RSV Trike Front Tire Question?

[kj5ix]

Being new to the RSV world, and having done many conversions, but haven't heard back from any of the ones converted except to say WOW why did I wait!! Which is good. Now if it was a Goldwing I know which tire works good, better, and best. However for the Venture, I don't have a clue ( Yet ) The tires on the bike when I got it were new, so it will be a while ( I hope ) before I need another. It is a Continental Conti.

 

What I am asking is: What tire on the front of the Venture is considerer the best for the Trike. Is there size change Etc:

There isn't too much found in the search.

[V7Goose]

Being new to the RSV world, and having done many conversions, but haven't heard back from any of the ones converted except to say WOW why did I wait!! Which is good. Now if it was a Goldwing I know which tire works good, better, and best. However for the Venture, I don't have a clue ( Yet ) The tires on the bike when I got it were new, so it will be a while ( I hope ) before I need another. It is a Continental Conti.

 

What I am asking is: What tire on the front of the Venture is considerer the best for the Trike. Is there size change Etc:

There isn't too much found in the search.

I do not have a trike, and my sidecar is on a 40 year old Moto Guzzi, so the following suggestion is NOT based on personal experience, but -

 

I think if I had an RSV trike or hack outfit, the first tire I would try is the one I most despise on a two-wheel RSV: the stock Brickstone Exedra in stock 150/80-16. Here are my reasons:

 

This tire has a very effective dual compound design that always has the tread left in the center of the tire when all of it is gone on either side (speaking about use on a two-wheeled RSV, of course). Since a three-wheeled bike spends the vast majority of time only on the center of the tread, this is a good thing. Second, this overly fat tire has only a slightly round profile, which will allow a larger contact patch when used in your application. Third, you can probably pick one up dirt cheap, or even free, from an educated RSV owner who was smart enough to remove that terrible tire soon after buying the bike; that means you can try one at minimal cost.

 

Do not be misled by my use of the term "terrible tire", as that applies specifically to a normal RSV. On two wheels, the stock Brickstone tires are indeed the worst, most horrible terrible tires you could possible run. But I suspect that front tire will be a very good choice for a three-wheeled RSV.

Goose

[greg_in_london]

I use a Continental Tour 120/90H18 on the front of my first gen and sidecar and it lasts really well. It is not brilliant in the wet as the compound leans towards comfort and long life, rather than wet weather grip, but it has not caused me any problems.

 

I suspect that I load mine more than you do, but it is outlasting rear tyres 4-5 times.

[Carbon_One]

When I first triked my bike I was running the smaller Avon tire. It wasn't long before I replaced it with a stock Bridgstone in the 150 size. This tire was given to me (used tire) so went ahead and used it and got some decent milage out of it before it gotten cupped to bad. When I replaced that tire last spring/early summer I bought a rear Bridgstone in the stock size. So far I like that on the trike as it appears to be wearing well, tracks great in the rain, etc. Currently I think I have just under 8k on it with no noticable wear. I may try a radial type next go around if I find a tire I like, meaning good water sheding thread, just to see how it handles with radials front and rear.

Bottom line at this point for me is I would be totally happy with another Bridgstone rear tire again up front.

One other point some trikers do is reverse the rotation of the tires. I've mounted mine in the normal direction with the thought that water is shed better. I've never had a traction problem yet regardless of how much rain we've ridden in.

Larry

NOTE: I stand corrected on the tire brand I'm currently using. It's a Dunlop 404 rear tire NOT a Bridgestone brand.

The previous tire was a Bridgestone thou and was a conventional front tire.

Edited September 11, 2010 by Carbon_One
corrected info

[rstd_mn]

What I am asking is: What tire on the front of the Venture is considerer the best for the Trike. Is there size change Etc:

There isn't too much found in the search.

 

Being an older rider, I have been watching for options for when my right leg finally says I can't hold a bike up any longer. (nerve damage) Been doing some research on trikes, sidecars and setups like the voyager kits. One of the little tidbits I gathered from a trike builder is they like to use a Sportster tire on some of their heavier trikes. They also reverse mount it so the tire runs backwards. Supposed to make slow speed handling mucher easier.

 

I do know there are 2 sizes of front tires that others use on their Ventures and RSTD's.

Front Tire: 150/80-HB16

Optional size: 130/90-HB16

The narrower optional size is supposed to improve slow speed handling but at the price of some higher speed cornering ability.

 

Wondering if the smaller size front tire would be best on a Venture trike.

 

BTW: Nice Trike!!

 

Bruce T.

05 RSTD

Minnesota

[kj5ix]

I know that the RSV front tire has a rather large foot print compared to most other bikes. The Goldwing front tire is limited to one size, which cuts out many tires, those being the Michelin MPA, and the Brimstone BT-45, and Lazertech nothing else will fit in the fendrer....

Getting the mileage out of a front tire that I get on the Goldwing, may be a bit much to ask for, but who knows there may just be that magic combination out there. On the highway the Venture Trike doesn't seem as nimble as the GL. Weight and approximate size about the same ( except RSV is wider ) Lane changes take more effort it seems...

[Dragon Rider]

Well...I said I'd get back to you...just a bit slow...I triked my RSMV and had a new Bridgestone on the front..14,000 miles later it was shot (began to cup pretty bad) ...Had a new one installed and...installed the E-Z Steer triple tree to extend the front end..Like better than power steering....6,000 miles later....tire was shot.....not the best deal for me, just couldn't face a new tire every 6K...I've now got a Dunlop rear tire, mounted backwards, and with 12,000 miles it hardly shows wear...But it has made a bit of a vibration problem when runing over the posted speed limits...Have rechecked all the air pressures (forks, rear tires, monshock, and air suspension (it's a Tri-Wing kit)...am considering going back to a motorcycle front tire at next service...either a Dunlop or Avon...Might be pricey to chuck a good tire but there are times when I feel the need to run a bit faster than the cages and trucks on our lovely interstate system.Two more 1000 mile runs and then if the problem doesn't go...the tire is gone....good mileage, but I guess I ride too hard...

[bongobobny]

I am going to try a Continental rear tire on the front of mine next, although may mount it regular instead of backwards. Rear tires tend to have more tread than the front ones so I'll give it a try. The reason I chose Continental is they have WSW. The Dunlop D404 WSW did not last all that long, 12K total, of which 5K has been since triking...

[kj5ix]

I know that the Michelin Pilot Activ or the BT-45 Bridgestone are the preferred on the Goldwings along with the Mitz Lazertec. I haven't search out to see if there is a rear tire in the RSV size range. There is a lot more room under the RSV fender than there is on the GL1800 Which is "0"

[Aussie Annie]

Just recently put a Pirelli MT66 rear reverse mount on the front of the Quike [Venture with Voyager kit]

Slightly smaller than stock Venture tyre, but getting a good ride so far

[kj5ix]

I just looked at the MT66, and it looks good ie: nice center tread pattern. Also looking at others BT-45,& Lasertech etc. It may be a while before I really need it as the Conti was new, and I only have a couple of K on it now. I guess I will just have to get out and try to ware it out,, I am thinking of something a tad taller, and narrower in the 130/140 X 90 range.

[greg_in_london]

 

I am going to try a Continental rear tire on the front of mine next, although may mount it regular instead of backwards.

 

Mount it backwards - that's what the tyre manufacturers say. It's to do with the tyre construction and how the bands lay over each other. It's unlikely that it will fail, but the last thing you want is the tyre construction unravelling because the loading is the wrong way (rear tyres do their work accelerating, the front does it when braking).

[greg_in_london]

I thought that maybe I was being a bit opinionated, so I had a bit of a search to find a relevant reference. It wasn't as easy as I thought - maybe sidecar fitment is just not as high on manufacturer's agendas as once it was I suppose, but I did find this:

 

Correct Mounting of 3.50 x 16 inch Dunlop Racing Sidecar Tyres - Mark Gibson

 

A friend called and asked a question that went something like, these Dunlop's have only one direction of rotation arrow on them, what should I do with the front tire? So, having raced these tires for ten years I gave him my opinion.

Most of us are used to having two direction of rotation arrows on a tire, one which states for front mounting and one for rear mounting. The Rule of Thumb I've heard is that if there is only one direction of rotation noted on the tire that the front tire is mounted backwards, i.e. opposite the specified direction of rotation as the braking forces take the place of the acceleration force in the tire carcass.

Well my friend's question peaked my curiosity so I contacted the very patient Phil Lamont, the Canadian importer who in turn put the question to Fort Dunlop in England. The Dunlop response was concise: "The arrow on the sidewall indicates the correct rotation for the drive wheel. When mounted on the front, the rotation should be reversed, as most of its work is in braking. ie. the arrow should be incorrect" on the front. It probably is not crucial - in our experience tread joint problems are minimal on moulded tread-patterned tyres".

So there you have it, the manufacturer's recommendation. Oh, and one other fact from Dunlop is the correct rim size for this tyre is 2.625 inch at the bead, i.e. a 16 x WM4.

End of story? Not quite. If you walk around the USCRA pit area you'll find at least one old, balding, sidecar pilot who for ten years has been mounting the front tire "incorrectly", i.e. with the arrow in the actual direction of rotation. This racer has thought about it and sees a better water path out of the tread when mounted "incorrectly" and who really doesn't use a lot of front brake anyway. (Infamous quote: "they only slow you down"). Now before you say this sidecar racer shouldn't be allowed on the track, open up Vic Willoughby's book Exotic Motorcycles to page 182 and look at how the great British Sidecar Champion Bill Boddice mounted his front tyre. Food for thought!!

Mark Gibson, #8 BMW kneeler

 

 

This came from http://www.race-uscra.com/sidecars.html

 

It might be interesting to hear anyone else's ideas...

[kj5ix]

Mount it backwards - that's what the tyre manufacturers say. It's to do with the tyre construction and how the bands lay over each other. It's unlikely that it will fail, but the last thing you want is the tyre construction unravelling because the loading is the wrong way (rear tyres do their work accelerating, the front does it when braking).

 

I have known and done this for years on the GL1800. It is debated heavily at times on that board also. I have photos there showing the tread pattern next to a regular front tire, and some still deny that it is correct,, Michelin and Bridgstone recommend that if a rear tire is put on the front; to reverse it. There is a guy on that board that just yesterday had to replace a fairly new BT-45 Battleaxe because it was coming apart on him. As of this minute he hasn't said weather it was mounted forward by the arrow, or reverse..... I suspect that it was mounted by the arrow in standard rotation ( for rear application ) He is an aggressive rider, and in previous debates; always has stated that the manufactures put the arrows on there for a reason, and that the tire is designed for a specific rotation. Which is very true - for the application that it is marketed to and for as a rear tire. But when used as a front tire he just cant conceive the idea of the forces on the tire being reversed, and doesn't seem to understand the way the forces apply to the belting.

[greg_in_london]

Hmmmm ... Could be a one-off and the front tyre has outlasted three rear tyres, but.....

 

I was going to the tyre shop anyway - one of the trailer tyres was worn out and I'd rather have it in the garage ready to go than waiting for me to work on it - and happened to look at the front tyre. In the groove where the tread pattern cuts across the tyre in several places I saw cracking, some of it down to the carcass. I've some pictures below. The tyre place has ordered me in another tyre and we'll send this one back to Continental to see what answer we get. I know I work it hard, but it's within the design limits and the manufacture stamp is 0308, which means it's only 2 1/2 years old and has been used through three Summers, doing at least 8-9,000 miles, maybe a few more.