A couple of days or a week ago this came up and at that Time I reported no clearance poblems with a 90 aspect ratio tire on the rear instead of the stock 80 one. However given a few hundred more miles that is no longer the case

This is on a Savage with the Rear bag support brackets...

Early on with me and no one else it was clear and clean. But eventually it did scuff. I do not know when or how. But I wanted to revisit this and tell you it did indeed finaly nick the edge. It is being reworked now with smaller profile bolt heads as has been previously reported to be a nice fix and allow this larger aspect tire to be used.

So the reports are indeed true.

Why did it all the sudden start nicking it? Well I have several theories and some of them are obvious. The Aspect ratio of these makes the clearance closer. Why did it not do it the first couple hundred miles? Two things I think. Tires actually swell as they break in. And I might not have hit a particular bump right to close the gap enough to do it.  These tires are taller from the rim to the face. They are not wider as has been loosely thrown around. They are "Taller" and so they bring the edge of the tire closer to the bolt is what they are doing.  

But since I was watching them very close I could catch it soon as it did. Very outside edge shows a scuff mark. Tiny but easy to catch.

So for those of you wanting to go to the 90 tires with Bag Brackets I suggest just going ahead and replaceing those left side bag bracket bolts with lower profile heads while you got the tire off. Easier than redoing it.

Yes I can do that. It's at the Dealers right now that sold me the tire and swore this one would work no problem.. and then when I returned to show him the scuff mark...swore he had never seen that issue before (ya right!) so soon as it gets back I will snap you one. I was not about to take the rear wheel off after all the questioning I did before he sold me the tire and after being assured it would not hit. I am going to hold him to his word and make HIM do it! =)

It is the most forward bolt of the saddle bag bracket. This one comes closest to the tire and has an unnessicarily long head on it. All of them do that come with the bracket. Does not need to be near as long as it is but aparently comes with the Saddle bag brakets that way. It is the culprit. It sticks out about a 1/4 inch too far. Just barely knicks the edge of the tire.

So if anyone that does not have saddle bag brackets ever intends to get them just replace the bolts that come with it on the left side with normal low profile head bolts and you will prevent this and keep your options open. You might as well. Because you have to take the whole rear wheel off to get to that bolt properly later to fix it. So do it either when you install the Saddle bag brackets or when you install the tire.

The advantage to going this way is obviously there is a wider range of tire selection in the 90 Aspect ratio than the 80 stock ones. So its worth the trouble of changing that bolt head out in the end I think.

Yep and I am as suprise as anyone to realize that. I would have assumed they were centered in the wheel well too. But they do indeed seem to be off center to the left. And I will do some measuring to confirm that when the bike comes back. But it does appear its off center to the left just a bit. Only way I can explain it. You can see the clearance on the right is better than the left.

And the real problem is not that, but the overly large headed bolts used in the Saddle bag brackets is enough to be an issue only on the left side because of that...and mainly that one closest bracket bolt. The other one is fine.

I noticed when I attached my bag the left bag stuck out a little and after fiddling w/ it for awhile, I determined that the left side shock mount sticks out further than the right about the width of the belt. go figure. So since I was attaching to the upper shock mount, now the left bag hangs out a little in front, oh well, belts gotta stay there. I guess they set the rear wheel wherever it needs to be to track that belt straight.

Send a pic with the brackets if you do end up getting it today!

Good deal.  This one did go around in another forum before, but no one made a detailed study of the problem.  I do know that the fender is definitely not even on both sides.  The left side is different, I suspect, to protect the belt drive better.

I've seen where some wide tire riders/customizers have gone to Farm and Fleet and gotten a trailer fender.  Trim it down, paint it up and it looks nice with no tire rub.

Sample:


(from Jon's excellent Savage Pages)