Back tire size

[boatdoctor]

I know this has been on here before, but will a 140/80/17 880 metzeler marathon back tire clear the drive shaft. I have 1978 sx 1100 E. Please to not respond if you do not know or have not run one. Thanks to any one who can help.

[WMarshy]

I have not ran the 140/90-17 Metz 880 but I have ran the 130/90-17 880 and I can tell you I'm fairly positive it will rub. I remember it being a small challenge just getting the 130 into place. Interesting enough, the right side of the rire has more clearance to the swing arm than the left where the drive shaft it recessed. None the less, I'd expect to have to shave some of the tread the meets the side wall on the left to keep it from scrubbing the recess in the drive shaft. The only people who have been sucessful in running the 140 rear without any modification were people that have 16" rear tires IIRC and it was a particular brand...

[jetmechmarty]

When I measured various front tires I had, the Metzeler 880 ran wide.

[bikerphil]

You could add some washers behind the drive hub on the wheel to move the rim further to the right until it fits. Plenty of room on the right like Wade had mentioned.

[crazy steve]

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36698

Unless you use spacers it won't fit, and even then it will be iffy. You may also have issues getting the mounted tire into the swingarm past the FD/brake caliper bracket post. That size in a Dunlop is 5.63" wide (and Metzlers usually run a bit wider) and generally the absolute widest tire you can fit without mods can't be over 5.5". The 17" rim width at 2.5" is also pretty narrow for that size tire. I researched this pretty extensively, there just isn't any viable oversizes in the 17" rim size....

[WMarshy]

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36698

Unless you use spacers it won't fit, and even then it will be iffy. You may also have issues getting the mounted tire into the swingarm past the FD/brake caliper bracket post. That size in a Dunlop is 5.63" wide (and Metzlers usually run a bit wider) and generally the absolute widest tire you can fit without mods can't be over 5.5". The 17" rim width at 2.5" is also pretty narrow for that size tire. I researched this pretty extensively, there just isn't any viable oversizes in the 17" rim size....

Yep, that was my experience with the 130/90-17. Its the choke point of putting the tire on and if it wasnt for that spot Im sure I could convince myself the 140 would fit. I figured if I could even get the 140 in place I could take some material off the edge of the tread with a block of some 80 grit paper with the bike idling in 2 gear lol. Never bothered to try it because I struggled so much with the 130 last time.

[motoman]

Yep, that was my experience with the 130/90-17. Its the choke point of putting the tire on and if it wasnt for that spot Im sure I could convince myself the 140 would fit. I figured if I could even get the 140 in place I could take some material off the edge of the tread with a block of some 80 grit paper with the bike idling in 2 gear lol. Never bothered to try it because I struggled so much with the 130 last time.

After airing up seating bead, re-air it up again after mounting on bike .

[boatdoctor]

Back tire size

I put up a post about two week ago about if a 140-80-17 metzeler880 marathon back tire would clear the drive shaft I got some responces but no answer. One time I seen a post on here where some one showed one mounted and had a picture of the space between the tire and shaft but I can not find it again. Metzeler does not make a 130-90-17 880. If any one knows for sure I would appreciate an answer?? If Iam right the tire would be 10 millimeters wider so that would be 5 millimeters on one side. I have more clearance than that now but not much.!! If any one knows for ''sure'' please let me know. thanks boatdoctor.

[BA80]

That was me that put that pic up I think.



The 140 WILL rub. jmnjrpa had a 140 on his MNS and it rubbed the sidewall. Just sitting it was fine but when the tire started flexing when riding it rubbed the left side.

[motoman]

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36698

Unless you use spacers it won't fit, and even then it will be iffy. You may also have issues getting the mounted tire into the swingarm past the FD/brake caliper bracket post. That size in a Dunlop is 5.63" wide (and Metzlers usually run a bit wider) and generally the absolute widest tire you can fit without mods can't be over 5.5". The 17" rim width at 2.5" is also pretty narrow for that size tire. I researched this pretty extensively, there just isn't any viable oversizes in the 17" rim size....

......and I might add, absolutely no legitimate, logical reason for even doing so .

[motoman]

I can tell you, since I just mounted front and tear two new ContiGo's, that the rear clears swingarm by .015 with the standard 130/90/17.

[BA80]

I can tell you, since I just mounted front and tear two new ContiGo's, that the rear clears swingarm by .015 with the standard 130/90/17.

Is that a 130? Watch that, it will probably rub when you hit the twisties hard. Not the time you want tire isues.

[motoman]

That it is Greg.........and already pushed it hard a couple times, fully loaded down coming back from the CanonCity rally over MonarchPass.
Hit the last two twisties at 80+ near the top of pass, hittin' center stand on the lefty'......peg and boot sole on the righty'. Did that just to see if the Conti's were still true to their characteristics of the perfect match for the XS11 that I remembered them being decades ago........
And they STILL are.....no notorious xs11 'tailwagging' and stuck like glue.
Now that's what its all about, as I could care less bout mileage wear numbers ......supurb balance, ride smoothness AND flat protection with RideOn makes for a nice bonus .

BTW........no rubbing swingarm issue whatsoever.

[boatdoctor]

Back tire size

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am giving up on the metzeler back tire. I ran the metzeler 880 on the front and got 20 thousand plus miles out of it. I just put on the new 888 met. back on front and really like it. I wanted a metzeler for the back but as we know they do not make a 130-90-17. I tried a lazerteck metzeler and It wore out in 4 thousand miles.
Guess I will go back to a conti. tour I have had good luck with them in the past. Thanks again to xs11.com and members.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Boatdoctor,

Just watch and be aware that even the Conti's may not provide the mileage you may be wanting. In the old days, the manufacturers made them out of fairly durable material, but has been reported over the last 5 or so years, many have changed their formulas for stickier better traction but at the sacrifice of miles durability. That's why many have decided to just use the Ching Shen or such....get about 5-6k for the rear and then throw away, at about 1/2 or less the price of the Dunlops and other brands since the other brands were also only getting ~6k for the rears vs. the 10+K they used to provide ! YMMV!

T.C.