Fat rear tire?

Hold on a sec, ... ok, the flame suit is zipped up! biggrin.gif Now, my question is, who here has considered spooning a fatty rear tire (like 200+) onto a car wheel with the same lug pattern as the VFR? Like say, a nice aftermarket aluminum wheel? Pros/Cons? Offset?

Kinda like this, but not THIS extreme:
[image: user posted image]

I'd like to try it for shits and giggles, maybe for local bike nights or something.

SEBSPEED, Mar 27 2006, 10:19 PMHold on a sec, ... ok, the flame suit is zipped up!  biggrin.gif   Now, my question is, who here has considered spooning a fatty rear tire (like 200+) onto a car wheel with the same lug pattern as the VFR? Like say, a nice aftermarket aluminum wheel? Pros/Cons? Offset?

Kinda like this, but not THIS extreme:
[image: user posted image]

I'd like to try it for shits and giggles, maybe for local bike nights or something.

quick bump during a busy evening beer.gif

Too funny ! I think you could definately get some attention with a tire that wide, but don't plan on decent handling. All other things equal the fatter the tire the harder it is to turn. Look at the way pro drag racers have to turn off the strip after making a pass. But then again some people will gladly suffer ill handling for the "look".

Good luck trying to get it to turn tongue.gif


VFcRuiser goofy.gif

I've seen a GSXR with a VFR single-sider fitted with a wheel from an Audi TT...

Good while parked up, I guess.. squid.gif

This would be for bike-night type stuff, not for riding around really. So yeah, squid.gif 'ing while parked is the goal laugh.gif , but whose got useable info on this?

there is a brit mag called "Streetfighters" that features bikes like that all the time. Might try picking up a copy and looking it over for insight on how others have done it.

Drizzt, Mar 28 2006, 08:12 AMthere is a brit mag called "Streetfighters" that features bikes like that all the time.  Might try picking up a copy and looking it over for insight on how others have done it.

I have a few issues of 'Fighters' from Germany, but none of them have done a how-to or explained what works with what yet, usually it's just features on bikes w/specs, I guess what I'm looking for is the lug pattern(4x100?), and the offset of the factory Honda wheel.

One thing to think about is the fact that a car tire is not meant to handle the lateral load that a motorcycle wheel is meant to. Not saying it can't be done, but be careful.

chris2992, Mar 28 2006, 10:12 AMOne thing to think about is the fact that a car tire is not meant to handle the lateral load that a motorcycle wheel is meant to. Not saying it can't be done, but be careful.

Right, but I want to use a motorcycle rear tire, on a car wheel, if it will bolt up to hub without throwing off the centerline of the tires' contact patches. I need to find out first if the bike tire will work on the car wheel. Then I need to find the correct offset for said wheel, and see if there is enough room to fit the wide tire in the swingarm. Judging from some streetfighter pics I have seen, this should work. comp13.gif

I've definitely seen some done up like this, with the big fat cruiser tires. (NOT car tires)

I'm sure it destroys the handling, but if you're just going for looks it'll probably get you attention.

There is a guy here in MA with a GSX-R that he painted up in a General Lee scheme complete with the confederate flag. It has a stretched custom swing arm and a giant rear tire.

SEBSPEED, Mar 28 2006, 11:10 AMRight, but I want to use a motorcycle rear tire, on a car wheel, if it will bolt up to hub without throwing off the centerline of the tires' contact patches. I need to find out first if the bike tire will work on the car wheel. Then I need to find the correct offset for said wheel, and see if there is enough room to fit the wide tire in the swingarm. Judging from some streetfighter pics I have seen, this should work. comp13.gif

Oops, meant to put wheel instead of tire. The spokes of a car tire are only meant to keep the wheel straight up, not a lateral load. Likely you will be fine because a bike is so much lighter than a car. Sorry for the confusion, I'll edit my previous post to reflect my ignorance.

chris2992, Mar 28 2006, 12:19 PMOops, meant to put wheel instead of tire. The spokes of a car tire are only meant to keep the wheel straight up, not a lateral load. Likely you will be fine because a bike is so much lighter than a car. Sorry for the confusion, I'll edit my previous post to reflect my ignorance.

Don't worry about it, mang!

Ok now for a technical explanation. The stock rim and swingarm have about 3/4" of clearance on the left side. If you put a wider rim on the bike, the extra width of the rim will only stick out on the right side of the bike. Thus the rim and tire would be off center to the right. In my mind, the only way to compensate for this would be to space the swingarm as far to the left as you can, but that would take custom spacers if it was even possible.

chris2992, Mar 28 2006, 12:23 PMOk now for a technical explanation. The stock rim and swingarm have about 3/4" of clearance on the left side. If you put a wider rim on the bike, the extra width of the rim will only stick out on the right side of the bike. Thus the rim and tire would be off center to the right. In my mind, the only way to compensate for this would be to space the swingarm as far to the left as you can, but that would take custom spacers if it was even possible.

The swingarm is mounted to the motor in the vfr, right? So the CBR guys are probly compensating by taking advantage of the extra spacing they have in the frame... hmm, I'll have to take a peek tonight when I get home...

benSV, Mar 28 2006, 12:14 PMI'm sure it destroys the handling, but if you're just going for looks it'll probably get you attention.

+1.gif

chris2992, Mar 28 2006, 12:19 PMOops, meant to put wheel instead of tire. The spokes of a car tire are only meant to keep the wheel straight up, not a lateral load. Likely you will be fine because a bike is so much lighter than a car. Sorry for the confusion, I'll edit my previous post to reflect my ignorance.

I don't know, sports cars produce quite a bit of lateral load. But regardless I think you're right on the lighter weight thing. But if you got the money to adapt a car wheel, you could probably get Performance Machine or somebody similar to make you up a single sided motorcycle wheel in the desired width. I see plently of Hardley's with 300 tires on single sided arms, so...

In that Streetfighters mag a while back somebody had adapted a wheel off an Audi to a VFR swingarm using like a 230 motorcycle tire. It was quite the cats ass, but I bet it turns like a bus. They do some "how-to" articles but what you can get out of it is the pictures and sometimes in the write-up on the bike they give details on what was done.