Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 with Sidecar - Front Tire?

I have a 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 with a sidecar. I have a CT on the sidecar and have put a CT on the back. Have riden over 1,000 miles on it in 4 weeks. The only difference is that the rear tire does make a little noise when braking hard. I will need to replace the front tire soon and am thinking of going to a CT as well. With a sidecar, the rig handles completly different. I would like more tread on the front. My tire is a 150-80/16 and I don't have much room to go with a wider tire. Can anyone make any suggestions as to a brand and size?

In a 16" tire you are going to have a hard time finding a car tire narrow enough to fit.
That is the problem the Harley guys have with the older bikes.
I would suggest you look at rear motorcycle tires for your front if you want more tread.

If I have to, I'll do that but I can always hope there is a way. And a CT that will fit.

These guys might help you with a car tire.
www.coker.com

This thread is useless without Pics. LOL

If you want pictures, what do you want pictures of? A tire I don't have? Or the front of the motorcycle?
I can't see that a picture would help. As soon as I can figure out how to do it, I'll post one.

Problem is Moon can't read,he needs pictures and arrows to know what your question was to begin with

Thanks Larry. Glad you can read. The only non MT I've found fits the front of a tractor. What do you think the speed rating on that would be? Looks like I'll have to use a rear MT on the front.

Glad to see there is anotherone of us out there.

My rear Bridgestone 200-60/16 is worn almost to the cord in the center. I want to put the tallest car tire on the rear that fits without modifications to the fender or swing arm. What size are you running?
I'm hoping a 225-60 / 16 will fit ... it would drop my 10% speedometer error down to 5% ...

I would love to go with a CT on the front. I doubt we have clearance without a new fender.
My Bridgestone 150-80 / 16 shows a wierd, cupped wear pattern from chafeing through the flat turns.
Got any recommendations for front tire pressure or perhaps a MC rear that will do a little better?

Love to hear about any other modifications. I'm working on pictures.

Thanks,

Bob

I have the same cupping wear on my front tire. But the bike runs straight and true. I'm going to put a rear tire on the front soon. Same size (150-80/16). With a rear tire you get more tread in the middle depending on the brand of tire. I can't find a car tire that size. Even at Coker. Closest I found was a tractor tire. Speed rated at about 15 MPH.

I have 10,000 on my CT after 6500 on the BS POS. I am about to replace my second front tire and am going with a rear tire with more ~/32ths of rubber. However, if you do this you must remember to reverse the directional arrow on the wheel because the 'twist' is now from braking instead of engine torque and the tire is made to flex in the opposite direction. Just mount the rear tire as if you were traveling in reverse and it will correct. (this is documented on at least one factory tire website from what I understand but, even if not, it makes perfect sense.)

Oh, and I have a 225/60 but it is too tall and I had to make an inner fender. It still rubs on big bumps too. I would stick with a GY TT in 215/60 and that is advice from 2 of my friends that also ride V2Ks with a CT.
Remember there will be more counter steering needed after you put the CT on and you will get used to it in about 20-50 miles and then it becomes natural.

Moparman,

Is the 225/60-16 an Alimax or a GY TT?
I've been told the Altimax fits without mods ... might be wrong.
That inner fender guard looks like it could be a problem.
Thanks for the info.

Bob

Mine is a Fusion ZR1. Z-rated for SPEEEEEED. The problem is that the tire is not rounded and the inner fender is, so the edges rub. I have tried 3 different ways of making a new flat inner fender and the latest one worked the best. First time was a thin bright Kawi-green slippery rollup-type kid's sled that I cut to fit and fenderwashered it into place. It was sort of messed up to begin with so it wore out in the places that had been bent and was thin enough that sharp rocks cut it up after a few thousand miles.
Second one was cut from a heavy thick top fuel dragster slick I had. It was the most work and lasted a year before wearing out where it was close to the tire.
Last one was cut from another type of plastic sled. The boat toboggan is what we always called it. Found it along the hiway after it flew out of somebody's pickup and had a split edge but lots of area that was perfect to cut one out of. It is harder and stiffer and has lasted 2 years with no deterioration.
The bike does need an inner fender to keep the shock and surrounding area clean or I would just leave it off.

Since I could not find a CT for the front of my rig (150-60/16 I ended up putting a rear tire of the correct size on the front. Had it mounted backwards and it rides smoother, doesn't track one way or another and when the front brake is applied it stops straight. Great solution for a rig with a sidecar. Thanks for all the helpfull suggestions.

Finally got around to tearing down the bike and going to the darkside .. double darkside actually.
Replaced stock rear with Goodyear TT in 215/60V-16. Perfect fit on 2004 Vulcan without modification, but there is no extra room between the tread and the inner fender guard for a larger diameter tire. Front stock Bridgstone was replaced with Dunlop Rear GT501 150/80VB-16 mounted normally (not reversed) because it just did't look right backwards.

The Goodyear was too stiff to mount with a No-Mar motorcycle tire rig a friend owns, it required a car tire machine to get the bead over the rim. Bead set at about 30 lbs and I am running it at 35 lbs. Front has 2 oz of Dyna Beads & the rear 3 oz.
The rig tracks straight & true. I may play with the rear & front pressures for ride comfort, but with no lean to worry about on a sidecar, I don't know how much it will change handling.

Thanks to all for the information / recommendations for brands & sizes. Dyna-Beads were the way to go.
Photos? ... Working on it, I don't do facebook or any of those other public sites & I don't speak geek well.

Ride safe.

Have a 2008 Honda VTX 1300R with Motorvation sidecar. No good pix but will try this weekend. Pearl white. Everyone puts their seatbelts on when they see it coming LOL. Also looking at going to car tire.

If a 215/60-16 is to wide because it rubs on the side of the fender you could try a 175/R16 or a 185/75-16. Both of those are taller than a 215/60-16 tire(26.2" for the 215 and 26.9" for the 185) but they would not rub the side of the fender as soon. Sometimes you have to go with a little narrower tire so it won't rub the side of the fender.

Just a thought.

ROD