need a bit more clearance -how much will using taller tire buy me?

[emzdogz]

I realize now that on my 80 chopper with drag pipes, eventually I'm going to scrape.

One option is get different pipes, some kind of high pipe set up, but I don't want to do that for $$ reasons, plus I'm pretty sure eventually I'd burn my leg.
And even then, the kickstand would drag, I think, at some point.

So I'm wondering how much higher a pair of the high sidewall tires would get me. Like say the Firestone 5 inchers, or the Shinko MT 90-16 like TC Bros has that looks like a high sidewall.
Now I have a stock-ish special tire on there, a 130 ??? lowish profile 16.

Question: those tires I mentioned, they'd only be TALLER, correct? not wider? in fact I guess my thought is they'd be narrower? the 130's I have on now have enough side to side clearance, but I guess I need to make sure these tires I mentioned aren't wider.

Also thinking of the bigger Firestone 4.00 on the front.

Between the two, you think that would get me another inch under the bike?

thx.

 

[jamesgs4]

Measure your tire height on your stock tire and I'll measure the height of my shinko mh90-16 and compare.

 

[emzdogz]

hey thanks! it is just about 23.5 in from floor to top of tire with a straight measure. (not wrapping it around the tire at all. Tire may slightly low pressure at the moment.
thanks

 

[gggGary]

Tires won't get you an inch higher, no way. 1/2" Maybe but not likely.

 

[sgallaty]

IMO tires won't help you in this situation. the right way to do it is to mod your exhaust. lesson learned and move on.

 

[jamesgs4]

my shinko is 25" tall, so that would only raise your bike 3/4 of an inch.
what is your ground clearance now? A lot of guys run with 4" clearance.

 

[gggGary]

my shinko is 25" tall, so that would only raise your bike 3/4 of an inch.

That would raise the REAR of the bike 3/4", half that or 3/8" at the engine.

 

[emzdogz]

yeah, it's about 3.25 in clearance now.

 

[gordonscott]

The Firestone tires WILL give you more hight! The front 400/19 is 27.59" dia! And the rear 500/16 is 26.42". I built a bike with 3 1/2" frame hight on Dunlops and these tires raised it about an inch. The bike was built having these tires in mind. I use these tires on a lot of my builds

 

[emzdogz]

ok thanks, Scott! that bottom bike is just stunning. So with it at that height (with tires) the kickstand doesn't hang up either, turning left? I bet the bottom pipe on that bike sits at about the height that my drag pipes sit (relative to frame)

I mean I'm not kidding myself a chopper is ever going to have sportbike type cornering clearance, I just want to be sure it's not any worse than my friends I ride with who have these huge low baggers, where they sometimes do scrape floorboards.

thx again....