Anybody ever tried a 180/55-17 on a 4th Gen VFR? O.E. fitment is 170/60-17. I need new tires, and I found a brand new set of Pirelli Stradas (w/stickers, never mounted), size 120/70 & 180/55 which had been intended for an '06 VFR, from a private seller for a fair price. I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the rear rim is 17x5.00, which while not ideal, could work. Pinching the sides in a bit will cause a somewhat more peaked profile, which will cause quicker steering into corners. I really don't ride the VFR hard enough to worry about using the edges of the tread (my '01 R1 wears Diablo Corsas...). Any clearance issues with the S/S swingarm?
Nope, it's never been done by anyone. :tongue: Actually, it's a FAQ. Yes, it will work but you will have less contact patch on the ground. Clears chain. If you want to do it right, get a 5/6gen wheel and modify it to fit (rotor bolts are different on the hubs) and have the best of both worlds. Here's a pic of my 4th gen with a 6gen wheel and a few other mods too:
Doug, Thanks for your reply. Now that I see the pic of your 4th Gen, I realize I'm mistaken. My '94 is apparently a 3rd Gen (I haven't had it long). Still, I don't think there were any changes in rim width (17x5.00), swingarm design/clearance etc., from 3rd to 4th Gen, right? The '06 wheel would be a 17x5.5, correct? Frankly, I'd prefer to stick with a 17x5.00 wheel w/170 tire for lighter handling. I honestly don't need maximum grip for the VFR. The price is good for the Strada 120/180 set, and exactly the tires I had in mind.
Rat, My comment about my bike having "a few other mods" was tongue-in-cheek. Cosmetically, it's highly modified and doesn't resemble a 4th gen any longer; hence, your confusion. ummm, sorry about that. A 3rd gen wheel is 5.5 also so if you have a 5.0 rim, it's a 4gen as they are the only gen to run it. Yup, you will immediately notice the difference when you go back to a 170 after running the 180.
LOL way to go, confuse the poor guy why don't ya. LOL yes it works, been there done it more than once. Trick is to find a tire, if your stuck on the 180, that has a soft side wall. the older first generation Corsas where pretty good but now they've stiffin them up. so not as good as a fit as before, so I'm back to a Corsa 170. to tell you the truth, it handles better with the 170. Now as far as Rims, get a 3rd Generation. they're 5.5" and they are a direct bolt on, none of the grind and fit shit needs to be done. besides that, they're cool looking
Well, I finally went out and checked the rim (been sidelined with a recently broken foot and just not very ambulatory). I found no size markings whatsoever on the rim itself, so I physically measured the width with a tape measure. Inner bead-to-bead is 5 1/2" (tire bead/inside corner), which is fine for a 180mm tire. Although, based on your response (above), I'm now sorta confused... I thought the '94-'97s were 4th generation models. -?- *I bought this bike used/Salvage. It has clearly been properly Jetted for the 2Bros C/F Slip-On, has Gen-Mar Risers, and shows other signs of careful & appropriate Mods. I wouldn't be surprised if the rim had already been swapped to a 5.5. The 5.5" rim actually opens up countless tire options, as 180 is the current defacto standard rear tire width for practically every sportbike on the market. 5.5 - 6.0 rim width is correct for 180's. Every Mfgr makes a 180 Rear tire, in every performance type. The O.E. fitment for a 1994 VFR750 is 170/60-17. The 170 (my preference) will steer/handle lighter than a 180, and although I really don't need any more grip/contact patch for the VFR, it's nice to know the rim will allow more choices. A quick visual indicates no clearance issues with swingarm or chain interference. I run 180's on the R1, and do actually use (& apparently need) the full width, as I ride it much more aggressively than the VFR. The R1 is my Toy! :biggrin: Anyhoo - The original issue is moot now, as the Seller sold the Stradas elsewhere, but I think this has been an informative discussion for others. I'm now considering Dunlop D616's, as I don't own a car and the VFR is my daily-driver in all weather. They are only available in 180 or 190 Rear, no 170 option. Also considering the Michelin Pilot Road2's.
You can also tell by the spoke count if it's a 3rd gen or other wise, 3rds are 7 spoke and are 5.5" 4th are 5 spoke 5" very easy to tell the difference, 5th and 6th are 5.5" and 5 spoke but have a square spoke where the 4th is rounded. so either you have a 3rd gen VFR or someone did a swap all ready. LOL whats that saying? photos are worth what? LOL
Well, the question is answered definitively. You are correct. After carefully measuring at least 3 times, I found the markings inside one of the (5) spokes. I was sure that DOT required markings... 17x5.00. It seems my initial "measurement" by calibrated eyeball & educated hunch (S.W.A.G. - Scientific Wild-Ass Guess) was correct that it is 5". I guess Craftsman's Finest tape-measure is wildly inaccurate... So, I guess 180's are out. I preferred 170 anyway for lighter handling, although now I wonder how a 160 might work... Hmmm... who makes 160x17's anymore?
No No No, No 160. 180s are doable, just need to check as some have enough flex in the side wall not to be bothered by the extra squeeze, but other than looks they do not offer any better traction and handling. not pushing Pirelle here, but the 170/60 Corsa is working great!
If you really want to run a 180, get a 5-spoke from a 1998-2007 VFR800 like FotoMoto said and lightly mod the inner wheel flange to clear the rotor bolts. Once you have the two wheels side by each, you'll see what needs to be done. It`s very simple and has been done before by many. You can always EBAY the 17x5 rim afterwards. 1990-1993 and 1998-2007 VFRs came with 5.5` wheels and 180 tires. 1994-1997 were the only exceptions, as you have discovered. While you physically CAN lever a 180 onto a 5`rim, it would be optimal to use the 5.5`one. And if you buy and sell both wheels thru EBAY you should be pretty close to a zero-cost mod.
