Announcement

**crazy steve** · 10-07-2012, 11:25 AM

Fred, without reading a zillion tire threads, if I recall most people running the 140 were using the Dunlop Elite; but trbig (Tod) has reported that the wear of that tire has fell off sharply lately. The Dunlop seemed to run a bit narrower than most 140s, with the width being shown on the Dunlop site (at that time) at about 5.45". The 130s typically run at about 5.25" wide.

Dunlop doesn't offer a '140' anymore, now it's designated as a MU90B-16 (and I think that's the case with most other manufacturers also), so it's tough to get a direct a/b comparison. This size is listed as 5.57" wide and some guys have had them fit (but be extremely close), others had them rub. There's enough variation in the swingarm relief, machining of the various bits, and individual tires that clearance can go to zero or less. The raised white letter Elite 2 will rub.

Bottom line? I'd carefully measure the width of the tire you have and use a dial caliper to get it accurate (also check at several places, as you can find the tire isn't always exactly same all the way around), and then carefully check for actual tire/swingarm clearance while turning the tire. You really need to use some sort of 'feeler gauge' to do this as you can't get an accurate measurement otherwise. When I was measuring for my 160 tire mod, the swingarm I used for the mod had slightly less than .2" tire/arm clearance, another one I checked had about .040" more, so they're not all the same. If the sum of the width of your existing tire plus 2X the measured clearance is greater than the width of the tire you're looking at, the tire should fit. The same or less, it will rub....

**WMarshy** · 10-07-2012, 11:36 AM

JAT that I haven't heard anyone mention before is, why dont you just scrubb a little bit off the tire to make it fit? Its not like your lean angle is enough to use that part of the tire anyways...thats why I'm not sure how much advantage the 140 gives over the 130... Maybe slightly larger contact patch? Hard to believe it would be noticed.

**crazy steve** · 10-07-2012, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by WMarshy View Post

JAT that I haven't heard anyone mention before is, why don't you just scrub a little bit off the tire to make it fit? It's not like your lean angle is enough to use that part of the tire anyways....

That is an option on some tires; the 160/80-16 that I'm using for my 'big tire' mod was listed as being 6.15" wide which according to all my pre-calculations would fit with about .030" clearance. After ordering/mounting the tire and checking again, I had about a 3" long spot of the sidewall tread that hit. I used a 7" disc sander to 'wear' the tread lip a bit, I now have enough room...

**bikerphil** · 10-07-2012, 02:54 PM

If you really wanted to gain a little more clearance, you can remove the drive hub from the rear wheel and shim it out further with some 2mm washers behind it, that will move the rim over to the right side a bit more, then move your whole swingarm over to the left 2mm at the swingarm bearings. JAT

**CaptonZap** · 10-07-2012, 03:42 PM

Originally posted by crazy steve View Post

That is an option on some tires; the 160/80-16 that I'm using for my 'big tire' mod was listed as being 6.15" wide which according to all my pre-calculations would fit with about .030" clearance. After ordering/mounting the tire and checking again, I had about a 3" long spot of the sidewall tread that hit. I used a 7" disc sander to 'wear' the tread lip a bit, I now have enough room...

Haw! Now you need Dynabeads to balance it out again.

CZ

**fredintoon** · 10-07-2012, 04:02 PM

OK., I can hijack my own thread no foul, right?
What I need for sidecar use is a tire with hard rubber and a flat-section tread.
I can buy tires like that but they are all tube type.
I hate tube tires because they can only be fixed by taking them off and patching the tube which is NOT something I relish doing at the side of the road.
I read somewhere that the only difference between tube and tubeless tires is that tubeless tires have a rubber seal coat painted on the inside.
Anyone ever successfully ran a tube tire (coated or not) without a tube?

**crazy steve** · 10-08-2012, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by fredintoon View Post

..I read somewhere that the only difference between tube and tubeless tires is that tubeless tires have a rubber seal coat painted on the inside.
Anyone ever successfully ran a tube tire (coated or not) without a tube?

That's one difference, but not the only one. A tubeless tire has the 'tube' molded into the inner part of the tire, not 'painted' on. Try to run a tube tire without a tube and it will leak and you run the risk of air getting between the layers of the carcass and causing a separation. The other major difference between the two types is the bead design/construction. The tubeless tire bead is designed to seal at the bead/rim joint and have a tighter fit so as to stay on the rim in the event of low/no tire pressure or any other 'event' that may cause a bead/rim separation. A tube tire bead won't do anywhere near as well at this...

**ViperRon** · 10-09-2012, 08:03 PM

My Father un-intentionally installed a tube type tire with no tube on the tubeless front rim of his bike and at 60 it deflatted in a flash. I would not advise putting the wrong type tire on the wrong rim from what I have seen its a painful learning experience.

**daveyg** · 10-10-2012, 12:13 PM

How about an auto tire? I've seen it done before, only used on the rear of course. Buddy of mine put one on his Vulcan with a 15" rear wheel, as the cost was an issue, he was living in his truck at the time... Worked fine for about 2 years, at which point he went back to a bike style tire, as he landed a job and then came into some money, couldn't lean almost at all with the car tire, but that won't be an issue in the case of your hack...

**natemoen** · 10-10-2012, 12:49 PM

Originally posted by daveyg View Post

How about an auto tire? I've seen it done before, only used on the rear of course. Buddy of mine put one on his Vulcan with a 15" rear wheel, as the cost was an issue, he was living in his truck at the time... Worked fine for about 2 years, at which point he went back to a bike style tire, as he landed a job and then came into some money, couldn't lean almost at all with the car tire, but that won't be an issue in the case of your hack...

Oh No, not the Darkside!!!!!

**crazy steve** · 10-10-2012, 01:58 PM

For those wondering about the 'darkside' reference....

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=...w=1280&bih=644

And no, there're aren't any that will fit the XS, I looked....

**natemoen** · 10-10-2012, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by crazy steve View Post

And no, there're aren't any that will fit the XS, I looked....

I thought someone (i thought it was you) found a vintage replica tire by coker or cooper that would fit? It was just a bit expensive.

**fredintoon** · 10-10-2012, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by daveyg View Post

How about an auto tire? I've seen it done before, only used on the rear of course. Buddy of mine put one on his Vulcan with a 15" rear wheel, as the cost was an issue, he was living in his truck at the time... Worked fine for about 2 years, at which point he went back to a bike style tire, as he landed a job and then came into some money, couldn't lean almost at all with the car tire, but that won't be an issue in the case of your hack...

Hi Davey,
the trick is finding a 130 or 140 width car tire; they don't make 16" car tires that narrow these days.
My current (next to bald) rear tire is a 125/85-16 TwinTire. These are car tires meant to be mounted in pairs on a double-tracked rim. An idea that didn't catch on but just one of them makes a perfect rear tire for a hack tug.
There ain't any of those left, neither.
Fitting car tires on a bike AKA Going to the dark side works OK on bikes that have a wide enough swingarm to fit an available narrow car tire.
That is, it works Except for 15" rims
15" and only 15" car rims are 1/8" smaller diameter than 15" bike rims and yes, if you are very careful they can be stretched on without them blowing up in your face but even so, the bead wires get stretched and broken in the process.
Your Vulcan buddy was lucky to get away with it.

**natemoen** · 10-10-2012, 02:43 PM

Found it, it is a 120/16 though.

http://www.cokertire.com/120-16-450-16-deka-blk.html

Went back and was reading the info on it and it says at the bottom it is an MC tire.

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140 tire option

140 tire option

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