Can I fit a 160 mm tire on a stock rim ?

Hi,

Is it possible to fit a 160 back tire on a stock rim and swingarm ?

The bike I have is KZ 750 E3 -81 and the tire that sits on it now is 120/100-18.
What I have is a Bridgestone 160/60-18. When I measure the 160-mill tire it only measures 140 mm when not mounted on a rim.

What do you say ? Can this work ?

You will be wasting your money, because of the size of rim. Most of the tire will be out of usable area and might affect handling in turns.

The bead on that wide of a tire would be so compressed on your rim, that it would likely pop off as soon as you started airing it up. :S
Plus it won't fit into the original swingarm.
A 130 will definately fit, and depending on brand/style of tire, you might even be able to squeeze a 140 in there without it rubbing the swingarm (chain guard will likely need to be removed though).

Ok, thanx for the advice.
I had the 160 laying around and thought I might give it a go...but guess I´m better of looking for a 130-mill instead.

/Arnold

For the record.

I fitted the 160-tire on the stock rim and i went on nice. It fitted into the swingarm with 10 mm space on each side to go. Soo ...it´s possible.

Well, that is good to know. Each 160 tire may differ between manufacturers...so this will apply for Bridgestones, but perhaps not other brands. I'm glad you spooned that tire on

the biggest i would run would be a 130.
anything over that and the crown would be too much, affecting how the tire rides as was stated.
you would change the footprint from 2-3 inches to 1 1/2-2.
it would be like putting a 245-50-16 inch tire on a taurus.
will it fit? yes.
is it a good idea? no.

i saw a guy who had a really nice slammed z1-r in the backa his truck....we were talking at a truck stop ten years back....i mentioned how that is a 160mm tire and he said it fit fine...i said 140 was the biggest i'd seen on stock arm....he said the stock rim will squeeze/pinch the tires bead in so a 160 'will fit '......hmmmmmm...(so we are taking a 160mm correct for a wide rim profiled tire and making it 140mm with a new profile)????....may be a drifter if it lets go.....by the way the bike was heading home to get fixed...seems his buddy had just wrecked it......he came around a corner and the bike and freind were in the bushes....

You´r right...even if the tire should be 160 mm wide the rim squizes it together, changes the profile, so it only measures aprox 130 - 140 mm. This is why it fits into the swing arm.

The question is how do you get a wide (a proper 160 mm) back tire with minimum effort/cost ?