Kat Rear Wheel Swap Tire Sizing Help

[TheDrunknmonky]

I'm very soon going to be doing a rear wheel swap on my 06 500F.  I did some digging and have read that anything from a 150 to 170 tire will fit on the rear, but that some brands 160/170 don't fit right.  With the price of tires I don't want to have to deal with getting the wrong one.  I would like to go as wide as possible as I tend to corner hard and want the surface area.  Brand and size recommendations would be greatly appreciated    


Eying the Metzeler Sportec M3 Supersport 160/60ZR17's.. price is affordable and from what i can tell, they fit.

[gsf500RR]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=32287.0

[joshr08]

depending on your mechanical abillitys and ability to fabricate i dont recommend anything over a 150 for most people.

[jeremy_nash]

as a runner of a 160, I agree with josh.  If I hadnt had access to a hydraulic press and acetylene torch, It would'v been alot more difficult to bend the brake torque arm

[gsJack]

I bent my brake torque arm with a BFH (40 oz hammer) and it was quick and easy to do, I don't even have electricity in my garage.   I remember the first poster here to put a Kat 4.5" rim on a few years ago used a 160/60 M-1 tire that was narrower than others and got just enough chain to tire clearance by putting washers behind the sprocket.  Next one to try it bought a wider brand 160/60 tire and it was a big problem.

Remember the 98 and later Kats with the 4.5" wheel came with a 150/70 rear tire on it and that is the commonly recommended replacement size in the fitment guides.  Sized for a 4.0" rim the average 150/70 would be about 155 mm wide on a 4.5" rim and would give better chain clearance on a GS as it does on the Kats.

[drincruz]

agreed with all said comments.

i ride a 160 and you really need to get the perfect alignment for the tire not to rub on anything. i bought a gsxr (98 i think?) brake torque arm which is made of aluminum. and MUCH easier to bend than the stock steel gs brake arm.

i'd say go with a 150 if you're not willing to put in the work. g'luck!

cheers,
~drin

[O.C.D.]

Why not just keep a 150 on your stock rim then?!  Seems to me that if you are going through the effort both work wise and $ wise you would try a 160?!  Spending $300 +/- on a swap to put a 150 on there is a waste if you can run a 150 as is?!

The days of tinkering for a lot of people is non-existent.  Hell, I remember modding my first car before the internet - you had yourself and a couple pictures in a magazine to learn from.

My rant is over, but I say if you are wanting to do a rear wheel swap and it has been confirmed that a 160 will fit, then fit the damn tire.