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Front tire size question

  • Thread starter Thread starter A-train
  • Start date Start date
A

A-train

Guest
Bike: 80 1100L. Current front tire is a 90/90-19.

Looking for a wider tire. Can I go to a 100 or 110?

Yes, I'll check clearances, etc. Just wondering if there's any reason anyone knows of not to go wider.
 
100/90-19 will work fine. Any wider & the handling gets compromised.

The 110 width will barely fit & it's not recommended. I'm running one on my '81 1100E & won't do it again...
 
hikermikem said:
100/90-19 will work fine. Any wider & the handling gets compromised.

The 110 width will barely fit & it's not recommended. I'm running one on my '81 1100E & won't do it again...
Click to expand...
Thanks - exactly what I was hoping to hear.
 
Have a 110/90 on my '80 850G. If you plan on stopping by this weekend you can judge for yourself. If I were you I'd go with the 100/90.
 
Any particular reason you are looking for a bigger tire? :-k

The 90/90 is pretty much the stock size, but many of us are using the 100/90 with good results.

One benefit of the larger size is that it virtually removes the speedo error that was so common in these bikes.
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Steve said:
One benefit of the larger size is that it virtually removes the speedo error that was so common in these bikes.
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Click to expand...

So, a 100/90 will stop my speedo needle from bouncing around?:p:-\\\

Actually I have used the front 90/90 and 100/90 on my bike over the years. Both feel fine. I actually squeezed in a 510/18 rear once on my bike, Talk about screwing up your handling. Went back to stock size and all was good again lol.
 
Steve said:
Any particular reason you are looking for a bigger tire? :-k

The 90/90 is pretty much the stock size, but many of us are using the 100/90 with good results.

One benefit of the larger size is that it virtually removes the speedo error that was so common in these bikes.
icon_thumbsup.gif


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Click to expand...
Steve,

My thought is that a little more rubber on the road might improve handling and rough ride. The roads around me are HORRIBLE after this long winter. The extra width should help with that (I'm hoping...)
 
A-train said:
Steve,

My thought is that a little more rubber on the road might improve handling and rough ride. The roads around me are HORRIBLE after this long winter. The extra width should help with that (I'm hoping...)
Click to expand...

If you go too wide for a rim, you can actually decrease the size of the contact patch, because the tire is being pinched too much by the rim.

I run 100/90-19 tires on all my 19" front wheels (which is everything in my sig other than the 450E and 700ES). They work fine.
 
Griffin said:
If you go too wide for a rim, you can actually decrease the size of the contact patch, because the tire is being pinched too much by the rim.

I run 100/90-19 tires on all my 19" front wheels (which is everything in my sig other than the 450E and 700ES). They work fine.
Click to expand...
Yep - 100/90-19 is what I'm thinking. 90/90 on there now.
 
I don't think a different tire will help with the ride much if at all... my opinion is that if I have to deviate from the stock sizes (which you usually do with these old bikes), then I always try to increase the front and rear by the same amount to keep handling within stock limits.

I hear you on the road conditions around here... smooth paved roads are pretty much non-existant for a number of reasons I could whine endlessly about. I took the 750 on an impromptu ride over to Grosse Isle over the weekend and was almost happy to be home just to be done with all the bumps, potholes, and cagers. It's got to have the stock springs and I have no idea what fork oil is in it... I should probably check into that some time soon.

What's your front suspension setup? Have you been in there for maintenance? I've read that aftermarket progressive springs are a good and relatively inexpensive upgrade. Not sure if the more elaborate options like cartridges, etc even work with our bikes...
 
eil said:
I don't think a different tire will help with the ride much if at all... my opinion is that if I have to deviate from the stock sizes (which you usually do with these old bikes), then I always try to increase the front and rear by the same amount to keep handling within stock limits.

I hear you on the road conditions around here... smooth paved roads are pretty much non-existant for a number of reasons I could whine endlessly about. I took the 750 on an impromptu ride over to Grosse Isle over the weekend and was almost happy to be home just to be done with all the bumps, potholes, and cagers. It's got to have the stock springs and I have no idea what fork oil is in it... I should probably check into that some time soon.

What's your front suspension setup? Have you been in there for maintenance? I've read that aftermarket progressive springs are a good and relatively inexpensive upgrade. Not sure if the more elaborate options like cartridges, etc even work with our bikes...
Click to expand...
Charles,

As far as I know, I'm pretty stock up front. Gaskets look perfect. I would think, based on everything else with the bike, that the PO changed the fork oil, but I don't know that. I believe my forks are supposed to have 7 PSI or so of air in them too, but I had a hard time getting only that much air to go in.

Let me know if you track down a good progressive option - I'd definitely do it.

Interesting: I took my 550 out tonight and it seemed to ride a lot better than the 1100. It does have fresh rubber, which I think makes a difference, but suspension seemed really nice after a 100 mile work day on the 1100...
 
I'm running 100/90 in the front and 130/90 in the rear. Bike runs great and handles awesome.



Ed
 
mrbill5491 said:
So, a 100/90 will stop my speedo needle from bouncing around?:p:-\\\
Click to expand...
Nope. Won't do anything for the bounce, but it will bring the average reading down to a realistic number.

Most of the magazines "back in the day" commented on the innaccuracy of most of the speedometers, Suzuki included. I believe it was common for it to show about 64 or 65 mph at an actual 60. Comparing any of the GSes shown in my sig to a GPS, they all read only 1 or 2 mph faster than the GPS, due to a 100/90 front tire.

My Wing, on the other hand, is the other way around. At an indicated 60, the GPS says 61. :eek:

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