| Author | Message | ||
     Pkforbes87 |
I ride an X1, and recently changed my rear tire from a 180/55 scorpion sync with a 170/60 strada. I LOVE the handling. The thinner tire makes the bike feel a lot more "flickable" through turns and it grips more than well enough for the few twisties I can find in SE Nebraska. (no track riding on the 170 strada yet) Just wondering if anyone has tried a 170 rear on an XB, and if it effects the XB handling in a similar manner. | ||
| Reepicheep |
CeeJay did, and he noted it felt a little lighter. He had them on the track last year, and they did fine at a fast novice pace. I think the 170's are a nice choice for a 9s, if you can get the tire you want in your size. | ||
| Ceejay |
yup. I liked it, and probably would still have it but I got a decent deal on some 180's and the Z6's were too worn to get on the track. After having both on the track on the same bike-although the 170 was a touring tire, it seemed as though the 170 transitioned better but the 180 held the corner better. The better corner may have been due me gaining some more experience and/or the fact that the tire is better suited to the track. I'm trying to assemble another set of wheels of which will probably have a Z6 170 on it for general day to day stuff where the other set will be for track riding. I like the 170's and may try a more track friendly 170 in the future-as soon as I can find money tree. Someone stole my last one  | ||
| Djkaplan |
"The thinner tire makes the bike feel a lot more "flickable" through turns and it grips more than well enough for the few twisties I can find in SE Nebraska." One major issue affecting your observations may be that a 180/55 tire is designed for use on a 5.5" wide wheel, not a 5" wheel. There is no benefit what-so-ever when you mount a tire on a wheel too narrow for it, but there is benefit (as you've described) by using a correct sized tire for your particular application. XB's all use 5.5" wheels, btw. Comparison between the handling characteristics of a 170 installed on both bikes may be somewhat moot because of this, but using a tire on wheel that's a little wider for what it was designed for does change handling characteristics in a positive way for some. It really doesn't work the other way around. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Thanks for the explanation DJ. I wasn't sure of the exact size difference in XB/tuber wheels but I've always seen that most tuber riders use a 170 or 180 while XB riders use a 180 or 190. Too bad the syncs aren't available in a 170. | ||
| Reepicheep |
CeeJay, you were definitely faster this year then last year and your form looked *great*. | ||
| Ceejay |
Thanks reep! I don't know if it was getting rid of the first time jitters or just having more confidence in my tires, but that track day was a heck of lot more fun. You looked to be laying it down pretty good too, even with those sync's on there Looking at my current tires I don't think it would be a great idea run 170's on the track unless you were used to it. My 180's show some blistering right up to the edge and I remember a few times last year feeling the like the back end went a little too far. On the street though I rarely, if ever, get that far over on my tires thus the reason I think it's a great street combo. I never ran a 180 on my tuber nor a 170 "street/race" tire so that may have something to do with it also, but I do think the 170 on a 5.5" rim "flattened" the profile out a bit thus meaning you didn't have to get over a "hump" during transitions, which is the reason race tires I believe have a more triagle profile-more surface to rubber contact when leaned thus giving better corner performance, even if it is a little harder to go from one side to the other. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I think the 170's would be a good match for the S bikes, but the 180's are probably better for the R bikes (with their extra little bit of ground clearance). Buell made the right choice going with the 180 on both bikes anyway, as those are easier tires to find. I was *just* dragging a peg and touching a knee on the 9sx... which is probably about as far as I want to go on street rubber like the syncs and a bike like the 9sx. Sure makes you appreciate how little of the potential of these bikes you use on the street most of the time (if you are riding rationally anyway). Bob was still smoking both of us... he was loving the XT after using it to run down several guys on serious sportbikes in intermediate... but he still can't quite bring himself to give up the blackbird. | ||
| Ceejay |
Those pics of Bob on the XT are awesome! | ||
| Spacecapsule1 |
what pics? i wanna see! link please. |
