200 series tire

[Amber Lamps]

Ok I know I'll probably get some crap for this but try to keep an open mind...
I've been thinking about replacing my tire with a 200/50-17. I have several reasons for this;
1. appearance- I like the look of the wider tire
2. performance- in '05/'06 Corser and most of the WSB guys on GSXRs ran 200s at most tracks. Claimed better traction,control,etc.
3. environment- the area I'm living in now doesn't have alot of tight twisty roads but LOADS of long sweeping corners.
4. cost- I can get a Pirelli Diablo installed for $150 in the 200 size.
5. fun- I enjoy trying new things. Maybe I'll love it or maybe I'll hate it.
6. temporary- The way I ride,it'll only be on the bike for 2 months max anyway so why not? Then I'll buy the Rosso's! :drool:
7. resale- Around here I could sell the tire in 10 min to some kid with a stretched 600 if I hate it. Heck,Shinko tires are the ones to have around these parts! :hangman: The dealership has a roomful...

Ok,I'm ready for my beating now...:wink:

[dReWpY]

do it, what the hell, i went from a 190 to a 180 and loved it, different strokes for different folks, just let us know what you think

[Amber Lamps]

do it, what the hell, i went from a 190 to a 180 and loved it, different strokes for different folks, just let us know what you think


Yea that's the direction most people go...I guess I'll try it and see,there's no real harm and I actually liked going from a 180 to a 190 in the old days..

[Trip]

As long as you can fit it on the tire I say go for it.

[Mr Lefty]

you mean rim, trip?

[Amber Lamps]

As long as you can fit it on the tire I say go for it.


Well,it's a 6" rim so I'd imagine it'll be ok. I'm concerned about the tire being too close to the chain (and chain lube) but other than that...

[Trip]

you mean rim, trip?

don't make me ban you for correcting me.

[t-homo]

You will lose a fair bit of handling with that, but because of your area shouldn't be a big deal. A 50 is going to be fairly square. I am going to be putting a 190/55 17 to get better cornering.

[Cutty72]

you mean rim, trip?

Trip likes Rim jobs... :lol:

[t-homo]

Trip likes Rim jobs... :lol:

Here comes another ban.

[Amber Lamps]

You will lose a fair bit of handling with that, but because of your area shouldn't be a big deal. A 50 is going to be fairly square. I am going to be putting a 190/55 17 to get better cornering.


Maybe,I have a 190/50 on it now ofcourse. This is a VERY stupid question but here goes... shouldn't the 200 be taller? Bear with me,the rim is 6",if you take a 190mm line and make an arc from lip to lip and a 200mm line and make an arc,wouldn't the 2nd be a "taller" arc? Plus,some of that 200mm goes to side walls doesn't it? I actually understand car tires reasonably well,but mc tire specs have always confused me alittle....

For example, a 300/50-20 car tire (just a #) has 300mm from bead to bead and 50% of that distance is sidewall. Thus the sidewalls are 75mm each and the tread is 150mm..right? Obviously,the same formula doesn't apply to a mc tire as the "sidewalls" are significantly less that 50% of the total bead to bead length of the tire. I don't know...anybody?

[Cutty72]

Maybe,I have a 190/50 on it now ofcourse. This is a VERY stupid question but here goes... shouldn't the 200 be taller? Bear with me,the rim is 6",if you take a 190mm line and make an arc from lip to lip and a 200mm line and make an arc,wouldn't the 2nd be a "taller" arc? Plus,some of that 200mm goes to side walls doesn't it? I actually understand car tires reasonably well,but mc tire specs have always confused me alittle....

For example, a 300/50-20 car tire (just a #) has 300mm from bead to bead and 50% of that distance is sidewall. Thus the sidewalls are 75mm each and the tread is 150mm..right? Obviously,the same formula doesn't apply to a mc tire as the "sidewalls" are significantly less that 50% of the total bead to bead length of the tire. I don't know...anybody?

Not sure about bike tires... but you are slightly off on the car tires

a 265/55R18 car tire is 265mm across the tread, the side wall is 145.75mm tall (55% of 265) and it fits an 18" rim.

I'm thinking a bike tire say 190/55R17 is going to be
190 mm edge to edge on the tread
side wall would be 55% of 190 = 104.5
and run on a 17" rim.

:idk:

[Mr Lefty]

don't make me ban you for correcting me.

:lol: :leaving:

[Amber Lamps]

Not sure about bike tires... but you are slightly off on the car tires

a 265/55R18 car tire is 265mm across the tread, the side wall is 145.75mm tall (55% of 265) and it fits an 18" rim.

I'm thinking a bike tire say 190/55R17 is going to be
190 mm edge to edge on the tread
side wall would be 55% of 190 = 104.5
and run on a 17" rim.

:idk:

Yea,you're right. I looked at my post again... my only problem with that is if you buy a 225/70 17 it will be a narrower tire than a 225/50-17 correct? Why? I know the numbers are supposed to be section width/aspect ratio- rim diameter but that part gets me. Also,I'm begining to think that mc tire numbers are height to width,mounted on the rim and inflated. Measuring tire height to the ground from the rim edge... why does that look so stupid...? Making the 190/55-17 5% taller than the 50 series tire. Which is why I think that the 200 will be taller,100mm vs 95mm. Does that make sense to anyone? Hello OTB where are you......?

BTW from an earlier discussion...it's unanimous,suzuki,dunlop,pirelli and bridgestone suggest 36 psi front and 42 psi rear for a GSXR1000. The om lists these numbers wether you are single or two-up.

[dReWpY]

yeah those are the same psi that honda says go the pig

[Amber Lamps]

yeah those are the same psi that honda says go the pig


yeah some of the people here had me doubting psi's I've used since '99!

[dReWpY]

i dont run them at the pressure, but thats what the book says, i perfer 32 front and back, but im gonna run the 36 42 for this trip

[Amber Lamps]

i dont run them at the pressure, but thats what the book says, i perfer 32 front and back, but im gonna run the 36 42 for this trip


Oh I couldn't handle 32psi especially not front and back!!! Although you did say you fitted a 180 on your bike. Maybe that makes it ok. I tried a few different pressures but I always kept the difference between the front and rear. I ended up back at 36/42. My bike just doesn't "feel" right at any other pressure....hmmmm maybe I should just stick to the 190...:leaving:

[No Worries]

Maybe,I have a 190/50 on it now ofcourse. This is a VERY stupid question but here goes... shouldn't the 200 be taller?...

The 200 tire will be taller as 50 percent of 200 is more than 50 percent of 190. The increase in the height of the rear end changes the front end geometry, especially the rake. The other riders who say the handling got better with a 200 tire got better handling from the height increase, not the extra width.

My old Suzuki has a 130 rear tire, but the Works Performance shocks raise the rear end almost an inch. Gives it pretty good handling for a 29-year-old bike.

[Dnyce]

003 shinkos are cheap, and really sticky. go for it.

metzler makes a 210mm tire, try that as well. it fits a 6inch rim.

either way, try it the way u have your bike setup now, and then adjust your suspension to work with the new tire, and then tell us how it compares to the 190 you got.

i think a wider tire-to a point-looks better as well. i hated the 130 i had on my kz, went to a 140, still wasnt enough, went to a 180. looks decent, i thinkim gonna try a 7inch slick next

[Rider]

It's your bike do what you want. I would like to hear a report back on how it changed your handling.

[z06boy]

I run 36 frt and 42 rear as well on the R1 and 36/36 on the R6.

If it fits go for it...shouldn't make that much of a difference in your area and it will look good I bet.

[Amber Lamps]

The 200 tire will be taller as 50 percent of 200 is more than 50 percent of 190. The increase in the height of the rear end changes the front end geometry, especially the rake. The other riders who say the handling got better with a 200 tire got better handling from the height increase, not the extra width.

My old Suzuki has a 130 rear tire, but the Works Performance shocks raise the rear end almost an inch. Gives it pretty good handling for a 29-year-old bike.


Cool,so perhaps any "loss" from changing the width could possibly be negated by the increase in height. hmmm.... Oh as far as handling increases from the "width" increase,I was thinking perhaps a larger footprint?

[Cutty72]

Yea,you're right. I looked at my post again... my only problem with that is if you buy a 225/70 17 it will be a narrower tire than a 225/50-17 correct? Why?

Wrong.

both will be the same width, but the 225/70 17 will have a taller sidewall.