Topic: CB350F; Largest tire size front and rear?

[tortelvis]

Nearing dry build of my CB350F and trying to source tires. Most everything now listed in metric, soooooo...what are the largest metric sizes I can fit front and rear? I can't get search feature to work and tired of scrolling thorugh various threads trying to find this info. Thanks.

[flybox1]

Stock pizza cutter size is 90/90-18F and 100/90-18R

[TwoTired]

Stock rims?  If so, about 1 size larger than stock.  3.00x18 F and 3.50-18 R is stock.

If you insist on a metric conversion, beware that the stock tires were 95%-100% aspect ratio, which you won't find in a metric tire.

If you like truck like handling, then put on the widest, heaviest, tire that you can stick on those narrow rims.  They'll be fine for the first 1000 miles.  Then be prepared to wrestle when the center portion of the tread wears flat.

Cheers,

[tortelvis]

Stock rims?  If so, about 1 size larger than stock.  3.00x18 F and 3.50-18 R is stock.

If you insist on a metric conversion, beware that the stock tires were 95%-100% aspect ratio, which you won't find in a metric tire.

If you like truck like handling, then put on the widest, heaviest, tire that you can stick on those narrow rims.  They'll be fine for the first 1000 miles.  Then be prepared to wrestle when the center portion of the tread wears flat.

Cheers,

Trying to find ANY tires to fit is not proving easy and most are listed in metric size only. The OEMs are N/A from Honda.

[flybox1]

you have TONS of choices of tires available in correct sizes to fit stock 350F rims....
Avon
IRC
Cheng Shin
Duro
Bridgestone
Continental
Kenda
Metzler
Michelin....

http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/index.php


if you are looking for stock-look tires, the IRC NR21 is a good choice.
if you want street.  avon am26 roadriders in metric 90/90 and 100/90-18's

[cavi]

saying that going with a larger tire will make it handle like a truck is not really correct, it really is going to depend alot on how you ride, I mainly do canyoun riding so I use the sides alot, so a flat wear pattern is not an issue, if all you do if flat freeway riding you might wear a flatter spot, but you would also do this in a skinny tire.  Second, a flatter wear pattern will be way more sinnificant if it is in the front.

[flybox1]

stick as close to stock as possible. if Honda thought the bike would handle better with fatter tires, they'd have put them on 

[TwoTired]

saying that going with a larger tire will make it handle like a truck is not really correct, it really is going to depend alot on how you ride, I mainly do canyoun riding so I use the sides alot, so a flat wear pattern is not an issue, if all you do if flat freeway riding you might wear a flatter spot, but you would also do this in a skinny tire.  Second, a flatter wear pattern will be way more sinnificant if it is in the front.

How many miles on those "fatter" tires, so far?   Fat tires on skinny rims increase the sidewall mount angle, and this loses sidewall integrity.  To compensate, the normal response to combat the "squirminess" is to increase tire pressure.  This helps to stiffen the sidewall but also pushes the center tread crown into the road and increases wear there.
As I said, while the tires are new and the tread crown radius is near new contour, the handling is acceptable if you don't mind the increased weight.  In time, the tread center will still wear faster, and I simply don't believe you can lean over far enough to to use all the round over tread.

With the proper size tires on the skinny rims, the wear pattern stays pretty even until all the tread is gone.

Bragging about canyon carving is more about bravado than actual science and real life, imo.

And believe me, a "squared off" rear tire effects handling as bad as a squared off front.  BTDT.

[rboe]

I've gone down the bigger tire road more than once. This time around I went with IRC's in the stock size for a couple or three reasons.

1) The IRC's I picked mimic the stock tread pattern so they will look right on the bike.
2) Stock tires with  a small radius to the profile will turn in faster than fatter tires with a more shallow profile.
3) Price was decent without being cheap.

This last bit was hammered home on my Quota when I replaced the front tire with a dual sport tire that was the correct size but had less of a sausage look; the bike was just not as flickable as before. Match that with a fat rear tire and your bike will not handle the twisty bits as easily as with stockers.

If we wanted vaunted canyon racers we'd go for a well used more modern bike; have an easier time finding parts, better performance and with more reliable ignitions (points are just not that reliable compared to solid state). We have a classic bike that at best will handle a bit better than when new (better tires I'm assuming). Take riders of the same skill level, they'll be able to trash a modern bike through the turns much better than our old iron. But we'll have as much fun and look better doing it.

Long winded way of saying we have to keep in mind just what sort of bike we are dealing with here. Their level of State of the Art is a ways back there.

[tortelvis]

saying that going with a larger tire will make it handle like a truck is not really correct, it really is going to depend alot on how you ride, I mainly do canyoun riding so I use the sides alot, so a flat wear pattern is not an issue, if all you do if flat freeway riding you might wear a flatter spot, but you would also do this in a skinny tire.  Second, a flatter wear pattern will be way more sinnificant if it is in the front.

I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains so it's gonna be a mountain road scratcher!

[flybox1]

avon roadriders 
90/90-18F and 100/90-18R

[ADW]

Trying to find ANY tires to fit is not proving easy and most are listed in metric size only. The OEMs are N/A from Honda.
[/quote]

IRC GS-11s come in the stock size of 3.00x18 and 3.50x18, are relatively inexpensive, and have a vintage tread pattern to boot. In addition to being good grippy tires. I have them on my 350F.