190/55 or 200/55 Rear Tire?

bpjones

Registered
Well, been riding Dunlop Qualifers and it's time to think about new tires.
I'm leaning towards 190/55 for the twisties...but what would a 200/55 get me?

.....or is it counter productive to go taller and wider?
 
Stick with the 190/55...you'll love it. Don't know where you would
find a 200/55...and it wouldn't be cheap :whistle:
 
Never seen a 200/55. When Lamb installed a 190/55 he had clearance issues with the underwing on his fresh chain. Just something to think about.
 
Never seen a 200/55. When Lamb installed a 190/55 he had clearance issues with the underwing on his fresh chain. Just something to think about.

Didn't you take out a link ???

On a stock length chain a 190/55 fits :beerchug:
 
Bridgestone makes a 200/55-16...comes standard on the Desmosedici :thumbsup:

Won't fit a Busa wheel...and big $$$
 
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Thanks for all the input guys!

A few questions though:

I have a 200/50 on a stock rim with a stock chain now, so........
1 - wouldn't a 200/55 fit a 17' busa rim?
2 - shouldn't the stock chain fit with a 200/55 also?
3 - and isn't "Bigger footprints at all lean angles yield more grip and traction" what ya want in the twisties?


Here's one of the sources I found for 200/55's......

Mid-West Sportbikes :: Sportbike Tires :: Dunlop :: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier :: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier Rear 200/55/17

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier Rear 200/55/17

Successor to the D208ZR sport radial
Brings racetrack-level performance to the street with quicker handling
Bigger footprints at all lean angles yield more grip and traction
Use of latest compounds allow a significant increase in land area in the tread pattern for improved grip
The Qualifier heats up faster and is stickier than the D208ZR
W-rated for speeds up to 168 mph

SKU 310684
Price: $190.00
 
Thanks for all the input guys!

A few questions though:

I have a 200/50 on a stock rim with a stock chain now, so........
1 - wouldn't a 200/55 fit a 17' busa rim?
2 - shouldn't the stock chain fit with a 200/55 also?
3 - and isn't "Bigger footprints at all lean angles yield more grip and traction" what ya want in the twisties?


Here's one of the sources I found for 200/55's......

Mid-West Sportbikes :: Sportbike Tires :: Dunlop :: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier :: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier Rear 200/55/17

Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier Rear 200/55/17

Successor to the D208ZR sport radial
Brings racetrack-level performance to the street with quicker handling
Bigger footprints at all lean angles yield more grip and traction
Use of latest compounds allow a significant increase in land area in the tread pattern for improved grip
The Qualifier heats up faster and is stickier than the D208ZR
W-rated for speeds up to 168 mph

SKU 310684
Price: $190.00

Bigger is not always better...a 200/55 is taller than a 190/55, and the 190/55
is taller than the stock 190/50. As you go up in size you end up changing the
suspension geometry...try the 190/55 first. 190/55's are less expensive and
there are so so many more tires in that size :thumbsup:
 
I think that 200 - 55 is a misprint. I don't think Dunlop makes a 200 - 55 Q? I have never seen one nor have I ever seen one advertised? You could call Dunlop and find out?

A 17 inch rim will accomodate any 17 inch tire! However, what happens when you mount a wider than stock tire (Depending on the width) you pinch the tire's beads closer together causing the tire to round up in the middle and you'll actually get a smaller contact patch than you had with the stock tire. You can also develope chain clearance issues as well.

You will never know the difference in grip in the twisties between your stock 190 and a 200 series tire.

Unless you are an exceptionally skilled rider, you will not notice any difference in the twisties between the 50 and the 55 series tire.
 
I knew that. It was just an excuse to post another picture of my bike. :laugh: :lol:

(this thread comes up regularly through the years)

:rofl:

Sure you did :laugh:

You need to get out more often Tim, maybe take a pic or two and post them up :thumbsup:
 
:rofl:

Sure you did :laugh:

You need to get out more often Tim, maybe take a pic or two and post them up :thumbsup:

Here's last weekend. :laugh:

Dsc04402_busa.jpg


See the bike?

Dsc04594_redwood.jpg


Oh, that's right, this was a tire thread. Definitely the funnest thread jack yet. :laugh:

To get us back on subject, here's another tire shot. :lol:

Dsc04527_busa.jpg
 
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I know we do this tire size thread every once in awhile but I really can't tell the difference between the 190 & 200, so I've been running the 200 series for years now. The handling issue that gets mentioned (quicker turn in with 190), as tufbusa mentions, I also can't tell the difference b/n the sizes.

The one thing I did stop doing was stop using a 'supersport race' tire, which is softer compound. My (naive) thinking was I could stick better in the twisties, but 30 days & two trips later, I needed a new set of tires. :laugh:

So Avon ST's it is! They are amazing.
 
Pashnit makes a great point. With the quality of touring tires becoming better and better with every new model, it's becoming more and more advantageous for us average street riders to use them. Now that most tire manufacturers are offering dual compound tires with a hard compound in the center and soft bubble gum stick on the edges, we have maybe not the best of both worlds but we have a tire that will serve our busa well and cut the cost per mile on tires.

I have always felt it was money well spent for a sticky tire. However, I am about to mount my first set of tires that should give me plenty of stick for what I ask of my busa and double the mileage of my current treads. I am about to mount a BTO16 front and BTO21 (Dual compound touring tire) on the rear. I just can't force myself to use a touring tire on the front but as we all know, we can usually go two rears for each front. With this combo, I can be very confident the front tire is firmly planted and if the rear squirms a bit, I can live with that. This combo should wear both tire out at about the same time and hopefully cut my tire cost in half.

I would NOT run this combo on a track day but street riding should be just fine. One of my riding buddies that currently owns our local track record runs this 16 front and 21 rear and he romps the ass off the corners. But then he is use to sliding both tires through the corners which I wouldn't recommend to the Sunday rider.
 
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