New Metzeler Racetec Drift Supermoto Tires

How bizarre

I find it curious that they have two sizes of front tire and only one rear.
Is a 160 supposed to be the "one size fits all" now ?

ciao

anyone have experience or advice putting Metzeler Slick 165 to 4.25 wheel ?

FinMoto said:

ciao

anyone have experience or advice putting Metzeler Slick 165 to 4.25 wheel ?

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Invest in a 5" rear rim - you'll get better handling, more traction and a much better selection of rubber.

I have gotten away with using a 165 tyre on a 4.25 inch rim but I would not repeat it - the tyre became too squeezed and I didn't have much feel when leaning over at all.

Cheers,
Simon

thanks Simon

They spec the new drift tire as fitting the 4.25-5", it measures 162mm when mounted on a 5" excel. A friend had one mounted on a 4.25 and it seemed to be wearing and working well for him.

PowerFiend said:

They spec the new drift tire as fitting the 4.25-5", it measures 162mm when mounted on a 5" excel. A friend had one mounted on a 4.25 and it seemed to be wearing and working well for him.

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But that is the 160 not 165 tyre you're talking about right?

I have seen 165 tyres recommended for use on a 4.5"-5.5" rim, but not for a 4.25" rim.

However, most manufacturers do OK a 160 on a 4.25" rim.

Personally, I much prefer a 5" rim even with a 160 tyre as the improvement in hanlding is enormous, especially with regard to reducing head-shake.

Simon

Thanks again all !

How would You describe the feeling in the curves, specially exits, with larger that 150 rear tire ?

Or as Simon said, more stabile, but do You get more fraction in the curve with larger than 150 ?

Simon said:

But that is the 160 not 165 tyre you're talking about right?

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The Metzler racetec drift is only offered in a 160, so yes.

Simon said:

PowerFiend said:

They spec the new drift tire as fitting the 4.25-5", it measures 162mm when mounted on a 5" excel. A friend had one mounted on a 4.25 and it seemed to be wearing and working well for him.

Click to expand...

But that is the 160 not 165 tyre you're talking about right?

I have seen 165 tyres recommended for use on a 4.5"-5.5" rim, but not for a 4.25" rim.

However, most manufacturers do OK a 160 on a 4.25" rim.

Personally, I much prefer a 5" rim even with a 160 tyre as the improvement in hanlding is enormous, especially with regard to reducing head-shake.

Simon

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Plus one on the 5"..... I have two different bikes that have/had 4.25 " with 160's (Avon, Pirelli and Maxis) both bikes with that combo always left me with a 10 mm strip (chicken strip) the pegs are draggin and the front tire rolling over the edge but the rear could have that much more rubber making contact on the track....however I had a MZ 660 with a 4.5" with a Pirelli 160 on it and felt that the front tire reached its limit before the back....so I'm a fan of the 5" 160 combo despite what the dealers tell you........the 5" turns in a tad slower......go with a 16.5" front and that will make the bike so flickable with soo much traction you will think you are on a different bike......a couple of the guys up here have gone with a 165 and 170 on a 5.5" rim......can you say swingarm/chain clearance....its tight.....

fitting a 5,5 on a yzf was a rather large expenditure of time and effort.
But, we did get the results we desired.

SFO said:

fitting a 5,5 on a yzf was a rather large expenditure of time and effort.
But, we did get the results we desired.

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The bike I was referring to was a late model 525 SMR 5.5" with a 165.....
I can't remember If he had to mod it much ??
Gawd, If you look on some sites you will see picts of SM's with single swing arms

FinMoto said:

Thanks again all !

How would You describe the feeling in the curves, specially exits, with larger that 150 rear tire ?

Or as Simon said, more stabile, but do You get more fraction in the curve with larger than 150 ?

Click to expand...

Finmoto,

Unfortunatey it is not as straightforward as that - never is, is it?

Just as suspension where in order to get it right you start with "wheel rate" calculations, with tyres you start with the rim size.

The problem with making a broad sweeping statement about 160 or 150 width tyres is that it depends on what rim the manufacturer has designed the tyre carcass for in the first place. In certain circumstances you can find a 160 that is not designed for anything less than a 4.5, or even 5 inch rim - it depends on the market the manufacturer has intended for the tyre.

Therefore, you can end up with a 160 tyre that actually gives you less traction than a 150.

Therefore you can't really make a generic statement about which width tyre gives best results without also considering the rim.

What I will say is that the majority of tyres I have tested on a 5 inch rear rim have performed much much better against the same tyre on a 4.25" rim despite those tyres being designed to fit both rims. The only tyre I have had the opposite experience with - i.e. good traction and feel - on a 4.25" rim rather than the 5" was a 16/63 Michelin soft intermediate (which is a 160). When I tried it on the 5" it was absolutely horrible!

Also, the Micheline SM tyres work very well on ether 4.25" or 5", you just get chicken strips on the slimmer rim, as BrianSM said.

Unfortunately, you also need to adapt your suspension settings to properly determine the best performance of each tyre because carcass stiffness and compound will all change the behaviour, especially as the various width tyres are usually designed for slightly different purposes - e.g heavier bikes, more or less power so these variations need to be taken into consideration too.

Sorry, I know that is not a specific answer hopefully exlpains a little more of the problem giving the specific answer :?

Cheers,
Simon

I should get the list from my friend on tires and true actuall measurements etc.......might be helpful and confirms your point Simon......My Avon's and Pirellis seem to be similar in size....the Maxis are noticabally narrower......the maxis seem to have a much lighter sidewall, If you are bending on a maxis and over stretching it to get it on the rim you can hear the bead make stretching sounds where the Avon and Pirelli will object and you could start bending tire Irons.....I'm not a Maxis fan but an Avon and Pirelli fan......BUT I have not tried Mich's yet or some of the others.....I've ridden Dunlop SM's and they are quite good, I liked them very much

Since you asked for it B:

Some of this info is blatantly stolen from another site, some of it is from my own measurement.

[web]http://www.ronwest99.com/tiresizes.htm[/web]

I forgot to measure the dunlop SM specific tires when we had them on the bike. Nice profile though.

The dunlop road race 165 rear works much better on a 5.5 than on the 5. (and yes you can fit a 5.5 on a berg with no issues). The avon rear rain has a very "flat" profile on a 5 and barely fits in a ktm swingarm.

Aha.

ronwest99 said:

Since you asked for it B:

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Now I know what you're doing instead of returning my phone calls

ronwest99 said:

Since you asked for it B:

Some of this info is blatantly stolen from another site, some of it is from my own measurement.

[web]http://www.ronwest99.com/tiresizes.htm[/web]

I forgot to measure the dunlop SM specific tires when we had them on the bike. Nice profile though.

The dunlop road race 165 rear works much better on a 5.5 than on the 5. (and yes you can fit a 5.5 on a berg with no issues). The avon rear rain has a very "flat" profile on a 5 and barely fits in a ktm swingarm.

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Wow, "Don't ask and ye shall receive" Thanks Ron !! Yo da man !!! at least thats what I tell people....lol.......5.5" on the back of the berg ?? wow it will start lookin like a cruiser from the rear LOL.......
would you mind adding this site/SM section to your posting list so these guys/gals can be kept up to date on up coming events.... I have been making an attempt :roll: with alittle success.... Tanks Mang !! see you sat......at zee races.....

well, why don't you call my cell #? I never check the vm on my work phone (you know that).

We'll see you in reno for sure.

And yes, I did get that item resolved.

Hi all, and a great thanks to SIMON !!!!

As I am a first year Husaberg owner and "Motarder" I have arrived to the point where I would like to study and so to understand suspension and tires more than other "performance" adjustments.

This topic is very helpful and I will be investing on slicks and 5 rim.

With suspension I have proceeded quite well, but still ways to go, last weekend I (with a help of a racer friend) took a lot of weight out from front wheel as it kept loosing in the corners. Very interesting issues !

Thanks again and I ask patience for my novice issues, hopefully answers will help others also, and save some bucks from aftermarket tailpipe towards tires and suspension .....