Rear tire on front

[tkglider]

"no trike builder uses or recommends"Where's the love?Harley does not approve of my Red Line or my Mobil 1 v-twin either.I am going to the Pilot or a car tire on my front soon.People come here for info not for preaching.

[kj5ix]

Don't you find it odd that no trike builder uses or recommends using a car tire on the front? Go out and turn your forks from left to right and look at the front tire and the contact it makes on the ground. Try to visualize doing this with a square shouldered car tire.

You may want to through in an Except: Euro-Wing.

[kj5ix]

Here is my take on using a rear MC tire on the front of a Honda Goldwing; other styles of bikes may also apply with some research on the tire size.

The Michelin Pilot Activ aka: MPA mounted in reverse rotation; as well as the Brigestone BT-45, closely followed by the Metzler Lazertec.

All of which are classified as Sport Touring Rear tires. The BT-45, and Lazertec tread is a symmetrical classic wave type in the center ( where the rubber meats the road ) The MPA is a counter sipe style, which basically means when in one direction they are pointed in, and the other they seem to be pointed out. Hard to visualize??! Take a look at the below photos. The first one is of a standard every day run of the mill Metzler ME-880 on my GL-1800 when I first got it. The photo below it is of a MPA, mounted in reverse direction. Looking at the sipes ( Tread Pattern ) one can see that a regular front tire mounted in the front tire direction tend to point inward from the out side of the tire. The MPA mounted backward or reverse also has its tread pointing similarly, which would be for water shed,, which is its Secondary purpose. Its Primary purpose is Stopping ( and staying together ) as explained in this article from Avon Tires, and reposted in a blog.

These tires are also Bias, and have thicker sidewalls for the needed support in turns to counter act the force applied to the tire from the sides, which relates to better handling in turns. Additionally the best benefit is the wear return value; AKA mileage on the tire. The above ME-880 lasted just over 7 K miles. The MPA was replaced at 29 K miles, but not due to tread depth left, but a bubble that suddenly appeared.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tires Directional Arrows Explained By Avon Tyres
Published by Cyril Huze August 23rd, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Wheels.
Before we can talk about directional arrows you must first understand a bit about tread patterns.
There are many different tread patterns but there is one main reason to have any tread and that
is to disperse water. (dust, dirt)
A tread pattern can be designed to disperse more water by making it rotate in only one direction.
Thus, the need for directional arrows. The arrow tells you which way to mount a tire for maximum
water dispersal. Another, less apparent reason for directional arrows is the tread splice.
What is a tread splice? When a tire is manufactured the tread portion of the tire starts out as
a long flat strip. This strip is wrapped around the tire and the two ends are cut on an angle
so one end overlaps the other rather than having square cut ends.
This overlapping point or splice offers a bigger surface area to bond together, rather than the
small surface area provided by square cut ends. (Imagine gluing your fingertips together, as
opposed to gluing along the entire length of your fingers laid on top of each other. Like an
angled splice, the overlapping fingers result in a much stronger bond).
To further ensure the strength of this bond along the tread splice the directional arrow will show
you which way to mount the tire so that when the rider is “on the gas”; the acceleration force on
the rear tire is pressing the splice together, rather than peeling it back.
As for braking, 80 % of the braking should take place in the front on most bikes. Therefore, the
front tread splice is run in the opposite direction than that of the rear, so when the rider is on
the brakes, he’s not peeling the tread splice back.
If you are using a tire that has a directional arrow for rear rotation only and for some reason you
want to put it on the front, make sure it is rotating in the opposite direction so you don’t
aggravate the tread splice.
Avon Tyres.
Tires Directional Arrows Explained By Avon Tyres at Cyril Huze Blog


In addition some tire manufactures still mark their tires for Front or Rear use with opposing rotational arrows..... This is the sidewall on the front tire of my Yamaha Venture Trike.

[RPM54]

Just put a BT45 rear tire mounted in reverse rotation on the front of my 07 C90 Lehman. What a big difference it made for me. All wobble is gone and tracks great. I was running a Me 880 and it cupped bad after only about 4,500 mi. I think some of that was my fault for not keeping up on the tire pressure. I am running 40 psi on the new tire and will keep a closer eye on the psi. Thanks to all for the advice on front tries.

Ride Safe

[AU-WING]

i also am going to replace front tire on 08 honda gw 1800 but dont know what with. any sugestions out therehelp apreciated sinse it,s my first 3 wheeler

[jfingalls]

Hi AU-WING, I have an 08 GW 1800 and replaced the front tire at 8,000 miles. It was badly cupped and rode very rough but not worn through the thread. After a lot of research and advice from my friends on this forum, I selected the Michelun Activ (no "e" in it). I did not mount it in reverse rotation because I/we have all learned that no one has had the problem described by many that the tread bond would tear apart (in this forum, a survey was conducted). I balanced it with the glass bead blown inside of the tire and keep the air pressure at 41 PSI. Now have over 5,000 miles on new tire. It rides great and has shown no sign of wear or cupping. Many people on this forum say they get over 20,000 miles on a tire after converting and I'm sure that will be the case with my Trike. By the way, you will find there are other fine tires out there that will do the trick so decide carefully. Do a search on the Forum to find the several threads that have a lot of great information. Good Luck....

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

I have over 24,000 on my MPA front tire. It mounted in reverse with 40#psi.
Even though it still had some miles left on it, I'm putting another MPA on next week along with new rear tires.
Going out west and just being safe.

[AU-WING]

thanks for info am going with mpa with beads for ballance first tire worn out and cuped bad with 3200 miles have hannagan kit ( not runing side way lol )

[drumdoctor]

What is an mpa tire?

:Flag:

[Lucky]

I probably can't spell Michelen Pilot Active,but that is what it is.

[Animal]

I know that this is not a safe thing to do but at slow speed I took my hands off the bars and the front began to wobble, so i quickly grabbed the bars again. Not that I plan on ever do that again but the wobble did scare me into thinking that the front end my have something wrong with it. I have taken it to my dealer and they can find nothing wrong. I am wondering if putting a back tire on the front like you guys are talking about would help me feel safer? Just to let you know at low speed going around a tight corner I sometimes with feel the wobble as well.

[trikeleader]

The proper way to spell the Michelen is Pilot Activ. I looked at it on the side of my front tire. I do run a rear tire reversed on the front and it is a great tire.
I have 14000 miles on the tire and it shows about 50% of the tread left on it.
:woohoo:

[taxall]

Thanks everybody I did put that michlem tire on the front and it works great.

[drumdoctor]

:Flag:


Would like suggestions as to who has the best prices on tires---AND---

opinions as to what I sould run on my VW trike.

Thank you.

:Flag:

[voelkh]

What size tire are on a GoldWing

[Cycleguy]

What size tire are on a GoldWing

The front on a GL1800 is 130/70-18. I don't think anything bigger will fit.

[Teal]

Battlax goes down and i dont suspect im having a flat,, its new on front. Riding thru some curves i noticed it being hard to turn but never suspected its basically airless,, valve stem not changed with new tire and they broke clip letting the assy break...
anyway, i continued on for abt 35 miles at 70mph at times without any issues,,, got home and look at it and i thought it would have 20-30 psi,,, no it had abt 5psi and and really hotter that normal,, OAT was 93f,,,, and yes i kn i should have stopped and got air but this TIRE WAS STILL STANDING UP WITHOUT AIR. the curves had to be rough on it...
DOES ANYONE THINK I NEED TO GET A NEW TIRE AFTER GOING THRU THIS.
Thanks db

[Gorilla]

Give it a good look over but it should be good.

[John Luciano]

replace the valve stem fur sur

[klmac7463]

My OEM front Tire Cupped real Bad and only Got 8,000 Miles out of it, My 08 Jackal now has 25,000 (still on Second tire) and I will replace it during the Winter Months, I think alot of it was my Bad habits of the 2-wheeled world, once I mastered Cornering at high speeds, the wear and wobble are both gone. I love the curvey roads of Virginia, and challenge a lot of two wheelers to keep up, Triker Course really helped me,