Upsizing Rear Tire to 190/55 (w/ pics)

[user 8909]

Put a T30 fat-boy on the rear with a mated the front. Feels great. I usually do a slightly low pressure break-in on new tires just to scuff them in for 50-100 miles. Felt very planted and the easier turn in as mention was noticeable even with the low psi.

Back to 40psi rear and 38psi front and still feel great. The only thing I've noticed differently due to the size is also as mentioned the center-stand jump is easier. The other thing I've noticed is that I feel the seat is higher in the back, I seem to be scooting back more than usual.

Going to look at the seat and see if I can make an adjustment.

Otherwise I'm happy with my new tires and curious what kind of mileage I'll get.

I think I already mentioned what a MF the rear was to mount, I ain't never....

....had such a hard time with a tire.

Didn't have to strap the tire because the bead was so tight the bugger held air as soon I plugged up the compressor.

$40 rebate is on its way for my trouble.

 

[art miller]

Just called the local Yamaha dealer to make an apt to mount my 190/55 rear as well as the 120/70 front tire. The service mgr told me they would not mount the 190 because it was not spec for the bike. Have any of you had that experience?

 

[user 8909]

The last car tire probably exploded on them.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Just called the local Yamaha dealer to make an apt to mount my 190/55 rear as well as the 120/70 front tire. The service mgr told me they would not mount the 190 because it was not spec for the bike. Have any of you had that experience?

Nope. Actually, my Yamaha dealer mounted my current 190/55. If I were you, I'd find another place and tell that dealer to blow me.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Just called the local Yamaha dealer to make an apt to mount my 190/55 rear as well as the 120/70 front tire. The service mgr told me they would not mount the 190 because it was not spec for the bike. Have any of you had that experience?

Yep. My dealer, wonderful and supportive to the nth degree, had a stroke when I asked about a car tire (kinda understandable) and had another when I asked about a 190/55. Got a small lecture about safety, handling characteristics, and the magic "L" word: Liability.

 

[CA G-Man]

No installer issues for me, but that might be because the Yammy dealer I went to sells way more dirt bikes and "sleds" than street bikes so they couldn't really be described as the straight-laced, do-it-by-the-book type.

 

[want2ride]

Just like HotRod, always looking for some action, lol

 

[Poolboytoo]

The next time i have an issue with a dealer I'm also going to tell them to "BLOW ZILLA"

 

[Top_Speed1]

My very first 190/55 was (Yamaha) dealer installed. The mechanic came out to the showroom and pulled me into the shop "Sir, you brought in the wrong sized tire to mount". I explained that it was what I wanted. He didn't say a word and went back to work on it.

On my Beemer, contrary to what some think. I have not fat-sided it to a 200/55. It came (OEM) with the 190/55 and I have been fine with it. Plus...the jump in pricing is crazy (to the 200 and up), and, I think the 190 is perfect for these larger ST bikes. Staying put, but I can't call my self a "Fat-Sider" anymore, just a OEM-Sider I guess. (now)

 

[Wemi]

Just called the local Yamaha dealer to make an apt to mount my 190/55 rear as well as the 120/70 front tire. The service mgr told me they would not mount the 190 because it was not spec for the bike. Have any of you had that experience?

It is strictly a liability issue.

In case of accident your insurance would not pay, and you would automatically be at fault, wether you were or not. Yamaha also voids your warranty should they be informed of any claim and find you have the wrong tire. In most other countries in the world your permit to operate the vehicle would also laps. At inspection stations in Austria or Italy for instance, they would confiscate your bike.

Also, theoretically you could sue your dealer/ installer in case of a mishap. Hence the word liability.

Life's a crap shoot!!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Unfortunately it's liability for the dealer, same as Costco won't mount anything but spec tires for vehicles they work on. Can't say I blame them much, as people are always looking to blame someone else for their own stupidity.

Easy fix, pull the rear rim off, take in separately and if they ask...tell them it's off an FJRMax, new model coming out! LOL

--G

Edit: Added Costco Disclaimers for our resident dumb-*** cop.

GENERAL NOTICEThe final decision to install a tire on a vehicle will be made by the Costco tire center manager or supervisor. The tire must meet all vehicle manufacturers’ safety standards and specifications.

STANDARD TIRE INSTALLATIONIf you are purchasing a tire using an option other than the "search by vehicle option" you must make sure the tire you purchase is an authorized fitment for your vehicle. Costco will only install tires authorized for a specific vehicle. If you are unsure if your purchase is an authorized fitment, contact your local Costco tire center for assistance.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Sorry Wemi, but most of that is not true. I can't speak for other countries, but in the US, probably a full 50% of vehicles on the road have other than spec tires on them. In my house 100% of my cars have tires bigger than OEM. The only one that is spec size is my FJR's front. On top of that, I have investigated hundreds of crashes, from simple fender benders to serious multi-car fatalities. Never, as in, not one single time has an insurance company ever asked about tire size. That whole liability idea is total BS, and the idea that a non-fault crash will somehow become someone's fault is even more total BS.

My buddy has oversized tires on his H2...Bought and mounted at Costco...

 

[art miller]

Thanks guys for the comments. I am taking the bike to another dealer and hopefully they will not give offer up the same B.S. I would take it to an independent but I am concerned they may not be familiar with the torque specs and etc. There is a BMW Triumph dealer close by who I may try if the other Yamaha shop will not do the job.

 

[Fred W]

See, right there's the whole problem. Bike shops do not want to mount tires that you bring in. They want to sell you a tire, because parts and accessory sales is the biggest fraction of their profit line. It's just that simple. Nothing to do with anyone's liability.

If they were actually worried about liabilities they wouldn't have their least experienced shop monkey mounting tires. Think of the dozens of stories you've heard about incorrectly (shop) mounted tires vs. how many times you've heard of a problem due to an over-sized tire.

 

[Top_Speed1]

For sure shops wanna sell you the products they install. More profit!, but, with their usually high prices for labor, most will be glad to install outside sourced tires. Most have an up-charge or higher install price if it is not from them.

Some shops won't. My Yami dealer knew I would walk to elsewhere-land and they want(ed) to keep me happy and my business. More-so for future bike sales... of course!.

 

[mcatrophy]

Thanks guys for the comments. I am taking the bike to another dealer and hopefully they will not give offer up the same B.S. I would take it to an independent but I am concerned they may not be familiar with the torque specs and etc. There is a BMW Triumph dealer close by who I may try if the other Yamaha shop will not do the job.

I doubt very much that a shop would use a torque wrench when removing and replacing a wheel, authorised dealer or independent.
My only concern would be correct mounting, which is one reason I always do my own wheel removal/replacement when having new tyres fitted. Other reasons are cost, cleaning/lubrication of whatever I can get to with the wheel removed, and treating all the threads involved with copper grease (another reason not to use a torque wrench )

 

[Bill Lumberg]

So would that be darn tight as measured by hand, since a torque wrench isn't used? I've never done it so I've no idea.

 

[SLK50]

The 10 degrees of tightness:

1) missing

2) hanging

3) loose

4) finger tight

5) pretty tight

6) good-n-tight

7) really tight

8) damn tight

9) f-n tight

10) stripped

 

[mcatrophy]

So would that be darn tight as measured by hand, since a torque wrench isn't used? I've never done it so I've no idea.

If you're not used to working on machinery, maybe you should use a torque wrench. I've learnt over many, many years how to feel when nuts, screws etc are tight enough. I started (some 56 years ago) when working on my Tiger Cub, which had many screws threaded into soft aluminium. Too tight and it stripped the thread - managed that twice, not tight enough and the screw would rattle loose in very short order. (Of course, with a Tiger Cub, all screws eventually rattled loose,)
On the FJR, most threads are a lot tougher than Tiger Cub castings, but are still strippable (is that a word?).

Doing up any threaded fastening cosists of phases.

* Running in the threaded component often by hand, where there is essentially no resistance to turning.

* Increasing resistance as the components are pulled together, may be for a few turns, or only a fraction of a turn. Resistance rises.

* Final tightening. Resistance rises rapidly, you need to judge this to achieve correct tightness. Not enough, it'll undo/leak/cause rattles, too much and you will do some damage, usually stripping the thread, sometimes clamping things too tightly, be they bearings, washers or bending stuff.

There are some fastenings where a torque wrench is necessary, the most common in motorcycle circles are cylinder head bolts. Not sure about the FJR's, but many are so-called stretch bolts, these are designed to be stretched so as to be under a particular tension. My method won't work with these, you can't feel their tightness in the same way.

Where there is more than one screw holding two components together, you should tighten them all to each phase, even if there are only two; run them all up until finger-tight, double check that they all are, as very often tightening later ones will make earlier ones loose. Now start tightening them. It's often best to use a criss-cross pattern for tightening, this reduces any chance of warping stuff. Again, check the earlier ones by running round them all again, more than once if necessary. Finally tighten each one until you feel they are fully tight, again using a criss-cross pattern, and, as before, run round again until all feel tight.

The axle nuts need to be pretty tight, but even these I'd hesitate to say damned tight. A third to half of my weight on the handle of your wrench would be perfectly ok (I'm about 145 pounds).

Here endeth mcatrophy's first lesson on getting tight.

 

[TomInPA]

For sure shops wanna sell you the products they install. More profit!, but, with their usually high prices for labor, most will be glad to install outside sourced tires. Most have an up-charge or higher install price if it is not from them.
Some shops won't. My Yami dealer knew I would walk to elsewhere-land and they want(ed) to keep me happy and my business. More-so for future bike sales... of course!.

Prices hit $30 to $40 plus tax and shop supplies here, and I finally broke and got a tire changer. I was pretty happy with my $20/tire mount I was paying Capital Yamaha in Sacramento, but in PA their time seems to be worth more. I guess that means I "could" mount a care tire.

I'm liking the PR4 190/55-17 rear with a Bridgestone T30 front.