what tire size?

Hi, I'm new to the site and it looks like there is a lot of good info here. I ride a 1998 Honda Shadow Aero 1100 and am wanting to mount a car tire. I am thinking about trying to seal the spokes so I can go tubeless, but whether I do or not, what is the best size tire for me to use to remain as close to stock as possible? I am leaning towards the General Altimax. The size I was thinking would be the best is a 185/65/15. Will I have any clearance issues? If I do not seal the spokes can I use the stock tube on that size tire? My tire is a 170/80/15. Have a merry Christmas everyone!

170*80=136
185*65=120
So, the new tire will be shorter. there aren't too many 80's or 85's. So, your tire will be shorter...unless you go with a 205 which would be much wider.

You can use a tube and not have to seal the rim. Might be a good choice to see if you like the car tire on your bike.

I got a Sable rim for 200 dollars with a new tire on it I ran that tire for 8000 miles it was shot. Then I got a 205-6515 and put it on the Sabre rim. as of now I have 15,000 miles on it and still over have the tread left. Not bad for a 69.00 dollar tire. And it just looks great on the back on my Aero.
Brett

Any Shadow Rim 1100 rim with a disc brake will fit any other Shadow 1100 with a disc brake Areo, Sabre, Ace Tourer (16 inch rim)

How much clearance do you have with that size tire? I would like to get one as close to stock or maybe a little taller to lower the rpm's? Are wider tires harder to get the bead to seat?

No problems at all. I fist ran a 165 15 but did not like the way it looked. I have no problems with clearance I put the same size tire on my brothers VTX1300 and he loves his too. I just oiled down the rim and took my time got the tire beaded with about 110 pounds. This is the size I'm going to stay with.
Brett

What tire did you go with? I really like the Goodyear Triple Tread, but I like the price of the General better. I think I can still get another 1500 out of the tire I have now, but my wife is going to need a tire for her bike about the same time I need one. Thanks for all the advice I appreciate it.

The tire I'm running is a Nexen 641 it is a directional tire and only cost around 60 bucks. The tires handles great and I'm very pleased with it.
Brett

http://www.discount-tires-2go.com/Store_Detail.cfm?ID=179446&InfoID=4853&ShowLarge=True

more chrome wrote:What tire did you go with? I really like the Goodyear Triple Tread, but I like the price of the General better. I think I can still get another 1500 out of the tire I have now, but my wife is going to need a tire for her bike about the same time I need one. Thanks for all the advice I appreciate it.

Either tire will do well. I could not find the TT in a 185, so went with a General Altimax HP. Love the tire and it looks great. Installed easy too.

Do you have any idea how much the 185 would change the rpms? I wouldn't mind the bike sitting lower, but I don't want to raise the rpms too much if I don't have to. The Aero is already geared a little lower than the other shadows.

I put a 165 on my Aero and did not like RPM range. But the 205 made the RPM range just right. You might look at tire measurements on Tire Rack and see how close the revs per mile on each tire are.

Here is a chart that you can put in the tire size and it will give you the measurements and rev per mile. If I remember right when I was looking for a tire for my bike I wanted the fattest i could get on my bike and staying close to the stock height

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

You can't go so much by the measurements because when you put it on a motorcycle rim it will change the measurements.
I believe they get there measurements with a 6 inch rim and the Shadow has a 3 1/2 inch rim. What that does is make the tire a little taller and not as wide.

Brett

more chrome wrote:Do you have any idea how much the 185 would change the rpms? I wouldn't mind the bike sitting lower, but I don't want to raise the rpms too much if I don't have to. The Aero is already geared a little lower than the other shadows.

Even though the "size" says it will be shorter, it's been my experience that you need to look at them side by side. My 205 Douglass was the same size as my 165 Kumho which was the same size as my mc tire. this was side by side. And there should have been a noticable difference. My 185 should be almost an inch shorter than my 205 was, but it's only 1/2 inch shorter. This would increase your rpms on your Sabre, but was not noticeable on my spirit. You might want to go to a brick and mortar tire shop and compare a few side by side if you can.

205s are a bit more sluggish in low speed turns, but great on the highway. Showy too.

Steve-O wrote:
Even though the "size" says it will be shorter, it's been my experience that you need to look at them side by side. My 205 Douglass was the same size as my 165 Kumho which was the same size as my mc tire. this was side by side. And there should have been a noticable difference. My 185 should be almost an inch shorter than my 205 was, but it's only 1/2 inch shorter. This would increase your rpms on your Sabre, but was not noticeable on my spirit. You might want to go to a brick and mortar tire shop and compare a few side by side if you can.

The 185 & the 205 have nothing to do with the height of the tire, other than the fact that they are factored with the 2nd # to get the height. The 1st #s are for the width. To figure the height of the tire, you have to understand the 2nd # is a % of the 1st #, do the multiplication, and that will tell you how high the sidewall is. Still doesn't tell you the height to the top of the tread. In this case, a 165 could be as tall as a 205, if the 2nd #'s are such that the multiplication makes the height equal.

Don't let the 205 make you think you're getting a taller tire. The thing to be careful about is that a tire, such as my Sabre's stock 170/80-15 is 1" narrower than the 195/xx-15, meaning that you'll need more than 1" clearance (more than 1/2" on each side) between the stock tire and the 195. The 205 will need 1.4" (about 3/4" on each side) from the stock tire. But, the advice to compare them "side by side" is not bad, but the math SHOULD give you an adequate idea.

I put a Goodyear Eagle 195-65-15 on my 2001 Sabre and theres room for an even bugger tire. Hope this helps.