Round 5, FOAK: 1982 Kawie KZ550 C3 LTD Restoration Options

 

This is fun.  I simply ask the technical questions and the rest of you
good souls log on and start swearing....

1st: I just used Slime and if you use the recommended amount then it
WILL NOT cause an imbalance.

2nd: The Slime treatment did not seal the leak this time and I will
replace the tire, look around inside, and replace the valve and report
back.

Ques: The proper tire is 100/90x19.  I tend to buyer larger tires than
standard because it simply enlarges the diameter and offers more patch
to grip the road.  The is for cars.  Should I go one size larger?
110/90x19 or any other size?  My intuition tells me to keep the
original size.....

What say ye, FOAK? <as I duck for cover>

 

Biker Dude wrote:


Stick with the original tire size.  In 99.9% of all cases it is the
correct choice, for best handling.  Bigger != better and just going up a
single size increment can cause truly surprising handling issues.  This
is assuming the tire and rim width match.  Putting a significantly wider
tire than is correct for a particular rim width will change the tire
profile for the worse, and will *really* screw up handling.

Even staying with the original size and switching tire brands/models you
can sometimes have size-related issues.  My CB900C rear tire would rub
against the swingarm if I didn't use the right tire, even though it was
the same numerical size as the OEM tire.

 


That's because TOG is a self-important asshole. He's been that way
ever since the other chaps at the boarding school rode him rather
roughly...


It's not a good idea to mess around with changing tire sizes for a
number of reasons.

1. If you mount a wider tire than standard on the rims you have, the
tire sidewalls may be closer together than is optimum for the wider
tire, so it will "crown" in the center, IOW, the cross-sectional
profile will be rounder than optimum, so you can't use all of the tire
when you lean over. This is especially noticeable with rear tires,
since you want to be able to lean over until you feel a distinct
*edge* of the tire at maximum lean angle. Front tires have a more
radial cross-sectional profile so you never feel the edge, you just
run off it and the front tire washes out, which is what you want it to
do.

2. If you install a larger diameter tire, it will lower your cruising
RPM slightly, and you might need to downshift to a lower gear to climb
a hill or fight a headwind.

3. Larger diameter tires also raise the center of gravity of the
machine slightly and change the steering feel slightly too.

All that said, if I found that a manufacturer offered an attractive
110/80x19 tire, I would check out their technical specifications
section to see if it would fit on my original rims properly and still
be the same diameter as the 100/90x19 tire.

 



Yes, do that. Mismatched tyres can set up some odd handling effects.


--
BMW K1100LT  Ducati 750SS  Honda CB400F  Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER (currently Beaving)  Damn, back to five bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

 


Stick with your 100/90 19. I dunno about the LTD but the standard Z550
felt fine with a Brdigestone BT45 in that size.

Come to think of it, my wife reckons the 100/90 19 Continental Avenue
front tyre on her bike is as good as the BT45 it replaced & I liked it
because it was cheaper than the BT :-)


--
Bob Scott