Fitting a different size of rear tyre

[CrusaderPhil]

I have a Chinese WK650TR and the back tyre has gone square even though there is loads of life left in it, I am told by another 650TR rider that I should fit a Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT ( and only the GT ), he has also said I should fit a 180/55 ZR17 instead of a 160/60 R17, is this safe to do and is it legal.

[Guest]

The GT tyres are designed for heavy weight tourers (Grand Tourers) Like Goldwings and similar... so im not entirely sure that its a 'must' for your particular bike which i see weighs 220KG. Strikes me as overkill.. maybe.

Im a bit old fashioned and believe its always best to stick with the manufacturers recommendation when it comes to tyres.. theres maybe a different attitude for sport bikes.. but for a bike like yours? Im not so sure.

looking at the sizes available for the tyres you mention.. there isnt a GT tyre of the size thats recommended for your bike... hence this fella telling you to go for the 180/55

to sum up.. i would ignore this fella.. and buy the tyres in the size the bikes manufacturer recommends.. and in standard format. PR3 or PR4.. the only difference is that the PR4 improve on what is already an excellent tyre in the wet..

Both are dual compound so less prone to squaring quickly.

[CrusaderPhil]

The GT tyres are designed for heavy weight tourers (Grand Tourers) Like Goldwings and similar... so im not entirely sure that its a 'must' for your particular bike which i see weighs 220KG. Strikes me as overkill.. maybe.

Im a bit old fashioned and believe its always best to stick with the manufacturers recommendation when it comes to tyres.. theres maybe a different attitude for sport bikes.. but for a bike like yours? Im not so sure.

looking at the sizes available for the tyres you mention.. there isnt a GT tyre of the size thats recommended for your bike... hence this fella telling you to go for the 180/55

to sum up.. i would ignore this fella.. and buy the tyres in the size the bikes manufacturer reccommends.. and in standard format. PR3 or PR4.. the only difference is that the PR4 improve on what is already an excellent tyre in the wet..

Both are dual compound so less prone to squaring quickly.

 

This is why I am asking the Question, I tend to stick with recommended size and there is no GT in the size I need, his bike is the 650TR-G model, bigger and heavier, it is guy who has just ridden to the UK and back to China on it and he had that tyre fitted when he hit the Twisties of Europe, as like mine his Continental Road Attack 2 had squared off

[Stu]

If the rim will take it then you can fit the tyre

But more than likely the rim won't be wide enough for the tyre

Fitting a tyre that is too wide for the rim can cause you to have less contact patch

Personally I would stick to the correct size

[CrusaderPhil]

If the rim will take it then you can fit the tyre

But more than likely the rim won't be wide enough for the tyre

Fitting a tyre that is too wide for the rim can cause you to have less contact patch

Personally I would stick to the correct size

 

Most of the sizing charts recommend a minimum of 5.25 rim width, so I do not think I will risk it, some have suggested 170/60 17 as a better bet that the 160 again I am not sure what to believe.

[Mr Fro]

I'd stick with the OEM size - fitting a wider tyre will make the profile more rounded and give you a smaller contact patch (as Stu said). It will also square off quicker.

[CrusaderPhil]

I will stick to standard size, they do a Pilot Road 4 in the correct size.