tire size and performance

[JimbosToys]

I will need to replace the Avon Distanzias that are on my new 2012 NC700X. Rear is squaring off and front is cupped.
I like the idea of 80/20 tires, but the fronts cup due to braking and I do not expect my riding style to change. So that leads me to essentially pure street tires that do not have discontinuous tread pattern.
conti Motions and Shinko Ravens are in my crosshairs. Both make the stock size 120/70R-17. The stock rear is 150/70R-17, but I I read that many use the 160/60R-17 size. This tire is smaller in OD by 2.9% which affects revs (adds ~90 rpm at 60mph) and causes speedo to read high by ~2 mph. Have users found this gear change to be a good thing? If you go to a 170/60R-17 tire, the OD is very close but will that fat thing fit? Is handling thrown off? Will it last longer? For the Conti, the current American Tire price for 170/60 is only $1 more!
Thanks in advance. Jim

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

2015 NC700X Specifications - Honda Powersports


The stock rear tire for the NC700X is a 160/60-17 not a 150/70-17.

 

[Beemerphile]

I think you have it backwards. The stock rear is 160/60-17 and lots of people use the 150/70-17. I have used both and find them to fit and work fine. With the 170/60 you should ideally have a 5 inch rim and with the 180/55 it would be 5.5 inches. Even if these "fit", the narrower than optimum rim width will force the tire into a different contour than the designers intended. Wear and handling would likely be less than with the correct size.

I would stick to 160/60-17 with street tires and 150/70-17 for the more "dirt capable" tires.

 

[showkey]

I ran a set of Distanzia they were super moto compound in the NC size. ( thats all that was available in the NC size) . They were good but wore quickly and did feather or cup of the front. Both front and rear were toasted at 4000 miles.

Switched to Shinko 705 so far ( 3500 miles) have no concerns and the tire is a good compromise tread design.
I went with the 170/60-17 on the rear. The speedo now reads 1.0 to 1.5 mph slow. Where the stock size the speedo was dead on. The small speedo error is of no real concern after all some other brands new bikes are 5 off at 60mph.

As reported in other 705 posts...........705 size availability seems to change by vendor. Look around for the correct size. A few months back the NC sizes were on back order.

Just one of many threads on 705:

http://nc700-forum.com/forum/tire-tech-talk/4531-shinko-705s-en-route.html?highlight=Shinko

 

[JimbosToys]

I did not realize that the 160/60 is standard! My bad (I don't have an owners manual and was going by what was on the bike).
yep, off-design narrow rim width will crown the tire.
I was headed towards the 705s, but my cupping experience on my Honda XL350R is very annoying and I see the same thing on my new NC's tires. I suspect my use will be 99% road, so I'll just go with street tires.
Thanks guys - very helpful. Jim

 

[JimbosToys]

Showkey - thanks for the input. How is the 170/60 rear wearing? The front is not cupping? Jim

 

[showkey]

[^^^^^^^^^^^
So far I am very please with the wear and wet dry traction. 705 do make slightly more noise and have a slight snow tire effect at 30 mph.
Your XL had a 21" front tire ? Had a Transalp with a 21" and used front brake aggressively and every tire I tried cupped quickly.

Not easy to capture cupping or feathering or lack there of on camera but:

 

[JimbosToys]

Showkey - if that's 3500 miles it looks pretty good. I see no cupping.
Do these tires work much better than street tires on dirt roads? Crossing farm fields? That's likely the worst off roading I would ever do with a 470# bike.
Yes, 21" Kenda 751s on my XL. I reversed (I know this is a violation!) the front tire to cup in the other direction. Noisy as hell.

 

[showkey]

Yes........much better than street tires on gravel, dirt roads, fire roads etc. after that the tires are not the issue as much as suspension getting overwhelmed in rough single track woods riding. Mud might be the right or best choice for the bike or tires.

Remember the distanzia were super moto compound. I no longer have the front, but this is a side by side of the rear. The 705 has 3600 mile and the distanzia has 3300 miles.

 

[JimbosToys]

Thanks showkey. Helpful. Soft rubber, short life, higher price - were the Avons worth it? Could you really tell tge difference between the two brands in the dirt/on the street? Are you a peg dragger?! I'm not that fast. Jim

 

[showkey]

No I am sure I was not using the super moto compound........not dragging any pegs as the front tire shows.
I like the Distanzia regular street compound on the Transalp..........but not worth the cost and cost per mile on the NC.
Any street tire that lasts 3500 miles is not a good value in my book.

705 is a good compromise in cost, wear and traction and able to handle off pavement.

 

[yearroundrider]

I'm in the same boat here. My distanzia's are just past the wear bar on the rear with cupping in the front, bad enough to needing to be replaced. The parts counter guys told me they wouldn't recommend a different size other than the 160/60 rear. I would have to talk to the shop to see if the can mount a 150/70 and not have s liability issue. My next step is to learn to replace tires and balance them myself.
I enjoyed the performance of the distanzia's but not that much and at that price. I have a skid plate made by Hondabikepro and have scrapped it on both sides as it hits before the pegs do. The tires grip well though. But my sights are on the 705's!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JimbosToys]

Everyone - am getting closer to a decision on the tires. Though I want a bit more dirt road traction, I cannot stand cupping, so the 705s are falling off my list. Seems the Conti Motions are my best bet for reputation, price, expected use. On another site (I think Katana) a poster expressed his opinion that the 170/70 lasted longer than the 160/60. From the Dennis Kirk site, the installed dimensions are 6.77" wide and 25.11" diameter for the 160/60 and 7.09" and 25.61" for the 170/60, both on the same 4.5" rim. Is that the rim size on the NC700X? Seems it will fit and the price at American Moto Tire is only $1 more. RPM impact at 3500 is about 70 lower for a given speed. I am not a bigger is better kinda guy, but it seems like a good choice to me unless somebody says 'DON'T DO IT!". Comments?

 

[2brnut2b]

Comments?

Too much maths, stop calculate, buy them and ride !

 

[JimbosToys]

good point, 2brnut2b!
I am not in the same state as my bike - this is my porn...

 

[showkey]

Everyone - am getting closer to a decision on the tires. Though I want a bit more dirt road traction, I cannot stand cupping, Seems the Conti Motions are my best bet for reputation, price, expected use. Comments?

Cupping or feathering is not limited to any particular tread pattern or tire use. This is Continental Road Attack front that shows feathering :

 

[JimbosToys]

Showkey - wow, I have never seen that before on a pure street tire. Is that from really aggressive riding? Underinflation? Hard braking? 15,000 miles?

 

[showkey]

It is not all that uncommon............but.........Not crazy aggressive riding , for sure not under inflation, not crazy braking , have look up the mileage guess 12,000. It is off a ST1300 which is a heavy bike.

 

[JimbosToys]

Thanks. The bike tire designers need to better combat this.