Phelonius just did his rear end with a 135-15.  


============ cutscene ==========

Luke, Obiwan and Yoda


Luke, I sense a disturbance in the force --- something large and powerful is moving in the Galaxy and we must be ready to deal with it.

Gasp!  It howls!  It growls!  It is harder to kill than any other of its kind and yet it is cheap and multiplies freely.  It is everywhere and we cannot hold it off!

Master Yoda, can you sense exactly what it is?  Or where it is so we can go fight it?

No, young Paduwan -- it is not out there, it is in here -- within our Jedi ranks.  Someone has changed the order of the universe and things that were not possible are now possible.  Some of us good Jedi are seeking the extra life force that comes with this new change.

Yoda, I sense the change itself can be good or bad -- depending on how it is used.  It was said this new thing came originally from the darkside, but obviously it can be used for good.  

Master, only if you are very wise as you approach it.  Oh Master, (gasp) -- the foolish may bleed however, because they will not use it wisely.

Yes, Obiwan -- learn more about this change we must from anyone who has embraced it.   We must spread the wisdom and fight the foolishness wherever we find it.

Master, I think I too sense something -- pressure is important to this thing.  Too much makes it hard and too little makes it mushy and uncontrollable -- there is a middle path though in the center of the pressure that leads to both long life and great success.

Go, young Paduwan, and seek out the truth.

Yes Luke, go quickly -- and report back frequently.


======================================

PS

Yoda is one cheap ol' hand puppet and he doesn't believe in paying Michelin prices for a tire that isn't going to see but maybe a 20% of a rated car load during its whole motorcycle lifetime.  

How do I know Yoda's a cheapie?  Come on, he lives in a dung-heated mud hut in a stinkin' swamp -- he's that durn cheap.

Yoda recommends you check out a 145-15 (or 135 if you are totally chicken) here at BFY because they cost less'n 1/2 what a Dunlop cycle tire would cost and could last 3-4 times longer.  Yoda says that is his kind of "wise Jedi tire spending".  Stay away from the 165-15 -- it is too much durn trouble to get it to fit into the fender well.

http://www.bfyobsoleteparts.com/Tires-c-338.html

For the images in the Tech Ref thread, I downloaded your images, cropped off the gunloads.com tag, and have them hosted locally.

after i wear out the tire on glenn, i'm definitely going to an automotive tire.  mainly for the looks.  partly for the economic value.

being raised as a cabinetmaker, i already have plans on a jig for the tire to run it against a vertical belt sander at various angles to remove the sharp 90 on the edges.

More Sensational Fun !!!

High Speed "Swim" or "rumba" = a very high speed thing that takes place at 90 mph and up.  You are going so fast you are going over little pavement changes at an increased rate.  The tiny bump steer events that take place between the slabs on the superslab highway can strike up a beat with your bike's suspension and you start to feel like you are mounted on a rumba dancer's butt while you are going way too fast anyway.

Slow down, hit the next exit and put some more air in your rear tire.  Superslab doesn't involve a lot of curves and more air pressure equals greater stability for the high speed straight line stuff.

I have migrated up in normal pressure to 27 pounds now -- the issues associated with soft conformance are balancing out with the edge issues and I find I can tolerate more edge anyway now that I am getting used to it.  

For Superslab interstate travel I have run 30-32 pounds in the big tire with no rumba issues at any speed I can reach with my Savage.  I have not had any tire growth at the higher air pressures either (more miles between unexpected underwear changes).

Oldfeller

Well, at that point a sane person MIGHT be worried about shock alignment and all....but they might also view that as a good opportunity to open up a whole new world of fat rear tires for the savage.

Conjecture, of course, but if a fatter rim could be laced up, a crazy person might think thoughts.

My 1400 Intruder on a darkside tire.

The 165R15 is the tire the local cheapo stores can order or keep in stock just for the few local VW's in the area.

Michelin has an expensive 175/15 but does not compute to fit in the swing arm.

Check out the pics...

http://www.intruderalert.com/cafe/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=102202&start=l...

Not sure the width of my rim right now.

The size used is because it fits the swing arm.

The ONLY 175 I found was a Michelin for about $100
THAT defeated the purpose of the cheaper tire.
Then the 175 had the possibility of rubbing the swing arm.

I have over 2,000 miles and I am running a hefty 30psi.

I am experimenting with dropping the pressure a little.

Others on the board have been through a tire or 2 and have had no problems. Sealing the rim and going tubeless is the way to go if you have the time. That makes it a $3 walmart plug kit in the saddle bag AND/OR fix-a-flat or the new slime stuff!

I am looking at doing this on the wifes Savage!
I have not found any 15" tires in a smaller width than the 165.

Master Yoda would be hard pressed to come up with a better idea that car tires on bikes.  Makes me wonder how we got  stuck with all those gum-ball tires in the first place...probley somebody won a race sometime.   Well the Gold mine of short life tires is closed as far a I"m concerned.

The width of the 145sr15 mounted is just under 5 inches and the height is real close to 23.5.

I had a hard time getting it to pop-out on the rim.  I'll use dish soap next time, this time i used Grease and never did make it pop-out.  So I made a knife blade out of an old jig saw plade and "Just took off a measured and marked 1/8 inch strip in the middle.  It is still so tight it will probley be cut off  when and if it wears out.

I'm trying the nanking next time.

Keep on Thumping!