Hannigan Trike Front Tire

[Guest divey]

I keep reading tire posts that some of you have put a rear m/c tire on the front of your 2nd Get RSV and mounted it in reverse direction. Obviously, others are simply mounting an m/c front tire with the correct direction of travel. I'm looking at a front tire replacement for my 2008 RSV w/Hannigan kit. I currently have a 150/80-16 Avon Venom on the front that, despite a very outdated date code, has a lot of tread left and shows no signs of cupping, cracking or unusual tread wear. It's mounted in the recommended direction of travel. What are the advantages/disadvantages to the rear tire mount, reverse direction? Thanks for your input. Doug

[SilveradoCA]

From what I've read on "darkside" threads here and elsewhere, but not specific to trikes, the consensus seems to be drastically increased mileage before the tire is worn out. The factory front size is a fairly common rear size on other, smaller bikes.

[leo3wheel]

Use rear motorcycle tires on front of my trike. Feeling is rear tires are more durable with increased load. All tires

cup on front of my trike on very twisty roads, but they flatten out again on highways. Use Ride-On tire sealant

to help with rebalancing. Right now using Michelin Commander II rear tire that has seen 29 states coast-to-coast and

down the Blue Ridge Parkway from NJ. Still looks great! Have had tires mounted both forward and reverse, but found

no difference. Commander is mounted in forward direction.

Edited July 8, 2018 by leo3wheel

[Kybigmac]

I tried a rear tire mounted reverse on the front of my Venture/Hannigan trike and got about the same mileage as the original front tire (10k) .I now have a regular front tire back on it and it’s wearing fine. Looks like it will last about the same mileage,the roads around here are hard on tires. The original front wore great so I thought a rear tire would last a long time, but it cupped badly!

[Mike G in SC]

My 2008 Goldwing 1800 Champion trike, with straight axle has always been one that has jerky steering on bumps.

I got it used a few years ago and tried to get it straightened out at a couple dealers. No real changes...…

Till a friend with similar trike got a AVON Cobra TRIKE Tire. Although my reversed Michelin (Pilot I think) had plenty of tread, it looked cupped and I had the trike tire mounted.

There went my year or so of issues. I guess the more oval shape of the tire remedied most of my jerkiness and my steering issues are gone.

 

I don't know if they have it in the RSV size but I highly recommend for trikes. It was a game changer on mine.

EDIT: I do see the MT190-16 (small front for RSV/RSTD)

 

Can see on the second picture the wider contact patch than would get with a MC tire. I think that may be what helps.

 

Here is Dennis Kirk link:

https://www.denniskirk.com/avon/cobra-av71-trike-tire.pfp544572n2.prdf

Edited July 9, 2018 by Mike G in SC

[bluebird]

Bridgestone Excedra Max seems to be offering the best ride and I always get between 18 to 20 thousand miles. My RSV with Hannigan trike has 105 thousand on it and I had a chance to test all the popular brand names of tires.