Hi everyone, got an 09 SF about a month ago, first motorcycle. The previous owner had just replaced the stock tires with Rinaldi R34. New tires=good. However, the front tire is actually made as a rear tire and the size is 120/90R17, which is 2.4" higher than the stock. The rear tire size is 130/80R17, about 1" higher than stock, not so bad.

So, since I have no previous experience on motorcycles, only ATVs, I have a couple of questions about what to do with the front tire and so I thought I'd ask here and hopefully get some good advice from you:

1) Keep the same tire with no change. One question, since the tire is a rear tire, should I follow the direction marked or should it be backwards?

2) Keep the tire, lower the bike by raising the forks in the tripple clamps.

3) Change the tire for a 120/70 or 110/70. I got the stock tire with half thread life or could maybe trade this one for a lightly used of the correct size.


I use it to commute daily 35km/h average 120 km/h max, 90 street/10 dirt. I would love to take it on some fire trails and dirt roads once I get some more experience.

Thanks, cheers,

 

I think I'd be looking for a proper front tire.

 

Ya, it would seem like the steering would be heavy with that big tire on there. If your going to do 90% dirt you may want to get new rims and tires all around.

 

Yea, the steering is a bit heavy, especially at low speed turns.

I got the ratios wrong, I actually use it 90% on street, and right now I only take it on the dirt to pass traffic jams or take shortcuts.

 

In that case keep your rims and switch out the front tire. I'll let some of the other SF owners chime in on tire recommendations and sizes.

 

Thanks Brieninsac.

What would be the handling benefits of a proper tire size over lowering the front of the bike? Besides the obvious weight of that huge tire.

I don't see many options in 120/70 that would "match" the rear tire. They are either too much like a knobby or like a sport tire. So far this are the ones I think have a similar thread pattern:

Pirelli MT60R
Avon AM43 Distanzia
Heidenau K73 Supermoto Tires, dont really match but they look awesome.

These don't match as mutch
Dunlop D616
Bridgestone Battlax BT45
Pirelli Scorpion Trail

I guess I could always get something more similar to a sport tire, I would just have to forgot about going on the dirt anymore, which has been very useful since traffic here is crazy and is jammed everyday during peak hours. I'd much rather bypass them on dirt roads/shoulders especially at night.

 

I use the avons, 130/80 rear 120/70 front. Ok on the street, okay in the dirt. Honestly if I were to go with a compromise tread I would go with full knobbies on the 17's for dirt grip or full street tires for street grip. The trade off for 80/20 tires on supermoto rims just don't work out well, they literally suck pavement and off. It really depends how hardcore your off road riding is I suppose

 

Thanks Matt. So I see you have the avons, how are they on the street? I only ride dirt roads with lose gravel, nothing hard core at all, and this is really 10% at most. I mostly ride streets, highway (70mph max) and hill paved roads.

 

The previous owner was obviously one of those know-nothings who think bigger is better or is foolish enough to sacrifice quality handling for that stupid fat tire look. I'd replace the tire with the proper size, probably a 110/70-17. Look it up and do it. You'll think you have a whole new bike.

 

If you got a new front, you could use the removed tire as a rear in the future. Not sure how the SF goes through tires, but my S uses 2 rears for every front.