New "Rear" Front Tire

Well I got 34k miles out of my last "rear" tire that I ran up front so I got another "rear" tire for the front of my T. This time I got the Bridgestone Battlax BT45V 130/80-18
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/6015/i/bridgestone-battlax-bt45v-sport-touring-rear-tire?avad=55963_c549c48d&SiteID=AvantLink|NA|55963_c549c48d&WT.MC_ID=54020

All I can say so far(less than 150 miles on this tire) is this thing is smooth, so smooth I feel like I have a new bike under me. I know I'll get good mileage out of this tire because a lot of GoldWing riders use this "rear" tire up front. I should have bought the 140/80-18 but I had a brain fart and got the stock size tire for my '98 VT1100-T. My old tire had a little shimmy at any speed under around 25 mph and this one runs straight and did I say SMOOTH.  

ROD

Hey Rod,
Haven't seen you since yesterday.  
Looking around the Darkside to see what to run on the VTX1800C. Still trying to decide whether to make the switch or not. Any more thoughts on running that rear tire up front after yesterday's ride? I was thinking that I should ride behind you on our next ride to see what that CT looks like going through the twisties at speed.
Hoppy

rrounds wrote:Well I got 34k miles out of my last "rear" tire that I ran up front so I got another "rear" tire for the front of my T. This time I got the Bridgestone Battlax BT45V 130/80-18
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/6015/i/bridgestone-battlax-bt45v-sport-touring-rear-tire?avad=55963_c549c48d&SiteID=AvantLink|NA|55963_c549c48d&WT.MC_ID=54020

All I can say so far(less than 150 miles on this tire) is this thing is smooth, so smooth I feel like I have a new bike under me. I know I'll get good mileage out of this tire because a lot of GoldWing riders use this "rear" tire up front. I should have bought the 140/80-18 but I had a brain fart and got the stock size tire for my '98 VT1100-T. My old tire had a little shimmy at any speed under around 25 mph and this one runs straight and did I say SMOOTH.   

ROD

I just logged in to poke around and see what others are running up front. Good timing, good info, tyvm


*edit* nice lookin tire. just dawned on me tho, my front rim is a 19 inch. I'll dig around a bit see what I can turn up.

Will the 130/80v-18 work on the 99SE wing for a front tire? I'm going with the Good Year 175/60-16 for the rear, I haul my ol' ladies shoe box with me, a CSC FSIII dbl sidecar!

Thanks, Sidecar  

I don't know if it will fit your Wing. If I had a side-car I would see if I could find a car or trailer tire that would fit the front of the bike. Trailer tires are good tires to put on a non power driven wheel. That way you put a lot more rubber on the ground up front so the bike should stop/turn better. You would have to change the front wheel to a smaller front wheel like to a 15" or 16" wheel.

ROD

Thanks Rod!

Well we got the Goodyear 175/60r16 on our wing/sidecar rig, so far first 500 miles runs fine, I can tell we have more rubber under our butts..lol, I used the lift up the whole rear bags trick, worked fine, a little pain in the butt putting the 2 saddlebag bolts back in ( on the sidecar side) Going shopping for a CT for front now, leaving Florida heading back to Indiana (no hurry, still have snow) and will change then, thanks Rod for the heads up on a trailer tire!