Tires for 2009 Street Bob! No options!

[sirbOOm]

All I can find for my 2009 Street Bob in a matched set are the Metzler 880s. I refuse to put another pair of the stock tires on. Can someone clue me in as to where all the tire options are for my rims?! Can I put a different size on the back? Maybe that will give me more options...

2009 Street Bob has a 160/70B17 rear and a 100/90-19 front. I can find a few interesting fronts, no matching rear and vice versa. I hear good things about the Metzlers, but I want options!!

Thanks for the help and details.

[hd2000]

Originally Posted by sirbOOm

All I can find for my 2009 Street Bob in a matched set are the Metzler 880s. I refuse to put another pair of the stock tires on. Can someone clue me in as to where all the tire options are for my rims?! Can I put a different size on the back? Maybe that will give me more options...

2009 Street Bob has a 160/70B17 rear and a 100/90-19 front. I can find a few interesting fronts, no matching rear and vice versa. I hear good things about the Metzlers, but I want options!!

Thanks for the help and details.

Maybe this will help: Total Motorcycle Tire/Tyre Guide

Pick a manufacturer, then a specific tire and see if they have one that fits. I'm no expert, but I believe a 160, 170, or 180 will all fit as long as you get one for the proper rim width. I THINK your's is 4.25 inches, but check. I'm almost positive that the 170's will fit no problem. Good luck.

[sirbOOm]

My bike came with a 160/70 R17 Duncrap in the rear. Is it possible to get a little wider and get this tire size (a Metzlar 880): 170/60R-17. The 70 in the first tire and 60 in the second tire are different... and I don't really understand what that number means. Does that mean the tire side profile will be shorter? Anyone else use this size tire?

[hd2000]

Originally Posted by sirbOOm

My bike came with a 160/70 R17 Duncrap in the rear. Is it possible to get a little wider and get this tire size (a Metzlar 880): 170/60R-17. The 70 in the first tire and 60 in the second tire are different... and I don't really understand what that number means. Does that mean the tire side profile will be shorter? Anyone else use this size tire?

Yes and no. The side profile won't be much shorter. The second number represents the ratio between the width of the tread and the height of the sidewall. Since the 170 is a wider tire with a lesser ratio, the end result is that the tires sidewall height is about the same as the original 160/70. It's the about the same height, maybe a tad shorter, but just a little wider, and if you looked at the link I gave, it should fit on the rim width of your bike.

[sirbOOm]

I did check out that great link, thanks. I think I'm actually going to go for the new Pirelli Night Dragons with a 180/60H17 rear. Saw a few pictures, and it looked good! Plus I'm hearing great things about them for dry and wet grip and mileage, over the M880s.

[hd2000]

Good luck and I'm glad the link helped. Just make sure the rim min/max width for that tire is compatable with your rims.

[DCLXVI]

I haven't used them on my HD but the 880's are great tires.

[sirbOOm]

I hear their tread life is bogus. I want something that'll last a while. My stock tires have gone 10,000 miles. Went through the Alps between 9,000 and 10,000 without an issue other than the standard poor grip from the Dunshits. I was told motorcycle tires go 20,000 at my training class. But people on the net keep saying M880s go 8,000. Seems a little low to me. Plus people who have the Pirelli Night Dragons say they are better. I think M880s are a great tire though... I just want something better (especially in the wet) than my Dunshits.

[DCLXVI]

Well generaly speaking if you want you times to last long, the traction will suffer. If you want grip, you sacrifice tread life.