SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> RYCA tires
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1329236650

Message started by singlesgoinsteady on 02/14/12 at 08:24:10

Title: RYCA tires
Post by singlesgoinsteady on 02/14/12 at 08:24:10

How do those vintage Firestones ride? My experience on oversized or squared off tires is that they turn very late. Any other issues with them? Durability? I love the look, but want to keep as much handling as the already slowish geometry allows. Ps, I only have the savage now, but looking to make a RYCA as cash allows haha.

Title: Re: RYCA tires
Post by MotoBuddha on 02/14/12 at 17:35:32

If you want vintage tires you have to accept the vintage handling.

But you don't need to use those (though the choices for tires in those sizes is rather limited).

Title: Re: RYCA tires
Post by sbaugz on 02/15/12 at 03:53:36

3A20272E252C3A2E2620273A3D2C282D30490 wrote:

Don't get the firestones if you want good handling. Yes, they look awesome but are known to be bad for handling. I have several other cafe bikes and frequent many cafe racer forums and most people share that same sentiment. In fact, many out there would refuse to ride on firestones- especially in the rain.

For my RYCA, I used Dunlop K70s. You may want to check them out. They are a nice balance of cool vintage looks with really good performance. The K70s use the same pattern and mold as they did back 40 years ago but with today's rubber.

Title: Re: RYCA tires
Post by teabowl13 on 02/15/12 at 05:59:59

Yes, and if you look at the RYCA kits, and most of the RYCA builds out there, you will see that almost all of them are running on modern tires; basically for that reason.
The Firestones look cool for the photo op, but do you really want to run them on your daily driver? Not likely...

Title: Re: RYCA tires
Post by singlesgoinsteady on 02/15/12 at 10:29:41

Thanks guys, I was wondering about the rubber compound as well as the geometry and that furrowed Firestone tread pattern that looks like it would want to tear off while cornering. I don't think I'll get the swingarm modified to take the bigger rubber. -Dave

Title: Re: RYCA tires
Post by runrun on 02/16/12 at 14:39:01

The Kendas that Ryca offers with the kit are pretty good too, and cheap. As far as putting more rubber, i.e. wider tires, on a Ryca, I don't think it would be worth it. Unless you seriously upgrade the front brake, it, not the tire's traction, will usually be the limiting factor under braking. Cornering grip is pretty good with the Kendas and I imagine that much more grip would just tie that noodle of a frame in knots.