Rear tire on front

I have a 2005 Gold Wing GL1800 with a Roadsmith Trike kit installed . After reading all the posts on this subject, I am about to do the following. I am going to order a replacement tire for the OEM Dunlop 180/60HR16 (rear) and install it on the front in the reverse rotation. The tire I am ordering is a Avon Cobra 72 size 180/60HR16. Am I on the right page on this?

Thanks for the feed-back.

Lee

Lee
I don't know about the Avon you mentioned but I do run a MPA mounted backwards with good results.RIDE SAFE

minnleeboy said:

I have a 2005 Gold Wing GL1800 with a Roadsmith Trike kit installed . After reading all the posts on this subject, I am about to do the following. I am going to order a replacement tire for the OEM Dunlop 180/60HR16 (rear) and install it on the front in the reverse rotation. The tire I am ordering is a Avon Cobra 72 size 180/60HR16. Am I on the right page on this?

Thanks for the feed-back.

Lee

Click to expand...

That size won't fit, either on the rim or the bike.

What is often done is to get a rear tire in the front size, 130/70-18. Bias ply is usually preferred. Popular choices are Michelin Pilot Activ or Bridgestone BT-45. Many reverse the rotation, to match the belt overlap internal in the tire.

Note that this a a demanding application for such a small tire. Michelin seems to acknowledge this use, though. Most use a pretty high pressure, the max on the sidewall is a popular choice.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I assumed the rims were the same size, front & back. Sometimes things have to be forced into this Norweign Head. I ordered the Michelin 130/70-18 Bias.

Lee

OK, I'll ask


WHY???

screwball said:

OK, I'll ask


WHY???

Click to expand...

Here is what Avon Tires have to say about it:

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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.
http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2009/08...by-avon-tyres/
__________________

screwball said:

OK, I'll ask


WHY???

Click to expand...

I'm far more confident about saying WHAT is done than WHY. But I'll give it my amateur shot, I'm not an engineer. much less a tire engineer.

Reverse rotation is covered above. Michelin says about the same thing.

Rear tires are generally stronger, and have a flatter profile. You need all the strength you can get to turn a trike. Since a trike doesn't lean, a flatter profile increases the width of the contact patch.

Bias ply just seems to work better, the sidewalls are stiffer than a radial.

Thanks for all the feed-back on this subject. I have been following this subject on a Goldwing forum. I read a post this morning that stated, If you want a different type tire on the front , up-grade to a Eurowing front fork and trees. This unit uses a car tire. Anyone have any info on this?

Lee

That is correct, but the upgrade parts from Eurowing are a mire $4500.00 not counting installation,,,,,,,,,:AGGHH:

So what is the actual tire size if using a standard G/W 1800 front rim for the trike (CSC)
Plan on buying the Mich/Pilot Act as suggested by some !!

130/70/18 same as the OEM tire

Cycleguy said:

I'm far more confident about saying WHAT is done than WHY. But I'll give it my amateur shot, I'm not an engineer. much less a tire engineer.

Reverse rotation is covered above. Michelin says about the same thing.

Rear tires are generally stronger, and have a flatter profile. You need all the strength you can get to turn a trike. Since a trike doesn't lean, a flatter profile increases the width of the contact patch.

Bias ply just seems to work better, the sidewalls are stiffer than a radial.

Click to expand...

GOOD STUFF.....ThumbUp

Finally got an answer that I was comfortable with about the "mounting backwards". Thanks to Kj5ix, I was going to try mounting the other way to see how it reacted, but not now. I run a BT45 and have just over 21,000 miles on it. Hopefully will run another 1,000 then replace with BT45.