Another Tire Question

[gstwizzle]

How unsafe is it to run a 150/80/17 tire on the gs rim.?  How much performance is actually taken away.  Not really looking to add another expense like changing the rim or swing arm right now.

[gsJack]

What 150/80/17 tire?  Our 3.5" rear rim should be the preferred fit for that size tire but I can't think of a rear tire in that size offhand, there are some 150/80/17 cruiser front tires.

[gstwizzle]

I'm not sure exactly I pulled the numbers from an old thread.  How about what is the biggest tire you could put on a gs rim.  Safely

[gsJack]

A 150/70/17 works for me, I ran a 150/70/17 Lasertec for 10k miles last year and am running a 150/70/17 RoadAttack rear now.  Both are approved fitments on our 3.5" rims.

Many run the 150/60/17 supersport tires on the GS500 and Ninja 500 bikes on their standard 3.5" rear rims.  Not approved fitments.

That's as wide as you should go on the standard rim for our type bikes.

My current rear tire:

[werase643]

listen to Jack!!!!!!!

[TragicImage]

I ran the Road Attacks as well, but now that I've switched back to Sport Demons, I kinda like them better.

[gstwizzle]

cool thanks

[facepants]

A 150/70/17 works for me, I ran a 150/70/17 Lasertec for 10k miles last year and am running a 150/70/17 RoadAttack rear now.  Both are approved fitments on our 3.5" rims.

Many run the 150/60/17 supersport tires on the GS500 and Ninja 500 bikes on their standard 3.5" rear rims.  Not approved fitments.

That's as wide as you should go on the standard rim for our type bikes.

My current rear tire:

You don't get any pinching or weird profile with that 150 tire on the stock rim?

[gsJack]

The 150/70 tire has a slightly more rounded shape on a 3.5 rim than it does on the preferred 4.0 rim but it's still a good fit.  Makes it harder to get to the edges but I like having a bit of tire left at the edges.

The 150/70 on the 3.5 is a generally approved fitment by some tire makers and not others, but it shows up in their fitment charts as a recommended fitment.  For the Katanas with a 3.5 wheel Metzeler suggests their 150/70 Z6 and Avon also suggests their 150/70 Storm tire for the VX800 with a 3.5 wheel.

Conti used to show the 150/70 on 3.5  fitment for their Contiforce tire but didn't show it as an approved fitment on the RoadAttack so I questioned them on it:

Dear John,
Our head technician in Germany confirmed that you will be OK to run a 150/70ZR17 in either ContiForce or Road Attack on your 3.5" rim.  I have attached some detailed information on the Road Attack for your review.


Safe Riding & Best Regards,
Greg Reich
Continental Tire North America, Inc.
Sales Manager/Motorcycle Tires
-------------------------


Your inquiry / Anfrage:
Your previous guides listed a 3.5" rim as suitable for your 150/70/17 ContiForce tire. Since the RoadAttack came out you show a 4.0" minimum rim width for both the ContiForce and RoadAttack tires in the 150/70/17 size.

I'm interested in trying the RoadAttack and wonder if it is a less suitable fitment than the Contiforce was on the 3.5" rim.  A number of tire makers approve this fitment like the Z6, Diablo Strada, and BT020 for example.  I'm running a 150/70/17 Lasertec now and am quite satisfied with the performance but would like to get the longer tire life I previously got from Metzler and Avon sport touring radials.

My local tire supplier has the RoadAttacks at a favorable price and I have been seeing very good reviews on them.  Would much appreciate your views on this fitment.

Thank you,
John Paul