- Posts: 200
- Thank you received: 0
Tire Size Difference
- PFC FNG
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- I've got the sickness!!!
I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Sandy
- Offline
- User
- Fly High,Tony
- Posts: 2452
- Thank you received: 13
Make sure that you can at least,fit a finger in between the tire and the swingarm.
Don't know the stock size tire for that bike,off hand.
What tire size is on there now?
1977 KZ1000 A-1
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- PFC FNG
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- I've got the sickness!!!
- Posts: 200
- Thank you received: 0
Front: 110/90-18
Rear: 130/80-18
Most fronts don't seem to get large enough, and for rears the closest I can find in high quality tires is 130/90 or 120/80
I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- steell
- Offline
- User
KD9JUR
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- bountyhunter
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 7246
- Thank you received: 337
Some tires come with the sidewalls marked for both front and rear fitment (opposit direction), so I'm a little skeptical when they say that you can't take a rear tire and run it on the front.
1979 KZ-750 Twin
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- PFC FNG
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- I've got the sickness!!!
- Posts: 200
- Thank you received: 0
I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- StreetfighterKz
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 1510
- Thank you received: 117
If push comes to shove, you could buy a so-called "rear" tire and flip it around and put it on the front.
I would NEVER put a rear tire on the front or vice-versa unless the tire specifically says "For Front or Rear Use" on the tire.
Later, Doug
1978 z1000 Streetfighter
1976 z900 Stripfighter (work in progress)
1983 Gpz750 Resto-Mod
1989 Vmax
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- RonKZ650
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 3703
- Thank you received: 240
321,000 miles on KZ's that I can remember. Not going to see any more.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- bountyhunter
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 7246
- Thank you received: 337
As I said, I tend to be skeptical. The rear tire has the stresses of acceleration and braking working on the tread blocks (torquing them in both directions). It also has a lot more load on it (hence the rear tire's short life). If the rear tire can handle all that, I don't understand how it could possibly NOT be able to handle the front tire service which only has free running rotation and braking (torquing the tread blocks in only one direction).I thought if you ran a rear in a front it wouldn't behave. Poor handling and something about belts seperating?
I am skeptical because I can not theorize any case where a tire which could handle being torqued in both directions would fail prematurely if stressed LESS by being put on the front. Maybe there's a reason, but I don't see it.
I could imagine a tire specifically designed for the FRONT to handle only torquing the tread in one direction might not like being put on the rear where it gets yanked both directions, but I think if the tire is built to handle rear service it should work on the front no sweat.
I could be wrong, but the fact that I have seen many bike tires with both front and rear fitment arrows on the sidewall of the same tire tends to reinforce my skepticism.
If there is a scientific explanation as to why a rear tire would fall apart running on the front, I would be interested in knowing how that's possible.
1979 KZ-750 Twin
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.