Tire width, traction, rotational mass

I own a 2002 Yamaha Warrior. I have a good Muzzys exhaust, power commander, big air kit, and will be installing a 31 tooth pulley (stock is 32). Stock tire size is 200/50/17. The few I've seen running car tires on a Warrior run a 225/45/17.

This bike rarely sees the highway and I want it be as fast as possible stoplight to stoplight and in the 1/4 mile. I want to be able to launch very hard and not spin my tire, but I also don't want any more rotational mass than is necessary. I hope this question isn't too specific to the Warrior; but what do you guys think the best tire width for my application is?

I'm not sure, but Wrongway is a racer, you could send him a PM.

Jerry

In the 17" rim width, most of your tires will be on the performance side which tend to be heavier than the MT. So, what you make up in traction offsets the loss of tire slip of the MT. If you are that worried about the rotating mass, then go to larger tooth to make for rotating mass and let it rip. You can't have both! I don't ask that of my bike. All motorcycles have limitations.


....................twin


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1700ccXD45 wrote:I own a 2002 Yamaha Warrior. I have a good Muzzys exhaust, power commander, big air kit, and will be installing a 31 tooth pulley (stock is 32). Stock tire size is 200/50/17. The few I've seen running car tires on a Warrior run a 225/45/17.

This bike rarely sees the highway and I want it be as fast as possible stoplight to stoplight and in the 1/4 mile. I want to be able to launch very hard and not spin my tire, but I also don't want any more rotational mass than is necessary. I hope this question isn't too specific to the Warrior; but what do you guys think the best tire width for my application is?

hard to answer your question without knowing more about your bike... but generaly at the dragstrip reducing mass ( rotating , sprung , or unsprug) makes the most difference. Are you having issues with traction with the current tire ? If not , I dont think I would change.


If a motorcycle tire can hook up , it will always be faster than a car tire due to the weight difference ( rotating mass ). With a drag bike , the wheelbase is extended and a bike tire will only spin on the road. The dragstrip has a good clean surface with alot of glue and a road has oil , sand , antifreeze and what ever else that cars/trucks put on there . So there are going to be alot of trade-offs. too wide and the pound per sq in decreases requiring less tire pressure. A narrower tire will bite better if you dont over power it .

The best tire I have run so far is a Hankook V12 . A 205 /50/17 car tire will have twice the contact patch that a bike tire does ... i think I would start with that. You have much more weight that my ninja does.... and I bet that you would have a hard time spinning it .

hope that helps

Roy

I've only had the bike to the strip 3 times. The first two times I spun like crazy. I don't know if it was a rookie burnout mistake and I maybe took some water with me to the starting line. Those two times were also in '09 and they could be keeping the track in better condition this year.

This post is kind of outdated now though. I recently purchased a General Exclaim UHP in a 215/45/17. It only weighs 17.2 pounds according General. I went with the 215 because it weighed less than the 225 and oddly enough the 205 also. Watch for a new thread in the next couple of days. I'll let everyone know first of all how it does on the street and update it when I can get to the track.

http://www.generaltire.com/tires/T1/Exclaim-UHP
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Exclaim+UHP&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=245WR7EUHP&tab=Sizes

cool, thanks for following up and I'll look forward to your findings!

1700ccXD45 wrote:I've only had the bike to the strip 3 times. The first two times I spun like crazy. I don't know if it was a rookie burnout mistake and I maybe took some water with me to the starting line. Those two times were also in '09 and they could be keeping the track in better condition this year.

This post is kind of outdated now though. I recently purchased a General Exclaim UHP in a 215/45/17. It only weighs 17.2 pounds according General. I went with the 215 because it weighed less than the 225 and oddly enough the 205 also. Watch for a new thread in the next couple of days. I'll let everyone know first of all how it does on the street and update it when I can get to the track.

http://www.generaltire.com/tires/T1/Exclaim-UHP
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=General&tireModel=Exclaim+UHP&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=245WR7EUHP&tab=Sizes

Spinning at the track really depends on how the track is prepped and what is running at the track. If there are only street cars running there may not be any rubber put down. If a dragster or really fast door car runs and does a burnout past the starting line , use that lane and line up on its tire track. Bikes usually dont need to go thru the water box to do a burnout, so go around the water. Do not do a long burnout , some tires actually get greasier when they get too hot, but you do want to get the sand off of your tire .

how long is the wheel base on your bike? I am at 64" and the bike makes well over 100 ft/lbs torque from 4k all the way to 10k . If you redline it and drop the clutch it may over power the tire and spin it ( or wheelie big )

leave with enough rpm to pull ( near max torque ) and let the clutch out easy. this is hard to explain , but you dont want the motor to bog ... just keep the rpm in the torque. Then pin the throttle as soon as you can . With a long wheelbase bike it is hard to get the front wheel off the ground to get good weight transfer so it may take some practice. I do that at every stoplight on the way to work :-)


Roy

Dang Roy,

Did you need a cone hammer after that big wheelie??? LOL

no,, I rode it out .... but i did piss my self :-(

Roy

twin1300 wrote:Dang Roy,

Did you need a cone hammer after that big wheelie??? LOL

Cone Hammer, thats beautiful. Im gonna use that as if it was mine.
Still Laughin
Moon