More spoked rim tire questions

[gsryder]

I saw this in another thread. I didn't want to high jack that thread so I figured I would start a new one.

This is quoted from the Cafe Kid

" The only problem with regard to spokies for you fat tire junkies. 120 rear is the standard on the 750/1000 spoke rear rims. 100 up front. A 130 on the back is really pushing it. It pinches pretty bad, unlike most of the cast wheels, which you can get away with 130s and even 140s on some without TOO much pinch. I am personally a spoke junkie, simply the sexiest wheel ever made IMO, but, unfortunately, unless you can get ahold of something from a modern bike with spoke wheels, and manage to get lucky as far as axle sizes, rotor vs sprocket side, spacing and all that, you're pretty much stuck with skinny minies on the spoked GS rims. "

My question is has anyone mounted a 130 tire on one of the stock 2.15 x 18 spoked rims and if so what were your results?
I know I know its not recommended, but has anyone done it?

Also aren't there some tire manufactures that make fatter tires to run on skinner rims.
I am also looking at running a dual sport tire 95% on 5% off they seem a little beefier, wonder if that would help with the pinching or cupping........

[Hammered]

It has much less to do with the rim as it does with clearance on the bike a.k.a. the space between tire and swingarm or forks. You can use a 130 but its not recommended. If it were me, Id just go to a larger rim. Depending on your setup, you could squeeze a 2.50 on the front and a 3.00 on the rear. LIke I said though, its all depending on YOUR setup. Anything larger will require a swap of steering clamps and a wider swingarm. And then still you will want to see how much room you have between your rear tire and chain.

[TheCafeKid]

Actually, it has NOTHING to do with clearance on the bike. Many of the GS swingers will accept a 160 rear without clearance problems, but you're not going to get the 160 on the stock GS rim. It has to do with the profile/sidewall of the tire. On a motorcycle tire, part of the design is to give you maximum contact patch at any given lean angle. So, when Old Man Suzuki design that bikes rims, they knew what the correct tire size, hight and profile would be to give you that contact patch. By putting a wider size, taller size, etc, on the bike, you are effectively changing that profile. a 130 will "pinch" slightly, meaning its being pulled in farther at the bead than was intended. The angle of the sidewall changes, causing the tire to "crown" at the top of the tread. Your contact patch has now been reduced because of this. Dont get me wrong, a 130 will work, but it might handle a bit funny, feel like its "falling off" center instead of rolling over into a turn. But it can be done. I just dont recommend it. Mind you, a 120 has pleanty of grip for MOST of the casual riders out there, I wouldnt hesitate to push it a bit in corners. Am I going to be draggin a knee on it? No, but thats not what that bike was built for.

[gsryder]

Okay so I am going to give the 130s a shot I have 120s on the rear now and there is plenty of clearance and I really cant imagine it to pinch that bad. If it does I will go back to the 120s next year. Thanks.

[sharpy]

Dont know who told you that crap about 130 tires wont work. When i was racing and when we fitted tyres to customers bikes back in the days when good bikes where made that was THE choice for GS/GSX's. Included are pics of the bike i raced before she got painted and after. Only reason it didnt have spokes on race day was the production bike rules didnt allow it. The 1100's ran spokes as they where available as standard fittment under the rules as they where available in the parts book.