Upgrading the rear wheel to a thicker tire?

[Sowaka]

Hey guys! As always... I've got another question!

I've been hearing nothing but good things about the Michelin City Grip tires so I've been looking to upgrade from the standard tires my PCX came with... Unfortunately they're essentially brand new but since winter is coming I figure I ought to prepare myself for the ridiculous amounts of rain my city gets.

Anyhow, after calling my dealership I was told that it's possible to upgrade the standard 100-90 14" rear wheel to a larger 110-80 14" tire for not even $10 more due to current deals. Has anyone done this or does anyone know of any consequences? I understand that it'll likely lower my top speed ever so slightly but I have yet to hit the top speed so I'm not tremendously worried.

Any help or advice would be massively appreciated! Thanks!

[gn2]

Just fit the correct size of City Grip.
There's no advantage to fitting the wrong tyres.

[SECoda]

Since I only ride for fun when it is dry is there still any advantage to the MG's over new stock? How many miles do the stock ones typically last? TIA

[gn2]

If you have the IRC tyres the rears generally last 4-6 thousand miles.
City Grips last much longer.

[dasshreddar]

There are advantages to a bigger tire; like more choices, ground clearance and extra suspension... but go with stock if it sounds to EXTREME!

[wojtek_pl]

The diameter is a tiny bit less (2 mm) so it should not make significant difference. But I wonder how the wider tire would change behavior and grip . Is wider better ?

[dasshreddar]

The diameter is a tiny bit less (2 mm) so it should not make significant difference. But I wonder how the wider tire would change behavior and grip . Is wider better ?

I'm talking about the 140 vs. the 100... grip is improved and behavior I would say is "smoother".

[maddiedog]

Wider could reduce your fuel economy. It will increase traction offroads too.

There's no compelling benefit to a wider tire on a scooter, it's all about looks, preference, and price. You don't run a safety risk running a larger tire, as long as all the clearances are the same. If you feel like doing it, go for it. Dasshreddar put a way bigger tire on his PCX, and has had no issues whatsoever.

[Sowaka]

Thanks for all the help, guys! I'll likely just stick to the default tire to avoid any potential complications since it doesn't seem like an upgrade would make a significant difference. Rather than city grips I may end up with Pirelli Diablo tires since performance-wise they seem the same but are being discounted for me because the dealership wants to get rid of them.

[homie]

Thanks for all the help, guys! I'll likely just stick to the default tire to avoid any potential complications since it doesn't seem like an upgrade would make a significant difference. Rather than city grips I may end up with Pirelli Diablo tires since performance-wise they seem the same but are being discounted for me because the dealership wants to get rid of them.

You should carefully read this long winded thread;

http://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2647

Here you will re-live the entire story of a man and his Pirelli Diablo in oversized application on the PCX with images and insights. I would like to review a similar story on the Michelin equivalent oversize upgrade in (front 120/70-14 - rear 140/70-14) but I haven't dug one out yet to fav.

[Sowaka]

Thanks for all the help, guys! I'll likely just stick to the default tire to avoid any potential complications since it doesn't seem like an upgrade would make a significant difference. Rather than city grips I may end up with Pirelli Diablo tires since performance-wise they seem the same but are being discounted for me because the dealership wants to get rid of them.

You should carefully read this long winded thread;

http://www.hondapcx.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2647

Here you will re-live the entire story of a man and his Pirelli Diablo in oversized application on the PCX with images and insights. I would like to review a similar story on the Michelin equivalent oversize upgrade in (front 120/70-14 - rear 140/70-14) but I haven't dug one out yet to fav.

Thanks for the link, gave me quite a few insights in regards to upgrading tire size! After reading everything I think I'll definitely stick to standard sizes, it seems like more of a risk to upgrade their size with too many cons that outweighs the minor pros. The scoot does look fantastic with those larger wheels though, damn!

[Sowaka]

Sorry, one more question! I was about to pull the trigger on my new tires but a friend (who has a lot of experience with car tires but none at all with scooter/motorcycle tires) said that the treads on both the City Grip and Diablo tires would be bad in rain and would be more likely to hydroplane. Does anyone know if this was true? I was under the impression that the Pirelli Diablo tires would be especially good in rainy conditions, which is incredibly important to me due to the fact that my city is often called "Raincouver" due to the ridiculous and random rain we often get.

Sorry for the trouble, and tanks again for any help!

[wojtek_pl]

In my opinion both tires would not be perfect in the rain. Find the one with central groove.
It all depends if you want summer tires, all season, rain only or winter only...
Personally I like the look of Heidenau K66 tires.

http://www.reifenwerk-heidenau.de/modul ... =58&pic=60

Pirelli Diablo - IMO too much of smooth rubber, not enough grooves - typical summer tire
Michelin City Grip - IMO looks better than Pirelli but again - summer tire.

Of course that is my personal opinion based only on the pictures.

[SECoda]

What do they cost?

[gn2]

UK prices: http://www.oponeo.co.uk/moto/100-90-14-tyres
There are two K66 tyres, the standard year round one and the winter specific one.

[SECoda]

Not bad. Similar to Michelin. 5 C is getting pretty cool for me even with Thinsulate gloves and helmet vents closed at moderate speeds. . I tried it at 42 F one cold morning. Brrr

That wakes you up in a hurry.

[Sowaka]

Thanks for all the help! I'm a little curious, is the tread pattern or the tire material more important for wet handling? The Pirelli Diablos say they're fantastic for wet handling but the tread pattern looks a bit wimpy compared in the K66s... The K66 tires look fantastic and if my dealer can supply them I may just end up slapping those on my bike.

I'm mostly concerned because I'm a new rider and my city is just approaching the winter and fall season where it could potentially be raining and wet for the majority of the next six months. I want to be sure I put something on there that's reliable and steady on dry and wet roads, since I don't put many miles on my bike I'm going to be using these for the next two years at least. Being inexperienced already makes me a hazard, I don't want to make it even worse by buying tires that aren't going to handle the wet city roads well : (

[SECoda]

I see them here in the USA at various places. You can order them here if no where up there.

Even on EBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/350965883202?lpid=82

[gn2]

Michelin City Grip is the daddy.
Anything else is less.
Compound matters but in heavy rain without sipes it makes no odds how good the compound is.
Both are necessary for a good wet performance.

[RideLondon]

Anyone here used the City Grip Winter tyres?