86 VFR750 Tire Sizes

Hi Everyone,

Local Honduh Dealer says they won't install my tire size because it is not stock. My VFR750 currently running 140/70R18 in the back and 120/80R16 in the front... instead of the 130/80R18 and 110/90R16.

My bike was ridden to FL and back from Delware for all its life before me, and the original owner said he ran that tire size since 5000 miles. (at 45kish now).

On cars, I know if you go wider, you have to make sure its within the specifications of the rim width. General rule of thumb, you can go a size up as long as you go down in the ratio (10 in width, 5 in ratio is an example... again, all depends).

Is the honduh dealer being a jerk about this? I told them the bike rides perfectly fine...

 

Is it really wider or just taller and rounder (pinched). I put a wider than spec tire on a rear rim (6") I think, stock was 170, I put a 180 on and it made the tire taller by pinching in. Handled OK, looked Boss, but other than that I gained nothing.

If you want wider tires, dump the stock rims and upgrade to the F2's. Then you can put modern radial tires on, VAST improvement.

 

the F2 front tire requires a lot of hacking... which I am not willing to do to my bike.

 

Check my thread out on the F2 wheel conversion I did. I did ZERO modifications to the parts on my bike, everything is pretty much bolt on. Only mods to the front are turning down the right hand spacer (just buy a used one for $5.00) and the speedo drive (buy a used one for $10.00) preserve the originals. I did not do the F2 fork upgrade, like you, I didn't want to hork up my bikes originality. Rear wheel is bolt on 100%, I modified nothing, just bought the parts from Jamie.

It is really not that bad if you have the parts and a good instruction set to do it (which I'm working on).

577nitro

 

I see. wtf? Jamie told me "In order to install an f2 front wheel, the wheel itself would have to be machined. Due to this cost, most people opt to just swap an entire f2 or f3 front end."

 

You do have to machine the f2 brake rotor post down 5.5mm to 6mm. Any machine shop can do this pretty easy I think Jamie can as well. It cost money to modify the f2 forks as well, so I see that argument as a wash. It's like maybe 100.00 to have the wheel machined. I litarly removed the old wheels bolted up the new with the new parts. No fork removal, controls, nuffin'. Pretty dang simple. If you go the fork route, the whole front end has to come off, and you have to swap out the bars. They are lower and I think they hit the tank, the stop has to be modified and a bunch of other stuff. I also have risers and didn't want to lose those. I'm not sure people know but the f2 forks are not cartridge forks, they are just dampening rods only. You also have to change the springs, and add emulators. What's the point? All that for slightly larger diameter forks? Just get a fork brace on the stockers and you solve that issue, if there is one. With the stockers the springs are correct, and with emulators they become adjustable. Far less hassle and cheaper. Everything also just fits. IMHO of course. But to each his own I guess.

 

So If I want a F2 front wheel I just have to modify the rotor post?

 

Mill the f2 rotor post 6mm, mill the speed drive outside face(side against the fork) 5mm, and the right side spacer about 5mm. I'd have to measure them to give you exact numbers. This is easy for any machine shop about 100.00. Then bolt up. No removal of the forks, bars, controls.

 

There are many instructions how to do this on the interweb. I have a pretty detailed method for the VF500 but I am sure they exist for the the VFR too.

 

wow... I just spent $260 on new tires ... damnit i coulda just saved for the swap. ugh.

I can go back to stock if I do this?

 

Yes no problem the bike is not modified, only the two spacers up front. Again buy some used ones off eBay.

 

Argh. I want to do it now! lol

 

I was in a similar situation and decided to do it when I had to buy tires. Since you have to buy news ones one way or the other, it was a good time to do it. For you I'd say wear the new ones you just bought out, while at the same time slowly collecting your parts for the swap. Easier on the wallet that way. I might even have my own kit out by then.

 

Keep me posted man. Next time I do a set of tires I will definitely do it this way

 

Roger that.