SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1444104773

Message started by DesertRat on 10/05/15 at 21:12:53

Title: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by DesertRat on 10/05/15 at 21:12:53

Forgive my lack of knowledge.

What's the deal with the different size tires front and back. Some brands/models have larger front and smaller rears, and vice versa. What gives? Why not the same size for both?

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by Dave on 10/06/15 at 03:01:03

Tire size and shape affects the handling. On a factory bike the engineers establish tire sizes to match the bikes performance and handling (except when the bike is made more for a visual appeal).

Sport bikes tend to have quick handling, fat rear tires to handle all the HP and much smaller front tire to allow for quick handling.

Motocross bikes use a larger 21" front wheel to slow the handling down and make the bike more stable, and to allow the tire to roll over obstacles more smoothly.

Cruisers use a 19" or 21" front wheel for the same purpose - to make the bike a bit more stable.

When folks start modifying bikes - they tend to ignore reality and put on what they think looks good. Really wide back tires don't help the bike handle well, and on the Savage a 120 or 130mm back tire is plenty of tire for the HP and weight of the bike.

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/06/15 at 08:06:17

In short, that sexy fat tire, slows handling. If the goal is
Everybody just ooohs and ahhs over my bike,
Then looks matter more.
If the goal is
I wanna practice hitting the line through certain curves on roads near you, and get the exit speed up,
Then the fat tires aren't for you.

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by DesertRat on 10/06/15 at 12:16:01

thanks guys,

I was just pondering the future board tracker build. Looking for a "balanced" nostalgic look, eg. same size tires while maintaining the ride height of the donor S40. But the donor (S40) has dissimilar tire sizes front and rear.

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by verslagen1 on 10/06/15 at 14:29:57

062731273036102336420 wrote:

But the OD's of the tires are nearly the same.

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by norm92de on 10/06/15 at 14:58:15

Has anybody replaced the rear tire with a smaller cross section tire with the goal of sharpening the handling? Keeping the OD as close as possible to the stock tire eg. a 120/ 90.

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by Dave on 10/06/15 at 15:24:35

Yes....a 130/90-15.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1439822401/0#0

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1433293168/0#0

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1429353280/12#12

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1427595966/1#1

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1426857577/0#0

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by DesertRat on 10/06/15 at 19:05:33

maybe I should have stated same size tire and wheel combo like the early board track bikes. my bad

Dave, thanks for the links

Title: Re: Tire size question for the guru's / engineers
Post by Dave on 10/07/15 at 04:03:11

There are a few folks that have gone for a vintage tire look on the Cafe' conversions - the majority of them use the Firestone tires that have a very square tread profile.....and this is generally not a great handling tire by modern standards. The tires are also have a very large look.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2zgsuio.jpg

This fellow ran similar tire sizes to get a vintage "standard" look.

http://i57.tinypic.com/r1epfs.jpg

Vintage Board Track bikes had a very large diameter wheel, and a small profile tire. In order to get this look on the Savage, you might want to convert the back tire to a 19" wheel and run 100/90-19 tire front and rear - the Avon Roadrider comes in that size and can be used front/rear. You can find a stock front rim, and get Buchanon's Spoke and wheel to make you a spoke set to fit the rear hub. The swing arm might have to be modified for clearance.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2hfkmtt.png