MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
Whats some of the better tread options and what is the largest size rear tire you can run on a stock mag wheel? Thanks
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Sweetest sport tire ??
- Thread starter MagnusKY
- Start date
140 is about the most you can go without hitting the chain. This depends on exactly what you're thinking of as a "sport tire" but answering it literally: most sport tire lines start at 160 or 180 and go up. If you want to do it you need to make or buy offset sprockets to get the chain out of the way and probably need a wider swingarm. You need to buy a much wider rim too. Modern low profile tires are a totally different beast than what the xs rims were sized for. Trying to squeeze one onto the stock rim folds it like a taco, changing the profile and defeating the purpose of getting modern profile tire.
MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
Ok that all makes sense. Can you give me some examples of more aggressive style tires that work well w the stock wheels?
daroberts3
XS650 Addict
Metzeler ME880 and Avon Venom or Viper. Dunlop K591
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
Pirelli MT66 is not a "sport" tire, but is a good one. Run the front 130/90 on the back for better rear grip, although you will never tax either tire with a stock XS. The Bridgestone S-11 is top shelf stuff for these bikes on stock rims, in my opinion. I ahve ran both of these tires, and would use either. I prefer the RWL S-11, because it just seems to scream "1979" The Avon AM26 is a good tire, and the Dunlop GT501 Arrowmax. I have not personally ran either, but I know people that do, and they seem to do very well.
There is no "sticky" tires in these sizes, but the frame and suspension won't be able to overwhelm any of these tires. Upgraded suspension does help, but there's a lot of money between an XS, and something like a tuned SV650, for instance. That's not to say the XS is not big fun, ridden to it's potentional, quite the contrary. I never have more fun riding hard than when I can comfortably find the limitations of a bike. If I get uncomfortable before I find the limit, the bike is better than me, and I'm fine with that. I was thoroughly embarassed years ago when riding an EX500, and i thought I was riding it hard, til I met Dave Mirra (God Rest his soul) on his "tweaked" CL350 Scrambler, and he showed me some shit! He knew what his bike would do, I didn't.
A "larger" tire won't do anything productive for you. a 140/90 is a good bit taller than a 130, and if it clears everything, that, and the fact that they are 2 pounds heavier than a 130/90 on average is all the "gain" you can expect. Any percieved plus to all of 3/16 or so of width on each side is offset be dealing with more unsprung weight. 140/90 tires are usually 6 ply, and rated at a 73-77 load index, which is major overkill for an XS, and will make for a non-complant ride, with a stiffer sidewall and heavier tire. Performance goes in all directions. If you just want a big tire look, it will cost you something, somewhere.
There is no "sticky" tires in these sizes, but the frame and suspension won't be able to overwhelm any of these tires. Upgraded suspension does help, but there's a lot of money between an XS, and something like a tuned SV650, for instance. That's not to say the XS is not big fun, ridden to it's potentional, quite the contrary. I never have more fun riding hard than when I can comfortably find the limitations of a bike. If I get uncomfortable before I find the limit, the bike is better than me, and I'm fine with that. I was thoroughly embarassed years ago when riding an EX500, and i thought I was riding it hard, til I met Dave Mirra (God Rest his soul) on his "tweaked" CL350 Scrambler, and he showed me some shit! He knew what his bike would do, I didn't.
A "larger" tire won't do anything productive for you. a 140/90 is a good bit taller than a 130, and if it clears everything, that, and the fact that they are 2 pounds heavier than a 130/90 on average is all the "gain" you can expect. Any percieved plus to all of 3/16 or so of width on each side is offset be dealing with more unsprung weight. 140/90 tires are usually 6 ply, and rated at a 73-77 load index, which is major overkill for an XS, and will make for a non-complant ride, with a stiffer sidewall and heavier tire. Performance goes in all directions. If you just want a big tire look, it will cost you something, somewhere.
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MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
Awesome info guys. After looking around a bit I found Michelin Commander II.130/90/18 for rear,how does that sound? How about the front? The Mag wheels I bought are on the way to powdercoating,what size is it? I'm just wanting a nice aggresive looking tire set that will last for a bit. I'm not doing any type of serious riding with this thing just cruising around.
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
The Commander II is an excellent tire, but I wouldn't consider it a "sport" tire. I have the first generation Commanders on my Road Star and get around 14K miles out of a set. That's good for that big heavy bitch. The torque is pretty hard on the rear tire (I know, I said hard on) You should not have that issue with an XS. I guess I missed that you had an 18" rear and not a special (16").
MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
Whoops I meant 16 rear. What size is the front?
MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
I like the tread design on the Commander and they have a mid level price but all reviews were good and said they had a long life. Guess thats what Ill go with as soon as I get the sizes all figured out. Thanks again
MagnusKY
XS650 Enthusiast
You did say hard on hahahaha
jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
the front should be a 100/90-19, and you should find a commander in that size as well, if I temember correctly. Don't know where you are shopping, but
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/
https://www.denniskirk.com/frontpage.jsp?gclid=CP3Tz_yI060CFcUSNAodeALnnQ
http://www.jakewilson.com/
I usually find a good price and shipping options at one of these.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/
https://www.denniskirk.com/frontpage.jsp?gclid=CP3Tz_yI060CFcUSNAodeALnnQ
http://www.jakewilson.com/
I usually find a good price and shipping options at one of these.
Magnus, you asked about a "sport" tire, then you asked how fat you could go. Fatter doesn't mean better! Modern sport bikes can use fat tires and still steer quickly because their steering geometry is different (steeper rake, shorter trail) from the old sport standards. If you want handling, stick to 100/90/19 (or 100/80/19 if you can get it) in front. The fat 16" rear wheel on the Specials is there because Yamaha assumed (correctly, as it turned out) that American riders were more interested in style than in handling. If you want to dance, your best bet for the rear is to fit a Standard wheel (18/2.15 rim) with a 110/90/19 tire. For aggressive cornering, I like the Pirelli Sport Demon and the Bridgestone BT45, which are not cheap. I also like the Shinko 712, which is one of the cheapest tires out there, and the most bang for the buck that I know of.
But all that's beside the point, since it appears that what you're really looking for is a good cruiser tire, and you've found one. With the 16" rear wheel, stick with the OEM 16/90/130.
But all that's beside the point, since it appears that what you're really looking for is a good cruiser tire, and you've found one. With the 16" rear wheel, stick with the OEM 16/90/130.
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XS771
XS650 Addict
I have pirelli sport demons on my 81 special . I think they are by far the best sport tire you can buy.
It doesn't matter around here where everyone has the same old bike but if you're going to have this conversation with other riders or the guy at the bike shop it's worth knowing that tires are generally classed as:
Track day/racing tires (non dot)
Hyper sport tires (closest you can get to slicks and still be dot)
Sport tires (expensive, soft, wide modern radials that you put on your R1 etc)
Sport Touring tires (modern all arouder. Longer life than sport tires, better in the wet usually, upper end of the range still has dual compound performance features found in sport tires)
Touring/classic/economy (it fits, you can afford it, and you won't have to think about it again for along time)
Tires for an XS are mostly going to be in the last category. What we're calling a "sport tire" in the context of our limited choices that fit our bikes will confuse people who are from the wider motorcycle world.
Track day/racing tires (non dot)
Hyper sport tires (closest you can get to slicks and still be dot)
Sport tires (expensive, soft, wide modern radials that you put on your R1 etc)
Sport Touring tires (modern all arouder. Longer life than sport tires, better in the wet usually, upper end of the range still has dual compound performance features found in sport tires)
Touring/classic/economy (it fits, you can afford it, and you won't have to think about it again for along time)
Tires for an XS are mostly going to be in the last category. What we're calling a "sport tire" in the context of our limited choices that fit our bikes will confuse people who are from the wider motorcycle world.
