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Radial tire questions!! Sizes being eliminated!

  • Thread starter Thread starter cbxchris
  • Start date Start date
C

cbxchris

Guest
I`m in the process of fitting a 170 on the rear of my 1150. I`m using a widened stock wheel so I don`t want to mismatch the front. To get to that 170/180 size I must go to a radial. I`m fine with that but the front is the problem. On a 1150 it is a 16 inch and stock is a 110. I have seen where several have mounted 120`s. Michelin has discontinued thier madcam 90/100 which had a 120 listed. All the newer radials list only a 130 for the front and I`ve been through them all. What does everyone think would happen with a 130 on the front...to big for the wheel?? I looked the front over...I am almost positive it will fit but whats it going to do to the turn in and handling? Just another of my many questions...hope someone has been down this road already. I may back up and go a different route on wheels if I can`t overcome this.
 
Chris, I think that going to a 130 on the front would be too much. I'm running a 120 on the front of my 84 right now and any wider would really start distorting the profile. I've been thinking about making the switch to radials myself and have come to the conclusion that Metzler is the only brand that has a radial 120 left. Try one of their MEZ2's.
Doze.
 
Well after a lot of research I have found the only "current" production radial tire to fit the 16 inch gs1150 front. And sorry Doze the MEZ2 is out of production and I have had several check warehouses from coast to coast and unless you are lucky I don`t think you will find it....but if you do let me know...I LIKE METZLER`S! It`s a Avon Azaro ST AV46/AV45....which is thier new sport tour tire. They are made in the UK not from Italy where they had all thier quality problems from the past. It is probably the only choice so I`ll probably try them. Hope this helps anyone that needs it. Please let me know if there are any other choices out there. :D
 
130 is probably too wide- it will slow down front steering on an already heavy bike. Another option is to run a dedicated front like Metzeler's ME-33 or equivelent with a rear radial. The only restriction on radials is to not run a mix, bias and radial, on the same AXEL. I have used the ME-33 CompK with numerous rears on my 750-everything from Dunlop, Continental, Avon and Metezler in sizes 140/70, 140/80 and 130/90. I really don't think running a rear radial with a dedicated front like this is any big deal, but I will probably hear otherwise. Another consideration is that with the short sidewalls associated with radials, you will lose some ground clearance. The rear Dunlop 591R in 140/70 was superb on my 750, but this slight reduction in profile (vs 140/80) did cause the sidestand frame mount to contact the ground during hard cornering, so be careful regarding ground clearance. Ride On, Ed.
 
One thing I learned long ago is NEVER put a radial on the rear and a bias ply on the front. The rear will try try to steer the bike...they just grip that much better. You can get by witha radial on the front and bias on the back...but I`m much to anal about myself and bikes to do that. I have found since my last post there are several of the 120/80/16 madacam michelins (100)out there but that is a discontinued tire and if ya want one better do it now. I have the 90 madacam on a cbx custom bike...they`re good tires. I`m going to try the avons...I really don`t get into knee dragging anymore. Thank god I sold all those bikes before I did get killed. I`ve drug my K1200LT beemer if that counts though 8O I would love to find several of the metzlers (MEZ2) we talked about above...thats my tire choice! 8)
 
Chris, two questions- who did you use to widen your wheels? and what tire/bike combo did you try regarding radial/bias mix? I would like to widen my front rim and will be in the market for tires too as soon as my 750 project gets finished. I don't see how the rear could "steer the bike" other than under heavy throttle and in that case the front is usually light anyway. Ride On, Ed.
 
Kosman specialties...actually they are strictly drag racing. They have many products and been around forever. Thier products are good and you pay dearly for them. I don`t know how widening a front would work out. I had a cbx rear wheel widened years ago and it came out great...on second thought it was 1100F honda rear that I retroed to one of my X`s. On static balance the wheel was almost perfect...then we spun balanced it...local wrench at the suzuki/yamaha shop said most factory wheels were not that straight. They are a touch heavy after the mod. I was doing a little amatuer road racng in themid to late 80`s when the radial first appeared. Dunlop and Michelin both warned us at that time about mixing...I didn`t really believe them. I`ll admit in the dry its not that bad...you would have to know what you are looking/feeling for....when it rains....you`re in a world of sh*t. Just don`t do it...take my advice because it will get ya. Of course we are talking extreme conditions but do ya really want your butt on the line with something like that? I would love to just stay with a Michelin 55A but they don`t make sizes big enough for what I`m after.
 
Radials

Radials

On my 84 ES I've been running a 130 radial for years. Granted I have PM Racing Chicanes on my bike ( 16x3 front and 18x4 rear ).The wheels really "lightened up" the front end. I'm using Brigestone Bt-010 130-70 front and 150-60 rear. Since the wheels are on the edge of being too narrow for radials the outer edge of the tire "tucks in" towards the centerline of the wheel, so there is no clearance problems. They ride real smooth and stick like velcro, I love 'em!
 
Robert you got me to thinking so I called PM. I kinda figured they might not carry those chicane`s anymore....they don`t. I had a set for FJ1200 and it was nice..came with bearings/adapters for the brakes....everything you needed to bolt em up. Guy said if its 5 years old they don`t carry it except for a Harley. Thats a shame. :cry:
 
Chris, excellent info-I will have to check on widening the front though, I would like to go from 2.15 stock to 3 inches so I can get full use of a 120/80. I guess I will stick with my 140 bias rear-I am currently running a 3.5in. 1150 stock rear rim. Aftermarket wheels would be great, but I would rather put the cash into other areas like crank and rods given a limited budget. Anyone want to buy a sweet TL1000S? Thanks, Ed.
 
Hate to be the one to tell you but your 1150 rear wheel is only 3 inches wide.....yeah yuk...thats what I said also when I looked. OK found some metzlers finally.. whats the overall opinon here....Metzler MEZ2 or the new avon 45/46.....the avon does look to be a updated tire compared to the mtez....more on line with the MEZ4. Price is almost identical. I have dug up some reviews on the MEZ2/4 and most really liked them but said they were extremely slow turning. I may have to get to the HSTA for answers to this.
 
You're wrong on the size, 3.5 x 17 is correct. Don't remember the year its from, I think 85, as I bought it 15+ years ago. This was a pretty common swap back in the mid 80's on these 750's. A 140 rear fits nicely and provides adequite grip but requires a fabricated rear brake carrier and modified chain guard. Ride On, Ed.
 
Wheels

Wheels

I think PM will make a 17 inch front to fit the 1150, wich is a good thing because you get more tires to choose from without hurting handling.
 
oldschoolGS said:
You're wrong on the size, 3.5 x 17 is correct. Don't remember the year its from, I think 85, as I bought it 15+ years ago.

Yes, GS1150 had 3.0 x 17 in 84, later they changed it to 3.5 x 17.
To get better choice of better tires I changed my wheels to 3.0 x 17 front ( 750 Katana ) and 4.5 x 17 rear ( RF 600 ). They look identical, cost was very low ( Ebay ), in the process I built myself better front end ( GSXR ) and much better brakes. I dont really see any advantage in widening a tire to 170 / 180 using very wide rear wheel - perhaps somebody convince me?
Adam M.
Click to expand...
 
The reason for the wide rear wheel is I intend to put together a good engine. I hope to get around 140-150 hp out of it. As HP over the years has increased so has the tire size...more rubber on the road is more traction. I think the wider rears especially help in the corners on the gas. I just pulled the specs on all three years of 1150 production. It does not give wheel sizes but all 3 years recommend a 130 on the rear. Like to know if there was a wheel change for sure.
 
Are you putting an aftermarket swingarm on too? A 170/180 is pretty
wide, hit Skip[ up for info on wide tires. I think he's pulling close to 180hp
and only uses a 150 rear if I'm not mistaken.
 
I am going to have to go to a 3/8 inch offset sprocket and the wheel is being widened to 5 inches. I`ve decided to stay with the 170...thats about going to be it in the swingarm. It close but it will make it. The main thing stopping you on a stock 1150 is chain line and wheel size. I don`t think I`m even going to have to modify the torque arm on the brake...I may have to machine a little off the back but I`ll wait on that. Even though its only a 3/8 offset I`m going with a bearing support and I`m going to need to convert to 530 chain.
 
Radials being eliminated

Radials being eliminated

Chris,

Regarding warehouse check on the discontinued MEZ2's, did you pick a specific tire size or MEZ2's in all the sizes they were offered in?
Carter Turk
 
cbxchris said:
The reason for the wide rear wheel is I intend to put together a good engine. I hope to get around 140-150 hp out of it.Like to know if there was a wheel change for sure.
Click to expand...

*** I`m 100% sure, there were a wheel change in 1985. Going through a factory service manual I realized they used very diffrent wheel sizes in different markets, for egzample model E 24 of GSX 1100 EFG / ESG ( somewhere in Europe I belive )
used front 16`( 120 / 80 ) and rear 18` ( 130 / 80 V 18 ).
And 130 rear tire went from 130 / 80 to 130 / 90.
I have some question considering your engine - what exactly are you planning to do to get 140 / 150 HP?
I believe a stock unit gives around 100 HP on the rear wheel.

Adam M.
 
Carter I specifically looked for the 16 inch front. ALL metzlers come from parts unlimited...they are the sole US importer. ANYONE that gets metzlers MUST get them from parts unlimited. PU is out of the MEZ2`s in most sizes. I found a distributor that has a couple still laying around. No other tire company does this and thats why you see some companies not deal with metzlers...they also say metzler is hard to deal with. Still like thier tires though. On the question of engine work...going to a 1229, big head with oversize valves on both sides,probabyl a 360 lift camshaft,38 or 40 carbs,pipe,ignition. May not make 140 but I hope to. Lot of it will depend how much compression I put in it. Probably will have a set of custon J&E`s made. Around 12 to 1. Its amazing what new head designs have done. On a hayabusa you can get by with 220pounds of cranking compression and run pump gas....A GS will be lucky to get by with 190 on pump gas...more like 180. I have to do a little figuring on the compression I need. Really I`m working on the chassis stuff now and engine along. I`m trying to purchase a spare engine to do the mods on....just don`t want to mess up the original engine.
 
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