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Tire size - No, this isn't the same old thread again!

7K views 39 replies 15 participants last post by  Poseidon 
#1 ·
I'm about due for some new tires. I'm just looking for some opinions (everyone has them :D) and some insight from anyone who has ran multiple sizes.

I hate the OEM grey painted wheels. I'm planning on getting some aftermarket chrome wheels when I get my new tires and replace both at the same time. I've been researching tires and wheels here for the last week or so, trying to figure out what size I want to go with. I'm pretty sure I'll be going with a 160 front, but still not 100% on that yet. The rear is what has me up in the air the most. Let me start by saying I like to ride... a lot! I've had my bike for 16 weeks now. I only get to ride on weekends, and I've got 4529 miles on it. I like the look of the fat rear tires... Obviously, I bought a 9 after all! I'm not concerned with handling with the wide rear. I really doubt there is that much difference from a 240 to a 300 in that department. Probably some difference, but not enough to sway me one way or the other.

Now, my thought on going with the Swampworks Collaboration 300 rear kit: Looks great, I love the chrome and how the 300 looks on the 9. The cost is pretty steep, but after you subtract the cost of the severely over priced wheels, it isn't a bad deal for what you are getting. The only problem is that I have absolutely no intension of ever lowering my bike. The stock height is perfect for me. Also, I'm not dragging my pipes at all, and I'm only scraping the feelers when I want to. I'm just not sure how the 300 would look without the bike being lowered. I haven't found any pictures of one running a 300 at stock height, despite all my searches. Also, as much as I ride, I'm a little concerned about how many tires I'll go thru in a season. From the research I've done, there seems to only be 2 good tire choices, Avon and Metzler.

Before my research, I was almost certain I would go with a 10" rear wheel and run a 280 since I knew it would fit on the bike without modification. That was until I figured out that Metzler would be my one and only option for tires (other than the darkside - I have no intension of going there).

So, now I'm leaning toward stock size 8.5" wheel with a 260 or 250. Mainly because it gives me the option of trying several different manufacturer's tires if I don't like the first ones I decide to go with. Even if I burn thru tread, the 250's and 260's are more reasonably priced, and they would be a little easier to remove and replace.

Let me know if I'm way off base here, or if there is anything I've overlooked. Also, is there anyone averaging 250 - 300 miles per weekend with a 280 or 300 rear? I'd love to here your thought on the subject if there are. What about the 160 front tire? 3.5" or 4.25 front wheel with it? All input, advise, opinions, etc, are welcomed.

Thanks everyone!
 
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#2 ·
Buddy I went with Coastal Moto wheels and 260/160 Metz combo. That 260 Metz ia about an inch wider than the stock 240. 160 looks great on front. Only had to loosen fender and readjust for clearance. Coastal Moto had a special, wheels and tires mounted with balance beads and shipped for one low price. Quality of the wheels is outstanding. I've had them over a year and the chrome is holding up great. That's all I got for ya.
 
#4 ·
one thing to remember..... You go to wider chrome rims... bigger tires.. equals MORE expense replacing them... IE.. the 280 Metz..160 Metz ... then finding someone you trust to change tires without scratching your rims.. all adds up.. JUST AN FYI .. Go Coastal Moto in my book!! :bigthumbsup:
 
#18 ·
This combo throws off your rake and trail numbers, and you will feel that the front tire will have the tendancy to dive in much faster than the rear with a 280 tire mounted during turns, curves and leans. To keep the rake and trail numbers in tact you need to run a 130 front tire with a 240 to 260 rear tire on an 8.5" wheel, or run a 160 front on a 3.5 or 4.25 wheel with a 280 to 300 rear tire on a 10" wheel. I know this from actual experience with both set ups.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I have a 300 rear on a 10" rim and a 160 front on a 3.5".
The 300 does make a small handling difference. (Harder to lean) I would not put a 160 on a 3.5" wheel again.
I am going to change the front tire back to the stock size soon.
Good luck with your choice.

Why is it so hard to type on this forum. Keeps leaving letters out.
 
#12 ·
I'm currently running the Metz 260 on the rear and Metz 160 on the front.....on the factory rims. I really like the ride. I find that the 9 doesn't "follow" the grooves in the road as much as it did with the stock 130. I also like the 260 a lot better on the rear. They have given me the confidence to really "stick it" in the corners.....dragging pegs and even pipe! I know the Metz are a little more expensive, but I'll pay it!

Now with that being said, I'm currently looking to get new rims as well. Since I'll be dropping some serious coin on this, I will be going with the 10" rear w/ 280 Metz (looks and rides great!) and 4.25" front w/160 Metz (wider rim will better accommodate the 160!) I'll never go back to the 130 front....it made that much of a difference to me.

The only other tires I have run were stock Dunlops 240 and 130. Hope this helps ya bro!
 
#13 ·
Going with the set up below and never going back.

20 thousand on front and rear tire in one year. Saved 1000 $ this year alone. 8)
Handle grate if your a sporter.
 
#14 ·
Thanks for the info guys. I'm still wondering what the issue is with an 160 on a 3.5" wheel. I know it fits better on a 4.25", but it looked like it also fit the 3.5". On our skyline drive ride last Saturday, out of 7 bikes, there were only 2 of us running a 130. All 5 other bikes had a 160. Out of those 5, only 1 was on a 4.25". All 4 of the other were on a stock 3.5. To me, it looked like the 4.25 has a slightly flatter profile.

So with all that said, does the wheel width effect handling, ride, wear, or all of the above? The reason I was planning to get the 3.5" was to keep my options available if for some reason I decided I didn't like the 160.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Thanks for the info guys. I'm still wondering what the issue is with an 160 on a 3.5" wheel. I know it fits better on a 4.25", but it looked like it also fit the 3.5". On our skyline drive ride last Saturday, out of 7 bikes, there were only 2 of us running a 130. All 5 other bikes had a 160. Out of those 5, only 1 was on a 4.25". All 4 of the other were on a stock 3.5. To me, it looked like the 4.25 has a slightly flatter profile.

So with all that said, does the wheel width effect handling, ride, wear, or all of the above? The reason I was planning to get the 3.5" was to keep my options available if for some reason I decided I didn't like the 160.
There really is no issue with the 160 on the 3.5" rim IMO. I've been running it for approx. 3000 miles now and love it! That's the reason I'm going to a 4.25" rim when I buy mine......I'm never going back to a 130!:D

You could always get the 160 now, try it on your stock rim, and see how you like it before you buy the new rims....
 
#22 ·
Ok, I need some help here. I've narrowed it down to 2 size options.

160 on 3.5" and 260 on 8.5"

160 on 4.25 and 280 on 10"

The only thing I'm worried about is if I go with the 160/280 I'm locked into Metzler tires.

I've also narrowed it down to 2 styles of Coastal Moto rims

Chrome Legacy

Chrome Cyclone

I hate going into purchases like this completely blind. I really wish I could get some "good and bad" info on each from those of you that have ran the 160/250 or 260 on stock rims and moved on to 160/280 combo. Please let me know your thoughts on each if you have.

Thanks!
 
#23 ·
Ok, I need some help here. I've narrowed it down to 2 size options.

160 on 3.5" and 260 on 8.5"

160 on 4.25 and 280 on 10"

The only thing I'm worried about is if I go with the 160/280 I'm locked into Metzler tires.

I've also narrowed it down to 2 styles of Coastal Moto rims

Chrome Legacy

Chrome Cyclone

I hate going into purchases like this completely blind. I really wish I could get some "good and bad" info on each from those of you that have ran the 160/250 or 260 on stock rims and moved on to 160/280 combo. Please let me know your thoughts on each if you have.

Thanks!
Man this is a good thread. I getting ready to order mine also. And what you said about the rear tire 250,260 or 280. I want to be able to change brand anytime I get new tires. I dont want to be stuck with just Metz. Right now i'm running the dunnie 250 on mine I wonder how big of a difference is the 280? width wise?
Also, if anyone has a 21 inch front on there bike can you please post a picture. I have only seen 1 so far and it seem everything in front get all bunched up. Like if I hit a bump the Radiator is gonna hit the front fender.

But to answer your question I would do a 160/250. Not only because the 280 you can only use Metz but everyone saying when they put the 280 on they only have like a credit card worth of space between the wheel and frame!! that is crazy!!!
 
#25 ·
The bigger you go the more sluggish and heavier the bike gets. Also the more you feel the back tire. If you go fat in the back the more you should go stock.

Just remember. The bigger the front tire the more time it takes to go from one side of the tire to the other. In turn, it slow the action of the bike going from one side to the other.

The most important is your front tire. The back tire just follows the front.
 
#28 ·
Other than just looks, What are some advantages or disadvantages of running a 160 in the front?

So far, people have listed, or I've read elsewhere the following.

Advantages:
Smoother ride
Easier to hold the lean
Doesn't wonder in the road grooves
Shorter stopping distance

Disadvantages:
Cost
slower transitions from side to side in the "S" curves.
Need adapter to raise front fender (although, I know some have not had to do this)
Possible issues on wet roads due to running them backwards (I don't plan on riding in the rain much anyway)

Anything I'm missing?
 
#32 ·
Thanks Grumpy!

I've been researching this a lot today. Once I found the right combo of search terms, I found a lot more info posted here on the subject. I also found other tire options for the 160 front. That makes me feel a lot better about going with it. I hate the idea of getting locked into one manufacturer that I have never used before. It's great if you end up liking their tires, but if you don't, you're screwed!

I'm now 100% certain I am going to get the 4.25 front rim with a 160 tire. Still debating a little on the rear for the same reason as above. I'm really starting to lean more towards getting an 8.5" / 260 rear for three main reasons listed below in order of importance to me.

1) More tire options
2) Ease of removal / install
3) Better handling

I still love the look of the 280, but a 260 makes more sense to me. Still thinking on that a little tho. Hopefully, I'll make up my mind by Monday and place my order.

During my searches, I also found some pictures of the 2 styles of rims I like posted here. I'm definitely going with the Coastal Moto Legacy. I like the looks of them mounted on the 9 a lot better than the cyclones.
 
#33 ·
Just food for thought......I've been running the 260 Metz for about 3000 to 4000 miles as well as I had the 160 and 260 mounted at the same time and I love it. I would say I probably have another 2000 to 3000 miles of tread left on it and I ride mostly conservative, but sometimes aggressive.....gotta love the twisties! There are a few reasons I decided to go 280 for my new set. 1 - I think the 9 looks better with a fat @ss 2 - I think of it as getting back closer to the stock sizes for handling only instead of 240/130, I'll be going 280/160 3 - If I'm paying this much, I want to get the most bang for my buck!

I've read lots of threads here where guys have switched to, and are running, 280/160 and love it. I believe I will too as I really like my current 260/160 set up. I do also understand that this locks you into the Metz, but I can tell you they are excellent tires! You will be replacing them more frequently than others possibly but that's because they stick! I've never doubted mine....rain or shine! That's a decision you'll have to make for yourself brother....good luck!

BTW - The Legacy rims are gonna look awesome no matter what size you go with.....good choice bro!:bigthumbsup:
 

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#37 ·
This is an older thread. I guess I never came back to it to post an update.

When I called Coastal Moto, I was told it would be 5 weeks to get the rims I wanted. I didn't have 5 weeks worth of tread left on my stock tires and I didn't want to sacrifice the last few good weeks of the riding season. Also, since I had no experience with Metz tires, I bought a set of 160 / 260 to run on my stock rims. So far I have about 1500 miles on them and absolutely love them! Just waiting to see what kind of lifespan they have before I decide on rim size. I'll be going with the 4.25" front for sure. Not sure if I'll go with the 8.5" or 10" rear tho. Need a few more miles on the 260 first.

As for chroming the stock rims, I'm not crazy about the look. I really like the CM Legacy better. Either way, the grey painted rims have got to go! They bother me more than the beaver tail and derby cover combined! I don't know what Suzuki was thinking. Should have either chromed them or painted them black.
 
#38 ·
This is an older thread. I guess I never came back to it to post an update.

When I called Coastal Moto, I was told it would be 5 weeks to get the rims I wanted. I didn't have 5 weeks worth of tread left on my stock tires and I didn't want to sacrifice the last few good weeks of the riding season. Also, since I had no experience with Metz tires, I bought a set of 160 / 260 to run on my stock rims. So far I have about 1500 miles on them and absolutely love them! Just waiting to see what kind of lifespan they have before I decide on rim size. I'll be going with the 4.25" front for sure. Not sure if I'll go with the 8.5" or 10" rear tho. Need a few more miles on the 260 first.

As for chroming the stock rims, I'm not crazy about the look. I really like the CM Legacy better. Either way, the grey painted rims have got to go! They bother me more than the beaver tail and derby cover combined! I don't know what Suzuki was thinking. Should have either chromed them or painted them black.
I would just go with the 280 then since your happy with the metzelers. Once I went to metz I wouldn't buy anything else :bigthumbsup:
 
#39 ·
Trust me when I say this bro, no matter what you rock in the rear you will go up, so don't waste your money and just go for the gusto cause I said the same thing and now I'm rocking the 280 and thinking about the 300
 
#40 ·
I've been considering that too. There are more options for 300's, the collaboration kit comes with everything already chromed, down under kit, etc. We'll see when the time comes. We are buying a new house and selling our current house right now so the big mods are on hold until afterwards.
 
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