Just curious does anyone know if its possible to put wider tires..( avons?) On a 76 550 stock rear wheel??
Are you looking to change for eye candy reasons, or do you actually want to improve handling and cornering grip?
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well my thought is on looks... I did use a 190 on track gixer from the usual 180 and felt no difference. Wondering what the deal is with the older 76 is. So yea either is fine looks and or grip. I'm not sure how my 550 will handle in some casual aggresive corners yet. Not sure I will enjoy riding it hard in a corner... I will take my time first and see how she handles in casual riding and slowly work my way up on it learning the bikes good side.
The stock rear wheel is only 1.85 inches wide where the tire seats. This makes even a 120 width tire, too wide for the rim. A 4.00 tire will work well and give very good neutral handling (ride and turn without hands on the bars) even after some wear has occurred.
Wider tires will roll and turn well when new. But, to get rid of the squirmy feel as the tread shifts sideways on the rim due to poor sidewall support, you will have to run high tire pressures to "artificially" strengthen the sidewall. This results in wearing out the center of the tread during normal use, or "squaring off" the tread section. Once this occurs, leaning over on the bike shifts the tread contact farther over with respect to the rim center, and you have to fight the bars in turns to keep it turning on your selected line. No more neutral handling unless it is parked. Of course then you can drool at the big fat tire on the back, ooo and ahh.
The bike will take a fatter tire along with a fatter rim, ok. But, no manufacturer will recommend operating with a 130 or larger tire on a 1.85 width rim. Salesmen will love to sell you more expensive and wider tires, even if they have to wedge them onto your bike. They won't explode, and they know you'll have a hard time proving liability if you have an accident with ill fitting tires.
At some width, the chain guard will have tire interference. I don't know what that is, as I am far more interested in a bike that corners well, instead of one that just looks good in pictures. I'm a function over form kind of guy.
Cheers,
