SuzukiSavage.com - White wall tires

Dave

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Re: White wall tires
Reply #15 - 06/05/25 at 11:32:25

Here is a tire size to rim fitment chart.

If you go outside of the fitment shown on this chart, you will be deforming the tire to a shape it is not supposed to have.

When you jam a wide tire on a narrow rim, the tread cross section becomes very round and the contact patch to the road is reduced. Poor traction and accelerated wear is the result.

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Tire_Chart_003.jpg

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Peter Fonda Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 55	Re: White wall tires Reply #16 - Yesterday at 11:54:25 Has anyone ever used the portawalls ??? As I’ve read online that the ends fray and even some will wrinkle or like start to lift from the tire itself Anyone ever used em to say how they are or work pr anything about em ??
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ThumperPaul

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Re: White wall tires
Reply #17 - Yesterday at 14:18:39

Dave wrote on 06/05/25 at 11:32:25:

Here is a tire size to rim fitment chart.

If you go outside of the fitment shown on this chart, you will be deforming the tire to a shape it is not supposed to have.

When you jam a wide tire on a narrow rim, the tread cross section becomes very round and the contact patch to the road is reduced. Poor traction and accelerated wear is the result.

Dave, can you explain this “the tread cross section becomes very round and the contact patch to the road is reduced”.

Would a lower aspect ratio adjust for some of the rounding?

Would a 180/55 have its contact patch reduced to something like a 160/60?

The chart seems to suggest a wider rim than is truly necessary as “STD”.

My Kawasaki Vulcan S 650 comes standard with a 160/60–17 on a 4.5” rim. It’s in the acceptable range per the chart, but the chart suggest 5.0” would be the ideal standard. Seems really big. And for a 180/55, it’s kinda off the chart. Implying it needs like a 6” rim or something. Lots of guys are running the 180/55 on the stock 4.5” rim and rave about it. Not my thing - I like the stock 160/60.

The chart seems biased towards rims wider than are truly necessary or optimal.

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« Last Edit: Yesterday at 19:10:01 by ThumperPaul »

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Axman88

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Re: White wall tires
Reply #18 - Yesterday at 16:16:51

ThumperPaul wrote on Yesterday at 14:18:39:

"can you explain ... the tread cross section becomes very round and the contact patch to the road is reduced”.

Here's a picture that attempts to explain this issue.
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F45mm-tires-o...

Notice that the TALLER aspect ratio, with more sidewall material, can better adapt to a narrower rim width than can a lower aspect ratio. This is reflected on the chart Dave posted.

We've had discussion of tire sizes and rim widths, but nobody has said what Rim Width the factory put on our Savages and S40s. Can anybody state the factory rim sizes for the benefit of the group?

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Peter Fonda Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 55	Re: White wall tires Reply #19 - Yesterday at 16:23:20 Back Rim is 15x2.75
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Peter Fonda Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 55	Re: White wall tires Reply #20 - Yesterday at 17:00:20 https://youtu.be/NhqgtP_GOik?si=FJw2kKL5Q4YQs4WM
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ThumperPaul

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Re: White wall tires
Reply #21 - Yesterday at 19:23:53

Interesting Easy Rider. The dude in that other video sure had some issues with the 150/90. Flatter fasteners on the inside of the fenders should eliminate any rubbing concerns.

Thanks Axman. The info about the taller aspect ratio makes sense. I'm still hung up on the chart suggesting you need like a 5.5+ inch rim for a 180-190 tire.

Maybe reaching for info, but does a tubeless vs tube tire factor into this tire width/rim size fitment in any way?

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Axman88

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Re: White wall tires
Reply #22 - Yesterday at 20:54:19

ThumperPaul wrote on Yesterday at 19:23:53:

I'm still hung up on the chart suggesting you need like a 5.5+ inch rim for a 180-190 tire.

Maybe reaching for info, but does a tubeless vs tube tire factor into this tire width/rim size fitment in any way?

There is more than one chart out there. I would consult the manufacturer's recommendations for each SPECIFIC tire that I was considering. Also, as just discussed rim width depends on sidewall height, so stating 180 - 190 presents an incomplete picture.

Each manufacturer decides, possibly for each product, exactly what dimensions the product will have. Even numbers like width and diameter are only nominal. Every size has its own mold. Somebody might well find that a 150/80-15 fits on their bike, but somebody using another make/model of tire might find it won't fit on theirs.

For example, as you can see on the last chart at this location, a Mettzler 880 in 180/70-15 can be mounted on a 4.75 - 5.5 wide rim, while the 180/70-R16 is supposed to be mounted to 5.0-6.0
http://kawatriple.com/tire_rim.htm

The Tubed / Tubeless aspect is a whole different issue. Tires for mounting on tubeless rims and the rims themselves, have different geometry at the point where the rubber meets the rim than do Tubed tires / rims. Here's a picture that depicts differences in the two representative geometries.
https://cdn.wheel-size.com/filer_public/9e/2f/9e2fe841-b218-4106-a710-9ca1015602
97/tube-tubeless.jpg But there are not just two different rim geometries either, there are various different geometries for steel vs. cast rims. This can get quite complicated, and it seems that folks frequently ignore the letter of the law and test their luck with mix and match combinations.

A tire that shifts on the rim and tears off a valve stem, or one that shimmies off the rim under duress is a serious wake up call. Personally, unless the bike will only be ridden on and off its trailer at the show venue, I'll stay with manufacturer's recommendations.

Any tire can be a white wall. https://www.amazon.com/Anvil-White-Wall-Tire-Paint/dp/B0798VVCD3 It's 100% an appearance issue, not worth a lot of time and effort in my view, but if I was going to spend time and dollars, it would be in rebuilding my wheel with a 16" rim. Sourcing 15" tires is a pain, regardless of width.

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