I have a 92 f2 was wondering if the 180 55 zr17 would be a good choice or 170 60 zr17.The 160 is too small for my taste.want something bigger.Handles ok like it is but want something a little more than a 250 cruiser tire size.

 

You have some learning to do.

Your bike will handle worse with a wider tire, it will feel like your bike gained 150 lb's.

Turn in will be slower.

I think the Honda engineer's knew what they were doing when they selected the tire geometry for this bike.

If you switch to an F3 rear rim you can run a 170 (you can run a 170 on the F2 rim but you wont get any benefits from it)

180 is overkill.

Stick with the 160, when you can rub off the chicken strip completely let me know and I'll recommend you move up to a newer bike.

What brand of tire are you using now?

 

+854
=)

 

+ 1000!!!

 

metzler sporttec.Was fixing to get a new set from the local dealer as they are having a sale for 150 for both.Wanted a wider tire for the contact patch to wear wider.The one on here now has a flat strip about an inch wide.Wich makes for wonderful handling upon lean in.

 

I worship my Metzeler M3's, $150 for both is a ****ing awesome deal.

Buy 10 sets and ship 5 to me, keep 5 in stock for yourself!

The flat strip you speak of, is that in the center of your tire or on the outside edges?

If you have a 1" chicken strip on either side of the tire you may want to consider:

1.) Bowing your head in shame
2.) Sticking with the 160, or going down to a 150

A lot of people do not understand that both your front and rear tire work together as a team.

Some people think you can mix and match different brands and profiles (sizes) with no problem and may even get better handling!

This is wrong.

Each manufacturers type and style of tire has its own "Profile", this has many variables like crown height and lean angle etc.

When you mix one manufacturers tire with another (Pirelli front, Michelin rear) you now have 2 different profile tires. If your front tire is more round or flat and your rear tire has an aggressive V shaped tall crown the tires will be fighting each other and one of them will lose.

The rear tire will want to dive in quickly while the front wants to take its time and roll over slowly.

The same phenomenon happens when you change tire geometry even while retaining the same tire front/back.

When you put a wider tire on a narrow rim, the crown (meaning the height/angle) will flatten out and no longer be in its intended form while the front tire is still as it should be... So the battle for traction begins.

I've gone through this thoroughly for my Supermoto race bike, we have an advantage because SM tires have a much more aggressive crown and lean angle and the sidewalls are vertical not angled outward.

I run a 165/60/17 Dunlop slick on a 4.25" rim... I'd never get away with a 160 street tire on there, it would handle like crap. I had a 150 Pilot Power and it did pretty well for a street tire but I found myself begging for more traction on multiple occasions so I dropped the cash for some real slicks and never looked back.

 

well this a matched set of dunlop sportmax radials.The metzler is wore in the center causing it to be flat.The sides are ok but this tire is pretty old as the bike sat for four years.I couldn't wear the sides wear I live anyway.The roads around here are too scary to take any curves at speed.You would end up in some bodies woods.

 

It's flat in the center because they are old tires.

Take my word for it, if you go out and get some brand new M3's (or any other brand if you want) in the 120/160 configuration it will feel like a brand new bike!

I wouldn't trust 4 year old tires no matter what condition they were in.

 

yeah I put a new front tire on when my dad went 130 he came back and it had cracks all the way around it.Now the back tire is cracking.Won't go faster than 60 right now.Riding season is coming up and was just wondering if I could move up a size besides the 160.Will stick with that size for now.My bike has an a$$ load of miles but it's a good runner.I want to keep it that way.Just the newer bikes have larger tires that look better and just wanted to blend in a little with a 17 year old bike.

 

I would say Hershey's advice +1000 lol Be glad your f2 has a 17" front rim lol. My 900RR still has a 16" front rim lol