Front Tire for the drag bike - Stock 85 Rim

[hubeerjw]

I was wondering what you all thought about the best front tire for my drag bike project. I think for now I am going to use the stock 85 front wheel/rim and was planning on running a 100/90-18 tire. I think that equates to a 3.25/4.00-18 tire (or tyre depending where you live).

Here are some options I found on eBay:
KENDA Challenger Tire K-657F 100-90-18 = $55
DUNLOP D404 SIZE 100/90-18 FRONT TIRE = $73
Metzeler Marathon ME880 100/90/18 H = $130
Bridgestone Battlax BT-45V 100/90 V-18 = $93

I'm sure there are more (cheng shin), just wanted to see what you all thought and if you have any imput. Of course I want something lightweight, but I also don't want it flying apart on me.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Redbone]

Bike Bandit has the Shinko Tourmaster front tire: Front - 18" - 100/90-18 - $48.98

 

[satariel666]

I was wondering what you all thought about the best front tire for my drag bike project. I think for now I am going to use the stock 85 front wheel/rim and was planning on running a 100/90-18 tire. I think that equates to a 3.25/4.00-18 tire (or tyre depending where you live).

Here are some options I found on eBay:
KENDA Challenger Tire K-657F 100-90-18 = $55
DUNLOP D404 SIZE 100/90-18 FRONT TIRE = $73
Metzeler Marathon ME880 100/90/18 H = $130
Bridgestone Battlax BT-45V 100/90 V-18 = $93

I'm sure there are more (cheng shin), just wanted to see what you all thought and if you have any imput. Of course I want something lightweight, but I also don't want it flying apart on me.
Thanks,
Jeff

Im not an expert in drags but i can tell you that Metzeler tyres are my personal best, they are not cheep but they worth of it.
Marathon series are very strong ones, they will hold lot of torque with no effect.
But beware they have an H in speed index so up to 210km/h.

Of course it should be a bias type tyre, no need enything else to driving in the straight line :biglaugh:
Also a bias type have more force of friction and more noisy too but construction is much stronger then radial.
Radial type have an less force of friction so that might be useful in drag racing but ist used mostly in race/track becouse better handling.
Litlle dilemma here:ummm:


BTW Kenda is a shit, they even makeing a shit bicycle tyres.

 

[satariel666]

Bike Bandit has the Shinko Tourmaster front tire: Front - 18" - 100/90-18 - $48.98

I've always have a bad feelings about shikos.
Never used them but couple of my friends on gixer-types told me- stay away from that crap.
I dont know thats tru but something to be consider.

 

[one2dmax]

We've got a few shinko's mounted up and they work just fine. Jeff, you can see if any of the manufacturers have wieghts listed on their websites.

Sean

 

[satariel666]

We've got a few shinko's mounted up and they work just fine. Jeff, you can see if any of the manufacturers have wieghts listed on their websites.

Sean

If that so...great
To be honest i dont know much about shinkos.
Someday maybe ill try.
They cheap so why not

I've only heard some bad things about them.

Weight should be similar, of course ther's a difrence but not that much to take this into consideration.There's o lot of difrent heavy things in max.
In lightweighting the tyres you gain about 2-3kg so its not a big difrence.
Usualy radial are havier then bias,sometimes quite a lot.

Better option to replace wheels.

 

[naughtyG]

A lot of us here run Shinko T-230 Tourmasters, including me. So far I like them a lot, they are most definitely far grippier than the Dunlop Qualifiers I used to have b4.

For drag racing the grippier the better, no?

 

[4gasem]

We've got a few shinko's mounted up and they work just fine. Jeff, you can see if any of the manufacturers have wieghts listed on their websites.

Sean

This was going to be my suggestion as well!

Find a low weight tire that can handle the speeds.

 

[one2dmax]

Pretty much every tire will handle the speeds for a short burst. The ratings are done under load for 2+ hours.

I did get around to weighing a carrozzeria wheel compared to the 85/86 front and newer rear. The carrs were 4lbs lighter on the front (they had galpher rotors) then the 85 front with 93+ rotors. The rear was 3lbs with galpher on the carr and stock rotor on the stock wheel.

Sean

 

[4gasem]

Pretty much every tire will handle the speeds for a short burst. The ratings are done under load for 2+ hours.

I did get around to weighing a carrozzeria wheel compared to the 85/86 front and newer rear. The carrs were 4lbs lighter on the front (they had galpher rotors) then the 85 front with 93+ rotors. The rear was 3lbs with galpher on the carr and stock rotor on the stock wheel.

Sean

Which you can TOTALLY feel! :eusa_dance:

 

[hubeerjw]

I did some looking on the net and found this site:
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/default.htm

They had the weights with the tires, and here are a few I found. These are all 100/90-18's

Shinko 230 Tourmaster V-rating $50 Radial - 12lbs
Avon AM26 V-rating $82 Bias - 13lbs
Bridgestone Battlax BT45 V- Rating Bias $82- 10lbs
Metzeler Lasertec V-rating - 12lbs
Metzeler ME880 H-rating - 12lbs

So at this point, I am leaning towards the Bridgestone Battlax based on the weight. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about this tire?

Updated with more finds:

Michelin M50E V-rated $100 - 10lbs
Michelin Pilot Activ H-rating $95 - 10lbs
Pirelli Sport Demon V-rated $110 - 10lbs
Dunlop GT501 V-rated $100 - 10lbs
Dunlop D404 H-rated - 10lbs

 

[naughtyG]

Shinko 230 Tourmaster V-rating $50 Radial - 12lbs

I just wanna point out that this is a lie - the Shinko T230 is a bias ply tire.

I dunno how tiresunlimited as well as bikebandit got to list it as a radial - when you get the tire and look at it you notice that it does not say 'R' anywhere which it would if it was a radial.

I got my shipping refunded by bikebandit for pointing that out - said 'hey I bought it cos you said it was a radial but it is not'. :eusa_dance:

 

[82ndCowboy]

I did some looking on the net and found this site:
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/default.htm

They had the weights with the tires, and here are a few I found. These are all 100/90-18's

Shinko 230 Tourmaster V-rating $50 Radial - 12lbs
Avon AM26 V-rating $82 Bias - 13lbs
Bridgestone Battlax BT45 V- Rating Bias $82- 10lbs
Metzeler Lasertec V-rating - 12lbs
Metzeler ME880 H-rating - 12lbs

So at this point, I am leaning towards the Bridgestone Battlax based on the weight. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about this tire?

Me personally, I don't care for front tires that have a center grove. I found they are more wishy washy than tires that don't have a center grove. Just seem to float around more on grooved pavement, bridge grates.

 

[satariel666]

A lot of us here run Shinko T-230 Tourmasters, including me. So far I like them a lot, they are most definitely far grippier than the Dunlop Qualifiers I used to have b4.

For drag racing the grippier the better, no?

Sure no, what for?
Better handling and also less friction.
Second factor is more important.
In radial, tread clings with all of his face to the ground.
In bias its less then half of radial.
Is important in straight line too, beileve me or not...

For me radial type is better for anything.

 

[satariel666]

I did some looking on the net and found this site:
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/default.htm

They had the weights with the tires, and here are a few I found. These are all 100/90-18's

Shinko 230 Tourmaster V-rating $50 Radial - 12lbs
Avon AM26 V-rating $82 Bias - 13lbs
Bridgestone Battlax BT45 V- Rating Bias $82- 10lbs
Metzeler Lasertec V-rating - 12lbs
Metzeler ME880 H-rating - 12lbs

So at this point, I am leaning towards the Bridgestone Battlax based on the weight. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about this tire?

Updated with more finds:

Michelin M50E V-rated $100 - 10lbs
Michelin Pilot ActiVMaxForum.net - Reply to Topicv H-rating $95 - 10lbs
Pirelli Sport Demon V-rated $110 - 10lbs
Dunlop GT501 V-rated $100 - 10lbs
Dunlop D404 H-rated - 10lbs

People often compare them to Michelin Pilot.
For me its the same.
Good quality, good handling etc

 

[naughtyG]

Sure no, what for?

I don't really do drag myself, but my understanding is that the grippier the tire, the better launch you're gonna get, the more power you can put down, and as a result, the faster you're gonna be when you pass that timing light..

That's what it's all about over 400 meters, right?

Correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[satariel666]

Pretty much every tire will handle the speeds for a short burst. ThVMaxForum.net - Reply to Topice ratings are done under load for 2+ hours.

I did get around to weighing a carrozzeria wheel compared to the 85/86 front and newer rear. The carrs were 4lbs lighter on the front (they had galpher rotors) then the 85 front with 93+ rotors. The rear was 3lbs with galpher on the carr and stock rotor on the stock wheel.

Sean

Not evry, beileve me.
I saw factory new ones fit on the rim and driver twist the throtle in bike with +150HP and tyre was simply riped off...its rare but happen.
Mostly bias type.

 

[satariel666]

I don't really do drag myself, but my understanding is that the grippier the tire, the better launch you're gonna get, the more power you can put down, and as a result, the faster you're gonna be when you pass that timing light..

That's what it's all about over 400 meters, right?

Correct me if I'm wrong!

Obviously, but for rear tyre.

IMHO in front its the diffrent story.

 

[naughtyG]

Obviously, but for rear tyre.

IMHO in front its the diffrent story.

:icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes::doh: of course LOL

 

[satariel666]

:icon_rolleyes::icon_rolleyes::doh: of course LOL

:biglaugh::rofl_200:

So where's my beer? :rofl_200::rofl_200::rofl_200: