Tyres: Nearest to original XS650

[Tony H]

I am restoring a XS650B to as near as possible to original. Can anyone advise the nearest to original tyres available on the market today for front and rear wheels.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Tony,
my XS650 came from the factory with Yokohamas on it.
To go with the original mfr's philosophy, use the cheapest tyres you can find.
To be safe, buy the good ones.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

The very early models used a K70 tire. Around your 1975 timeframe, you'd find:

3.50H-19 ribbed front, similar to these Avons:

http://www.vintagetyres.com/item/670/325s19--325x19--avon-road-tyre--speedmaster-ribbed-front
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/11123/i/avon-speedmaster-rib-front-tire?WT.ac=SLIsearch

4.00H-18 universal, similar to the K36 in here:

http://heidenautires.com/vintage-motorcycle-tires

These closely match the factory setup for 1975. However, at that time, many folks who wanted better tire performance upgraded to Dunlop K81 (front and rear), or the even newer K91.

You can find many suppliers by googling "vintage motorcycle tires",
Or, for your area, "vintage motorcycle tyres australia"...

 

[Tony H]

Hi Tony,
my XS650 came from the factory with Yokohamas on it.
To go with the original mfr's philosophy, use the cheapest tyres you can find.
To be safe, buy the good ones.

Hello Fred
Thanks for that, I checked the tyres that were on the bike and the front one must have been the original as it is a Yokohama.
Tony

 

[Tony H]

Hello Phorum burnout
Thanks for the information. I have checked your suggested links and the tyres look very similar to the ones that were on the bike.
Cheers
Tony

 

[fredintoon]

Hello Fred
Thanks for that, I checked the tyres that were on the bike and the front one must have been the original as it is a Yokohama.
Tony

Hi Tony,
if it's the original tire or even if it's a replacement that's more than 5 years old, it ain't safe to ride on.
The rubber degrades over time leaving a tire that has very little grip or resilience even if it still looks perfect.

 

[Tony H]

G-day Fred
No, I will be buying new tyres, I was just confirming your suggestion that Yokohama were the original tyre sold with the bike.
Thanks
Tony