For a "period style" street tracker look, using 19" wheels front and rear, I would go with Heidenau K34 in 3.50 and 4.00x19. Sadly, they do not make these in 4.00x18, only 3.50x18. Link here: http://en.reifenwerk-heidenau.com/m...D=r4jool8cdb7pqcsdm32f7b1ej4&profil=14&pic=16
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Dual Sport/Purpose Tires for XS 650's
- Thread starter bluebikerblan
- Start date
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- Tags
- dual sport tires wheels
scott s
XS650 Guru
I have a set of Yamaha Pentagram wheels. The best I can tell, they're 2.75" wide rear (19") and 2.50" wide front (18").
Would the Shinko 705's work, or would they be a bit too wide for the rims?
I can find the front on a 110/80-19. The rear is listed as a 4.10-18 or a 120/80-18 (essentially the same, right?).
Would those sizes be too much of a squeeze onto the rims?
Would the Shinko 705's work, or would they be a bit too wide for the rims?
I can find the front on a 110/80-19. The rear is listed as a 4.10-18 or a 120/80-18 (essentially the same, right?).
Would those sizes be too much of a squeeze onto the rims?
scott s
XS650 Guru
I was measuring outside to outside with a tape measure. Using my calipers and measuring to the "witness mark" of the old bead on the inside of the wheel beads, I get ~2.10" for the front and ~2.5" for the rear. The slightly larger tires I listed above ought to work then, huh?
Jbinnington
XS650 Addict
What are they off? Never seen the likes before....
Spider John
XS650 Enthusiast
At first I thought they were GS450 wheels, but they're not exactly.
scott s
XS650 Guru
They were a Yamaha dealer accessory. Kind of rare these days.
scott s
XS650 Guru
I'm now considering the Avon Distanzia. I can get the front in a 100/90-19, which is pretty much the stock tire size for the XS650.
The rear is available in 110/80-18 and 120/80-18. Which would be the best fit for the ~2.5" rear rim?
The rear is available in 110/80-18 and 120/80-18. Which would be the best fit for the ~2.5" rear rim?
SinisterMatti
XS650 Enthusiast
The local yamaha shop told me that because I have a spoked wheel and no wheel locks I need tubeless tires or they will rotate on the rim and shred my inner tubes. Is that accurate? I noticed all the recommended tires here are tube type.
Growl
XS650 Addict
The Vee Rubber VRM-163 dual sport tires are tubeless, I am running one on my rear and really like it. Or, you can add a rim lock, or simply avoid running low pressures... like anything below 25 lbs/in.
On tires, a bit of history may be helpful.
The first motorcycle tires were all mounted on spoke wheels. So they all needed tubes. Being they all used tubes the tires themselves didn't really need to hold air, they just needed to hold the bike up and supply traction.
They were made this way for lots of years. When they started using mag wheels that could be run tubeless they started to make tires that would hold air. These tires were marked tubeless but could still be run with tubes on spoke wheels.
This helped you know the tires could be run tubeless.
Now all tires are made to run tubeless on tubeless wheels and with tubes on spoke wheels.
The tubeless marking is superfluous. Not really needed.
Another way to look at this is do tire manufacturers know what wheels you have on your bike? No, they don't know. What they worry about is how much a lawsuit will cost them. To prevent lawsuits they make tires that can run both with or without tubes.
Leo
The first motorcycle tires were all mounted on spoke wheels. So they all needed tubes. Being they all used tubes the tires themselves didn't really need to hold air, they just needed to hold the bike up and supply traction.
They were made this way for lots of years. When they started using mag wheels that could be run tubeless they started to make tires that would hold air. These tires were marked tubeless but could still be run with tubes on spoke wheels.
This helped you know the tires could be run tubeless.
Now all tires are made to run tubeless on tubeless wheels and with tubes on spoke wheels.
The tubeless marking is superfluous. Not really needed.
Another way to look at this is do tire manufacturers know what wheels you have on your bike? No, they don't know. What they worry about is how much a lawsuit will cost them. To prevent lawsuits they make tires that can run both with or without tubes.
Leo
One more thing, the mag wheels used on the XS650, some are tubeless, some are not.
I think some of the early mags had porosity issues, air could leak out through the wheels, these need tubes. The later wheels that were tubeless had SUITABLE FOR TUBELESS TIRES printed right on them. On one of the spokes.
Unless you see this printed on the wheel, run a tube.
Leo
I think some of the early mags had porosity issues, air could leak out through the wheels, these need tubes. The later wheels that were tubeless had SUITABLE FOR TUBELESS TIRES printed right on them. On one of the spokes.
Unless you see this printed on the wheel, run a tube.
Leo
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The Avon Distenza works great. The Avon road rider lasted about 6K miles, so I bought the Distenza last April. It corners as good or better and it doesn't wobble in the highway grooves.
In N. Georgia there r alot of dirt roads that suddenly appear. It works great in the dirt and decent in the grass. Haven't been in mud yet. Overall, I like it.
In N. Georgia there r alot of dirt roads that suddenly appear. It works great in the dirt and decent in the grass. Haven't been in mud yet. Overall, I like it.
EricVentures
XS650 Member
Hello Xs650 fam,
Post revival!
Just picked up my 1980 XS650 Special ii (Is this considered XS650G?) and very eager to put some 80/20 dual sports on my build! Are there new 16 inch rear tire offerings still as of 2023?
I see the Kenda K761 is now available in 130/90/16 - will this fit with no issues?
Also any new 19in dual sports people are now running?
Looking forward to some guidance.
Thanks everyone!
Post revival!
Just picked up my 1980 XS650 Special ii (Is this considered XS650G?) and very eager to put some 80/20 dual sports on my build! Are there new 16 inch rear tire offerings still as of 2023?
I see the Kenda K761 is now available in 130/90/16 - will this fit with no issues?
Also any new 19in dual sports people are now running?
Looking forward to some guidance.
Thanks everyone!
Get or fit an 18" rear rim, I'd re-spoke and use a WM5 or 3x18 rim, then:https://www.denniskirk.com/shinko/7...pfp643777n2.prdf?fs=643783&rs=643782#rev-cont
I've put 1500? miles on a set of the 705s I installed on my R1200GS and couldn't be happier.
Perhaps a little more noise/vibration than a pure street tire but I notice no issues when cornering, at speed or any street use.
Just gravel, dirt 2 track as far as off road (and my mucky, spring thaw, driveway), they aren't knobbies but fine for the kind of "off road" your are likely to do on an XS650...
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EricVentures
XS650 Member
The stock front 1.85 x 19 rim will be "fine" though I like more modern rims and would suggest a 2.5x19
Yes you can find an XS650 18 x 2.15 spoke rear wheel it will be plug and play on your Special II. Hub is indentical only spoke and rim are different. Again wider is better, 3" will make the the bike more stable and allow the tire to assume the shape it is designed to be, instead of overly tall and narrow in profile.
PS
Welcome to the madhouse Eric!
Yes you can find an XS650 18 x 2.15 spoke rear wheel it will be plug and play on your Special II. Hub is indentical only spoke and rim are different. Again wider is better, 3" will make the the bike more stable and allow the tire to assume the shape it is designed to be, instead of overly tall and narrow in profile.
PS
Welcome to the madhouse Eric!
