[t99]

I have to replace the rear rim / tire. I was thinking of buying the rim from ebay since they are 90-100$ vs 200$. I am worried about not knowing the exact condition and don't want something that might go bad when I hit a few bumps or something. Decided to go with a brand new rim, but now curious about the tire situation.

The stock tire is also about 200$, but I was thinking of just ordering a different brand and they are between 75-130$. Is it going to matter if my front tire is the stock and rear is the other brand? Even if it matters It would still be cheaper to buy a set of 2 new tires than it would be buy 1 stock, but I would prefer to only buy 1 if it doesn't really matter. The bike is a Suzuki GW250.

 

[wollerms]

One of my bikes I have a different front to rear tire brand due to size availability...….I haven't noticed any issues or problems with this combo but they are good name brand sport tires. Question how old is your front? Is it worn much? May be better to put a new set on front and rear.

Bike Bandit has many in your rear size 140/70-17?

https://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/rear-140-70-17-street-motorcycle-tires/t11fb527

 

[t99]

One of my bikes I have a different front to rear tire brand due to size availability...….I haven't noticed any issues or problems with this combo but they are good name brand sport tires. Question how old is your front? Is it worn much? May be better to put a new set on front and rear.

Bike Bandit has many in your rear size 140/70-17?

https://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/rear-140-70-17-street-motorcycle-tires/t11fb527

The bike is a 2015 with less than 4k miles, the tread is great, but the work being done is going to cost a nice bit already and was trying to keep the price down. Even if I buy both, a full set is still less than the cost of a stock rear tire. I guess I can always keep the old front tire as a spare. The bike is a 2015 with less than 4k miles, the tread is great. Yeah, that is the size. Bikebandit has good prices, looking at two different possible choices.

Kenda K671 Cruiser ST Motorcycle Tire 140$ total

Avon AM26 Roadrider Motorcycle Tire 200$ total.

Probably comes down to whichever is better for wet weather. Apparently only about 5 models fit my bike. There is another number at the end that these show. 140-70-17 then 66p or 66h look like the two that fit. Not really sure how much that part of it even matters, it's just what bike bandit is saying fits when I put my model in.

 

[Offcenter]

Sometimes different tires can be a benefit.
I'm running a Michelin Commander II on the front and
a car tire on the back. My Goldwing handles GREAT
with this combo.

 

[wollerms]

It's a 140/70-17 66H that's what I have on my KTM. 66H is the load/speed rating, 66=661 lbs load rating/H=130mph.

Look up your tire size instead of your bike you will probably get more choices, any 140/70-17 will fit.

No you do not have to put the stock tire or brand back on, in fact most stock tires are not that good anyways. The link above shows tires from Bike Bandit in the size you need. Check Revzilla.com or Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

If I were you keep your front tire on and buy a new back tire, ride it you shouldn't have any handling issues and if you do by chance then put the match front on from the rear you got.

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Some folks will tell you they have to match, but can not provide any evidence.
The last time I got a rear flat on the Suzuki my options were:
Replace with the same tyre that matches the front, but then the dread wear would not match, so; replace front and rear with matching tyres. Or: Use the non matching rear tyre I already owned.
I used the one I already owned. Hopefully no more flats and I will replace with matching tyres next time. But I still have the spare front that matches the rear.
The Suzuki seems to be happy with the non matching brands.

UK

 

[junkbonds]

I don't think it matters.

****, I use a car tire on my K1600.

 

[cmonSTART]

****, I use a car tire on my K1600.

 

[RonK]

--

As UK suggests, no, it's hard to get things to line up and match anyway, what with tire being older, or have different mileage, or wear patterns, etc. In addition, no two turns have the same requirements in their execution. You may be counter-leaning, kissing the mirror, or just stay in line with the bike. Each activity demands different force action on your tires.

Throw in that in turns, while there may be some "perfect" and "by the book" amount of going outside track-apex-outside track, in fact you will continually adjust all of that based on oncoming traffic (where you don't want to be in a right turn's outside-of-the-curve track) or inside track (a.k.a.:apex) if there is debris on the shoulder area. There are a number of other factors in addition that determine your turn actions like tire pressure, weather, speed, tire design, etc.

I'm saying that there are so many different things going on, the bike or you will never know whether you have a radial or bias tire on. You won't know if you have a slightly wider tire on. You won't know if you have a rear m.c. tire on the front. And normally, you won't even know you have car tire on the rear unless someone tells you it's there.

So most of the time one should choose a tire that meets their needs for that position when it's needed. Period.

(P.s.: I get paid by the word if you wondered.) :nerd:

--

 

[hogcowboy]

The factory tires on my Indian come with mis-matched tires. One radial and one bias. So what does that say? Match them and you die? I don't think so. And neither do most folk. You do what you have to do in most cases like UK suggests.

 

[ZXT10D]

...Is it going to matter if my front tire is the stock and rear is the other brand?

There is no problem with using different brands front and back. You should use the
correct type (radial or belted, tubeless or tubed) with the required speed, load and pressure rating.
As you will see on this forum, some of us don't even comply with these requirements.

I have often used different brands front and rear and I never encountered
any problems. My friend has a Honda CB1000 with 18 inch wheels. He always
mixes brands because it is very difficult to find a matching pair in the required sizes.

 

[hogcowboy]

Here's a section right from the owners manual show bias front tire and radial rear. So if the manufacture can do it with new bikes I see no reason you can't mix/match on a used bike. At least not for normal street riding. On the track it might make a big difference. But just thought y'all would like to see this right from the owners manual.

 

[soupy1957]

All that said......you WILL notice the tread pattern difference when you ride on different tires (in-matched), BUT.......mostly on turns and some road surface conditions.

The whole deal is......

Taking as many variables out of the equation, to give yourself as much of a comfortable/controlled ride as possible. It’s hazardous enough out there!

 

[McRider01]

If you haven't bought the wheel yet I would not write off getting one from Ebay. You almost always get a picture of the part you are buying and there is a rating of buyer satisfaction for that seller. You could also contact the seller and ask if they would measure wheel runout if it is not already provided.

Parts from recent model bikes are usually bought from insurance dealers from totaled motorcycles, and a rear wheel is usually not damaged.

 

[RonK]

All that said......you WILL notice the tread pattern difference when you ride on different tires (in-matched), BUT.......mostly on turns and some road surface conditions.
...

--

Wow! I've never met anybody that can tell tread pattern differences on turns. You must have a butt smoother than a baby's.

--

 

[SemiFast]

Here's a section right from the owners manual show bias front tire and radial rear. So if the manufacture can do it with new bikes I see no reason you can't mix/match on a used bike. At least not for normal street riding. On the track it might make a big difference. But just thought y'all would like to see this right from the owners manual.

Wow!
Somehow Indian engineers must have determined a radial and a bias mix is what their machine needs.
I've never seen that recommended for any of the Japanese machines with the possible exception of some of the new chopper looking things that have ultra fat rear tires.
At one time Dunlop was cautioning that one of their sport bike tires (can't remember model) must use the same model tire front and rear. It had something to do with a unique sidewall flex of that particular tire.

On my street bikes I've used race tires on the front and sport tires on the rear and never could "feel" anything odd or different than with race tires or sport tires matched on both ends.
However, I have been able to feel the difference when using a sport tire up front and a sport touring rear.
I believe the reason is that sport touring tires almost always have stiffer sidewalls and are even stiffer overall (for heavier bikes) than sport tires generally are, generally.

Hey t99,
I'd recommend using the same type of tire that came on the bike.
Two different brands but of the same type... No problem.
BTW, I'm not really a fan of Kenda, but that's just me.

 

[hogcowboy]

I'm sure the engineers for Indian and Dunlop had many meetings over this. I know several of us thought it had to be a typo similar to a later rather high air pressure recommendation for a front tire. It just had to be a typo we thought. Nope. That's it. Really seemed very wrong so you know the engineers had to have spent too much time at the bar.

 

[soupy1957]

It’s the mixing of treads, not a size option that can make the ride uneven. You can feel it in a cage too, when you mix treads.

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Honestly I think the main problem is mixing tyre quality. If your front is a Pirelli and your rear is some no name brand from Alibaba, you're probably not going to have a good time.

I made that mistake once some years ago when I was in a bad situation. Replaced the worn out rear tyres on my car (rear engine, rear drive) with some tyres from a company called "Sentury". Not only did these brand new tyres have less traction than the worn fronts (the car is designed to give the rear more traction), but the treads wore into a polygonal shape rather than round. How... how does that even happen on a decently maintained car??!?

 

[Unkle Krusty]

What you can feel on a sport bike.

Some tyres have soft middles and stiffer sides. That will make the suspension a bit stiffer and can be felt.
A drop of 2 pounds pressure can be felt when cornering, especially if the road surface is a bit uneven.
A difference in compound will make one tyre drift more than another. Remember traction is not 100% on dry pavement. There is always some slippage. Perhaps 7% in a straight line.
I am using drift for corners instead of slippage. Drift can also happen with fine dust / sand on the road.
Some may grip better for hard breaking. Some may be better in the rain than others.

If the tyres are similar for their intended use, then they should be fine for the street, but noticeable at the track. But often at the track, the tyres are deliberately mismatched.

UK