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1Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Tyre Sizes Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:18 am

charliebarnwell

charliebarnwell
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I am thinking of putting car tyres on my K100LT combination and am pretty sure that the rear one is 165/80/15 VW Beetle / MG (found on this forum), anyone know what I would need on the front?
The front has leading link forks, I think the same width as standard forks. Must get a manual so I can look up sizes and also find out what all the switches do on the handlebars, only had the bike for 48 hours and still finding my way around it - where is the fuel switch for example, hope there is a reserve fuel position when I find it!

Cheers
Charlie

    

2Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:25 am

AL-58

AL-58
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I've run two different K outfits with 15" front and rears.  Both have had 15x4" front rims.  Currently I'm running a 145/65-15 "Smart car" front tyre, I've also run a 135/80 and a 145/80 at various times. The 145/65 handles the best out of all these, I would run a 135/80 again, but not the 145/80, it made it feel too heavy in comparison.

The 145/65-15 is a bit of an orphan here in OZ.  I have to order them and have the choice of Continental or Bridgestone only. So currently I have Continental front, Nankang rear and Kumho on the chair.

Al



Last edited by AL-58 on Mon Jul 01, 2013 8:52 pm; edited 1 time in total


__________________________________________________
'93 K1100LT
'08 F650GS (798cc)
'19 R1250RS

+ another boxer engined motorcycle and sidecar

"When I'm too old and too foolish to handle a sidecar I'll buy a Sportsbike"

Tyre Sizes K-dogs10
    

3Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:27 am

AL-58

AL-58
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Re the last bit, there is no fuel switch. You get a 'reserve' warning light that comes on when the tank gets down to a certain level.

Al


__________________________________________________
'93 K1100LT
'08 F650GS (798cc)
'19 R1250RS

+ another boxer engined motorcycle and sidecar

"When I'm too old and too foolish to handle a sidecar I'll buy a Sportsbike"

Tyre Sizes K-dogs10
    

4Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Mon Jul 01, 2013 6:27 pm

charliebarnwell

charliebarnwell
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Thanks Al, will definitely get a smart car on the front. I got a feeling that the wheels on this one are 17" will have a check when I get back weekend.

Cheers

    

5Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:05 pm

AL-58

AL-58
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Most likely an 18" front on an LT.

Changing to car wheels is not inexpensive I was just lucky to buy a worn outfit that had all the right bits from a guy who needed the money otherwise I wouldn't have them either.

There's nothing wrong with an 18 front on a sidecar they handle just fine. From my own experience I wouldn't bother with an 18" sidecar tyre up front, the only advantage they give is longer wear. A straight bike tyre steers better. I absolutely hated them on dirt roads, They'd lock too easy and I couldn't stop the thing in a hurry if needed. For my own purposes I tended to use an 18" dual purpose tyre up front (usually a Metzeler Enduro 2).

A 15" car tyre(front) will give you a bigger contact patch and better braking/cornering capability but at a cost. There is also some trail reduction with the smaller diameter which will make your steering lighter again. Some leading links have adjustable trail for this purpose.

Al


__________________________________________________
'93 K1100LT
'08 F650GS (798cc)
'19 R1250RS

+ another boxer engined motorcycle and sidecar

"When I'm too old and too foolish to handle a sidecar I'll buy a Sportsbike"

Tyre Sizes K-dogs10
    

6Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:14 pm

Guest

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Agreed with AL about expense.
I am still running the stock front rim and have used a variety of tyres over time. 17 inch RT rim. At the moment there is a BT45 on it, which does the job quite well, though I suspect won't last a very long time. Have used other tyres...Metzler, Duro etc. They all scrub out. The car rim at the rear made a surprising difference to the handling, with wider contact patch and the whole outfit seemed to 'hunker down' a bit. Better all round road speed and a hell of a lot cheaper...changing tyres at 35,000 instead of 3,000km. With the reduced trail, it would make the front end a bit less stable at speed, I imagine...have ridden a couple of those EurailUral outfits and the front end feels like you're standing up on the pegs and looking over the front wheel.

    

7Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:17 pm

Rick G

Rick G
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admin
I would not think a Ural could get the wobbles up at "speed".


__________________________________________________
"Man sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."   Dalai Lama


Bikes 1999 K1100 LT with a Big Block 1200
    

8Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:56 pm

Guest

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Guest
I dunno....it's amazing how terrifying 50kmh can feel!

    

9Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:34 am

AL-58

AL-58
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My 'little' front wheel is not unstable at all, until you disconnect the steering damper!!! I do want to try a lighter damper as the damper is the only thing that makes the steering heavy.

Once we got the sidecar of the RS the other day, my mate Pat was daring me to take it around the block think I'd be scared of the square tyres. It was the instant tank slappers from the trail reduction that stopped me from even thinking about it.

Al


__________________________________________________
'93 K1100LT
'08 F650GS (798cc)
'19 R1250RS

+ another boxer engined motorcycle and sidecar

"When I'm too old and too foolish to handle a sidecar I'll buy a Sportsbike"

Tyre Sizes K-dogs10
    

10Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:44 am

Guest

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Guest
I might have one of those old black 70's-80's steering dampers that people used to put on their Z900s etc to try and keep some teeth in. Will have a look when I go to the shed.

    

11Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:32 am

Guest

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Guest
Scratch that...couldn't find it.

    

12Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:51 pm

sidecar paul

sidecar paul
Life time member
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Al, I've been using an 'O' ring as a steering damper for the past 25 years.
Works a treat, no steering wobbles at any speed.

https://www.k100-forum.com/t3332-steering-damper-for-sidecar-outfits

Worth a try if you've got the bike in bits.

Paul.


__________________________________________________
'84 K100RS (0014643) (owned since '85), 86 K100RS (0018891) with Martello sidecar (built as an outfit in '88),
'51 Vincent (since '67),'72 Montesa Cota (from new), '87 Honda RS125R NF4 (bought 2015) 
....No CARS never ever!
    

13Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:54 pm

AL-58

AL-58
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sidecar paul wrote:Al, I've been using an 'O' ring as a steering damper for the past 25 years.
Works a treat, no steering wobbles at any speed.

https://www.k100-forum.com/t3332-steering-damper-for-sidecar-outfits

Worth a try if you've got the bike in bits.

Paul.


Certainly worth a try, currently I have one of the typical VW dampers, it works fine but is probably more that is really needed making the steering heavier than it needs to be. There are also some cheap ebay adjustable dampers from China, they work OK apparently but I need to get the length and the stroke length correct.

Al


__________________________________________________
'93 K1100LT
'08 F650GS (798cc)
'19 R1250RS

+ another boxer engined motorcycle and sidecar

"When I'm too old and too foolish to handle a sidecar I'll buy a Sportsbike"

Tyre Sizes K-dogs10
    

14Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Thu Apr 22, 2021 2:48 am

tinyspuds

tinyspuds
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I know it’s an old thread, but a perennial topic. So, what rear tyres are people using with the oem 17” Y rims.?
When I first started this adventure I approached tyre selection the way I would have for a solo and run BT45s. Nice tyres with good wet adhesion but overkill for an outfit. I have a pair of wheels in v. nice condition which need re-rubbering but I don’t want to spend £200 on top end solo tyres when I know there must be equally good alternatives for my purposes.


I want to continue with a round profile up front but would like to explore the options for a square at the rear.


I’m still looking for quality and good wet adhesion, and don’t want to go for a ‘rear at the front installed backward’ solution.
Something equally road/grass friendly at the back would be something I’d try too.


TIA


__________________________________________________
1985 BMW K100RT + Hedingham HUB and LL’s. VIN 0028106.
1986 K100RS in boxes. VIN 0141918.
1954 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet. Original.
2000 Hayabusa with Charnwood chair, Wasp forks and EZS wheels.
    

15Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Thu Apr 22, 2021 2:23 pm

Dai

Dai
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Life time member
Skidmaster.


__________________________________________________
1983 K100 naked upgraded to K100LT spec after spending time as an RS and an RT
1987 K100RT
Others...
1978 Moto Guzzi 850-T3, 1979 Moto Guzzi 850-T3 California,1993 Moto Guzzi 1100ie California
2020 Royal Enfield Bullet 500
    

16Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Thu Apr 22, 2021 3:29 pm

tinyspuds

tinyspuds
Life time member
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Dai wrote:Skidmaster.
Kind of you to say so. But I do wash them regularly.


__________________________________________________
1985 BMW K100RT + Hedingham HUB and LL’s. VIN 0028106.
1986 K100RS in boxes. VIN 0141918.
1954 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet. Original.
2000 Hayabusa with Charnwood chair, Wasp forks and EZS wheels.
    

17Back to top Go down   Tyre Sizes Empty Re: Tyre Sizes Thu Apr 22, 2021 4:17 pm

Laitch

Laitch
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Tyre Sizes 44271


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1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

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