Some hope for 175's

I'd thought we were stuck with the 175/75/16 to 80 ratios or the engine-revving 175/60/16 (sidewall 105mm).
There IS one intermediate 175/65/16 I found tonight that wouldn't be so radically small:
http://shopping.yahoo.com/1010083635-assurance-fuel-max-17565-r16-82h-bsw-all-season-tires/;_ylt=Aow8CZhObcl_J_hiGishEOgYGhoF
This would be a sidewall of 113.75 mm.
My stock 150/80/16 MT was 120 mm.
The hunt continues, but the price on this one made me look hard because it's also the Fuel Max - the next in line of course would be the
Dunnie Taxi tire, at $200 plus from Universal Tire. I woulnd't mount another Austone after this one unless there were no other choices.

I want this thread to stay alive. Random thoughts while home from deer hunting:

The Austone I gave you is the only one that I'm aware of that appears to be faulty. I don't recall anybody else (on any of the forums) having any other problems with one. For the guys that put one on, it seems to have worked wonderfully. Maybe I/we got the only one that didn't work. I know we both looked for defects and didn't find any. I saw in some thread that you now got the Austone up to 90 without wobble. That's all the higher the speed rating is on that tire. I don't like that for crossing Texas on I-10, but for me Texas is 1000 miles away and I don't really hit 90 very often anyway, especially now that I'm towing a Time Out trailer.

I'd sure like to hear more updates from the guys that put on the Coker 550 X 16.

Maybe I'll try it again. The Dunlop I had to put on while on the road in Montana won't be lasting very long. If I put one back on up here in the middle of Wisconsin winter, I'd probably freeze to death testing it so I'd have to travel to Tennessee (with relatives that know cycles))to test it AND be in a place where I can work on it. Or travel further to Ackworth for testing/work and live with my brother in Atlanta. That on my mind for March, then going down to Daytona for Bike Week.

Hot dang man, we gotta shake a paw someday!!! Keep me posted on that.
I saw 2 or 3 others on the Winger forums that had wobbles, and I was sure there was 1 or 2 in here, but I have CNS and things just accumulate, not correlate!
This tire DEFINITELY wasn't the only one with the wobbles, and at the same speed too. My hardheadedness just came in handy this time and I actually didn't WASTE
money on something for a change - (feeling free with a few bucks due to your donation of your tire...)
Let's try to hit a lunch and I'll ride part of your route with you perhaps as you come through? Just let me know this spring or so and we'll hook up. I owe ya bigtime;
you remind me a lot of the bro's from my outlaw days - sordid times, but we had unity.

Well I might have just found a new tire. Millersberg Tire Co's website in Millersberg Ohio shows that they sell a Nankang (Taiwan made) tire in 175-75R-16. It's the CW20 model, made for a van or light truck. It's an all season mud and snow, it has a speed rating of R (106mph), a load rating of 101/99 and it's a blackwall. It's got an outside diameter of 29.33 inches which is a little less than the Austone at 29.9. I haven't gotten a price quote or statement of availability yet, but I have a voicemail message in to them, so I expect a reply tomorrow. If you google Nankang CW20 other retail distributors in the US will show up.

Millersburg Tire didn't have the Nankang CW20 in stock. They haven't confirmed yet if they can or cannot get it. and will call me back. In the meantime I learned that Maxxis (also from Taiwan) also makes a 175 75R 16 called the Bravo Series UE-168(N) and Millersburg Tire also is supposed to be carrying it. The Maxxix is a 8 ply steel belted light truck commercial radial with a load range 101D (1819lbs) with a speed rating of R (106mph). Its width uninflated is 7.1 inchs (180mm????-not 175 as it's designated). Its a black sidewall. The Maxxis USA corportate headquarters is in Suwanee Georgia. Do we have anybody in Georgia that needs a 175?
I've got messages into 3 retail distributors and one wholesaler looking for the Nankang in the US. I'm about to call the Maxxis office in Georgia to see what they say.

Shannon Jones from Tireco,com is looking into placing an overseas order for the Nankang CW20 in 175-75R-16. I'll report when he gets back to me.

Here's Shannon Jones' response from Tireco.com, to my inquiry about having Tireco import a Nankang CW20 in 175-75-16:

Dan,
Thank you very much for your inquiry, but unfortunately, the CW-20 was designed for automotive and not motorcycle use. We appreciate your feedback and wish you well in your endeavors.

Tell them it's for a trike!

I don't lie. I told 'em it's for Heritages, Goldwings, Road Stars and they'd sell a bunch of 'em. I suspect Mr. Jones listened to an "expert" and decided not to play with us.

CURSES on the politically "correct". That would have been fantastic, but I bet you'd not dissuade him easily. They will worry about liability and such.
If they only knew.

Is it a lie if you only tell them it is for a wheel that you have
and you want to purchase it, and that yes, you know it is what you need.

yeah, you might say it's slippery terrain when we shop. Thankfully, it's not slippery when we ride!
The less said, probably the better. If we can't pull RIDERS over, we sure won't have luck with salespeople
on the company line.