-
Enjoy XS400.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS400.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
Maximum tire size answered
- Thread starter nfriday
- Start date
83xs400
XS400 Enthusiast
i like it
Sesty
H.E. Pennypacker
Is true for the alloy wheels on the xs400E's?Hi all, wanted to contribute my info.
I am currently running a 130/90/16 rear, no mods to swing arm, small notch cut out on chain guard.
Also running a 110/90/18 front with no fender
Hope this helps!
Specdog
XS400 Addict
If you want a second opinion on this tire modification, don't do it. To answer your question, the alloy wheels are 1.85" front and 2.50 rear. I suspect the spoke wheels are the same. Fitting a 130/90 16 to the rear does fall just within the rims capability. But trying to fit a 110 section tire onto a 1.85 front rim is not recommended. The capacity for a 1.85 rim is a 90 section tire, squeezing a 110 section tire onto it causes the sidewall to bow excessively. Coincidently when the sidewall bows so does the contact patch, so using a fatter tire actually reduces your contact patch putting less rubber on the road. It also makes the sidewall less flexible which is where the inherent danger lies. The required rim for a front 110 tire is a 2.5" rim, I hope nfriday has upgrade his rim width.
Click the link below for confirmation.
https://www.denniskirk.com/help_center/tire-sizes.jsp#metric
Click the link below for confirmation.
https://www.denniskirk.com/help_center/tire-sizes.jsp#metric
Sesty
H.E. Pennypacker
So should stay with a stock size up front, but can go as wide as 130/90/16 in the back?
Specdog
XS400 Addict
I think a 80/90 18 up front is stock but you can run a 90/90 18 safely. 130/90/16 is ok for the back.
You're going to have a hard time getting a 16" tire onto an XS400E's 18" wheel. 16s were used in the back starting with the 1980 XS400G and SG.
Sesty
H.E. Pennypacker
HOughMade
that being said, do you know if 130/90 is the fattest tire i can fit safely on the stock Mags and still have clearance to fit back on?
On my 81 90/90/18 front changed it to 100/90/18
120/90/16 rear.
I beleive you can safely run 130/90/16 on the back from what I have seen here.Notch or no chain guard though.
@Nfriday your bike looks good has a great stance to it.
Sesty
H.E. Pennypacker
New tires on! 120/90 in the back just fits with out the chain guard. Really glad i stuck with 120 not 130! looks dope not sure if a 130 would fit without some cutting. 100/90 up front is a bit wider than Stock and could probably fit up to a 110 up there with no problem.
the new rubber is a bit taller than the old tires so the bike leans over alot further when on the side stand. Its not too far over that it will fall, but it was strange at first
the new rubber is a bit taller than the old tires so the bike leans over alot further when on the side stand. Its not too far over that it will fall, but it was strange at first
Attachments
The 120/90 should also fit with chain guard,it does on my bike.
With the fatter tires you will notice that the handling will not be as good as the stock setup. I run a 130/90-16 with the stock 90/90-18 on the front on my 80 and it don't seem to handle tight turns as slow speed as well as my 79 with stock tires (110/90-18 rear 90/90-18 front) A fat tire may look cooler but wont perform better, more mass for the engine to move = less performance. I went back to a stock 120/90-16 and the bike handles much better.
Last edited:
Sesty
H.E. Pennypacker
i was going to go with a 130 for looks, but after looking into it decided against it since most people said it will negatively affect handling.
I dont think there will be much of a drop off going from stock 4.3 inch(110mm) wide tires to the now 4.72in (120mm). Ill take the extra rubber. I would think that you would have to do go over 5 inches to really see a terrifying difference.
plus the new rubber in general will handle better than the 35 yo ones.
I dont think there will be much of a drop off going from stock 4.3 inch(110mm) wide tires to the now 4.72in (120mm). Ill take the extra rubber. I would think that you would have to do go over 5 inches to really see a terrifying difference.
plus the new rubber in general will handle better than the 35 yo ones.
Recreateme
XS400 Addict
Do you find you get an wheel bite on that rear fender when hitting bumps/bouncing ?
They are also taller now with the 120. A 120/90/18 is taller than a 110/90/18 because 90% of 120 is greater than 90% of 110 so therefore the overall final drive ratio is affected slightly. Going from the stock 110-90-18 to the larger 120-90-18 changes the rpms a bit, about the same as a tooth off the rear sprocket. Not a huge change, but you can feel it.
