[mj300noob]

I have a few questions...

Has anyone put the Diablo Rosso IV (or Corsa) tires on their 300?
What about Dunlop - have you used, what size, how were they?
And where do you all buy your tires?

I've been using Diablo Rosso III's. They're soft, I love em, and I put on larger tires: 120/70 160/60.

So my last question is if different brands of tires fit differently? Sounds dumb, but if I put dunlop 120/70 160/60, is there a chance the tire will be slightly different than the rosso's and possibly not fit?

A set of Rosso IV's at Revzilla is $362 (free shipping).
Corsa's over 400 for the set (but rear is out of stock right now anyway).
Dunlop Q3's are $393 for the set, but they're also out of stock (for the front).

I wish I'd bought tires already b/c my bike needs em and I have this next week off. So I may road trip to cyclegear or find a place to buy them at if I can. BTW, I live in rural Oregon, so there's really nothing convenient around here. I have to go at least 30 miles to Roseburg, but for cyclegear it's 70-80 miles to nearest store. Not sure that's worth it, but it'll save time (waiting on a delivery).

Thanks

 

[SparkyMJ]

Haven't used the Pirellis, but I have used Michelin and Dunlop on all my bikes.

On my 300 I run 110/70/17 front and 150/60/17 rear. In both Michelin and Dunlop. They have different profiles and shapes despite the identical 'size', as would any differing tire.

Why have you gone so large in the tire sizes? You may be missing out on some handling by going so large on the tires, if the tire tread edge doesn't rub on your chain already...

The factory rear 140 size tire did feel quite small and twitchy to me, so I went to the 150 size tire. It is quite a difference, and my chain is closer to the tire because of it. I would imagine that with the stock wheel, swingarm, and fork widths, going larger in tires would be more trouble than it is worth. I will say I love my Michelins and Dunlops on track and street, they both have something excellent to offer, and work extremely well to me in the 150 size rear. I still cannot use the entire tread even when my footpeg begins scraping, and the traction in a turn is fantastic. My buddy with an R3 could keep right up with me on track in rain and dry with a 140 size rear tire too, so I would believe the technical benefits are slim to none in going larger in tire size, just maybe a slight change in feel.

I am inclined to say your options are broadened if you get 110 front and 150 rear as well. So why not?

And yeah sheesh if you live so far from the nearest cyclegear or similar, that's tough. If you have multiple bikes or ride a ton, just get yourself a manual tire mounting machine. I am strongly considering buying the Rabaconda tire changer here shortly. Portable, affordable, and no more stupid trips to the shop with my wheels. If you plan to ride the next couple years, it will probably pay itself off for you quite fast.

Hope this helps.
-Mike

 

[mj300noob]

When I was shopping tires (to replace my stock set years ago), I wanted something bigger so that it would not only look cooler, but I'd have - allegedly - more rubber on the ground. The shop had told me - if I remember correctly - that 150/70 would be a bit bigger, but the drawback was when they pinched the tires into the rims, they would be rounder (less rubber on the ground). So they suggested going with 60 instead of 70. Sounds fine. I also said I'd read online that other ninja 300 riders had fit 160s on their bike, so I asked if they weren't any more expensive if we could try that. They weren't sure if they'd fit because they'd never put tires that big on a 300. Needless to say there's clearance. I've had no problems and this is the 2nd set I'll be replacing. What doesn't make sense is why they put 120/70 on the front. I mean, if they have to "pinch" more, then 120/70 should be bigger (rounder) than stock. I'd think I'd want to go 120/60 (or stock 110/70) on the front, right? All I know is the size they've put on works.

Mind you, I've never ridden on a track and I've also never leaned enough to hit my foot pegs. God forbid that happens. I'd probably crash, fall down the side of a cliff, be lost in the Umpqua forest, and get eaten by a bear, never to be found.

Anyway, I've gotten compliments on the tires. People don't realize my bike is only a 300 based on the looks and I think the tire size has something to do with that.

I really like the soft feel of the tires. Which is also why I'm considering going to the newer Rosso IV's. But when I called a shop in Roseburg, they said they sell more Dunlops than anything. Sport bikers love em. Ratings online are great.

Intermission

Grab yourself some popcorn

**

Actually after linking a tube vid below, I immediately saw this: youtu.be/eLSfj_-2yZ0 --- FortNine talks about the science behind a few of the top mc tires out there. And he mentions rosso IV. Better leaning capability due to better material used in the tires, but with that he says they'll wear faster, then he transitions into Michelin Road 6. And the 3rd is Bridgestone Battlax BT-46

Okay, two other things about what you said...

Amazon has a Motorcycle Tusk Adjustable Height Tire Changing Stand for $130.

After seeing that, I saw a tube video (from Motorcyclist Magazine) of a guy that uses his knees and a few tools to get tires off rims. He balances too. I have only watched the first half of the vid b/c that's all I need to see to convince myself I didn't need to pay 130 for the stand. But the bead breaker and lever tool set costs 50 on amazon. He has links. If you're curious youtu.be/dAKIuSjPXxA

I need to backtrack and see how hard it is to get the wheel/tire off my motorcycle in the first place. What tools I'll need. Putting it back on. I'm a novice at all this, but to your point, it'll be worth it for me to get the right equipment and learn all this. Someday I'll be replacing my own engine and exhaust to get 2 more HP.

Happy Trails, Safe Riding.

 

[mj300noob]

SparkyMJ,

I've been thinking about what you said about 150 vs 160. Were you saying that there'll be more rubber on the ground with 150s? I mean, is 150/60 better than 160/60? I got 160 b/c others online had done so and I was led to believe there was more rubber on the ground.

The prices dropped (at Revzilla) on the Pirelli's, so I'm real tempted to buy, but I am worried about the new compound and the size of the tires.

I'm tempted to go all in and get the "Motorcycle Tusk Adjustable Height Tire Changing Stand" and the "Motion Pro 08-0536 BeadPro Forged Steel Tire Bead Brea…" on Amazon - and the tires on revzilla - and try to swap them out myself. Then hopefully I'll never have to go to a shop again for that. Currently I have 120/70 - 150/60's in my cart, but I am curious how much difference there is with the 160s. Then the tires also say the front is 58W and back is 66 W, which I'm not honestly sure what those numbers represent, but I'm going to google it.

 

[SparkyMJ]

I think that the 140/150/160 rear tire size debate and "amount of rubber on the ground" doesn't really have real grounds in facts.

The thing with this is that people often erroneously think bigger is better, and that a bigger tire must have more grip. They also fail to account for the fact that a rear wheel like the Ninja 300 wheel was not designed for a 150 or 160 size tire. Although a 150/160 tire will indeed literally fit, the tire profile that the manufacturers so meticulously designed is thrown out the window when you stuff the tire onto a narrow wheel. The sidewall of the tire is folded outwards like a cone, and the edges of the tire are often pulled so far into this cone too that you cannot even lean the motorcycle enough to "use the whole tire" without scraping hard parts.

In fact, I would be inclined to say that with a few exceptions or small changes, going larger in tire width (140 to say 160) only has negative impacts on the handling and agility of a motorcycle. You'll have more unsprung mass, more rotational inertia, and you will have an unintentionally squished tire profile. The racers know this, and everyone racing bikes in this size range use the size tires the bike was designed for, so usually 140s for N300s, R3's, 250's, and 150's for N400s, etc. Of course we're not all racers, but I wouldn't compromise my bike's handling and performance for appearance. I think my local shops might actually deny me if I asked them to put a 160 on my Ninja 300 wheel due to safety concerns. The bead of the tire wasn't designed to be put on a narrow wheel, and it may not bead as properly as the correct size tire.

I personally use the 150 size tire on my N300 because I actually did change components on my bike to alter the handling, and I do like the changed profile of the 150 over the 140 and the stability it brings mid-corner. I've never tried a 160 rear tire or 120 front tire for the reasons I mentioned above because it would almost certainly worsen the bike's handling characteristics.

I would strongly recommend 110 size tire up front and a 140 or 150 size rear tire. I know the 160 probably looks nice, but I think you would appreciate the agility and ease in handling with the nominal size tires.

I have also tried manually changing tires, and for street bikes I would not recommend it without a machine. Most sport style tires are Z-rated in speed, meaning 149mph or more, and that makes the beads extremely strong and hard to muscle on and off. If you want to change your own rubber without trashing rims, you need at least a manual tire changer.

Hope this helps.
-Mike