Topic: CB500 stock tire size

[YogiBear]

On my CB500 Four, the front tire reads something like 3.50X2.50x19. not exact measurements, but you get the idea of how its size is spelled out. The tires on the bike, needless to say, are really old and cracked. I have a front tire (a kenda challenger: 100/90/19) that is in nice shape and im wondering what the original size tire is for the front wheel? I plan on using challengers on front and back eventually. does anybody know what the stock size is for the front wheel in the (example: 100/90-19) measurement style? Thanks. (Hope that makes sense)

[Gorms]

Stock I think (key word) were 3.25 front, 3.75 rear.  Closest thing you can easily find nowadays are 3.25 and 4.00 which fit fine.  If you have to use metric sizes I think 90 front and 100/110 rears are closest.  BTW did you search?  There are plenty of topics on tire sizes.

[TwoTired]

From the owner's manual the stock tire sizes are 3.25 - 19 front and 3.50 - 18 rear.

The 3.50 is hard to find.  But, the 4.00 rear can be ordered. (as well as the 3.25 front).  They still work well on the stock rims.

Dealers don't stock the old sizes because of low turn over.  They will also try to sell you what they have in stock, which is usually metric and doesn't work quite as well as the stock inch sizes.  Further way oversize tires won't fit onto the narrow rim width of the stock rims.   So, wide metric tires will wear unevenly, making the handling worse as time goes on. (You won't notice this when the metric tires are new.)

I experimented with metrics and over-sizes for many years on the 550, only to find the stock sizes simply work the best on the stock rims and the 70's technology frame geometry.

[MoTo-BunnY]

From the owner's manual the stock tire sizes are 3.25 - 19 front and 3.50 - 18 rear.

The 3.50 is hard to find.  But, the 4.00 rear can be ordered. (as well as the 3.25 front).  They still work well on the stock rims.

Dealers don't stock the old sizes because of low turn over.  They will also try to sell you what they have in stock, which is usually metric and doesn't work quite as well as the stock inch sizes.  Further way oversize tires won't fit onto the narrow rim width of the stock rims.   So, wide metric tires will wear unevenly, making the handling worse as time goes on. (You won't notice this when the metric tires are new.)

I experimented with metrics and over-sizes for many years on the 550, only to find the stock sizes simply work the best on the stock rims and the 70's technology frame geometry.

Soooo, why on an otherwise fully metric bike, were the tire sizes in inches, then? Was it just a US market thing? If so, didn't Honda ever state the equivalent metric sizes? Did all the the metric countries (basically the rest of the world except for Liberia. . .lol) have to find inch tires for the proper fit?

sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm just curious. .  . .

[TwoTired]

The SOHC4 was invading the Brit bike marketplace with its traditionally inch size tires.
I don't recall metric motorcycle tires being available in the 70's (in the US).
The US auto industry didn't start putting metric tires on new cars until 1977-78.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t6MSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DPkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6878,567728&dq=metric+conversion+timeline+tires

The 80's is when the metric tire became the rage (norm) for motorcycles.  Coincidentally the rims got wider, too (along with the tires).

Honda had to make the motorcycle components fit the tires available at the time of manufacture.  Time passes...
They were still far better than metal hoops used with horse drawn wagons. 

[YogiBear]

well......I guess I will have to find some standard sized tires then. oh well, I thought I could use that tire I had laying around but, no big deal. Thanks for the fast replys.

[Kevin400F]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with using proper metric size tires on a CB500.  When you start checking in the marketplace, you'll find about 10 metric size tire choices for every 1 or 2 traditional "inch" size tire.  Some manufacturers offer both, which is great for a CB500 since a 90/90-19 is just a wee bit small while most folks consider 100/90-19 to be too large.  Check out AM26 Roadriders.  Use a 3.25-19 front and a 110/90-18 rear.