Q: What tires should I get??
A: This post is not designed to answer this question but rather give you information so that you can make your own informed decision. Here are some things you probably need to consider:
- how you will use the tires (racing/trackdays, canyon carving, casual/commuting, etc) Aggressive riding for the track will require tires that are usually a fairly soft compound with good stick and short warm-up times. Casual riding around town and commuting tires don't need the performance that track tires offer and can usually yield more mileage. The tradeoff for higher mileage tires (usually a harder compound) is that you sacrifice traction and performance.
- tire profile (rounded vs triangular) Triangular profile tires (e.g. Michelen Pilot Race) will get the bike into full lean a little quicker. This may take some getting used to.
- tire size Not all models of a particular tire come all sizes. For example, Metzeler new race tire, Racetec, isn't listed at 160/60/17. So F2 and F3 owners are out of luck. :(
- price The higher the performance of the tire usually brings in a larger price tag.
here is a list of the more popular tire manufacturers and their product lines:
Bridgestone (product line)
Dunlop (product line)
Metzeler (product line)
Michelin(product line)
Pirelli (product line)
Also, this question comes up so often on the board. If you're looking for opinions, I suggest you do a search. Some of your fellow board members have even done informal reviews on particular models. Good luck in choosing a tire!
Q: What are the stock tire sizes for my bike?
A: Stock tire sizes are as follows:
BIKE FRONT REAR
87 - 90 600 F 110/80/17 130/80/17
91 - 98 600 F2/F3 120/60/17 160/60/17
99 - 05 600 F4/F4i/RR 120/70/17 180/55/17
93 - 99 900 RR 130/70/16 180/55/17
00 - 05 929/954/1000 RR 120/70/17 190/50/17
87 - 88 1000 F 110/80/17 140/80/17
90 - 96 1000 F 120/70/17 170/60/17
97 - 03 1100 XX 120/70/17 180/55/17
Q: So what do those numbers on the tire mean?
A: Tires are designated as AAA/BBCDEE where
- AAA = tire width in mm
- BB = aspect ratio
- C = speed rating
- D = construction
- EE = wheel diameter in inches
So a tire designated as 190/50ZR17 has the following characteristics:
- 190 mm width
- 95 mm height (190 *.50)
- Z speed rating ( > 149mph)
- Radial construction
- 17 in rim
For more info on tire designations, here is an informative article by the AMA: clicky-clicky
Q: Can I put different sized tires on my bike?
A: Generally, it is recommended that you stay with the stock sizes. But there may be some leeway. For example, some liter bike riders opt for a 180 instead of the stock 190 so that the bike will respond quicker to steering input. Some riders will want to put bigger tires on their bike. Generally, this is not recommended. Tires have a recommended wheel size and most bikes are matched to that wheel size. So in many cases, you won't even get the wider tire to fit on the smaller rim (e.g. 180 on a 4.5" F2 rear rim). In some cases, you can get the wider tire to fit (e.g. 180 on an 5" F3 rear rim) but you will affect the handling of the bike. Here is an article that Sport Rider did on mounting wider tires on smaller rims (clicky-clicky).
Q: How long will tires last?
A: This is a difficult question to answer. It will depend on your tire selection, riding style, how and where you ride, etc.
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