How Much of Those 160 Tyres Do We Need?

[Pterodactyl_imp]

On a number of the tyre threads on the forum there has been some speculation as to the suitability of 160 rear tyres as compared to the OEM 140. I've recently fitted Pirelli Angel GTs, a 160 tyre, to my '10 model CB. They are well and truly scrubbed in now and, I have to say, they work well. The Ferret made a comment in a recent tyre thread saying that with some good lean on the bike there is still unused rubber on the 160 size PR3s he has fitted. Up until reading that I hadn't really thought about it so, with the new Pirellis fitted, I took the photographs below after a spirited ride through the Snowy Mountains National Park. The Ferret I believe is correct.

The tyres.

The pegs.

So, after looking at the above I would say that the 160 is pretty well suited to this bike. When the pegs are touching, and wearing a little, the tyre is used all the way to the treaded portion with some un-treaded still untouched. Still some rubber to use if you really need it. But what goes down after the pegs? I don't really want to find out. I'd be interested in seeing how that compares with the standard 140 tyres.
Any photos available?
Cheers

 

[the Ferret]

I was able to run my 140 right to the edge and peel the edge rubber



my 160 looks just like yours. I haven't been able to get it to the edge yet, and don't think I will be able to.

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

I noticed this while doing my 600 mile. My standard 140's are used right to the edge. Was thinking about going up when I wear this one out. Any noticeable slow down in handling with the bigger tire?

 

[Django]

Because the 160 is squeezed into the small rim, it is more bent than the 140, for which the rim was made. That's why you cannot use up the chicken strip completely:

Even if you have mounted short feelers like me:

But than, this is best and most modern tire technology, you can get. Much better than the 140 Dunlops or BT54, developed long time ago.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Django those short pegs are interesting. When you go to those what is next to touch? The footrest pivots up and then maybe it's the brake/gear-shift pedal or the centre stand (in a left). Or maybe the bike goes down.

Cheers

 

[the Ferret]

Lol one of my first mods was to remove the feelers altogether on my 13 and my 14.

 

[kmoney_imp]

Lol one of my first mods was to remove the feelers altogether on my 13 and my 14.

Wanted to do this. With them off, does anything important touch down first?

 

[the Ferret]

Not for me. I imagine pegs would touch down first and fold up, then hard stuff you don't really want to drag.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Maybe Django can answer that. I like the standard pegs. They remind me of where I am .

Cheers

 

[Django]

When I noticed, that the original feelers scratch really early, I removed them completely, like the ferret. I also had read in a German motorcycle magazin test report, that without feelers, the pegs still come first, when leaning hard. However, then there is not much room left to other hard mounted parts.

Having removed the feelers, I noticed, the the aluminium footpegs fade away really fast. So I decided to install these short feelers from another Honda model.

Now with the short feelers, still the feelers come first, then the welding line of the lower end of the header at the right side, the side stand at the left side.

How much room is left depends a lot on your suspension setting. With a lot of weight on your bike and rather comfortable suspension, you would scratch much earlier.

For the track training session, I had front and rear set to the max.

On public roads I have very seldom road contact with the short feelers. However, it may happen if there is a bump in the road and the bike's springs compress a bit more while leaning.

That's also a good reason, not to overdo and have still some reserve on public roads.

 

[Django]

Made some pictures today:

Still a chicken strip at my T30 160/60:

So, because of the bend of a 160 in a 140 rim, you can't run it to the etch with this bike, like a 140/70:

 

[Cormanus]

Gives rise to an interesting question of motorcycle philosophy, really. Namely, is it more important to have a good tyre that's a delight to ride on but means you have to have chicken strips; or to have no chicken strips and a lesser tyre. Discuss.

 

[Django]

Cormanus, that's the root of the matter, exactly. And really a dilemma...

 

[kmoney_imp]

Time for a chain cleaning there methinks.

 

[CIP57_imp]

Gives rise to an interesting question of motorcycle philosophy, really. Namely, is it more important to have a good tyre that's a delight to ride on but means you have to have chicken strips; or to have no chicken strips and a lesser tyre. Discuss.

The stock tires are hard as a rock, to get any kind of tack to them would require sitting on your front brake and spinning up the tire from side to side. I would much rather have a softer tire which by the way (Michelin's) have much better feedback. Let the chicken strips show