I was wondering how much bigger of a tire I could buy until it hits the frame or screws up with the handling for a 2006 GS500F. Also with the front tire as well. Thanks guys!

140 ok
150 maybe
160+ need to make mods

keep the front stock size...

and for the rear 140 is good and at ~150 the tire hits the chain (or so i heard)

Quote from: telle33 on January 10, 2009, 04:10:44 PM
I was wondering how much bigger of a tire I could buy until it hits the frame or screws up with the handling for a 2006 GS500F. Also with the front tire as well. Thanks guys!

I wouldn't go any bigger than this:

I love my 160. But requires Kat wheel, bent brake arm, and space out sprocket a bit.
A lot of people will say it's overkill, I mostly just like how it makes the bike look a little less anemic.

For a 150 the brake torque rod might need to be bent for some, others will clear w/o bending.  Very easy to bend and then bike will take all brand 150 tires.  No problem on other side, the 150s will clear the chain and guard.  I liked my bikes handling best when I had a 110/80 Lasertec front with a 150/70 RoadAttack st radial rear.

I have a 140 70 17 bt45 on mine, fit perfectly, and looks alot better than the stock pizza cutter rear tire

Quote from: jeremy_nash on January 11, 2009, 12:38:30 AM

I have a 140 70 17 bt45 on mine, fit perfectly, and looks alot better than the stock pizza cutter rear tire

thanks for the info.
i need new rubber for my GS this summer and will get stock front and 140 back.

150 does not hit the chain, only the brake rail, you just need to whack it out a bit off the bike and it'll fit back in no problem.

Dan

Ok, one thing I forgot to ask is if I will have to buy a new rim or if the new tire will fit over the old one?

My 150 fits the stock rim and doesnt nit the brake are or anything else.

The 150/60 M-1 is 143 mm wide on a 4.0" wheel or about 138 mm wide on a 3.5" rim or about the same width as my 140/70 Roadrider.  The new 150/60 M-3 is 149 mm wide on a 4.0 rim.  Widest 150 I can think of is the Avon Storm 150/70 which is 156 mm wide on a 4.0 rim.  That's a range of 143-156 mm or over 1/2" difference in width for 150 tires and why some fit w/o touching the brake rod and some hit it and require bending the rod.

in this picture i had a 170/50-17 Conti attack . it was mounted on a bandit 400 wheel. which i took off befor i sold my GS today.

as big as you want.
as seen by the pic above of a 170
a 190 will fit and be even more pinched on the rim
look at the last inch on the outside tread....never gunna see the road unless you are crashing

but everybody is doing it so it must be ok
and it looks kewl
tarded..... but kewl

from a practical standpoint, where you actually wear out the whole tire real world or at least USE all of it, not just most of it,  a 140 is the widest on a 3.5" rim,  4.0 you could go to a 150,  160 on a 4.5" possibly 170 on that width, but I'm not totally certain.   

But my point is, stick with what was designed to fit that width rim.   you dont put a 160 on a 3.5" rim and expect it not to be pinched/rolling over the sides or give you a stable cornering experience because it wont.   

my 140 70 17 battleax is on the stock rim

Can you fit the 150/70 roadattack tire on the stock rim or do you need to get a kat rim?

I ran my 150/70 RoadAttack on a stock 3.5" rim for about 10k miles, best handling rear I've tried so far.  There are better wearing tires.



Tire was close to the brake rod, best to bend it a bit, I did.

I run a 140/70 on the stock rim, don't want to go any larger or any smaller, perfect size and almost all the tread sees the road

is it easy to bend the brake rod and also is it safe to do it?