Stickiest radial tires for stock 18" front and 18x5.5" rear?

[m-cman]

Stock swingarm 18" Kosman wheel, biggest I could fit with washer swap was a 170. Would rub without washer swap. Wheel offset is not as much as some other wheels though. Looks centered, not off to the right.

 

[Redbone]

I have Morley's 3" over swingarm braced that has his driveshaft offset that allows to run a 200 rear tire, it's tight but does not rub. I have a underslung rear brake caliper so it doesn't interfere with clearance.
I concur with Grimmie that the Verge's have great traction and I've have close to 7k miles on them now; the rear is kinda squared off with all the straight line roads that I have near me. The front should see 5-6k more miles.

I use the Shinko Verge tires with the Carr rims and Morley's rear end setup with the 3" over swing arm braced and notched. 120 up front and 200 on the rear. Night and day difference from stock bias tires but the first set of tires I ran on this set up was the Metzler 880's in the same size. The Verge tires are way more sticky, like WAY more sticky. I thought the Metzlers ran really well until I got the Verge tires on there. Metzlers seem to run a little better in the rain but everywhere else the Shinkos have it hands down. Now the Metzlers were a little wider in the same sizes, especially the rear tire.

Is this on a 1st gen? Judging from mine, 180 is about the limit because of swingarm and brake arm clearance issues.


'99 VFR800, '08 1125R, '06 1050, '03 Vmax, '03 DRZ400

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I could squeeze a 190 in with a washer swap. Stock swing arm.

Fair enough, but there's no such thing as a 190 18" tire--this is only a solution if you've got a 17.


'99 VFR800, '08 1125R, '06 1050, '03 Vmax, '03 DRZ400

 

[davesax36]

I was wondering why my 110/80 PR3 has already started cupping after my 4k mile trip this summer. Maybe I'll have to plunk down a bunch more $$$ and get that last single Carr front from Sean...

 

[leroycp]

I have PR3 on front and same thing. 120/70 18. I am going to try a PR4 next. I have Carr's.

 

[davesax36]

I don't know if the pr4 comes in an 18 front. At least not from revzilla...


Plus the carrs are wider than my stock front. A 110\80 should have worked, right?

 

[sdt354]

Fair enough, but there's no such thing as a 190 18" tire--this is only a solution if you've got a 17.


'99 VFR800, '08 1125R, '06 1050, '03 Vmax, '03 DRZ400

Another good reason for 17" wheels

 

[mdfb42]

I was wondering why my 110/80 PR3 has already started cupping after my 4k mile trip this summer. Maybe I'll have to plunk down a bunch more $$$ and get that last single Carr front from Sean...

Sean has a used front carr for sale for $750 in black FYI if that's what you are needing. (maybe you were already referring to it, but thought I'd be safe and make sure)

 

[davesax36]

Sean has a used front carr for sale for $750 in black FYI if that's what you are needing. (maybe you were already referring to it, but thought I'd be safe and make sure)

Yeah. That's the one. I just picked up the kosman he had. I really don't have the $$$ to do another wheel right now. Maybe sometime later.

 

[retrostude]

Running Z8's on my 05, and they are hella sticky but I only have maybe 1800 miles on them so far. (110/80 front on stock wheel, 180/55-17 on Kosman rear) so I dont know how they'll wear yet. I'm a lot bolder in the corners than I was with bias Shinkos, but not so bold as to drift front OR rear yet. I do scrape stuff all the time.

Just bought a '01 running new Michelin Pilot 3's (110/80r18 front on stock wheel, 160/60r18 on Kosman rear). Handlles crisply but havent pushed her hard yet, first 50 miles was yesterday. Will advise.