Kz 650 wider rear tire

I know this may be an overlap but there's 87 pages!!
I found a low 80's gs 1100 swingarm for my 78 kz650 b im shooting for the w i d e tire. i read you can go up to a 180? I like the spokes so what do i use for a back rim to handle the 180 can i use the same drum brake setup? Will i need to get offset sprockets?
thanks a zillion TODDZ

You're going to have to get a 5.5"x18" or 5.5"x17" rim from someone like Excel or Akront, etc. and get the spokes necessary to lace it to your stock hub. OR if you're going to all that trouble you might as well convert over to a disk brake setup.

And yes you will have to use an offset sprocet up front and depending on the hub possibly a spacer in the rear.
I most likely suspect you'll have to go with a 5/8" offset front sprocket and line up the rear accordingly.

Later, Doug

I have the same setup and the biggest tire I can get on mine is a 130/80x18. I tried a 140 but it rubbed.

couldnt you have got a 130 on your stock swingarm? I have a 120 on my stock 78 650 swingarm and I think a 130 will fit. I have 5/8 of an inch on both sides?

I'm new and stupid about these bikes, but does a '79 650SR have the same swing arm as a standard 650? I know it's got the 16" wheel, but is the arm itself different?
I've got a 130 tire now and a 140 on the shelf to try to fit...... unless someone knows it's a waste of time.

any info is greatly appreciated- how big is too big with stock arm?

I´d say a 130 is the biggest tire you can fit in a stock 650 swingarm and still have a safe clearance.

However, the swingarm isn´t the only issue, there´s also the rim width to consider, personally I wouldn´t run anything larger than a 130 on a stock 650 rim, some will even consider a 130 too wide.

OnkelB wrote:

I´d say a 130 is the biggest tire you can fit in a stock 650 swingarm and still have a safe clearance.

However, the swingarm isn´t the only issue, there´s also the rim width to consider, personally I wouldn´t run anything larger than a 130 on a stock 650 rim, some will even consider a 130 too wide.

like I said, I'm new and stupid!!! I was assuming the 130 was the original size-- what does an MT90-16T equate to if it's not a 130?? Please forgive the ignorance, I swear I'm not as dumb as I sound (just ask anyone except my wife)

I have a 130 on my '78 650 C2. I had to remove the chain gaurd in order for it to fit, but it is the biggest you'd want to go on the stock swingarm/rim combo. Hope this helps!!

MAC

kinda-sorta helps-- now I'm totally cornfused! I've got a 130 with stock swing arm, wheel, and chain guard as well-- am I flirting with disaster and totally clueless?
The tire was on the bike when I got it and is ready for replacement, so I started looking at fatter (not that I have any real need) to see what would fit. I agree that 130 is about it, but I don't see any clearance issues. Would the 16" SR wheel allow for the 130 where others would need clearance?

Most bikes in the low 80's came stock with a 130/16. you won't see much change 'til about 1984 or '85. Thats when the street bike truly came out. That is also when the standard size of the rear tire changed as well. Your best bet is to do a swing arm swap from a bike around that time. I personaly wouln't go through the trouble of swaping the swing arms if I couldn't get a wider tire like I wanted. I would check the width of both swing arms. If the one is wider then it should work.