bigger back tire

Awoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

So I don't mean to jump in with a question here but does anyone know what the largest rear tire is that will fit with no mods, I have an 85 700..16"wheel.

 

130/90-16

 

BAREfoot, check out motorcyclesuperstore.com ..... they seem to have a pretty good selection of white walls at (I think) reasonable prices. Ordered a couple helmets from them, they seem to be pretty good to deal with so that gives them a +1

 

Reading back on this thread, I guess there are some differences between models. I would love to have a 150 to 180 rear tire on my 700, but thats not going to happen without mods.
BTW Fitz, if you go to the Johnny Pag website and look at the pics of customers bikes you'll see a chopper with a 750-4 Honda motor in it, so that mod can be done. :wink:

 

130/90-16 is the absolute largest without mods?

 

Going to a wider tire isn't gonna do what you want it to do. I have a 150 on mine with no mods, but the rim is the same width, so there's no real difference between the 130 and 150. The walls of the 150 just get pulled in. you want a wider tire, you need a wider rim.

 

Shinko makes a nice wide whitewall tire..and cheap!

 

Kevenelevin, who makes wider rims that 'll work on these bikes? I would love to have one.

 

No one that I know of.

 

First - no practical experience.
You get the Virago Spoke hubs from the '80's
You get custom rims and new stainless spokes from various catalogs.
You get someone experienced to offset-lace the rear rim to accomodate a super-wide 170 or so, and match the front at 130 with no fender.
You do lots of trimming, clearancing, and planning.
Then you get to brag about your accomplishment here.

It's do-able.

 

beware i've heard you may die soon after

 

Hah, that is awesome.

 

Good idea Time, a wider 18 inch rim with the Virago hub would be nice. But then you would have to get a nice 21 inch spoked rim to go up front to match, could get costly. :wink:

 

w/o mods, yes. Even the 130 gets pretty close to the shaft housing. Also bear in mind that it fits just fine ONCE IT'S IN THERE but the wheel with the wider tire may not slip in between shocks, fender, gearbox and all quite as easily as the 120 came out. I honestly can't speak first hand about 16" max and XVs but that's how it is with my 18" on the Seca. I can change a 120 all by myself on the side of the road with the bike on the center stand. Less than 15 minutes out, get some fresh rubber, less than 15 minutes back in and on the road.
With a 130 I have to set the bike down on top of the wheel somehow. At home that means ratchet straps to the passenger hand hold to the ceiling. "out in the world" that means stepping on the left side foot of the center stand and tipping the bike up towards me (left) about 45 degrees while a helper tucks the wheel in there and onto the splines.
Might be lots easier with a 16". I dunno. Would be easier if say, I had no fender.
If any of that is a consideration for you than sleep on it before going wider.
I don't hold it against anyone for being a fair weather rider or calling their buddy with a pickup truck when something goes amiss on a sunny sunday afternoon. Longevity, reliability, affordability, repairability... All MAJOR considerations for the way I choose to ride. I do almost as much wrenching out on the road as at home in the garage. Hell, I now carry an air compressor in my tank bag. I know not everyone rides like I do and that's cool. The above bit about ease of changing is just my own personal experience with 120 vs 130 width tires.