rear tire size

[Tdog]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. My first question is this: What is the max tire size and brand that will fit on an XS11 without rubbing on the drive shaft? If this has been answered before, please direct me to the thread. Thanks.
Tdog

[xs650mike]

Short answer: 140

Tire profiles vary somewhat from brand to brand within the same nominal size. Many on this forum have mentioned running 140 section Dunlop Elite IIs and I am running a 140 section Avon Venom X on my Special, it barely clears. So with those particular tires at least you'd be OK with a 140. Is your bike a standard or a Special?

[Tdog]

Thanks for the tire info 650Mike. The XS11 in question and I have been separated for many years and I can't remember if it is a Standard or a Special. After our reunion (next month I hope) I will know more.
T

[TopCatGr58]

Aye, therein lies the rub!

Hey Tdog,

The 140 profile will just barely fit. Best to use the Black Wall style. My raised white letters rub! Also, IF you are planning on doing much 2 up riding, then you might want to stay with stock 130, the tall sidewall does flex a bit under the stress of the weight of 2 up, and I got considerable more rubbing during the time I was running 2 up!
T.C.

[mason79]

most kawi police bikes use skinny rears, prolly due to vintage technology, why do you think they stay with skinny?

[xs650mike]

2 reason why those Kawis run the rubber they do. (1) The Kawasaki Police 1000 is an older design (like our bikes). (2) Skinnier tires just handle better. Yeah I know race bikes use fatter rubber these days but it's radial and they need the traction more than the handling. We're not racers. Our bikes touch hard parts to the pavement before the tire lets go in most cases (unless you feed it too much gas in the corner). Worst possible combination is what those Harley clone customs run, a little skinny front and a great big rear. This makes the bike stand up under power in turns causing the bike to want to run wide. The best handling bike I've ever owned was my G12 Matchless bobber. I ran 3.25x19" tires on both ends. Steering was perfectly neutral at all lean angles, braking or under power. Cornered as if on rails. Easy to be fast on a bike like that.

Interesting aside about Kawi Police bikes. I was talking to a CHP officer many years ago (he stopped me for speeding) and he told me that the bikes are very sensitive to weight distribution and that the CHP had trouble with instability in high speed chases until they moved the radio a few inches forward. He said he loved his Kawi and never wanted to go back to a Harley again. Let me go with no ticket. CHP now rides BMWs.

[mason79]

they now how to move on those machines, i guess their training is harder than navy seal training, so why would i ever need to go over the rims size limitations, i want handling, skinny rules!