2" on the chain. This is on a stock 53 frame. Good Luck, Ed

p.s. the 140-80 was as wide and low profile as I could get on. ED

[sleeper]

If Ed got a 140/80 on a rigid. With 5/8" on both sides & 1/2" to chain. That's much-o room. A 140/80/16 takes a 3.5"rim & is 5.9 Overall width.
& only 24.8" tall....
a 150/80/16 takes a 3.5"rim & is 6.2 Overall width. & is 25.4 tall. the difference between 5.9 to 6.2

Might be safe to just go 140 in an Avon. That would fit & be FAT.
Be aware that all sizes are not created equal. Example: An Avon 130/90 is fatter than a 130/90 Dunlop.
There are tire charts in J&P cycles book, & Some "Biker Mags". These should be saved for future reference. ;D
They give you all the sizes, & the OD & width & rim width required for the really FAT stuff. ;D ;D ;D
Like when we finished the 30" over S&S Pan in the pic gallery. We put a 230 on back on an 8" wide back rim.
ALL STAINLESS RIM, SPOKES & HUB..

[Fast Ed 53]

Billy, Your absolutely right on different brands with the same size marked on them being different dimenison's. The sweet wife thought I was starting a tire store for cycles before I got one to fit!! Did get most of them returned. I saved a 130-90 dunlop just in case the avon would not work on final assembly. It's tight but look's good. Ed

[popspan]

I was looking at running the avon 150/80/16, has anyone used that tire?

[Sidecar]

If I remember correctly the tire numbers are ratios from the width of the tread to the sidewall height.
Billy is right. The tire manufacturers do not make their tires the same size even though the size [ratio] numbers are the same.

[sleeper]

Sidecar, is right. Actually we have 3 different systems of tire measure.
(1) inch system = 5:10 x 16 =5.10"x5.10" square profile
(2)Alphanumeric MT90-16 = 130-90x16 round profile
(3) Metric =130-90x16 = 130mm section width wide x
90= sidewall is 90% of the 130mm you get the idea...

Basically Old Vintage tires & replicas were full profile & a square profile.
1969 I believe,started the Alphanumeric system.
Lastly & most currently used on modern tires is the Metric system.
I think the tire makers like to just screw with people heads. So they don't know what is what anymore.
This also applies to tire date codes. They seem to keep changing their codes. When I'm getting ready to order tires I call the manufacturer first & review his date codes & then when I order tires, I am very emphatic that if the tires are more than 2 yrs old. I'm sending them back. & Have done so.. ;D
For anyone who needs any tire info from the tire makers
I have many of their 800 numbers,& will gladly share if someone has a need. Most Quality Tire makers have an excellent warranty against, Manufacturer's defect, tread sepation/dryrot. Like Avon my first choice. Excellent warranty for 6 yrs. starting from the date of manufacture. "Date codes... Gotta know them..

[DuoDave]

The way tyres are marked is pretty weird. Most modern tyres use the metric system. For instance, a 190/50 17 ZR, like I have on the back of my Suzuki, has a width of 190 millimeters, the 50 represents the height of the tyre as a percentage of the width (called the aspect ratio) and the Z is the speed rating, in this case for sustained speeds over 150 mph, if I remember rightly. The R is for radial, but what is crazy is that the 17 is for seventeen inches. How come, when everything else is metric? Just convention, I suppose.

[Fast Ed 53]

popspan, The 150-80 tire is pretty big you can get it centered in the frame o.k. but no way to get a sprocket on it for the chain to miss the tire with the trans in the stock location. Ed

[sleeper]

FastEd is right. You could grind 2 big notches into the sidewall to put on the chain. You can't move the bike , but It'll look cool. ;D
Seriously, only is a half-assed one, shimming the sprocket off the rim. .250 then the chain is NOT running straight. People do this. Not me !!
But that's why they sell sprocket shims.
Can't say I would recommend it.. Obviously..

[Sidecar]

Duo,

They can make the tires to whatever dimensions they like and come up with a nice even looking metric number. I have no idea what 17 inches converted to the metric system is, but I'll bet the number has decimal points in it.
Plus, us old farts in the USA would have no idea what to buy to fit a 17 inch rim if the tires were printed with metric numbers on them !!!! Smile
BTW. I think we should outlaw any new screwdriver designs. We've got enough different screws now with the straight slot, phillips slot, torx screws, square slots, hex head slots, ect. ect. ect...... What's next ?

[haggis]

Sidecar.......You should see the crap I have to work with....I have to carry around 50 different security bits that fit a 1/4 '' drive...most days I'll use at least half of them more than once....no wonder my eyes are finally going!! ;D Haggis

[57stroker]

I considered running a 150 tire. You should run a wider rim for it. When you had the wider rim laced up, it could be offset a little to clear the chain. Probably not the best situation, but it can and has been done.

[popspan]

Billy, I did what you said. But after I ground the notches in the tire I couldn't get it to hold air anymore ;D Whats up with that!
Looks like I'll be running the 140/80/16, thats for the input.