Hi there.
I've just worn through the rear tyre on my 2010 St Bob, and was unhappy with the stock Michellin scorcher tyres.
I got 8,500 kms on the rear and the front is still very healthy.I found they produced a grinding sensation in the front end when new and felt sketchy in the wet.
I've been reading up on new tyre choices and will go with the Avons or Pirelli Night dragons (less kms but better in the wet i gather).
Question is can i put a 180 60-17 rear on the bike without a widening kit?
The stock rear tyre size is 160 /70-17 and the mecco seems to think i can. Thought i'd ask you guys.
Thanks in advance.
I've been quoted $560 for both in the Pirellis fitted.
The SE 180 looks pretty good - a 200 looks better ... (on a wider than stock rim though of course)
Be carefull the SE 180 is the only 180 tyre you can fit
Any other brand 180,are to wide in the bead to fit a standard streetbob rim
I am running a Metzler 170/60.This is as wide as you can safely go on a stock rim
Speedo is out by 2 kmh
Tyre hangs on like shit to a blanket and so far am getting good mileage out of it. Better than expected
I will use same tyre next fitting.
Cheers Stewy
Yes guymcfly, Metzler Marathon ME880 170/60x17 rear and 100/90x19 front
Should to be careful putting the wrong size tyres on a narrower rim, the tyre shape will be different. Narrower rim than the tyre was made for will give a taller narrower profile (side walls squashed in). Wider rim with a narrower tyre gives a lower fatter spread out profile (side walls pulled out). Just because 180 is written on the tyre does not give a 180 wide tyre if the fit is wrong. The tyre was designed for the right width rim and it's your only connection with the road. Some of the new model Harleys are going back to narrower rear tyres so they handle better.
A problem that not many people notice, is that to fit a wider rear tyre Harley just put a wider rim on, but left the belt drive system the same. This means that the rear wheel now sits over to the right in the swingarm to clear the belt, instead of moving the drive cogs and belt out to the left to keep the wheel on the bikes centreline. To keep the front wheel in line with a wide rear, Harley just moves the front wheel to the right to compensate. The belt drive pulleys have to be straight and need to be kept parellel to the bikes centreline. If they did not move the front wheel over the two wheels would be running on different centrelines as well as rear being to the right of the bikes centreline. It can be seen without needing a tape measure by having a look at the front end of a wide rear wheel Harley like a Rocker. The Rocker front wheel is much closer to the right fork leg than the left one. This is to keep the wheels in line and run a 240 mm rear tyre. On some Harleys the rear wheel being off the centreline can be seen when following them in traffic.
Think the shift starts at about a 150 or 160 mm wide rear tyre. On a good handling Dyna like a Fatbob, the front wheel does not fit the same if swapped around 180 degrees. The mounting struts on some late model Harleys front fenders will rub the tyre if the fender is swapped around 180 degrees because they are made asymetrically. Many Harley front rims are asymetric (not the same each side of the centreline of the wheel rim). The mounting lugs on the left and right fork sliders for the mudguards are often different so that the shift is not so obvious. Everything is shifted a bit, fender mounting points, fender struts, axle spacers (ever wondered why the spacers are often different sizes on the left and right hand sides on the front axle), rim in relation to the hub. With no big single changes to decieve the eye and it works. Most people do not even notice. Probably why there are not many narrow glide front ends on wide rear tyre Harleys. The front wheel would be noticably close to the right fork tube to keep the wheels on the same centre line. The forces acting on your bike from the road when leaned over with a wider rear tyre are further out to the side and even further away from your bikes centreline. The centreline which is what the suspension pivots around, With an overly wide tyre handling suffers even without both wheels sitting out to the right hand side of the bikes centreline. Don't believe me, watch a 300 mm wide rear tyre Harley going at walking speed around a corner. Ever wondered why guys with a Roadking prefer to ride it if they have a couple of Harleys.
Another bit of useless information.
Wide Glide front end showing the fender mounts. F ing amazing how many people who have been riding Harleys for years have never noticed.
The street bob front rim I measured was symetrical (same both sides) but the Fatbob front rim wasn't, picture below of Fatbob front wheel with a spirit level as a straight edge, clamped to the brake disc, showing the offset. 13 mm one side, 20 mm the other. Swapping the rim around 180 degrees, the brake discs still fit the same, but the tyre is 14mm to the left of where it used to be.
L
