Bigger tire

[jameslovesjammie]

I need new tires on my GS450. It has 130/90/16 Dunlop on it nowthat look like they were factory tires. Could I put on a slightly larger tire, like a 150/80/16 or is it too wide for the factory rim? Does anyone have experience with Avon or Kenda tires? Seem to be decent priced.

 

[Nessism]

I think 150 is too wide for the rim. Some of the tire manufactures list recommendations regarding wheel width for the different tires sizes. You might want to do some research before you buy.

 

[Mark whiz]

You need to measure the available clearance you have with your forks and fender to see how much further you can go in size. Don't forget to measure clearance from the TOP of the tire to the fender as well, as the aspect height will change with a size change.

Another thing to consider, you don't want to have a front tire that is the same or larger width than the rear tire - that would be like shooting an arrow feathers 1st. Doing so would be very bad for handling.

You might want to do a little research on the original tire size on that front, as 130/90 seems a bit wide for a stock front tire. Shoot, my 1985 GS700 only came with a 100/90/16. I currently have a 120/80 on it which improved handling tremendously and corrected that pesky 10% speedometer error.

 

[jameslovesjammie]

Nope, it's got a 100/90/16 in front, I wanted to keep that tire stock sized. I was just curious about upsizing the rear.

 

[Nessism]

Nope, it's got a 100/90/16 in front, I wanted to keep that tire stock sized. I was just curious about upsizing the rear.

GS450's typically have an 18" front wheel, or maybe a 19" for the L model (not sure). No 16's though from stock.

According to Dunlop in order to run a 150 rear tire your rim should be 3.5" wide. Your's is most likely in the 2.5" range. http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=37

 

[bgmart450]

I need new tires on my GS450. It has 130/90/16 Dunlop on it nowthat look like they were factory tires. Could I put on a slightly larger tire, like a 150/80/16 or is it too wide for the factory rim? Does anyone have experience with Avon or Kenda tires? Seem to be decent priced.

I had Kenda Challengers and absolutely hated them. I seem to be having better luck with Cheng Shin Barracudas.

 

[Cathy344]

Just looking for someone to confirm my research was good.

Just looking for someone to confirm my research was good.

I've got an eBay special I'm fixing up in the form of a GS550LX. At the moment, I'm looking to reshod it in rubber. Since the bike didn't come with a manual, I looked up the stock sizes at http://www.powersportrider.com/cgi-bin/zcatjpg in the Street catalogue at the very bottom of page 1001 (curiously, I had to input 1000 to get it to come up). According to that, my sizes should be:
90/90-19 front
130/90-16 rear
but as the bike was delivered, it had Dunlop Qualifiers marked
90/90-19 front (yeah, okay, fine)
MU90H-16 rear (140/90-16)

Now, looking for new tires I can actually trust, I'm looking to replace them with stock sizes while sticking as close as possible to the tires that are on the bike, i.e. Dunlop Qualifiers. Doing some research, I've settled on Dunlop Elite IIIs purchased from American Motorcycle Tire http://americanmototire.com/index.html?lang=en-us&target=d873.html.

Just one problem, they don't appear to make E3s in 90/90-19 (or MH90HB-19, the alphabetic size equivalent (or is that MJ?)),or at least if they make it, I can't find anybody selling it, though they do make 130/90-16, but as alphabetic size MT90HB-16.

Well, the bike already has the MU on the rear, which is one size up on stock (which doesn't even admit my pinky finger between the tire and the swingarm, BTW). So, I don't see any great sin in going one up on the front as well, to MM90HB-19, which they do make E3s for.

Now, just as the OP was, I'm concerned about the effect changing the front tire's rolling diameter would have on my speedo. I went to http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi to compare the two sizes in question, 90/90-19 and 100/90-19, to discover that going with the next larger size tire will reduce the speed and distance travelled as reported on my gauges by 2.8%.

Now, I read in a similar thread here that speedos are considered within spec if they're within 4% of true, also that motorcycle speedos are generally rigged to report over-true. So, if I got the Dunlop E3s in MM (and MU) widths, the I should still generally be able to expect my speedo to register from 2.8% under-true to 1.2% over-true.

As the fresh rubber is one of the last upgrades before I'll consider this bike roadworthy, it won't be until well after the change that I'll have a real chance to let it stretch its legs and get a feel for where the speedo wants to be in the first place.

Whattayathink?

Are Dunlop Elite IIIs in MM90HB-19 and MU90HB-16 a good fit for a 26 year old 1981 Suzuki GS550LX for someone who only passed her MSF BRC two weeks ago?

 

[Nessism]

Whattayathink?

Are Dunlop Elite IIIs in MM90HB-19 and MU90HB-16 a good fit for a 26 year old 1981 Suzuki GS550LX for someone who only passed her MSF BRC two weeks ago?

First off Cathy, welcome to GSR! :-D Have to say that you punched out one heck of a detailed first post! Good job. \\/

Your tire choices are fine although (my opinion) the MU rear is pushing it size wise. There is generally no problem with going up a size from stock but a 140 is definitely max for the relatively narrow GS wheel.

I know you didn't ask but LOTS of people around here are high on the Cheng Shin Himax tires - sort of a best kept secret considering their very reasonable prices. 100/90-19 front and 130/90-16 would be a good match.
http://www.mawonline.com/chengshi.htm#Tires street

Good luck.

 

[Cathy344]

First off Cathy, welcome to GSR! :-D Have to say that you punched out one heck of a detailed first post! Good job. \\/

Thanks. I'm new to GSR and new to bike ownership, but I'm an old hat at web forums.

Your tire choices are fine although (my opinion) the MU rear is pushing it size wise. There is generally no problem with going up a size from stock but a 140 is definitely max for the relatively narrow GS wheel.

Yeah, like I said, I couldn't get the tip of my pinky finger between the sidewall and the swingarm, but it's what I'd call snug without being tight. Obviously the PO ran it quite a bit with this size on the rear, so I think I can manage with the same.

I know you didn't ask but LOTS of people around here are high on the Cheng Shin Himax tires - sort of a best kept secret considering their very reasonable prices. 100/90-19 front and 130/90-16 would be a good match.
http://www.mawonline.com/chengshi.htm#Tires street

Good luck.

I have been noticing a few favourable comments about Cheng Shins, and I might consider them but for a few issues, 1) Even being as cost conscious as I am, those prices for Cheng Shins you gave the link for seem awfully low, like dangerously low, like I-wonder-what-aspects-of-quality-control-they-shirked-on low. I have an innate sense that things are worth precisely what I'm willing to pay for them, no more, but also no less. While my local independent bike shop would charge me nearly $200/tire for a pair of E3s that I can get for less than $200 for the pair through AMT, I still feel the E3s are worth the $200 for the job they do. The Cheng Shins, at about $100 per pair makes me worrisome that they might not even be worth that.

B) I've always had a warm fuzzy feeling about Dunlop since the earliest days of my autoracing fandom, and being that I've also got an innate sense of patriotism that drives me to "buy American (whenever I can)" and Dunlop is one of the few, if only, tire manufacturers still operating in the US, I feel it would most likely be the best quality for a part I need.

III) Not to sound completely xenophobic after that last passage, but Cheng Shin sounds Chinese, if I'm not mistaken, and they've shown quite a tendency toward not giving a flying fig about quality control, especially where products they ship to America are concerned. Plastic residue entered our food chain because companies bought grain from China that they shipped in containers that had recently been used to carry melamine pellets and hadn't been properly clensed between shipments. For the cost of some water and man-hours, lots of pets died and god knows what long term effects there will be on humans in America. Where my health and safety are concerned, "Made in China" will not be found on the product if I can help it.

Delta) Really wanting to stick to the raised white lettering of the Dunlops already on my bike, I was fixated on the K491 Elite IIs for a long time. If the E3s came in RWL sidewalls, I'd be getting them.

On a completely related note, is there any kind of consensus, at least where cruisers/tourers are concerned, about whether radial or bias ply is preferable?

 

[Zooks]

Don't forget that a fatter rear tyre can sometimes make the bike handle much worse (rather than better) because it upsets the bikes natural geometry.

 

[Nessism]

I have been noticing a few favourable comments about Cheng Shins, and I might consider them but for a few issues, 1) Even being as cost conscious as I am, those prices for Cheng Shins you gave the link for seem awfully low, like dangerously low, like I-wonder-what-aspects-of-quality-control-they-shirked-on low. I have an innate sense that things are worth precisely what I'm willing to pay for them, no more, but also no less. While my local independent bike shop would charge me nearly $200/tire for a pair of E3s that I can get for less than $200 for the pair through AMT, I still feel the E3s are worth the $200 for the job they do. The Cheng Shins, at about $100 per pair makes me worrisome that they might not even be worth that.

On a completely related note, is there any kind of consensus, at least where cruisers/tourers are concerned, about whether radial or bias ply is preferable?

Have to admit, Cheng Shin gave me pause as well on a recent tire purchase (I bought Bridgestone) but there is overwhelming evidence in a positive sense in favor of the Himax tires (much more so than for the other Cheng Shin tires). They have been around a LONG time as a company so I wouldn't worry about quality. Regarding the whole China thing...you have a point of course...but that's a topic for the Off Topic forum...

Regarding Dunlop tires, have you verified that they make their motorcycle tires here in the states? Just wondering. The Elites have a good reputation for durability since they are a belted tire. Extra durability helps offset the somewhat higher cost.

Regarding the radial vs. bias construction business, radials require wide rims to stretch the carcass since the sidewalls are rather flexible. Our GS bikes have very narrow, old school, rims and require bias ply tires. Because the rims are so narrow when mounting a larger than stock size tire it pinches the sidewalls inward and causes the tread profile to be more rounded than intended. Thus my reservation with going to the 140 rear. Suzuki was already pushing the envelop with a 130 rear so going 140 is absolute max in my opinion.

 

[Cathy344]

Regarding Dunlop tires, have you verified that they make their motorcycle tires here in the states? Just wondering.

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=86 <-- Dunlop's own official E3 product page.

Of course, I've known lots of manufacturers of lots of diverse products to put absolute marketting BS on their web pages, it's definitely enough to make me forge ahead with my purchase.

 

[Nessism]

http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=86 <-- Dunlop's own official E3 product page.

Of course, I've known lots of manufacturers of lots of diverse products to put absolute marketting BS on their web pages, it's definitely enough to make me forge ahead with my purchase.

Good deal on Made in USA! \\/

One question: The Dunlop Elite 3's you have selected come in a MT size (130/90) which is perfect for your bike. $2 less than the MU tire you mentioned before. Why not just get this one?

 

[Cathy344]

Because the bike already has an MU on the rear. I figure if it's already up one on the rear and I go one up on the front, I don't then want to go back to stock in the rear. For $2 difference, I'd rather keep the front to rear sizes the same or if I must change the relative sizes, I'd rather go up in the rear. Since I can't go up in the rear (150 not being anywhere near fitting between the swingarms), and I can't return to stock (E3s not coming in 90/90HB-19 fronts), then I'm forced to do something I'd rather not do, go up in the front relative to the rear. If I must go up in the front relative to the rear, I'd rather go up in the front one size relative to the rear rather than two sizes.

Plus, an MM and MU would be up one size from stock in both the front and the rear. And thus, at least my sense of symmetry is appeased.

 

[scotto58]

Cathy,

First of all Welcome to the GS Resources family.

As for the Cheng Shin tires-I ran a set on my 77 GS550 and loved 'em. They lasted about 3 seasons. I put a Hi Max on the front of my current bike,79 GS 850, when I put it on the road in 2002. Replaced it last year with a set of Dunlop 404s front and rear. Have to replace both tires this year so currently not riding til that's done. The HI Max handle very well and give excellent wear.
The best price I've found on the Hi Max is Chaparral Motorsports. The cost per tire is not the lowest but when you add in shipping they ve beat everyone else I've checked.

BTW I'm not a "sunny day" rider. I ride in all kinds of weather. I put 50,000 miles on the 550 over 8 seasons of riding and have about 30,000 on the 850 since 2002.

Good luck with the bike and the old ESSO Gas slogan said..."Happy Motoring"

Scott

 

[jimcor]

Don't forget that a fatter rear tyre can sometimes make the bike handle much worse (rather than better) because it upsets the bikes natural geometry.

Tell 'em Zooks!

My 550L handles much better with the 120 it's supposed to have, rather than the 130 I bought once just to make a rally. Plus the clearance between tire and the brake torque arm required a feeler guage and a microscope to make sure it wasn't making contact.

My rim width on referencing with a major tire manufacturer's site showed 'acceptable, but not recommended' for the 130. I'd say not.
Don't go bigger just for the look. The guys who really know will laugh at you.

 

[Cathy344]

My 550L handles much better with the 120 it's supposed to have, rather than the 130 I bought once just to make a rally.

Jim: You have a reliable source for that information regarding your bike's stock rear tire size? Based on http://www.powersportrider.com/cgi-bin/zcatjpg, Street catalogue, pages 1001-2, the smallest stock rear metric size for the 550L of any year is 130/90-16. No mention of a 120. (Unless you're talking about the 79-80 years for which PSR lists English sizes which I don't know how to convert.)

 

[Nessism]

Jim: You have a reliable source for that information regarding your bike's stock rear tire size? Based on http://www.powersportrider.com/cgi-bin/zcatjpg, Street catalogue, pages 1001-2, the smallest stock rear metric size for the 550L of any year is 130/90-16. No mention of a 120. (Unless you're talking about the 79-80 years for which PSR lists English sizes which I don't know how to convert.)

According to the factory Suzuki manual the stock size is 130.

As a side note, I installed a 120/90-18 on the rear of my '79 GS550E replacing the stock 3.75-18 tire. 120 should be way wider based on the measurements but its not the case in reality. I think because the sidewall is pulled in with the 120 the overall width is not that much more than the more narrow stocker. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't have gone with a 110/90 since the sidewall will be tighter.

 

[jimcor]

Well guys first off my 550L has a 17 inch rear tire, not 16. Using a 130 tire is out of the question on certain brands. They rub the torque link. Only the thinnest 130's will fit. 120 is as wide as you should go, and not many manufacturers produce them.

 

[Grandpa]

B) I've always had a warm fuzzy feeling about Dunlop since the earliest days of my autoracing fandom, and being that I've also got an innate sense of patriotism that drives me to "buy American (whenever I can)" and Dunlop is one of the few, if only, tire manufacturers still operating in the US, I feel it would most likely be the best quality for a part I need.

III) Not to sound completely xenophobic after that last passage, but Cheng Shin sounds Chinese, if I'm not mistaken, and they've shown quite a tendency toward not giving a flying fig about quality control, especially where products they ship to America are concerned. Plastic residue entered our food chain because companies bought grain from China that they shipped in containers that had recently been used to carry melamine pellets and hadn't been properly cleansed between shipments. For the cost of some water and man-hours, lots of pets died and god knows what long term effects there will be on humans in America. Where my health and safety are concerned, "Made in China" will not be found on the product if I can help it.

Cheng Shin tires, I'm 99% sure, are not made in the People's Republic of China, but in the Republic of China or Taiwan, (the good China). Those car tires that have recently been recalled were made by the Chicoms, which leads us to believe that quality control there leaves much to be desired.

I've used Cheng Shin motorcycle tires plenty of times on my GS bikes, and don't hesitate to do so again. I have a front tire, 110/90-19 on order from American Motorcycle Tire, http://www.americanmototire.com/ . It's a HiMax tire, $57.02 with UPS Ground shipping.