|
FRONT TIRES
|
Inches |
Metric |
Alpha |
|
2.50/2.75 |
80/90 |
MH90 |
|
2.75/3.00 |
90/90 |
MJ90 |
|
3.25/3.50 |
100/90 |
MM90 |
|
3.75/4.00 |
110/90 |
MN90 |
|
4/25/4.50 |
120/80 |
|
|
4.25/4.50 |
120/90 |
MR90 |
|
5.00/5.10 |
130/90 |
MT90 |
REAR TIRES
|
Inches |
Metric |
Alpha |
|
4.00/4.25 |
110/90 |
MP85 |
|
4.50/4.75 |
120/90 |
MR90 |
|
5.00/5.10 |
130/80 |
|
|
5.00/5.10 |
130/90 |
MT90 |
|
5.50/6.00 |
140/80 |
|
|
5.50/6.00 |
140/90 |
MU90 |
|
6.00/6.25 |
150/80 |
MV85 |
|
6.00/6.25 |
150/90 |
MV85 |
You should note that a size equivalency does not always indicate
interchangeability. Your best source on fitting replacement tires is the
motorcycle or tire manufacturer. Many tire makers have fitment charts on their
web sites, though unfortunately these do not generally seem to include the Triples.
When replacing tires, it is generally recommended that the front and rear
tire be certified as compatible. This usually means made by the same
manufacturer, and being of the same series. Front and rear tires are usually not
interchangeable, even when they are of the same nominal size. Motorcycle tires
are normally marked to indicate the correct direction of rotation and care
should be taken to mount them correctly. The carcass will also normally be
marked to indicate where the valve stem should be in relation to the tire. (The
tire is fractionally lighter at this point to aid in balancing.)
Tires should also be marked "TT" or "TL," indicating "tube type" or
"tubeless." Tubeless tires should only be fitted on rims that are marked for
tubeless tires. Not all cast rims are designed to be used with tubeless
tires. If the rim doesn't actually say "tubeless" on it, use a tube
type tire. Many motorcycle tires are rated "TT/TL," and may be used on either
type rim.
SPEED RATINGS
|
Rating Code |
Max MPH |
Max KPH |
|
J |
62 |
100 |
|
L |
75 |
120 |
|
M |
81 |
130 |
|
P |
93 |
150 |
|
S |
112 |
180 |
|
H |
130 |
210 |
|
V |
149 |
239 |
|
Z |
150+ |
240+ |
| An "R" following the speed rating (HR, ZR, etc.) indicates a
radial tire |
Do not exceed the speed rating on the tire. It is generally recommended that
"Z" rated tires not be used for street riding except for those specifically
manufacturered as OEM replacements on certain sport bikes. Other "Z" rated tires
normally use a "racing" compound in the tread area, and do not warm up
sufficiently to provide a good grip at highway speeds.
EUROPEAN LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
|
Only the following combinations may be legally
mounted in Europe |
|
Front |
Rear |
|
Crossply |
Crossply |
|
Crossply |
Bias Belt |
|
Crossply |
Radial |
|
Bias Belted |
Bias Belted |
|
Bias Belted |
Radial |
|
Radial |
Radial |
While these requirements are not mandatory in the US, following
them would be a good idea in any case. The best combination is to use the same
type tire on front and rear. Never use a radial front tire with any
other type of rear tire. Also note that radial tires have different handling
characteristics, so it is generally best not to use them on motorcycles that
were not designed for radials.
LOAD RATINGS
|
Index |
Lbs |
Kilos |
Index |
Lbs |
Kilos |
Index |
Lbs |
Kilos |
Index |
Lbs |
Kilos |
| 0 |
99 |
45 |
25 |
204 |
92.5 |
50 |
419 |
190 |
75 |
853 |
387 |
| 1 |
102 |
46.2 |
26 |
209 |
95 |
51 |
430 |
195 |
76 |
882 |
400 |
| 2 |
105 |
47.5 |
27 |
215 |
97.5 |
52 |
441 |
200 |
77 |
908 |
412 |
| 3 |
107 |
48.7 |
28 |
220 |
100 |
53 |
454 |
206 |
78 |
937 |
425 |
| 4 |
110 |
50 |
29 |
227 |
103 |
54 |
467 |
212 |
79 |
963 |
437 |
| 5 |
114 |
51.5 |
30 |
234 |
106 |
55 |
481 |
218 |
80 |
992 |
450 |
| 6 |
117 |
53 |
31 |
240 |
109 |
56 |
494 |
224 |
81 |
1018 |
462 |
| 7 |
120 |
54.5 |
32 |
247 |
112 |
57 |
507 |
230 |
82 |
1047 |
475 |
| 8 |
123 |
56 |
33 |
254 |
115 |
58 |
520 |
236 |
83 |
1074 |
487 |
| 9 |
128 |
58 |
34 |
260 |
118 |
59 |
536 |
243 |
84 |
1102 |
500 |
| 10 |
132 |
60 |
35 |
267 |
121 |
60 |
551 |
250 |
85 |
1135 |
515 |
| 11 |
136 |
61.5 |
36 |
276 |
125 |
61 |
567 |
257 |
86 |
1168 |
530 |
| 12 |
139 |
63 |
37 |
282 |
128 |
62 |
584 |
265 |
87 |
1177 |
534 |
| 13 |
143 |
65 |
38 |
291 |
132 |
63 |
600 |
272 |
88 |
1235 |
560 |
| 14 |
148 |
67 |
39 |
300 |
136 |
64 |
617 |
280 |
89 |
1279 |
580 |
| 15 |
152 |
69 |
40 |
309 |
140 |
65 |
639 |
290 |
90 |
1323 |
600 |
| 16 |
157 |
71 |
41 |
320 |
145 |
66 |
661 |
300 |
91 |
1356 |
615 |
| 17 |
161 |
73 |
42 |
331 |
150 |
67 |
677 |
307 |
92 |
1389 |
630 |
| 18 |
165 |
75 |
43 |
342 |
155 |
68 |
694 |
315 |
93 |
1433 |
650 |
| 19 |
171 |
77.5 |
44 |
353 |
160 |
69 |
717 |
325 |
94 |
1477 |
670 |
| 20 |
176 |
80 |
45 |
364 |
165 |
70 |
739 |
335 |
95 |
1521 |
690 |
| 21 |
182 |
82.5 |
46 |
375 |
170 |
71 |
761 |
345 |
96 |
1565 |
710 |
| 22 |
187 |
85 |
47 |
386 |
175 |
72 |
783 |
355 |
97 |
1609 |
730 |
| 23 |
193 |
87.5 |
48 |
397 |
180 |
73 |
805 |
365 |
98 |
1653 |
750 |
| 24 |
198 |
90 |
49 |
408 |
185 |
74 |
827 |
375 |
99 |
1709 |
775 |
Date of Manufacture
All tires sold in the United
States are marked with a DOT code on the sidewall. The last three numbers in
this code indicate the date of manufacture. Using 148 as an example, the first
two numbers indicate the week in which the tire was made and the last number is
the final digit of the year. So 148 indicates a tire made in the 14th week of
1998. (In other words, between 29 March and 4 April.) The year will normally be
in the current decade, though if a tire on a used bike looks suspiciously old or
deteriorated, it is possible that it will prove to have been manufactured in
1988 instead.
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