I wish I knew this before going to a CT!

I ride an '05 Nomad, and went with a CT last year. I went with a GY Triple-Tred 205/60-16. The fit was SOOO tight I had to remove the shaft drive to get the tire on.
It fits, with the thickness of a credit card to spare between the side wall and the swingarm. BAD CHOICE!!
The CT makes the bike super stable, as long as I keep it pumped up to 40psi, the max on the sidewall. I don't notice any difference in the steering effort as long as I keep the CT aired up. When I leave from a stop, the CT is super stable, almost balancing from stop.
Why a BAD CHOICE? It lowered the back a good 2 inches, and now I drag the foot rests way too early in corners, so I have to slow down a good 10-15 mph slower than before.
Then it hit me: I changed from an 80 aspect ratio to a 60. If I had it to do over again, (and one day I will do it over again), I'd have stayed with the 80 aspect
ratio and tried to find a 190/80-R16 or there-abouts. Something a little closer to the original size.
I didn't read any of this on the darkside when I was originally considering the switch.
I hope someone will read this and not make the same mistake I did.
Ride safe!
Bubba

First,you don't have to remove the final to install.Deflate the tire and it will go in mine went easy.Second the tires are close to the same height as stock.If you need more ground clearance air up your shocks a little and third the shaft clearance is not a problem it never touches Mine has been on for four years without any of the problems you describe.05 nomad 1600.Also I run 34 -36 psi. ridges don't seem to have much effect at this pressure.

First, Larry, I KNOW what I had to do to get the sidewall to go past the driveshaft. You weren't there.
Secondly, Larry, the 60 vs the 80 aspect ratio DOES INDEED make a difference in height of the tire.
I suggest you do a little math.
Lastly, Larry,you didn't give YOUR tire size, so no one will know if what you are stating as fact,
is indeed, fact.
Cheers!

Not trying to start an argument .My tire is gytt 205-60-16 and the aspect ratio makes a difference in height when you are dealing with the same tire.I stood the tires up side to side and determined that they were close in height.All I did was jack mine up pull shocks and all loose deflate the tire and push it by at an angle.The stock rear tire 170-70-16 has a diameter of 25.4" the gytt 205-60-16 has a dia of 25.7" which would actually raise your bike one point five tenths of an inch.I did my math hope it helps.

I just put a Bridgestone 195/55R-16 on my '06 Nomad and had to pull the final drive. OK, so I did not HAVE to pull it. But for the labor of four bolts off and on, it only made sense. I am running at 36 and tend to touch the boards a bit more. I think it is because I am now more comfortable on the corners them on my worn-out OEM. If you are having to slow down 10 to 15 mph that would indicate you are much much lower then you were before. I know you have no way to confirm your past speed to your current speed in corners, but are you sure about 10 to 15? I hope this works out for you. Please keep us informed on how things are going for you with this. It is how we learn. Darkside is not for everyone, but you may end up really like it after bit.

i just put on a kumho 205/60/16 on my 07 nomad and havent scraped the floor boards once. the tire is a fraction taller than the 170/70/16. im running 36psi now and still looking for the sweet spot. my bike did not get any lower from putting the ct on. and just for the record ive got about 800 miles on it now and love it. never plan on going back to a mt.

Just a thought for ya, but I'm buying 2" extended fork tubes, fork sliders and brake line. According to a friend on another Heritage in Cally with the same tires, he went from our scraping nearly every turn (despite the extra height our tires gave us; it's our riding style) to almost never scraping and he lives in the northern hills. His bike didn't look like it had been modded either. Here it is - just thot to give you another option:

Bubba Grump wrote:First, Larry, I KNOW what I had to do to get the sidewall to go past the driveshaft. You weren't there.
Secondly, Larry, the 60 vs the 80 aspect ratio DOES INDEED make a difference in height of the tire.
I suggest you do a little math.
Lastly, Larry,you didn't give YOUR tire size, so no one will know if what you are stating as fact,
is indeed, fact.
Cheers!

I have ran a 205/60-16 since the bike was new in 2008.
I can tell you that it is a taller tire than the stock,.......so you should re think your math!!

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i145/pooker_langton/Dark%20Side/

My math is right,came from specs. on tire rack . com ,you need to check specs. on the tire we are talking about GYTT 205 60 16. Just because your tire is a 205 60 16 does not mean specs will be the same.Specs will vary sometimes greatly from one manufacturer to another.

Larry Simpson wrote:My math is right,came from specs. on tire rack . com ,you need to check specs. on the tire we are talking about GYTT 205 60 16. Just because your tire is a 205 60 16 does not mean specs will be the same.Specs will vary sometimes greatly from one manufacturer to another.

That tire is a General Altimax HP.
The stock Kawai tire is a BRIDGESTONE EXEDRA G722 G,........170/70B 16 M/C (75H)

So in this case the General 205/60 is a taller tire than the stock one.

I will buy that,proubably will find others that will be also.I always try to find whatever tire I am looking at on tire rack and check their specs. there,has been a lot of help to me providing they list a particular tire.Kinda takes away the suprise.