K75s rear tire options size

[clifford5306]

Help..recently bought k75s  17" rim (rear) wrong size rear tire..140 70 17..I know correct is 130 90....can anybody give me a suggestion bigger  or wider than stock size that will work?Thanks and glad to join ur site....

[frankenduck]

140/80 

[clifford5306]

Thank you,have been reading lots on the site....could have predicted u were gonna reply ..Thanks a lot..enjoying my pristine 92..Still a member of the chain gang  97 F650.fun machine.Ordering tire as we speak  Thanks  Cliff

[Roy S.]

Help..recently bought k75s  17" rim (rear) wrong size rear tire..140 70 17..I know correct is 130 90....can anybody give me a suggestion bigger  or wider than stock size that will work?Thanks and glad to join ur site....

Hi clifford5306, Why did the 140 70 17 tire work for you? What brand of tire was it? 

[fotto]

Also just bought me a '92 K75. However its an RT version.

When checking for a new rear tire I also stumbled over some problems.

mine got some Bridgestone Battelax BT45 tires.
110/80 - 18M front
130/80 - 17M rear

rear is prone to renew. Front just about halfway.

should I keep with the height of 80 or should I go to the recommended 130/90? But when I go to the height of 90 I should probably also invest in a new front tire?

should I stay with BT40's or are there some better options? Rainy weather handling is most important to me as I might plan a Norway trip in September...

[frankenduck]

Is your rear wheel a 3-spoke 3x17?

[fotto]

Is your rear wheel a 3-spoke 3x17?

Don't think so as I can see 4 Y shaped spokes... Where can I see this exactly?

[argent brick]

Is your rear wheel a 3-spoke 3x17?

It makes a difference?

[frankenduck]

Is your rear wheel a 3-spoke 3x17?

It makes a difference?

Y-spoke rears are 2.75x17.

[frankenduck]

If you're planning to replace both tires then I'd strongly recommend switching to radial tires. It really improves the handling.

[fotto]

If you're planning to replace both tires then I'd strongly recommend switching to radial tires. It really improves the handling.

so which radial ones would you recommend more and what would it make of a difference? I was first thinking of only changing the rear though. However I'm still not out if I should go 80 or 90 in height given that 80 is on it right now both front and back and 90 is given as advise the most...

[frankenduck]

Radials handle a lot better.  I suppose one way to put it is that they feel more planted. I run them on my K75.

You can't get a radial front in a 90. I run a 110/80/18 Bridgestone BT-023. (Tough Michelin Pilot Road 2s are great tires too and what I run on my K1100s.

Radial for 2.75x17 Y-spoke rear: Avon Azaro 140/80/17

Radial for 3x17 3-spoke rear: Pilot Road 2 150/70/17 or Avon 140/80/17

[rbm]

Duck,

You've recommended before to run Bridgestone BT-023 front and Avon AV46 rear.  Is there any reason why you wouldn't run a Bridgestone BT-023 in 110/80-18 on the front (with 2.5x18 3-spoke rim) and BT45 140/80-17 on the rear of a K75 with Paralever mod (meaning 3x17 3-spoke rear rim)?  Or have you chosen the combination you run based on bottom line price for the tires and by chance found that they work well?

[frankenduck]

It's a bias ply tire and rather tire old technology.

(BTW: I'm not a tire expert. Anything I post about tires is just my personal opinion.)

[rbm]

Ah, missed that detail.  And I shouldn't mix radials and bias ply.

[frankenduck]

Ah, missed that detail.  And I shouldn't mix radials and bias ply.

In theory. I've heard of people doing it with no ill effects and that some bikes even come form the factory that way.

From what I understand it is much more of an issue on cars than bikes as the major difference is the flex properties of the sidewall.

[cbluez]

I have been running radials front and back since the spring, Expensive but well worth it..Bridgestone Battleaxe T30f on front and Avon Azarro on back.
Totally transformed the bike from the bias ply tires,,I only drive fast on mountain roads, almost no city driving..It doesn't corner as well as my Moto Guzzi or a modern Jap bike, but the tires arre amazing.