Widest rear tire without modifications

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Rickb

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Hello, My first forum! I have a 1985 Yamaha Vmax 1200 and want to know what is the widest I can go with out making any modifications.

Thanks
Rick
 
Shinko 240 Tour. It's a 170. Lotsa guys here use them. They sell for about $100.00
 
Hello, My first forum! I have a 1985 Yamaha Vmax 1200 and want to know what is the widest I can go with out making any modifications.

Thanks
Rick

I've seen a 180 Metzler Marathon mounted on a stock wheel. I believe he did the washer swap to fit the stock swingarm. IMO 170 is the sensible size on a stock wheel. It's not really wide enough for proper fit of a 180.
 
I'd bet you'd notice no difference in the 180 Metz vs the 170 Shinko, if they were mounted on 2 Maxes sitting next to each other. The rim, being narrow by today's standards, wouldn't let the tire expand to full width.
 
I'd bet you'd notice no difference in the 180 Metz vs the 170 Shinko, if they were mounted on 2 Maxes sitting next to each other. The rim, being narrow by today's standards, wouldn't let the tire expand to full width.

+1, 10mm isn't a lot until you run out of clearance.a 5.5" wheel is required for the 180.
A 180 fits well on my Kosman rear wheel, but a 190 would be very close.
 
Ebay says the only one that will fit my 99 is a 150
Same size wheel '85-'07. They are giving you the oem size. They are not going to take liability recommending any other size than manufacturer spec tires nor do they try and see what fits and what does not. It has been noted you should not run a wider tire than the wheel was built for. That said, many of us do run 170's very hard with no mod whatsoever with no issues whatsoever. Choice is yours.
 
Ebay says the only one that will fit my 99 is a 150
If you use the search function you’ll find that this topic has been covered almost as often as what’s the right oil to use. You are certainly welcome to listen to eBay or you can take the advice of the thousands of members of this forum that are running 170s.
 
If you want to do yourself a favor replace your wheels with ones allowing use of radials. I consider radials to be the #1 best move to improve your handling on a Gen. 1 and you have dozens if not hundreds of threads here on how to do it.

Just don't let me catch you "on the dark side," unless you're sportin' a sidecar.

DarkSide_at_Dragon.jpg
 
Or you can run a wheel like this, my machinist makes: 5-1/2" X 18" and very-close to OEM height, so you keep your top-end speed, which you lose some with a 17". But how fast do you need to go?

This wheel allows you to use a radial tire. You should use the same manufacturer and rubber compound f & r for radials.

18 inch X 5 and one-half inch VMax wheel.jpgVmax rear 5.5 X 17_01.jpg
 
Or you can run a wheel like this, my machinist makes: 5-1/2" X 18" and very-close to OEM height, so you keep your top-end speed, which you lose some with a 17". But how fast do you need to go?

This wheel allows you to use a radial tire. You should use the same manufacturer and rubber compound f & r for radials.

View attachment 86689View attachment 86690
how does one go about getting a set of these?
 
If you use the search function you’ll find that this topic has been covered almost as often as what’s the right oil to use. You are certainly welcome to listen to eBay or you can take the advice of the thousands of members of this forum that are running 170s.
Thanks for your reply,and your right I was only going by ebay,godd to know ,thanks again for the info. Ride safe,have fun
 

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