front tire 120/80-16 VS 130/90-16

[bigbore2]

can you feel much difference up front steering, turn in, etc?

[FJmonkey]

I imagine it would feel like cold custard in an old sock, but that is just my opinion. Hopefully you can get a proper reply from one that has tried that size.

[aviationfred]

You may get dramatically different opinions on this question.  I can't say that i know of anyone that is running a 130/90/16 tire.

I am not for sure, but I believe the OEM 16" front wheels were 2.75" wide. The 90 aspect side wall may give enough space to not pinch the tire profile too much. I would be very cautious riding for awhile after trying this.

Fred

[bigbore2]

so what are you guys doing for tires?  Avon is running out of the AV 45's,  the AV 46's are gone as you know.  I guess I could buy 2 front AV 45's and store one, as the Storm 3-D X-M 150/80-16, is the matching rear available.

Or................ 

[aviationfred]

For the 16" front and 16" rear wheels, take a look at Pirelli Demon Sport Touring tire.

Front http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/6243/i/pirelli-sport-demon-sport-touring-front-tire

Rear http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/6244/i/pirelli-sport-demon-sport-touring-rear-tire

Fred

[Pat Conlon]

....or converting your FJ to 17" rims.

Don't you oem 16" rim guys see the writing on the wall?

[aviationfred]

....or converting your FJ to 17" rims.

Don't you oem 16" rim guys see the writing on the wall?

I am with Pat on this. I understand that there is some expense involved with converting a 1984-1987 over to 17" wheels front and back. There is the debate on whether or not a better handling FJ will result from the swap. Regardless if it does or is equal to the original characteristics. There is no denying that the tire manufactures or slowly dropping the 16" sizes that are required for the early FJ's.

Fred

[racerrad8]

I think the larger tire might rub the front fender.

Here is a place that has, at this time, four front tires in stock: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Avon-Tyres-Azaro-AV45-ST-Tire-120-80R-16-Front-90000001053-120-80-16-120-80ZR16-/231641100515

Randy - RPM

[bigbore2]

at this point in time, 16" Avon front tires are still easy to find, around $90, which is very reasonable for a radial.
I am just going to buy 2 and put off the other option of conversion, for a while. I got 10,000 mi on the last one, so that should work for a while yet. The writing Pat, the writing.

So who is willin' to comment on the idea that the 16" wheel is what the bike was designed for, not 17" and performs better.  And I have done a bit of parts swapping on dirt bikes with great success, so 17" could actually be better or at least as good, performance wise.

Thanks Randy.  One of these days I am going to get out there and bore you to death for a couple hours.

[Pat Conlon]

.......So who is willin' to comment on the idea that the 16" wheel is what the bike was designed for, not 17" and performs better. 

You are kidding, right?

[Mark Olson]

.......So who is willin' to comment on the idea that the 16" wheel is what the bike was designed for, not 17" and performs better. 

You are kidding, right?

I hear crickets .

[Pat Conlon]

Ha!

I'm waiting for folks to chime in about how those awful 17" rims and modern tires, fucked up their FJ's.

Crickets indeed.

[FJ_Hooligan]

First of all, the FJ wasn't "designed for" 16 inch wheels. 

I would have to ask which frame parameters were optimized around 16" wheels?  None that I can think of. 

Same thing for bias ply tires.  They used bias because radial wasn't available at the time.

This is like saying you shouldn't upgrade your horn because the FJ was designed for that wimpy-assed stock horn.

Back in the mid-'80s the 500 GP bikes were using 16"wheels.  The reason the early FJs had 16" wheels is because the racers were using them and having them on a "sport" street bike helped identify the bike with performance.

Yamaha was smart enough the make the move to a 17" front wheel, which, by the way, did NOT require a major redesign of the chassis

[bigbore2]

this is my first "sport" bike.  I profess to know very little about this bike unless I have done that particular mod.

I am still amazed at how this bike must have been received, as it is pretty advanced for its time. its still a solid bike, 30 yrs later.

so I take it the 17" wheel is a definite upgrade by all who do it??  I guess the tire selection pretty much guarantees that.

All the crickets over here are dead.

Not the quickest to get back to answer, somehow those 12 hr shift have something to do with that.  Hey, I'm too old to be doing 12 hr shifts.

[ribbert]

.........so I take it the 17" wheel is a definite upgrade by all who do it?? 

Well, Yamaha did it themselves, changing to a 17" on the later bikes.

Ever wondered why Yamaha only changed the front to a 17" (and stayed with the 16" rear).
Because it was fix, not fashion.

Noel