[ultracvo]

I have swapped out my front stock tire with a new Metzeler 160/60 R18 Marathon rear tire that I had the dealer install for me. We installed the tire backwards rotation as per instructed by dealer.

The tire fits and I have ridden the bike for at least 100 miles and have not had a problem yet. But would like any info on problems with rubbing on inside fender or with tire heating up and hitting inside fender. i have not done any mods to the factory fender settings.

Do you think I will have any problems with this setup? It looks like its a very tight fit.

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Todds9]

front tire

I initially had some tire rub on the rear of the fender after install. I sloted the rear bolt holes slightly and lifted the rear of the fender while tightening it. It has good clearance now (maybe 3/8 to 1/2 inch) and have not had any problems since. Good luck!

 

[Zoom]

:welcome: to the forum.

I would do as AlienBuster suggested and at least loosen the bolts and lift it up as much as you can. I've not seen this size tire cause any problems, but some with 150/70/18 have actually had them rub enough to melt the fender. The lower 60 profile helps with that.

 

[Nine Rider]

I'm running the same front tire and have not had any problem at all.

 

[Richard]

I slightly enlarged the bolt holes in the fender. Pull back and up when tightening the six fender bolts.

 

[dalynchmob]

I have to ask. Why is it neccessary to run a rear tire backwards when putting it on the front? I've read alot of "u have to run it backwards" posts but no real reasoning behind it. I'm really curious? What happens if you don't run it that way?

 

[Hink]

I have to ask. Why is it neccessary to run a rear tire backwards when putting it on the front? I've read alot of "u have to run it backwards" posts but no real reasoning behind it. I'm really curious? What happens if you don't run it that way?

Proof That A Rear Tire Is To Be Mounted In Reverse On The Front

 

[Guest]

I have to ask. Why is it neccessary to run a rear tire backwards when putting it on the front? I've read alot of "u have to run it backwards" posts but no real reasoning behind it. I'm really curious? What happens if you don't run it that way?

This HAS been explained over and over again, but with the way posts disappear around here, and the difficulty in finding things with the search engine, It's not surrprizing that it keeps comming up with the newbies.

The factory, METZLER, recomends it when mounting a rear tire on the front, due to the way the tire is made to handle rotational stresses.

:welcome:

I have had no problems at all with clearence. You shouldn't even have to make any modifications if you make sure to pull the back of the fender up and back when tightening the fender bolts.

Occassionally a small rock will stick in the tread and make a scratching noise as it rotates around and comes out the front and falls off. No harm or damage.

 

[jrrose69]

Proof That A Rear Tire Is To Be Mounted In Reverse On The Front

This front tire is setting in my liveing room right now and i can tell you it is scary looking I`m waiting for my new metz 170mm tire now

 

[dalynchmob]

Don't mean to be a smart ass but a pic of someones messed up tire is not a valid reason for me to believe that i should mount my tire backwards. Got this answer from Dunlop when i asked about a rear being front mounted:
"Michael,
Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your Dunlop motorcycle
tire questions. A motorcycle tire should always be mounted according to
the "direction of rotation" arrow stamped on the tire's sidewall. The main
concerns with a motorcycle tire that has been mounted in reverse of the
direction of rotation arrows are irregular tread wear, belt &/or tread
separation, and poor wet and dry performance.
"Dunlop Tire"

 

[HyperPete]

OK, now ask Dunlop about mounting a rear tire in front, and wait for the "it should never be done" response also.

The main force on a rear tire is due to acceleration, the main force on a front tire is from braking. It has to do with how the belts are laid out. Since the forces are reversed from rear to front, the rotation must also be reversed.

 

[dalynchmob]

"Hello i have a question i couldn't find on the FAQs page. I plan on running
a sportmaxx 160/60/18 rear tire on the front of my M109r. Alot of people
are doing it and i know dunlop doesn't approve but all i'm hearing is that
if you run a rear tire up front it's to be mounted in reverse rotation?
Everything i know and have learned about tires says this is wrong but noone seems to have a valid reason on why this is being done. I believe
metzler recommends it but haven't seen it in writting. I just want to know if there is some logical reasoning behind it? Thank you"

This is the question i asked exactly how i asked it. Should i have asked it a different way? Or worded it differently? The tire that is on the M109R that i just bought had the front rim mounted on backwards so of course the tire is rotating in reverse and it is ****ed up so again, don't mean to be a non-believer but i hope you can understand my skepticism on the matter.

Jr i wasn't trying to prove or disprove anyone i was just sharing the info i received. No need to be a Dick.

 

[jrrose69]

don`t worry about it bro!! Like it was said the tires are manufactured in the manner in which they are designed to be used for instance a rear tire have all the force on it on exceleration right? so they are designed to withstand that force now the front tire just rolls alone with no force on it till you break so they are designed to hold up to breaking so if you take a rear tire and mount it with the arrows going forward then the breaking force will be oppiset of the why they were designed to hold up to so we have to mount a rear tire in front backwards in order to have the breaking load following the design of the tire!!

Does that help you at all!! I don`t know how elese to say it!! Good luck though!!:bigthumbsup:

 

[dalynchmob]

Avon says yes run thiers in reverse and, by pegasus' post, metzler does too. So thanks for the help and discussion. Since i'll probably be running the metzlers i be following suit with the rest of ya.

 

[NMclay]

OK, now ask Dunlop about mounting a rear tire in front, and wait for the "it should never be done" response also.

The main force on a rear tire is due to acceleration, the main force on a front tire is from braking. It has to do with how the belts are laid out. Since the forces are reversed from rear to front, the rotation must also be reversed.

:agree:This is the answer. The way the belts are laid for a rear are diff than the front tire.

 

[lee_grider]

160 60 18 metz in rev . NOT A SINGLE ISSUE . It is very smooth and handles great

 

[89whiterag]

:agree:This is the answer. The way the belts are laid for a rear are diff than the front tire.

I'm a believer:agree:
,Had my 160 mounted a week ago(in reverse as well) but the bike still sits in my garage waiting for the rain and sloppy weather to break,My tire sits pretty close to the rear of the fender as well but don't hit...Can wait to try it out!

 

[freestylejski]

160 60 18 metz in rev . NOT A SINGLE ISSUE . It is very smooth and handles great

same here 2000mls :bigthumbsup: