Topic: Tire to wheel fitment

[Radski]

hey all,

i'm looking to put some Heidenau K34's on my bike and I've run into this question.

my front rim is a 1.60x18. the manufacture's suggestion is 1.85-2.50 wide rims for 3.25 & 3.5" tires.

Can I run them? Is that dangerous? what exactly am I looking at here?

[PeWe]

The tire will get wrong angle and behave different, probably worse.
Most important is correct size, brand comes next.
Look for a 3.0 or 2.75 -18 tire
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/tire_rim.htm&ved=2ahUKEwjn56qO897lAhXKR5oKHahiBqMQFjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw0MDG29KXG1G0Gk9FU-UW09&cshid=1573363384264

[Radski]

The tire will get wrong angle and behave different, probably worse.
Most important is correct size, brand comes next.
Look for a 3.0 or 2.75 -18 tire
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/tire_rim.htm&ved=2ahUKEwjn56qO897lAhXKR5oKHahiBqMQFjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw0MDG29KXG1G0Gk9FU-UW09&cshid=1573363384264

yeah they have a 3" I'll have to go with unless I get a bigger rim. Want to go for a slightly bigger tire look than stock

[PeWe]

When I was younger in the early 80's we all wanted as wide tire as possible.
I had 3.50-19 front, 130/80-18 rear on CB750 stock rims.

Only for look not for handling. I remembered that Conti K112 was a dangerius rear tire that suddenly lost it all.

During the bike's revival the last years I've learnt that stock sizes work best on stock rims. My last Heidenau K36 4.0-18 gave most with kept handling. A little bit more than 5000km.
The Dunlop Street Smart lasted less, max 4500km, really bad handling in corners min 500 km before that since it flattened out more than the later Heidenau.

I tried Street Smart 120/90-18 before that which became even flatter and bad handling at around 3500km.
Bike had even less power then, 80-83 whp.
The last 2,5 tires got harder life with more power.

It will get slimmer 3.25 front. Now 100/90-19 that I mounted with the fatter 120/90-18 rear a few years ago.
3.25-19 and 4.0-18 work better with my bike's stock rims. 1.85-19 and 2.15-18