120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Moderator: Modsquad
- vamootsman
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 10:42 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
It's been suggested on other forums that running a front tire on the rear with the Tread pattern reversed is an option if you can't find a tire in the size you want, on bikes as big as a Goldwing. Got me wondering if this tire would be good for doing that. Any thoughts? Would correct a bit of speedo error for some and is not a huge difference in size, and should have some good grip.
http://motorcycle.michelinman.com/tires ... ure-sc#dim
http://motorcycle.michelinman.com/tires ... ure-sc#dim
2013 PCX 150 with,
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
- GeeGusKahn
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:30 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: GA, Lake Hartwell
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Considering the size, weight and speed of a goldwing and not seeing anyone having a problem with it on their forums, it might work fine.vamootsman wrote:It's been suggested on other forums that running a front tire on the rear with the Tread pattern reversed is an option if you can't find a tire in the size you want, on bikes as big as a Goldwing. Got me wondering if this tire would be good for doing that. Any thoughts? Would correct a bit of speedo error for some and is not a huge difference in size, and should have some good grip.
http://motorcycle.michelinman.com/tires ... ure-sc#dim
.
Considering how light and relatively slow the PCX is it might work fine.
I have considered it myself - but due to all the other nonsense that's going on in my life right now I have not really had a chance to follow through on this idea.
.
Also, when you start talking about mixing tires, flipping tires, or darksiding, you better have your asbestos underwear on as some people get real upset about these topics.

If you do try it - keep us all posted.
.
Sean, who loves Hi-Vis everything.
.
2013 Red PCX150 - NCY V and DF, 11 g rollers, stock OEM belt.
.
2006 Wht. Burgman 650, 30,000+ miles, running like a champ..
.
2013 Red PCX150 - NCY V and DF, 11 g rollers, stock OEM belt.
.
2006 Wht. Burgman 650, 30,000+ miles, running like a champ..
- relic
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:24 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: red white
- Location: BC Canada
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
This is what Avon tires says
sounds OK to me
like GeeGusKakn the pcx is pretty light and slow
Avon would not normally recommend this fitment. If you do this however, due to the way tyres are manufactured, you should reverse the tyre’s direction of rotation if you fit a front tyre on the rear or a rear tyre on the front of your bike. During tyre manufacture, a length of tread rubber is wrapped around the carcass and joined together with an angled bevel type joint. This joint is orientated so that as the tyre rotates, this joint stays shut. As the rear tyre provides drive and the front tyre provides braking, the joint is made one way for the rear tyre and the opposite way for the front. Fitting incorrect tyres could cause potential MOT/insurance issues and may affect the bikes handling capabilities.
sounds OK to me
like GeeGusKakn the pcx is pretty light and slow
Avon would not normally recommend this fitment. If you do this however, due to the way tyres are manufactured, you should reverse the tyre’s direction of rotation if you fit a front tyre on the rear or a rear tyre on the front of your bike. During tyre manufacture, a length of tread rubber is wrapped around the carcass and joined together with an angled bevel type joint. This joint is orientated so that as the tyre rotates, this joint stays shut. As the rear tyre provides drive and the front tyre provides braking, the joint is made one way for the rear tyre and the opposite way for the front. Fitting incorrect tyres could cause potential MOT/insurance issues and may affect the bikes handling capabilities.
- vamootsman
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 10:42 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Also, when you start talking about mixing tires, flipping tires, or darksiding, you better have your asbestos underwear on as some people get real upset about these topics.
If you do try it - keep us all posted.
.[/b][/quote]
I will keep you posted for sure. I will need a new rear at some point in the next month or 2.
I don't bother with underwear so I'll be fine!

If you do try it - keep us all posted.
.[/b][/quote]
I will keep you posted for sure. I will need a new rear at some point in the next month or 2.
I don't bother with underwear so I'll be fine!
2013 PCX 150 with,
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
-
- New Member
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 9:16 am
- Year: 2015
- Color: White
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
What is the benefit of going to that tyre size?
- vamootsman
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 10:42 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
A little bit taller will correct some of the Speedo error, More volume lets you run a little less air pressure which takes some edge off the sharp hits. It's not so much heavier that performance will suffer. Might look a little better, but don't care about that.BenChiew wrote:What is the benefit of going to that tyre size?
2013 PCX 150 with,
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
-
- New Member
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 9:16 am
- Year: 2015
- Color: White
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Ok. Correspondingly do you need to also change the front wheel size to match the 120 rear?
- vamootsman
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 10:42 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
I plan to, so that the scooter doesn't have a forward lean to it. Having a slightly higher volume in front will have the same effect as it will on the rear. The bicycle industry has been going this direction for a number of years now. You just can't go too big or you lose all the gained benefits.BenChiew wrote:Ok. Correspondingly do you need to also change the front wheel size to match the 120 rear?
2013 PCX 150 with,
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
-
- New Member
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 9:16 am
- Year: 2015
- Color: White
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
What is the size for the front?vamootsman wrote:I plan to, so that the scooter doesn't have a forward lean to it. Having a slightly higher volume in front will have the same effect as it will on the rear. The bicycle industry has been going this direction for a number of years now. You just can't go too big or you lose all the gained benefits.BenChiew wrote:Ok. Correspondingly do you need to also change the front wheel size to match the 120 rear?
- vamootsman
- Forum Benefactor
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 10:42 pm
- Year: 2013
- Color: Red
- Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Haven't looked at the front as much yet, but would guess 110/70 or 100/80 if they exist would be good matches.
2013 PCX 150 with,
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
Givi Tall Screen, and E370 Top Case
NCY Variator and Face Plate, 12 gram rollers
Takagawa Silent Oval Exhaust, K&N R1100 pod filter mod
YSS XL Rear Shock Absorbers Michelin City Grip 120/70 Front 140/70 Rear
2013 Honda CB500X with Rally Raid kit
2005 Piaggio X9 500 Evolution
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
1983 Honda Nighthawk S
- ScooterMan
- Regular User
- Posts: 392
- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:51 am
- Location: San Diego, CA
Re: 120/80-14 Tire for the Rear
Power Pure is a nice tire. I've had them on my sportbikes. They emphasize lightweight construction in the marketing of the tire..so it shouldn't be too heavy. But as I often warn, the profile of the tire may get distorted in a negative manner squeezing it onto such a narrow rim. I used to drag knee in the corners on public roads on my sportbikes. I just don't see the need for improved grip on the PCX as it is severely limited in lean angle anyway since it scrapes under moderate lean even with me, a 155lb rider.
2015 PCX 150 (White)[/color]
Top speed 76mph(2015) 79mph (2013)with NCY variator & Drive Face
Top speed 76mph(2015) 79mph (2013)with NCY variator & Drive Face