[jcv400ex]

I'm confused on how a wider rear tire will make it easier to lean into turns though????

[chinto]

I'm confused on how a wider rear tire will make it easier to lean into turns though????

it won't

[thunderace]

The easiest way to think about it is, that some pretty smart people developed bikes with many parameters to consider when selecting tyre width, hell you even get a huge change in handling between new and used tyres, and even different brands of new tyres. !!!

[chinto]

The easiest way to think about it is, that some pretty smart people developed bikes with many parameters to consider when selecting tyre width, hell you even get a huge change in handling between new and used tyres, and even different brands of new tyres. !!!

that cleared everything up

[sportbikeridr]

i went from the stock size to a 170/60 and now a 180/55 ...

[yellow_kitty_kat]

Where is BP when you need him?

[teddy]

i went from the stock size to a 170/60 and now a 180/55 ...

on a stock wheel that is just plain dangerous. the tire must be bulging like a S.O.B. on your stock wheel. do you have any pics of it for us?

[GytRDunKat]

Where is BP when you need him?

In Houston

[trueinvasion]

i leaned my bike so low where the bottom of the peg scrapped the road. i guess i dont really need a wide tire. i went as far down as i could possibly go on the stock tire.

[Black_peter]

Where is BP when you need him?

Not in Houston.. But my sister is.

I'm here in the Twin Cities. I'm just really busy.

[hardlydangerous]

on a stock wheel that is just plain dangerous. the tire must be bulging like a S.O.B. on your stock wheel. do you have any pics of it for us?

My VT600 has a stock tire size of 170/80-15 and the rim is 4.25"
3/4" narrower then the Katana rim.

Now if we are to believe that the manufactures know what they are doing then a 170 or 180 on the 5" katana rim is NOT putting on to large of a tire.

So my question is ... why is it that a stock tire can be a 170 on a 4.25" rim but 180 or even a 170 on a 5" rim is way too big?
looking at the 150 tire om my bike the outter edge of the tread looks like its damn near flush with the rim. The overall width of my tire is only 5 11/16". less then 3/4" wider then the rim.

Loking at the Bridgestone website I see the Bt 021 170/60-17 rear tire is designed for a 4.25-5.5" rim. Same with the b020, .. well whatda ya know... that's what we got!

[hardlydangerous]

Anyone?
does it have to do with the profile? if so why?

[arsenic]

the Katana rim aint 5" dude, it's 4.5". The reason you can't use a 180 tire is not because it doesn't fit the rim, it rubs the rear brake torque arm

[loudnlow7484]

There are some 170's that work just fine on a 4.5" rim. There are some that don't. (I have a 170/60 on mine, in fact) 180 is over the limit, 190 and 200 are just unreasonable.

Let us also remember that sidewall height also plays an important role in motorcycle tires. You see, the tire's maximum mounted width could (theoretically) only be as wide as the rim width + the sidewall height. I say theoretically, because in that case, the sidewalls would have to leave the rim at a 90 degree angle. Not going to happen. More realistically, you could say that it would be rim width + 1/3 sidewall height. If you figure that out, you'll see that a 180, 190, or 200 will not be able to be much (if at all) wider than a 160 or 170 that is MADE for the 4.5" rim. So what happens to that extra tread width? The tire balloons upwards, distorting its designed profile, putting unnecessary stress on the carcass, and hindering your handling.

And to answer your comparison about the VT600....... You'll notice that your tire has significantly taller sidewalls, which would allow this sort of thing. You should also notice that the tires on your VT are likely bias ply, not radials. The same thing that makes radial tires better in a blowout situation, makes them not so friendly to being mounted on too-small rims. Radials want to hold their shape, no matter what. Bias tires are a little more easy going.

[GSXfs600]

searching takes hella time to do..... if the answer is in the thread a posted, then it'll be easier for me to find the answer. duh!

Your a tard! but yes a 160/60/17 will work on a post rim. You may need to tweak the brake brace if your on pre 98.