[ted clement]

What with the shortage of Bridgestones, I noticed that various places have Bridgestone rear tires for SilverWing scoots...which are 150-70-13, compared to 130-70-13 which is OEM on the Burg 400.

Looking at my rear tire there is about an inch of space between the tire and gear housing. With the Silverwing tire being 20mm (about 1 9/16 inch) larger in diameter, spread across the the whole width and depth, it seems to me this might work ok.

Has anyone tried one this size?

Had been planning on going with Pirelli's, but a buddy has one with less than 2000 miles showing serious wear. Will report more on this later after we check it out more thorougly.

 

[pauljo]

Re: Can larger Tire be Used?

Had been planning on going with Pirelli's, but a buddy has one with less than 2000 miles showing serious wear.

Hmm... The Pirelli rear radial on my 650 is lasting much better that the Bridgestone did. Of course the 400 is a different (bias ply) series, and might not even use the same rubber compound. I'd also wonder if your friend has been maintaining proper tire pressure. Two things I know of that can accelerate tire wear are low tire pressure, and frequent riding on gravel roads. Severals guys on the V-Strom forum live down gravel roads, and their tires wear much more rapidly than average.

 

[ted clement]

He emailed me yesterday that when he got home from the Fly in where I saw him and he told me about the poor condition, that the tire was down to the fabric....with 3200 miles. I ride with him one day every week and he diligently maintains his tires. He's he one that initially had a nail in the Bridgestone and had to put the Pirelli on. I think he's gonna be our guinea pig and go for the larger tire as used on Silverwings, or else he's gonna put his patched Bridgestone back on with a tube in it.

 

[NormanB]

Isn't it great when others are willing to try these things out :wink:

Look forward to the reports on how the larger tyre works out.