Tire Size Options

[WMarshy]

Funny, my experience was exactly the opposite.

I assume you do it to one of your specials..? I wonder if that is a factor... Thoughts?

[BA80]

Both Specials. I will be putting one on my E when I get that far with it.

It is a known fact that the closer you can get both front and rear tires to being the same size, the better a bike will handle.

But then, I prefer the buckhorn bars over the standard bars too.

[TopCatGr58]

But then, I prefer the buckhorn bars over the standard bars too.

Hey Greg,

Just remember, we call them ROTOTILLER bars just as a joke, don't go trying to do any plowing with your specials, even though they do have the smaller rear wheel so have better low speed torque! :P

T.C.

[BA80]

Ha haha..........did you see the furrow I cut along that road by Cashiers?

[jetmechmarty]

I assume you do it to one of your specials..? I wonder if that is a factor... Thoughts?

Smaller tire = quicker handling That's my experience.

[WMarshy]

Smaller tire = quicker handling That's my experience.

Yeah but we are talking the front wheel and both going up to the 110/90-19 with completely different results. Just was wondering if possibly the rake is affected differently between standard and specials because the way the front axle is offset on specials..?

[crazy steve]

78, 79, and 80 standards had tube type 17" rear tires. The only standard that came with a tubeless rear tire was the 81 Venturer.

The standard got tubeless tires (and wheels) mid-79. If only the '81 had got the tubeless rear, they'd be a lot rarer than they are.....

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35442

[fredintoon]

Yeah but we are talking the front wheel and both going up to the 110/90-19 with completely different results. Just was wondering if possibly the rake is affected differently between standard and specials because the way the front axle is offset on specials..?

Hi Wade,
nah, it's strictly cosmetic. The Special's 'trees are shorter so the fork tubes are further back and the trail is identical. The frame rake is identical too.
But WTF they put those Weird Harold front calipers on the Special is beyond my comprehension.

[jetmechmarty]

Yeah but we are talking the front wheel and both going up to the 110/90-19 with completely different results. Just was wondering if possibly the rake is affected differently between standard and specials because the way the front axle is offset on specials..?

I have a Special. It turns in quicker on a smaller tire.

[BA80]

The standard got tubeless tires (and wheels) mid-79. If only the '81 had got the tubeless rear, they'd be a lot rarer than they are.....

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35442

Hmmm.....I've never seen a tubeless 17" outside an 81 unless it was swapped or converted. I know they went to tubeless fronts about that time when the special first came out but all the 79 standards I've ever come across had tube type rear rims.

I haven't had much experience with the G's.

[Nubian]

I have a Special. It turns in quicker on a smaller tire.

Would the same be true for Standards?

[fredintoon]

Would the same be true for Standards?

Hi Nubian,
sure it is. A 100/90-19 is both narrower and has a smaller O.D. than a 110/90-19.
Either of these things would make any bike steer quicker and here we have both.
That's the same bike with the same rider and the same payload.
Change any of those parameters and there won't be the same correlation.
My own XS650 experience changing the rear wheel & tire from a 130/90-16 to a 110/90-18 gained quicker steering at the price of less straight line stability.

[Garagamus]

Don't know what OEM was, but mines riding a Metzeler ME88 130-90-B17 Tubeless.

[Nubian]

Hi Nubian,
sure it is. A 100/90-19 is both narrower and has a smaller O.D. than a 110/90-19.
Either of these things would make any bike steer quicker and here we have both.
That's the same bike with the same rider and the same payload.
Change any of those parameters and there won't be the same correlation.
My own XS650 experience changing the rear wheel & tire from a 130/90-16 to a 110/90-18 gained quicker steering at the price of less straight line stability.

Ok, so a wider tire (110) provides better straight line stability? I do my fair amount of lane splitting (low speed) and there is usually a line/groove between lanes from when the blacktop was laid. I have to be very careful when navigating these

[fredintoon]

Don't know what OEM was, but mines riding a Metzeler ME88 130-90-B17 Tubeless.

Hi Garagamus,
Clymers sez the Standard's stock rear tire is a 4.5"-17.
assuming those old-fashioned inch-numbered tires were as tall as they were wide (n/100) your 130/90-17 is the same O.D. and a half-inch wider.
Theoretically this will make the bike slower in the curves and steadier in the straightaways, even if not by much.
As always, many other factors apply.