Harley Front Tire???

427dave · May 15, 2012

I have searched "front tire" and all I get is front tire changes for Honda. I found one for a Harley and the person used a MU85B16 rear tire. They did not say if they mounted backwards.

Has anyone put a rear tire on the front of a triglide? Which rotation direction? I notice the MU85 has 11/32" tread depth, the stock front tire has 5/32". What type of tire? What size?

VaThumper · May 15, 2012

I used a Bridgestone Battle Axe? tire mounted in reverse and it is doing fine after only 6000 miles no wear.

427dave · May 15, 2012

VaThumper said:
I used a Bridgestone Battle Axe? tire mounted in reverse and it is doing fine after only 6000 miles no wear.

I cannot find a 16" Bridgestone on any of their websites.

FLTR2008TRIKE · May 15, 2012

Im running a Dunlop MU85 in reverse direction on my Roadglide trike. Currently I have close to 10k miles on its wearing great. The only thing I would advise you to do is measure the width between your front bumper. I think its slightly smaller then the fender is.

Tom

pigbike · May 15, 2012

Am I missing something? Why do you mount the tire in reverse????

Gorilla · May 15, 2012

My Roadglide also has the MU85 mounted reverse rotation. 15k and still looks new.

FLTR2008TRIKE · May 16, 2012

pigbike said:
Am I missing something? Why do you mount the tire in reverse????

This will explain it >>>> Tires Directional Arrows Explained By Avon Tyres at Cyril Huze Post

VaThumper · May 16, 2012

The tire I used i Mfg Part# 072664. I ordered it from Partsbandit.com. It is 130/90V16 rear tire mounted in front in reverse.

pigbike · May 16, 2012

FLTR2008TRIKE said:
This will explain it >>>> Tires Directional Arrows Explained By Avon Tyres at Cyril Huze Post

Ok I understand why you reverse a rear tire when you put it on the front. I'm still a little confused why someone would go buy a rear tire to put on the front. Why not just buy a front tire?

FLTR2008TRIKE · May 16, 2012

pigbike said:
Ok I understand why you reverse a rear tire when you put it on the front. I'm still a little confused why someone would go buy a rear tire to put on the front. Why not just buy a front tire?

The rear motorcycle tire has a flatter profile to give you more contact area when mounted on the front and the rear tire has more tread depth 11/32" compared to 8/32" for the front. Im looking at 25k miles minimum wear on my current front mounted rear tire. The best mileage I could get out of stock front tire was 15k.

KRUZR · May 16, 2012

I'm using the Dunlap Rear Bias Ply E3 MT90B-16 74H in reverse rotation on the front of my converted Street Glide. It has a higher weight rating and a deeper tread depth. So I expect I won't have to replace it as often as the front 402. It maybe a little louder running than a 402. The E3 and the AVON Venom tires are the only 2 tires I never found any wild stories about.

pigbike · May 16, 2012

Now I understand,,,,Thanks for the clarification

TriGlide · May 16, 2012

Ill replace what came on the 09 triglide. for safety sake, Harley did the research and development plus I have ESP dont want to mess that up.

porky · Jun 9, 2012

The only thing to watch out for is rain. If the tire is mounted backwards it will send water under the rear tires in rain.

Gorilla · Jun 9, 2012

Welcome aboard Porky, AH you do realize that we are talking trikes here. The front tire track is well out of the way of the rear tires track.

FLTR2008TRIKE · Jun 10, 2012

porky said:
The only thing to watch out for is rain. If the tire is mounted backwards it will send water under the rear tires in rain.

I have ridden through some serious rain down pours with my rear tire mounted on the front in reverse and I have had no issues with handling.

porky · Jun 12, 2012

Correct but the spray of the water will spray out in the path of the rear tires. I have a 2008 and I put the tire on the correct way and spray was not as much as reversed.

Trykerhd1 · Jun 30, 2012

I have a Motor Trike kit on my 02' FLHTCUI, tried various brand's of tyre's but the best I have used (and still are) are Shinko Tyre's specificaly made for Trikes. I ride hard n fast
& have 12000 kliks on this one so far, So go & check 'em out

427dave · Jul 3, 2012

I just made up my mind and installed a MT90B16 rear tire on the front with reversed rotation. On the ride home it seemed to steer better. May have just been because the old front tire was down to the wear bars

I had gotten 22,000 miles on the original front tire. It was the dealers first time for doing this on a tire.

bobs67ss · Jul 17, 2012

I'm at 18000 and going to put on my 3rd front tire,last one was E3 MT90B16 front tire,will try the rear tire reverse thing this time ,to see if better