[MotorBikeMike]

Hey there....beating a dead horse here, but are there any benefits between replacing the rear tire on a post kat from a 150/70 to either a 160/60 vs. 170/60? Most importantly, what are the drawbacks with both of those sizes? I went ahead and ordered a 160/60 rear tire a month ago and am now worried that the rear end will now be too low. How can I compensate for that? Is there an adjustment I can make to level the bike off?

[zuma]

This is a too personal query.

[Kreylyn]

Lower profile = less tire flex. That means you will feel the road more. For really spirited riding it works well, for any thing else it means a rougher ride and abusive to your butt/wrists.

Wider tires = less response on turns, but larger contact patch for more grip in general. You only need that larger contact patch if you putting out a lot more power... 140+ hp let's say. Other wise, no gain for you. Just a heavier slower tire. But.... if you like the looks then that's a bonus.

For the 4.5" rim on a katana... 150-170 isn't really going to make a difference. I'd suggest 70 series tires, the 60 series are not going to give you a good ride.

You can adjust the ride height on the front by moving the front forks up or down. Max lowering this way is .75".

If you want a more sporty ride, I'd suggest raising the tail with a new shock instead of worrying about tires. A proper suspension setup will do 1000 times more for you than any tire size change.

Krey

[Black_peter]

Wow, I was away for how many years and this is one of the first posts I see?
Somethings never change..

[MotorBikeMike]

Lower profile = less tire flex. That means you will feel the road more. For really spirited riding it works well, for any thing else it means a rougher ride and abusive to your butt/wrists.

Wider tires = less response on turns, but larger contact patch for more grip in general. You only need that larger contact patch if you putting out a lot more power... 140+ hp let's say. Other wise, no gain for you. Just a heavier slower tire. But.... if you like the looks then that's a bonus.

For the 4.5" rim on a katana... 150-170 isn't really going to make a difference. I'd suggest 70 series tires, the 60 series are not going to give you a good ride.

You can adjust the ride height on the front by moving the front forks up or down. Max lowering this way is .75".

If you want a more sporty ride, I'd suggest raising the tail with a new shock instead of worrying about tires. A proper suspension setup will do 1000 times more for you than any tire size change.

Krey

Thanks Broseph.....very helpful

[SmokeyMcNug]

I don't think he was making a argument, but rather speaking of what is generally accepted.
I corner my bike so sharp I feel like I run out of thread with the 160, I just feel safer with a 170. On the other hand, the 160 seems to fall over easier/turn with less effort.
For someone carrying a load/riding 2 up often, then you may consider a 170 for stability...just my opinion tho

just a quick excercise i was thinkin about:

draw a "U" shape and label it 160,
now draw a wider "U" shape and label it 170.

if the shapes are tires, at mid-point on the line, you are headed forward. if you were you were to "turn", the roll off the first shape would be quicker because the angle is sharper and run out of tread faster because there is less width to begin with and the lean angle would be too far. idk..

[katanarider]

I think I understood you there. What your saying is if the tire is pinched it will turn quicker ? Yes, but my Continental Attack 170 wasn't pinched, so it was just a wider tread. The walls are contoured to fit 4.5" rim. Thats the whole big deal with saying a 160 is what is generally accepted. As a matter of fact, the new Shinko 170 I just installed 2 weeks ago measured 115mm from bead to bead with my digital calipers. Thats 4.5 inches exactly which is the size of my post-98 rim Now that I have this Shinko installed, I feel it turns quicker than the 160 Michelin Macadam I just took off. Not all tires are created equal

[92xjunker]

I could see that being the Macadam was discontinued some time ago.

[katanarider]

Yeah, the Macadams are pieces of crap. The only reason I got them was because I bought a spare set of rims and they were already installed. I got my moneys worth out of them I guess. Now, if I could only just polish those new wheels to reflect like chrome I'd be really happy.

[katanarider]

Had nothing better to do, so went ahead and took some pics.
Shinko Verge 170/60/17
I dented the brake brace with a hammer on both my 600cc and my 1100cc. The first pic is the 1100 brake arm, but its the same process for both bikes. EDIT: I also used the stock pre-98 sprocket hub on the post-98 wheel then grinded down the sprocket bolts flush with the nuts.

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu214/buckdat/ba2.jpg

https://s25.postimg.org/n8dc39pa7/10_Shinko.jpg

https://s25.postimg.org/xfvvfobi7/3_Shinko.jpg

https://s25.postimg.org/694do0e2n/5_Shinko.jpg

https://s25.postimg.org/bhzelvwhr/6_Shinko.jpg

https://s25.postimg.org/ti8lq9oov/1_Shinko.jpg

[Beer4blood]

Hmmmm well the goober I got my Kat from has a 180/55 shoved on there....the bike has been through several hands tho perhaps they're not stock rims. Is there a definitive tell?

[katanarider]

I've seen a post-98 with a 180 on a stock rim. The post-98 seems to have a little more room on the swingarm which allows this, but the pre-98 doesn't. However, running a 180 on the stock rim is going to pinch the tire for sure. Yeah its only 5mm on each side of the wheel, but when you consider that the tire only has a few millimeters of bead locking the lip to the rim. It only takes one instant to make you wheel chair stricken for life... A big loose tire flexing on a narrow rim as your turning...pop !

[92xjunker]

Hmmmm well the goober I got my Kat from has a 180/55 shoved on there....the bike has been through several hands tho perhaps they're not stock rims. Is there a definitive tell?

How wide is the rim?

[Beer4blood]

I've seen a post-98 with a 180 on a stock rim. The post-98 seems to have a little more room on the swingarm which allows this, but the pre-98 doesn't. However, running a 180 on the stock rim is going to pinch the tire for sure. Yeah its only 5mm on each side of the wheel, but when you consider that the tire only has a few millimeters of bead locking the lip to the rim. It only takes one instant to make you wheel chair stricken for life... A big loose tire flexing on a narrow rim as your turning...pop !

mines a pre....i suspected ol skinny tire but I'll be damned it was 180/55

How wide is the rim?

Not sure I'll check today

[katanarider]

If your spokes are like 3 slanted knives (fat on one side and sort of sharp on the other),
then you have stock pre wheels. The 88 600cc had different looking wheels , but still narrow. EDIT: I think they were like 6 spoke.