Topic: Who has a 16 inch rim? I am having trouble getting a tire.

[cleveland]

I had a 16x3 rim laced to my 550 hub.  Problem is that the guys at the local shop don't know what size tire to sell me.  They said we could guess until we get it right, but I would have to pay for each tire.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks guys.

[754]

should be about a 120 or 130/16..

should be lots of selection at a shop that saells v-twin parts, but that may be on the skinny end..

[rbmgf7]

I had a 16x3 rim laced to my 550 hub.  Problem is that the guys at the local shop don't know what size tire to sell me.  They said we could guess until we get it right, but I would have to pay for each tire.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks guys.

well, the guys at your local shop shouldn't be in business if they can't find you a tire to fit your rim. any harley or v-twin style bike shop should find you some rubber for that size rim

reminds me of my local yamaha/honda shop when i brought my engine in to have it quoted on having a rivet style cam chain installed. they kept telling me they would have to disassemble the entire engine down to the crank. hello?! it's a RIVETED link and chain. i just need someone with a cam chain riveter. "oh, our chain riveters are too big. we use them on our drive chains..." no sh!t sherlock!

[mrbreeze]

A 16 inch rim should be able to host a tire bigger than a 130....I know there are some of you out there...who has the widest tire on a 750??

[Tower]

Although a 3" rim should be able to take up to 150/90-16, if you haven't modified the swingarm to fit wider tyres, you're still constrained by that component. I.e you won't be able to safely go wider than 130/90-16 (5.2")  The next size up, 140/90-16 is over 5.5" and would possibly scrape the swingarm. 

Measure the distance across your swingarm at a spot about 3 1/2" ahead of the rim to confirm the max tyre width that could fit.

Metzler 130/90 - 16 M/C 67V TLLASERTEC would be a good choice

[martino1972]

Although a 3" rim should be able to take up to 150/90-16, if you haven't modified the swingarm to fit wider tyres, you're still constrained by that component. I.e you won't be able to safely go wider than 130/90-16 (5.2")  The next size up, 140/90-16 is over 5.5" and would possibly scrape the swingarm. 

Measure the distance across your swingarm at a spot about 3 1/2" ahead of the rim to confirm the max tyre width that could fit.

Metzler 130/90 - 16 M/C 67V TLLASERTEC would be a good choice

+1 on that..
i got a 130 on my 650 and i couldnt go any wider or it will hit the chain and swing arm

[paulages]

if you have a harley rim, the most common size is 3.5" X 16". a 130/90/16 will fit perfectly on that. i run a pirelli in that size and love it.

[cleveland]

if you have a harley rim, the most common size is 3.5" X 16". a 130/90/16 will fit perfectly on that. i run a pirelli in that size and love it.

It's definitely 3" wide.  I had hoped yours was too so I could just get whatever tire you went with. 

You know your the first person I saw with a 16 inch rim on their 550 and ever since I had to have one.   

Although a 3" rim should be able to take up to 150/90-16, if you haven't modified the swingarm to fit wider tyres, you're still constrained by that component. I.e you won't be able to safely go wider than 130/90-16 (5.2")  The next size up, 140/90-16 is over 5.5" and would possibly scrape the swingarm. 

Measure the distance across your swingarm at a spot about 3 1/2" ahead of the rim to confirm the max tyre width that could fit.

I'll check it out.

[paulages]

if you have a harley rim, the most common size is 3.5" X 16". a 130/90/16 will fit perfectly on that. i run a pirelli in that size and love it.

It's definitely 3" wide.  I had hoped yours was too so I could just get whatever tire you went with. 

You know your the first person I saw with a 16 inch rim on their 550 and ever since I had to have one.   

Although a 3" rim should be able to take up to 150/90-16, if you haven't modified the swingarm to fit wider tyres, you're still constrained by that component. I.e you won't be able to safely go wider than 130/90-16 (5.2")  The next size up, 140/90-16 is over 5.5" and would possibly scrape the swingarm. 

Measure the distance across your swingarm at a spot about 3 1/2" ahead of the rim to confirm the max tyre width that could fit.

I'll check it out.

i could be remembering wrong and mine's a 3". i'll check tomorrow. funny you say that though- i've always wanted to go back up to a 17". i figured i'd wait until this tire wears out at least.

[gkw120649]

I have a 140/90/16 Dunlop D404 on my 77 750K It just clears.  I think I'll get a longer chain so I can move the rim to the rear more where the swingarm gets wider.

[Tower]

If you're going to replace both tyres, then Pirelli's are a great looking modern tyre, albeit a little pricey, specifically the combo of:

Front: Pirelli MT 66 Route 90/90-19 52H TL -or-
                                       100/90-19 57H TL
Rear: Pirelli MT 66 Route 130/90-16 73H Reinf TL

[ProTeal55]

I ran a 120/16 on my old CB750 and didnt have any more room in the swingarm.

[cleveland]

funny you say that though- i've always wanted to go back up to a 17". i figured i'd wait until this tire wears out at least.

Why do you want to change it?

[paulages]

funny you say that though- i've always wanted to go back up to a 17". i figured i'd wait until this tire wears out at least.

Why do you want to change it?

it didn't really effect the geometry all that much (the rear tire is 1/4" smaller in diameter, which was easily remedied by lowering the front through the triple trees), but sometimes i look at it and think that the tire sizes from the period just look better. if you ask around, most vintage racers will tell you that matching sizes even from front to rear will handle better. i'm sure the matching profile is the most important part. make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

[cleveland]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

What is "aspect ratio?" 

[jtb]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

What is "aspect ratio?" 

That is the result of dividing the front aspect by the rear aspect.






 

[cleveland]

Oh yea, that helps. 

[ekim98]

I've got a 5-1/8" = 130x16" tire on my 78 750k and could go 5-7/8" = 150x16" with no problem with the swing arm. My rim appears to be 3-1/8" wide at the inside - it's 3-7/16" approx. on the outside.

[MCRider]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

What is "aspect ratio?" 

That is the result of dividing the front aspect by the rear aspect.








 

I'm not quite sure that is what is meant.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/tire2.htm

Per tire, the aspect ratio is the ratio of the height to the width. In a 130/90, the "90" means the sidewall is 90% of the width. A slash 80 means the sidewall is 80% of the width, etc.

So if you have a slash 90 on the front, the poster is saying you want a slash 90 on the rear.

I don't know that is  an absolute either, especially if the diameters are so different anyway, but it couldn't hurt. If both were 18s for example, I think it could be beneficial to stick with the same AR.

Someone chime in if I'm wrong here.

[cleveland]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

What is "aspect ratio?" 

That is the result of dividing the front aspect by the rear aspect.








 

I'm not quite sure that is what is meant.

It's a math joke. 

[mrbreeze]

There were a couple of posters here talking about 77-78 750's. I think they will take a bigger tire because they have wider swing arms than the 76 & earlier. They also have the bigger 630 chains.

[cleveland]

There were a couple of posters here talking about 77-78 750's. I think they will take a bigger tire because they have wider swing arms than the 76 & earlier. They also have the bigger 630 chains.

Not to mention I have a 1974 CB550.   

[MCRider]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

What is "aspect ratio?" 

That is the result of dividing the front aspect by the rear aspect.








 

I'm not quite sure that is what is meant.

It's a math joke. 

You know, after I read and wrote, I got to thinking maybe I was missing something. So I still don't get the joke (not too good at math) but I did catch the humor. 

[MCRider]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

That may be good idea in certain applications, but I was wondering if its an absolute. I remembered just now on my 1988 Honda NT650 Hawk, the stock from Honda front is a 100/80x17 and the rear is a 150/70x17. So the AR doesn't have to match front to rear.

In replacement tires, I've never run matching ARs on this bike. Currently has a slash 70 on the front and a slash 60 on the rear (track tires).

[MCRider]

make sure whatever you get has the same aspect ratio that the front does.

That may be good idea in certain applications, but I was wondering if its an absolute. I remembered just now on my 1988 Honda NT650 Hawk, the stock from Honda front is a 100/80x17 and the rear is a 150/70x17. So the AR doesn't have to match front to rear.

In replacement tires, I've never run matching ARs on this bike. Currently has a slash 70 on the front and a slash 60 on the rear (track tires).

Now to return this thread to its owner, I've never been a fan of the slah 90 x16 as its simply too much meat (unsprung weight) for the suspension and for a function before form approach.  Howeever to the extent this is a "looks" driven issue, I think a slash 70x16 would look really cool with a slash 80 or less on the front.

Keep in mind your stand lengths if you deviate from the slash 90 in the rear.