Member Contributer Chev Posted September 11, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 11, 2007 I've finally worn my 160/70-17 Avon Storm rear past the wear bars (~6,000 miles on a heavy bike with lots of torque and a rider that is more concerned about smiles per gallon than miles per gallon), and I want a new rear tire this season. Everyone here has always steered me in the right direction concerning tires, so I pose this quandry. I have been thinking about going with a 160/60-17 Storm purley for asthetical reasons. My question is, other than the gear ratio change, what might I expect with the change in tire size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Alien VFR Posted September 11, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 11, 2007 My guess is that you'll get slightly better stability at the cost of a slower turn-in. But the change will probably be so subtle that you'll hardly notice it. And as far as asthetics, you'll probably hardly notice that either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted September 11, 2007 Share Posted September 11, 2007 The rear of the bike will be lowered with the /60 series tire which will probably make it steer slower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Chev Posted September 11, 2007 Author Member Contributer Share Posted September 11, 2007 The rear of the bike will be lowered with the /60 series tire which will probably make it steer slower. I can handle the rear coming down a tad, since it is incredibly high as it is. I do need to lower the bike on the front forks, though, since I am happy with my turn-in after the apex, but would like a little faster initial turn-in. What I want overall is to flatten the curvature o the tire a tiny bit and have a better tire profile at the extreme edges. The current profile tends to "fall off" at the edges, making it a bit unstable out there (not that I get there very much with my body positioning). I think that a shorter sidewall with the same width carcass would possibly give the entire tire a more profound profile overall and the edges might fit the tire profile better. OR The shorter sidewall on the same width carcass might make the edges of the tire get extreme in the change in curvature faster, since the tire has less room to conform to the width of the wheel. OR I think about this stuff far too much and I should just order a tire, finish off my current one, and get her swapped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JamieDaugherty Posted September 12, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2007 Don't do it, stick with the 70 series tire. The handling will be worse all over. Basically it would be like taking a step backwards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Brown81 Posted September 12, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2007 You'll lose a lot of cornering clearance if you do it, esp if you lower the triple. Lowering the triples seems to be the thing to do on VFRs, but I think the proper way is to jack up the rear. I lowered my triples on my '94 and frankly, it sucks. Turn in is better, with quicker steering, but now I am hitting my kickstand mount, which is a hard part. Imo, don't do anything to decrease cornering clearance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Chev Posted September 12, 2007 Author Member Contributer Share Posted September 12, 2007 You'll lose a lot of cornering clearance if you do it, esp if you lower the triple.Lowering the triples seems to be the thing to do on VFRs, but I think the proper way is to jack up the rear. I lowered my triples on my '94 and frankly, it sucks. Turn in is better, with quicker steering, but now I am hitting my kickstand mount, which is a hard part. Imo, don't do anything to decrease cornering clearance! Yes yes yes, I've addressed this already. Please re-read the first post. The rear is about 1.5" higher than factory. This gives me a very nice turn in after the apex, but not so much initial turn in. I will loose some ground clearence in the front, but I will have gained overall ground clearance. Jamie, how do you mean this is the wrong direction? Slower turn in? Less stability? The gear ratio thing? Clearance? You'll have to understand I would like to know what is bad about going this direction rather than just: No, Bad, 'Cause I say so. Thanks. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JamieDaugherty Posted September 13, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 13, 2007 The 60 series tire has a flatter profile with less contact patch on the sides. The 70 series tire has sharper steering and better roadholding when leaned over. Remember what the stock VF suspension was like? That would be the direction you would go in. Now, the F2 wheel with a 60 series is still much better than stock, but I think it makes no sense to not extract everything you can from your setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Chev Posted September 13, 2007 Author Member Contributer Share Posted September 13, 2007 Remember what the stock VF suspension was like? No, I'm still in denial that it ever handled that poorly, and looking purely forward now. Thanks for the description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Brown81 Posted September 13, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted September 13, 2007 Yes yes yes, I've addressed this already. Please re-read the first post. The rear is about 1.5" higher than factory. This gives me a very nice turn in after the apex, but not so much initial turn in. I will loose some ground clearence in the front, but I will have gained overall ground clearance. I was referring to your second post. I don't understand the part about turn in prior to and after the apex. Never heard of that before, so I can't help there. My limited understanding is that turn-in occurs long before any apexes, but I am no Rossi, that's for sure! So, you plan on lowering the rear a bit (by using a lower profile tire) then lowering the front in the triples a bit more to gain quicker turn in (as you said it could use it), correct? So then my reply to all that (in my first post) was: "Lowering the triples seems to be the thing to do on VFRs, but I think the proper way is to jack up the rear. I lowered my triples on my '94 and frankly, it sucks. Turn in is better, with quicker steering, but now I am hitting my kickstand mount, which is a hard part. Imo, don't do anything to decrease cornering clearance!!! Ground clearance aside, going to a flatter profile on the rear isn't going to help turn in at all, imo, no matter which side of whatever apex you are on. And that's not too even mention the traction point that JD brings up. Might look cool though. :offtopic: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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