Roadster Tire Replacement Advice Please

[Cav Man]

So I put almost 7,000 miles on my stock Metzelers and am now looking for replacement rubber front and back. After reading the advice from the Captains on this forum, in addition to having the privilege and opportunity to ride Ozrider's scoot for a day, I've already ordered a Bridgestone Excedra Max 240/55R16 for about $173 on line for the rear. Ozrider's R3R turned much more willingly than my stock beast and I want to get some of that Special thanks to 1olbull for the tire charts he had posted earlier, found them very helpful in sorting things out in my noggin to the extent possible.

The remaining question is what to put on the front and I'd like to go with a 140/75R17 but...the charts suggest that the -3.9% with the stock tires going to that configuration at +2.2% might put me over the 6% limit for ABS faults etc. While I would really like the handling benefits of the smaller front tire, I'd rather not be throwing a constant ABS fault light in the process.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance,

Cav

 

[sonny]

Running a 140 front will not affect the ABS.

 

[1olbull]

FYI-
I have recently put 3K miles on a new Michelin Road 5 rear 150/70R17 mounted reverse on my front wheel.
Tis the same circumference as a 140/75R17 and provides the same handling improvements.
I have found the addition of a wider aspect ratio results in W-A-Y more lateral force cornering grip!
I ride the twisties pretty hard and this tire has given me the most control with yet deeper lean angles than ever before in the 62,000 miles I've ridden Kong. Of the fourteen tires (9 rear & 5 front) I've ran on Kong, this one has made the MOST handling improvement of all.

 

[Ishrub]

FYI-
I have recently put 3K miles on a new Michelin Road 5 rear 150/70R17 mounted reverse on my front wheel.
Tis the same circumference as a 140/75R17 and provides the same handling improvements.
I have found the addition of a wider aspect ratio results in W-A-Y more lateral force cornering grip!
I ride the twisties pretty hard and this tire has given me the most control with yet deeper lean angles than ever before in the 62,000 miles I've ridden Kong. Of the fourteen tires (9 rear & 5 front) I've ran on Kong, this one has made the MOST handling improvement of all.

Michelin Road 5 rear 150/70R17 Au$260 each here - not bad at all.

 

[Claviger]

I inspected a road 5 today. It doesn't say anywhere on the tire "For rear use only" as many tires do when flipping and front mounting is under safe.

It's also not constructed in the traditional manner. I'll be running one at Boneville most likely.

 

[Ishrub]

I inspected a road 5 today. It doesn't say anywhere on the tire "For rear use only" as many tires do when flipping and front mounting is under safe.

It's also not constructed in the traditional manner. I'll be running one at Boneville most likely.

The Michelin site image shows the tread patterns reversed from Front to Rear in a typical pair like most. I understand dynamic loads are more pronounced accelerating for the rear and braking for the front but would wet weather sype and tread grooves work better in one direction or the other for water dispersion?

Although, I suppose its likely that the tread pattern design itself improves load absorption with less distortion in one direction.

Michelin Road 5 Rain Tyres | Michelin Motorcycle Tyres

 

[Claviger]

Tread pattern isn't really the concern, it's delamination, why you flip it in the first place.

Grip doesn't come from the void pattern it comes from the compound, provided there's enough void to displace the water to.

Tread pattern are 99% fashion imho these days and no amount of marketing will convince me otherwise.

What they should really advertise is carbon black / silica mix percentage, belt type, and the contour shape to provide an idea of grip vs mileage, wet grip, growth at speed, stiffness and feel, and tip in feel vs lateral grip.

Alas, tech data doesn't sell, market bull**** does.

 

[rng3]

FYI-
I have recently put 3K miles on a new Michelin Road 5 rear 150/70R17 mounted reverse on my front wheel.
Tis the same circumference as a 140/75R17 and provides the same handling improvements.
I have found the addition of a wider aspect ratio results in W-A-Y more lateral force cornering grip!
I ride the twisties pretty hard and this tire has given me the most control with yet deeper lean angles than ever before in the 62,000 miles I've ridden Kong. Of the fourteen tires (9 rear & 5 front) I've ran on Kong, this one has made the MOST handling improvement of all.

Can you explain why you mounted the tire reversed? Is it because the most torque applied to a rear wheel is in acceleration and the most torque applied to a front tire is braking?

Rick

 

[Claviger]

Can you explain why you mounted the tire reversed? Is it because the most torque applied to a rear wheel is in acceleration and the most torque applied to a front tire is braking?

Rick

That's exactly why. The tread on tires is wound around the carcass in a way so the overlap area is pushed closed when put under load. So on a back tire it's wound one way, on front it's wound the other.

By flipping a rear to put on the front, you're making to so braking forces the seam or overlap area, closed tighter instead of ripping it open.

 

[barbagris]

Alas, tech data doesn't sell, market bull**** does.

Because we all can understand bull**** - though we may not recognise it. The tech stuff requires each and every rider to know exact how good they actually are and to comprehend their needs.