Well, since we're back into talking about car tires, I figured I'd see if anyone had successfully replaced the 170/90/15 on the rear of a Suzi 1400.
We tired several years ago with a ?? (memory fails me), but it wouldn't clear. Given that Luke and I usually go through 3 rear tires a year, it would be nice to have those cheaper and longer wearing car tires back there.
Thanks,
Sidecar Ron
Putting a 165/86T/15 on my Montauk rear. Have 13,500+ on my rear and front Metz 880, and it still looks good, but want to get some fresh rubber back there. I've been told that the car tire is good for 30 to 60 thousand miles. Just about enough to bury me. Bought my tire from High Performance Tire, www.highperformancetire.com. They seemed to have very good selection and price, mine was only $30.00. Be sure of your size before you buy, and you should be ok. I have also been told that the car tire gives you a better ride, and also takes some of the bugs out of the odometer on BMW's. That nasty little 10% thing. Will keep my front Metz until it wears out and then replace it with the same thing. Great tire.
Uber
WOW!!!!! I get about 3000 miles on mine and I'm paying about $100 installed. I'm envious. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Ron
Ron I fyou are only getting 3k out of a rear tire you might want to go see Kurt.
I thought it wasn't safe to put a car tire on a 15" motorcycle rim?
Claude,
I've been meaning to see him about my idea for tilting the sidecar seat. I'll mention my tire mileage to him.
Thanks,
Ron
Troll,
That was 16" auto tires. 15" seem to work.
I never have run auto tires on my bikes, just the cars, (I'm rich!) so I don't know if they want to follow the seams or rain grooves or not. Or if they are harder to turn with the wide footprint.
Anyone ??
Lonnie
Lonnie, you have that backwards. According to the chart that Hal had, I believe the 15" is the only one that was a problem. I checked the rim specs on my 16" before I started running car tires and they were identical to the car rim of the same width.
Mike,
Where is this chart of Hal's you are refering to?
Like I said,Mike:
I don't run them. But till I see some rim specs I'll stick to my guns. One can't count the obsolete Twin tires since they are not standard Automobile fare. They may have a more flexible bead.
Do you run standard 16" automobile tires on your rig with 16" cycle rims?
Anyone ???
Lonnie
Yes, I do. As do quite a number of Valkyrie riders without sidecars. I installed mine at the advice of the guys over on the Valkyrie Road Riders Website and after riding a Valkyrie Interstate on two wheels with a Bridgestone Potenza Car Tire.
There's a shot of the tire in my Album http://www.sidecar.com/megabbs/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=7¤tpos=10 I put it there the last time we had this conversation. That was over 20,000 miles ago.
The Potenza was a very soft tread but it was good on two wheels. I'm running a Goodyear Eagle now. But the only time I've ridden this one without the sidecar was on the day we mounted it.
Well, since we're back into talking about car tires, I figured I'd see if anyone had successfully replaced the 170/90/15 on the rear of a Suzi 1400.
Hey, didn't someone ask that before? 😉
Ron
Hal either posted it here or at SCT. I can't find it now, but I posted over there to ask if he could put it up again.
Hal says the chart came from the Tire & Rim Association, the organization that sets the standard sizes. He says it was published in the sidecarist. Maybe someone can tell us when.
Originally written by SidecarMike on 5/23/2006 9:40 PM
Hal says the chart came from the Tire & Rim Association, the organization that sets the standard sizes. He says it was published in the sidecarist. Maybe someone can tell us when.
Here's Hal's response when I asked if it was indeed the 15" rim that needed to be altered before it could be used with a car tire.
He wrote:
You are indeed correct. The auto tire is deliberately about 1/8" smaller in ID
than the OD of the MC rim so it takes one helluva lot of effort to get it to
fit. Only the very small sizes, the 125SR15 and the 135SR15 even have a slight
chance of fitting if a lot of time and effort and lubricant is used. The bigger
sizes like the 165SR15 have exploded during fitment even by tire dealers in tire
dealer shops with tire dealer equipment - go back and read the Sidecarists - all
documented. Even if the tire does not explode the tire is weakened at the tire
bead and may come apart quickly.
But not a problem. You can lace a auto rim to a MC hub and that is OK.
Or you can machine a MC rim down to the size needed for a auto tire and that is
OK.
There are many ways this can be done - none cheap,
Or you can take your life in your hands, another choice.
In other sizes - not a problem. Just the 15 inch.
Tell the installer to go to the Tire and Rim Association and ask:
Contact : Pacuit, J.F.
tra@...
http://www.rubber.com/rubber/assn/tara.html
Sincerely doubt if Mr. Pacuit will tell us any different today than he told us
5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. Some things NEVER change.
Hal Kendall
