Need some tire help

[Jimbo_JS00]

Alright I don't know alot about tires so I need some help. I have a set of dunlop 204's (I think) on my bike (95 Kat 600), I don't like them. My back tire needs to be replaced so I want to get the Metzeler Z6's. Here are my questions...

1) My front I almost brand new, will it matter if I have a Z6 rear and a Dunlop front?

2) Rear size is 160/70/17 the closest size Z6 I can find is a 160/60/17, alright?

3) I've read alot of very good reviews for the Z6's, is there something else you would suggest instead?

Thanks,
Mike

[arsenic]

wow, 160/70 is not cool at all. I'd replace both, and go with 120/70 and 160/60 (if you ride in primarily dry weather) or 150/70 if you ride in the rain. You're not supposed to put a 160 on the pre 98 rims, go with the 150/70, trust me you'll be happy with them. www.ronayers.com has the best price.

[nurider]

Did you decide what to do yet?
I'm in the middle of that process myself, and was surprised to read about your 160s.
If you've already changed your tires, what did you go with, and how does the bike handle?

[stevnmd]

On a '95 Katana with a 3.5" rear wheel, a 160 is simply NOT an option. Sure, you can cram one on there, but it so grossly distorts the profile of the tire it's not funny. It's simply not safe, either. You CANNOT go wider than a 150 on a 3.5" wheel.

[arsenic]

On a '95 Katana with a 3.5" rear wheel, a 160 is simply NOT an option. Sure, you can cram one on there, but it so grossly distorts the profile of the tire it's not funny. It's simply not safe, either. You CANNOT go wider than a 150 on a 3.5" wheel.

My point exactly, well stated.

[stevnmd]

http://www.parts411.com/acb/showprod.cfm?&DID=9&User_ID=2407647&st=6079&st2=602581589&st3=605269523&CATID=72&ObjectGroup_ID=4521

I would give the Diablo Stradas a shot.

[The CyberPoet]

IMHO:

Order the Z6's in 120/70ZR17 and 150/70ZR17, have them mounted and sell the Dunlops on eBay.

Everyone is right in saying that a 160 is too wide for the stock pre-98 rear rim -- it's too wide to be safe, in that the mounting flange where it meets the rim lip sees excessive stress and may fail. The distortion of the tire also causes it to run quite hot and will promote very fast wear, as well as possible delamination of the layers (imagine those truck tire shards you see on the interstates occassionally -- now imagine that happening to the tires you're riding on). The only exception is where the manufacturer has intentionally build a 160 to fit a 3.5" rim safely -- Avon may have these, but I'm not sure.

RonAyers.com
and
AmericanMotoTire.com
have the best prices on Z6's I've found mail-order...
Some local dealers in my area also have them extremely cheaply ($105 - $110 mounted per end), making the mail order price not advantageous after paying shipping.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Special K]

On a '95 Katana with a 3.5" rear wheel, a 160 is simply NOT an option. Sure, you can cram one on there, but it so grossly distorts the profile of the tire it's not funny. It's simply not safe, either. You CANNOT go wider than a 150 on a 3.5" wheel.

ONE EXCEPTION:
UNLESS you buy a tapered sidewall tire, in which case it was designed to fit just like a 150, on a 3.5" wide rim...........like the old K591 series tires by Dunlop, which is what I think I put on that bike when I built it!! They stopped making them, but they are and were VERY SAFE. Normally you cannot run a 160 on a 3.5, but THAT TIRE was designed to!



ALSO: the Metzlters Z4's are great if you can still find them, and the M1 SPort Tec's are superb........... and the Michelin Pilot Sports are also!

BUT............I would go with a 150 rear and 120 front. I like the 70 series but the 60 series are also very good (HEIGHTS)