What's With Tire Width? | MC GARAGE

[@michaelwatkins8871]

This was my exact experience at the track lately. I ride a Yamaha R3, and the tire vendor didn't have my size, but suggested I try a larger: 110 to 120, and 140 to 165 (the smallest they had), and I lost about 50% of cornering performance, and the bike felt like it leaned another 10 degrees without trying - I had to lean even more to corner and the exhaust started dragging

[@Ed-ty1kr]

Maybe you ought to make a video, cause I can see that R1 is sporting some rather wide and shiny chicken strips, while talking to us about tires. Tire width has more to do with tire curvature profile, target temperature, heat dissipation, while maintaining proper rotating mass as it relates to gyroscopic precession... than overall width, contact patch, and ultimately looks.

[@gpgstudios9813]

I didn't think that was out of the ordinary for MC to talk about...I'm just learning about motorcycles and I found MCgarage to be very informative. I have learned quite a bit from this show, I love it. I also like how it's not a 30min long lecture, it interests me through the whole video, but doesn't waste my day away...I definitely learned a few things from this video. Well done guys. Keep it up! Cheers!

[@steveross85]

GPG Studios I agree.... I also am learning about motorcycles now and like you said the videos are to the point and make sense.

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

I'm a long term rider and never heard this answer before. I learned something new and I love learning about riding and I love the MC commute vlogs too. I'm a serious driver and decent backyard mechanic, but not too familiar with the motorcycle physics,dynamics or other parts. I just ride because I love to and use my lil 600 Bandit as a commuter here in NorCal.

[@rohannavgire1481]

Check out @motojitsu channel i bet on my life he'll be more than the help you need

[@giff74]

ADV bikes have the skinny tires so that they can pierce mud, snow, dirt and the like. That way they can "plow" things to the side instead of pushing it forward or hydroplaning.
I really enjoy your MC Garage videos. I wish you guys could do more of them.

[@CriticalRider]

This.

[@evanphi]

Just like why race boats have knife-edge bows compared to a cruise ship. Cutting vs plowing.

[@dirtmonkee13]

giff74 Also larger diameter wheels and tires offer better off-road handling and overall performance when the pavement ends. As with the reasons you mentioned, it is why the new Africa Twin uses 21"front and 18" rear, just like every non motocross, off road racing dirt bike uses. A 21" front wheel has an easier time going over rocks, roots and other obstacles. Think about a skate board wheel and how easily it gets locked up on small tiny rocks but say a shopping cart wheel will go right over that same tiny rock. The larger wheels and tires also offer better stability off-road. Think about pit bikes and how some pit bike racing classes are based off the size of the front tire. Those with say a 10" front wheel are much less stable than those with a 12" front wheel.

[@darrylshabong7628]

I concur :-)

[@mannyechaluce3814]

Nah, cause most ADV riders are skinner than the average cruiser rider, that is why they don't need fat tires, cruiser rider are mostly morbidly obese so they need fatter tires :D not exact science but base on observation :D

[@gronkgrunk]

I feel like going to school everytime i watch a video from MC garage, always learning new stuff. More please, u guys rock!

[@decidiousrex]

Another interesting thing about tires and lean angles is that when you lean, because the tire is curved you essentially decrease its radius and essentially lower the gear ratio causing the bike to increase engine RPM relative to speed.

[@WicakMifta]

Another great video!
Thats what many people like to do here in Indonesia, they use 190/55 on a Ninja 250 or Yamaha R25 (in Indonesia is 250cc version, not like Ninja 300 or Yamaha R3). They just swap the tire rims with the wider one, like 5.5" wide and use that big wide tires over a quarter litre engine. Mostly, people use 160/60 on the rear wheels on a stock rims, 4" wide. I guess they just want to look great with the wider tires, instead of having a good performance on their bikes.
I completely agree with what you explained in the video, and I learn something new!

[@gronkgrunk]

WicakSOUNDno Thanks for sharing bro, i didn't know they could fit such a huge tyre on 250s! I plan to replace a 150 size over the stock 140, do u think it's suitable? Or would it compromise the handling too much? So many people tell me it would improve corner grip, i just need to be sure.

[@WicakMifta]

gronkgrunk But of course they changed the arms also, usually they install arms from bigger bikes,
Its suitable just fine I believe, I ride Yamaha R25 on the front 120/60 and 160/60 on the rear.
I guess for the corner grip is depending on what kind of tires that you are using, either soft, medium, or hard compound, and how confident when you are taking a corner with your bike and stock tires.

[@ibnoekannedy9287]

WicakSOUNDno some people sacrifice performance for looks. everyone has a different taste. but personally i would max out on performance :D

[@SykeMed]

I put a 150 on my CBR250's 140 rear. Not for looks or performance or whatever but because the Michelin Road Pilots only come in 150 and larger and those are the only tyres I would ever want on my commuting bike. Bike felt like it wanted to drop into a lean more quickly due to steeper profile but no clearance issues or any issues for that matter.
As for performance... a much wider tyre on 250/300 will only hinder performance. Bike doesn't have enough power or weight to need the extra grip and will only have to accelerate a heavier weight.

[@mr.vandecar3826]

iSYKE Same here man I put on some Pilot Road 4s today and they only have them in a 150 and a 120 where as the PR3s came in a 150 110, great tire

[@steveross85]

Wow great segment on tires! I've been and still am a tire technician for just over twenty years and Im impressed with how accurately you explain the many different types and uses of tires. Especially proper inflation. Love watching your videos good job guys👌👊

[@dmmjq2]

Great video.. there's a guy at Cycle Gear actually tried to talk me into putting a 190 tire on my rim that usually has a 180 on my FZ1... he said it didn't matter people do it all the time.. thanks to videos like this one I went back with the proper tire size.. just goes to show just because bikers work at Cycle Gear doesn't mean they actually know their stuff...

[@J_Brink]

I'm not a motorcyclist but I'm sure you guys will always appreciate some feedback. I only clicked on the video cause it was an interesting question. Super professional video! Love how you didn't get arrogant or throwing around gangster signs and didn't swear - I feel like a lot of MC channels have fallen into that hole. Keep up the good work!

[@comradealexie]

This is actually the sort of discussion I was hoping MC garage would go into when I found the series, really looking forwards to continuing.
ADV bikes have skinnier tires to focus their weight onto a smaller area on the ground and increase traction.

[@vasilisgreen]

that's not how it works. If you take friction alone, the force stays the same regardless of contact patch. T=μN

[@YouThiagoTube1986]

Nice R1, B&W with red details looks awesome

[@mlstockinger]

Awsome stuff, love it. Had no idea about the distance of lean with bigger tires, ive noticed it between my 1290 superduke and smaller 675r triumph. Thanks for that info and explaining it so well.

[@Nicoya]

Speaking of wide tires on cruisers, I was really amazed at how well the XDiavel handled its giant booty. Ducati really did their homework on that one.

[@blackiredi]

My guess... Because wide tires are like sleds and narrow tires are like ice skates- control. Plus the center of gravity issue form the vid. Off road, lean angle looks like trouble.

[@wortheffort]

I'd also think their lightness would factor in as they travel up and down more and over a greater distance.

[@bootz0409]

Talk about tyres such as this vid don't get nearly as much attention as they deserve. After all, it's arguably the most important safety aspect of any bike. Good and correct tyres = less risk. This vid was a great education. Thankyou! 👍

[@gr8o2h2o]

Good explanation on the matter and you're absolutely spot on. I was doing a track day with a local club in NORCAL and had a 2017 R1 running 190's. I couldn't believe how much I had to lean her over to get through the same turn compared with 2000 Ducati 996 SPS running 180's. Later that afternoon we installed 170's and the bike felt more nimble even less lean angle and still knee down on the Mazda turn at BW watching a Super Duke with two up videoing me as it was passing with less lean almost straight up on the turn!!! Always got spanked around the corners by the 250 cc class who never used brakes before entering and through the corners. Your realize quick how vastly different performance is with different bikes, different tires, and different setups and how it is different at different points on the track.

[@TheGardenSnake]

The FZ07 has a 180 rear. I didn't even realize it for like two weeks of owning the bike. I figured it had a 160 since it's a 75hp bike. But nope, 180.

[@bellator11]

Well it will keep up with one in the corners no problem. Infact I've seen Mt 07's beat R6's round corners, whilst obviously the R6 left them in the dust on the straights

[@blackbird69xxx]

@Malcolm Brody fcuk off

[@TheNeofierer]

@@bellator11 Mt's have a lovely chassis, couple that with the light weight = a lil fun machine

[@boris2997]

That's another reason why the MT07 are awesome motorcycles 🏍

[@MotorDanko]

I ride big adv bikes (honda varadero 1000) and we use narrow tires because is more heasy to handle this kind of heavy bikes, also, we don't need to lean as much as a sport bike to make fast corners (not as fast as a sport, but still fast), and also with a wide bag setup, we can also lean a lot or we will be scraping the crap out of the bags...

[@Felipe-tw1wg]

As far I remember from high school grip doesn't depend on the actual size of the footprint but from the weight force and the friction coefficient

[@ExContinentalAzores]

That last question is exactly what I was looking for the answer. Ehehe.
I do own a Honda NC 750x, and comparing rim sizes with the Africa Twin, realized that the second one has more narrow tires but bigger wheels. Interesting to know what that sizes improves offroad handling.
Please do continue with your awesome videos.
Cheers from the Azores Islands - Portugal.

[@nicodifrancesco5843]

Thanks for making his video for us! I´ve learn a lot! Always watching you guys!
Greetigs from Argentina!

[@upsidedowndog1256]

Narrower tires are better off road, more weight per square inch. For street, narrower tires are usually cheaper. Another good video.

[@jaybosher6144]

i would have thought it helps them cut through loose surfaces to penetrate to a firmer gripper surface, which coincides with your comment

[@machupikachu1085]

if narrower tires are better off road, then why air down? Bigger footprint = more traction.

[@AverageCarGuy]

I've always fancied myself to be more educated about tires than most, but I actually learned something from this video. Great job as always.

[@mikek.6083]

You answered a question that a new Rider such as myself was dying to know the answer to! Don't hesitate in getting more sciency! Thanks man.

[@jmcap6826]

as always ... so darn helpful.. thanks MC garrage

[@boazdabush5291]

I love your tips,you very professional and you have helped me very much during the years

[@adzfh]

Can't agree more with this. The factors you mentioned are all spot on. Also, manufacturers (at least here in Indonesia)actually suggest "tolerance level" for various rim sizes if owners are not satisfied with the stock tires (though to be frank, the suggested sizes are just one size up or down as you have mentioned ).
As a side note, I was often asked the difference between U-shape profile tires and V-shaped profile tires. All I can say is that these refer to the tires' tread shape when they are installed on the rims and that U shape tires give better stability on tight turns while V-shape tires are good for long corners with the same tire size. It would be a most welcome if you guys have better explanation for this and share it here.
I really love watching MC Garage videos. It's very informative and inspiring. I hope you guys keep on making them.

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

I'm a long term rider and never heard this answer before. I learned something new and I love learning about riding and I love the MC commute vlogs too. Keep up this format along with your current style. I'm a serious driver and decent backyard mechanic, but not too familiar with the motorcycle physics,dynamics or other parts. I just ride because I love to and use my lil 600 Bandit as a commuter here in NorCal.

[@DJW997]

Interesting! I presume the narrower tyres on ADV bikes are to cut through soft mud to get traction on more stable ground beneath as opposed to a wide tyre just floating on the mud?

[@Daniel-dj7fh]

id say having nobbies would adchieve this, a wider tire should also be best at gathering as much grip as pissible.. i'd say it's a cost-thing

[@williamt1083]

Maybe the leaning and weight; ADV's already weigh alot so shedding weight from the tire might help. And as he said in the video, narrower tires don't have to lean as much

[@conortobin6180]

I know from my experience with tractors. We often fit narrower tires for some types of muddy/ hilly conditions. It is true that wider tires cant get grip on loose or slippy surfaces. while a narrower tire with the weight of the vehicle acting on it bites in and grips much better.
That said. In really deep mud. a narrow tire can have you stuck up to your axles so in that case you might opt for a wider tire to help you float better.

[@karlwalker1771]

I had an YAMAHA RD LC 125 EIDS(ENERGY INDUCTION SYSTEM) PRE YPVS in the 80`s and used a MICRON POWER EXHAUST/UPGRADED THE AIR FILTER TO A POD METAL MESH! K``n `N POD FILTER(this sucked in water when the weather in blighty/GB was wet:( I had BOYSEN RACING REEDS and NGK RACING PLUGS, plus I upped the main jet and raised the throttle lift circlip to corrisponde/COPE with the extra fuel and I kept the tyres sizes standard at first but played around with the compound by buying metzelers BUT upped the front to a size bigger and had a standard size rear.
The outcome was a extra 10 hp and a 5 mpg more thirsty beast to begin with.
But it was genuinely faster and harder to turn into bends at first but it did hold the line better at top speed of 80 mph and also stopped the bike from wandering on the straights:)
My conclusion is fatter tyres give the bike more stability in a straight line but make the bike harder to turn:)
PPS I had a FORD XR2i (FORD FIESTA) and put widder pepperpot wheels on it and when it snowed they were SHIT*:(
I put narrow tyres on it and they were as you would have guessed brilliant.

[@midcoastmoto8724]

Thanks guys, love your work

[@jeriksson7686]

This must be the best MC channel on UA-cam! I have been in "fatter" tire discusions 100s of times..

[@TayloredCrafters]

thank you. ive watched at least 10 videos so far and none of them were as informative as this one. you win a subscription lol

[@pistolpete6321]

Great video, very interesting and answered a lot of questions I had about tire size, thanks!

[@heidu7820]

And here i am with my Honda cbr 125 with a 100/80-17 backtire

[@atomic9183]

Even my 50cc scooter has a 140 rear tyre

[@sasazezelic]

Ari, your MC Garage videos are fantastic!
Short and concise and very educational. My go to place for bike maintenance info.

[@steven-vn9ui]

Professional, no bullshit approach is so refreshing

[@calgary2800]

I prefer narrow tires for the increase in how easy it is to flick.

[@nortondlcl]

I went from 190/55 to 200/55 and love it and will never go back to 190/55 , I 'm riding s1000xr

[@d1sturb3d119]

Better stability but way worse for handling. The bike won't want to change direction as fast.

[@nortondlcl]

My changing directions has not been noticeably change but cornering in & out is way better also tire wear has improved :)

[@alex-thangnguyen2746]

I am going to have to agree. I only weigh 155lb and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, such as braking. I also think to turn well, it is your technique and timing more than your tire size; however, different strokes for different folks. If you have a 250 or 300, it is obnoxious to go up to a 190. To swap the rim means you are taking something from somewhere else. I am not saying you will like or dislike it, I am saying it has to come from somewhere else.

[@futurist0099]

Darrell im riding LC135 Yamaha using 160/60

[@prayanjaltomar752]

Best UA-cam channel for bikes knowledge.

[@motosurge]

Absolutely love MC Garage videos, you guys rock, especially Ari.
ADV bikes aren't designed for high grip situations, they need lower mass tires to facilitate navigating (pushing) through different terrain.

[@airtonsoares2664]

I switched the stock 140/70 tires on my ninja 300 to 150/60 Bridgestone battlax tires and would never go back. Yes a little bit of me wanted a fatter back tire but the really reason I wanted to switch was for stability.
The 300 was way to flickable! The damn thing was hard to hold in a line going around corners, it didn't have a very planted feeling at all. The wider tire makes a noticeable difference without wasting money on silly upgrades such as suspension and steering dampeners.
I decided to go for 60 mm aspect ratio simply because it made the least amount of difference on the overall circumference, thus no need for a speedohealer. Not to mention that the stock tires were awful, more than glad I decided to switch!

[@aditya9600]

airton soares
stock tyre size was bad or the IRCs?
do you face any difference in performance?

[@airtonsoares2664]

Aditya Mohan
Both the stock IRC tire and stock dimensions Kawasaki chose to be honest. I noticed that the IRCs lacked grip. Specifically, the rear wheel tended to slip during hard breaking and quick launches. In terms of performance, the bike rides better overall, mainly during curves like explained before. The battlax tires provide a lot more grip, in fact I am not afraid to lean in as far as possible with them. I'm not sure if the new tires weigh more. If they do, the power loss isn't very noticeable. In my opinion, the bike was far too wobbly while leaning in with the stock tires.

[@aditya9600]

So what do u reckon? A lower profile tyre does the job better for Ninja300?

[@aditya9600]

airton soares nop.
150/60 may weigh a slight less than 140/70

[@njoythedrive]

I was thinking of doing the same switch on my R3. The stock tires are horrific, and every time I do research anyone who did the switch said they immediately felt a difference in overall feel of the bike. They also felt more confident as well. And MC Garage here also said the Bridgestone S21(battlax) are the way to go for a nice performance boost.
Out here in new york tho, and it's stored away for the winter. I gotta wait until mid march to do anything T_T

[@nathanbarrett6178]

more like this.

[@mdcgarage]

This video helped me to understand wide over narrow tires. Thank you. I am using only a scooter. Honda Click/Vario 150cc..

[@jasonbord7455]

Go use tractor tires

[@Dowent]

Something very important to consider when choosing what tire to put on a bike 300ccm or less is the friction. Wider tire causes more friction, it makes very small difference when accelerating, but it can change the top speed by a lot, so if you are doing a lot of motorway riding, make sure the wider tire doesn't put you below your cruising speed.

[@bobmcme12]

The chicken strips on that r1 were so juicy, the colonel called and said he wanted his recipe back...

[@benjaminjwilson6694]

What about car tires on the back of gold wings?

[@akoni90]

Great info. I was doing a lot of googling about installing a fat rear tire on my Honda Shadow, but after watching this video I think I'll stick to my stock 170/80-15.

[@tavspop]

Smart. The bike was engineered for the stock size.

[@brent1041]

I have a 2009 honda shadow. The speedometer was way off. About 10mph. I put the next size up tire on the back years ago and it’s way closer to actually speed along with zero real world handling draw backs I can tell.

[@michaellawrence5492]

Width relationship between front and rear is another hugh consideration towards expected behavior. Studying the history of the Yamaha SX 650 changing the rear from 18 to 16 as well the Honda 750K verse the 750Four 16 to 18.

[@nounours2627]

When you're cornering, accelerating, braking,.... tires are doing work. But rubber's work isn't 100% efficient and that's what's causing wear and heating (and tire drag or rolling resistance).
The wear is caused by rubber going out of the tire due to friction. The more the tire is gripping the road texture (due to pressure), the more you have grip (you can even go above 1.0 coefficient of friction with good tires and good conditions). But if it stressed (pressured) too much, the rubber in contact with the road will just tear appart before it was able to do all its work and you're losing grip.
In conclusion more surface (wider tire) DOES NOT equals more grip. There's an equilibrium point between "rubber deformation gripping road texture =>|

[@nounours2627]

Fun fact :
In the efficiency races (1 galon gas races, etc...) they don't bother that much about grip but energy waste is a big deal! In these kind of races they prefer super hard compound and super thin tires. It is more aerodynamic, it causes less rolling resistance or tire drag and it lasts longer!
In regards of energy efficiency, wide soft tires are a nightmare.
There is never "always good" or "always bad" features, wether a thing is good or bad always depends on what you're looking for.

[@idkwhattowrite2692]

And then theres me. I will switch the 140 to a 160 on an MT03 because i just like riding wider tires. Idc about all that other stuff haha

[@leokal457]

While you are right About most points, i fail to understand why a wider tyre should make your contact patch bigger ceteris paribus.

[@jaybusa3302]

nice job ari

[@bretthawton]

Great visual representation of how larger tires can affect lean angles!

[@chauffeurmarco]

I knew about affecting performance but never occurred to me that could affect the braking and the suspensions. Glad to know that because I was going to install a 240 on my Raider 1900 next year. It’s a good thing that I’m not an unconditional modifier. Modify at all cost, no way. Thanks.

[@azrilsyazrin]

this channel is my motorcycle information channel..
great content.. keep up the good work 😀👍

[@Theguyunderyourbed22]

But wait, isn't grip (friction) dependent on the force pushing the two materials together, in this case the tire and the road, and not their surface area? As in, shouldn't two tires with the same weight but different contact patches, still offer the same grip? Obviously big tires are fitted on bigger, heavier bikes, but does the increased contact patch really offer more grip by itself?

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@Austin Yount, it's rather more complicated than your formula makes out. That's the formula they give in early physics classes, but the reality is a bit more complicated than that.
The area of the contact patch definitely does make a difference, otherwise people wouldn't underinflate their tires in order to gain traction. It's still the same material, but it's warmer, wider and stickier than a more inflated tire would be.
As for centrifugal force, nope, sorry, he didn't say that. He said centripetal force, which I took note of as it's so rare for these videos to bother getting that right.

[@Amy75326]

Chris L I know it's much more complicated than that. After all, the formula for force of friction is well known to be only an approximation as with pretty much all classical/Newtonian physics. If we knew everything, we wouldn't be relying on approximations but we don't know everything and our approximations are extremely accurate. So accurate in fact that the engineers who designed the cars and the tires used these same approximations in their design process. I think that contact patch is important as well but it doesn't really seem like anyone knows exactly why. You do bring up an interesting point in regards to underinflation. My hypothesis would be that an underinflated tire flexes and bends more causing it to heat up and get stickier as you said but what does stickier mean? Stickier actually means that we've changed the coefficient of friction. the same piece of rubber will have a higher coefficient of friction when it's hot. I would also think that a wider tire or underinflated tire would be better at coping with road irregularities like pebbles for instance because it is more likely to have another part of the contact patch pressing on stable ground. remember these are all just ideas. No one has been able to answer this question that I'm aware of.
As for him using the word "centrifugal" vs "centripetal" force, I've listened to him say it multiple times and my ear hears "centrifugal force" every time. But it really doesn't matter in this case because he goes on to talk about "the force pushing to the outside of the turn" which we both know is practically the dictionary definition of the mythical "centrifugal force". So either he stated the correct force while completely misunderstanding the physics involved or he stated the mythical force while still completely misunderstanding the physics involved. The two words are not interchangeable. Whichever way you cut it, he's still wrong.

[@millibarman]

*in regard to ... (no regard(s)). Regards(s) indicate good wishes or respect as opposed to the singular 'in reference to.'*as regarding ...*as it regards ...Better yet ... 'concerning'

[@Ulvhamne]

Grip is not equivalent to friction. Friction works as you described, but grip has more components than just friction. Tires are made of a softish compound because that allows it to "grip" onto a rugged surface, such as asphalt, and the bigger the contact patch, the bigger the surface that can interlock.

[@SoroushA94]

Why do you think centrifugal force is "mythical" or "imaginary"? It's just a force that exists in the rotating non-inertial reference frame. As far as the moving motorcycle is concerned it is a very real force.

[@Jambome]

Ari Henning, please also review why all bikes are handled by default from the left side and not on the right. I just thought about it. Anything from the right feels uncomfortable. Thanks and your reviews rock!!

[@windkante6210]

One of my favorite channels, basics well explained. I was surprised, when I had the chance to test ride a Yamaha FZ-07 today. It has a 180 rear tire but handles pretty good though.

[@bullockwagon5994]

8 people don't agree with physics.

[@thenovalabs]

Back when you can see dislikes

[@Enchante_Oscuro]

Wdym we can still see em​@@thenovalabs

[@NotAMotoVlog]

I love this channel

[@rozanashore9527]

thanks for stepping up the technical details and accuracy in this tire overview. much, much better than the radial vs axial break technical overview. keep up the good work.

[@MrBlompod]

My 2015 BMW 1200GS has the 170 on the rear and its probably the best road handling bike I have ever ridden and Ive ridden a lot including sports bikes super nakeds etc. The GS's handling is sublime

[@tingaers6323]

how important to warmed up your engine, before hitting the road?

[@norm1233]

Same as a car, 10-15 seconds

[@70R63N]

Just let it idle until you have good throttle response

[@vinoth20294]

when changing tyre size will effects the speed...?

[@nomadben]

Generally, the wider the tire, the more rolling resistance it will have. This can have a very significant effect on something like a bicycle, but on a motorcycle, I doubt you would even notice it.

[@videocardzrule354]

My GSXR 1000 uses a 190/50/17. But I run 200/60/17 Pirelli SC V3 or Dunlop Q4 190/55/17. I actually just ordered a set of each in those exact sizes! I would always recommend a 190/55 over a 190/50 rear tire! The bike just leans in so much easier.

[@RicanSoldierBoy]

I really enjoyed this. I have been thinking about changing the width on my street triple from a taller 180 to a lower 190 for the looks, but didn't wanted to compromise acceleration. I'll probably stick to 180 though.
Didn't know the difference and characteristics of the lean angles between them. Now it makes total sense why I feel that I lean much more on my diavel with a 240 than the triple with a 180.
Thank you very much and keep up the good work!

[@agengsatya2915]

wider = better grip/better stabil, harder for turn/manuver, slower/more power loss
narrower = less grip/less stabil, easier for turn/manuver, faster/less power loss
thicker : less grip/less downforce, faster
thiner : more grip/more downforce, slower

[@lanchanoinguyen2914]

why slower?

[@sambeezy007]

@@lanchanoinguyen2914 yeah. Actually faster in cornering. That's why 300cc and 600cc will beat a 1000cc in twisties. Smaller the tire, the better the handling.
Example: a Toyota Supra can beat a Dodge Charger in twisties because of less weight.

[@kentstark3104]

i love that white R1

[@rickybanzai2199]

90/90 18" bridgestone bt 45 f (front) on a stock rd350r with upgraded brakes (twin 298 disc and thundercat fork), you can lift the rear wheel when breaking with the front, on normal road tarmac. This is the level of grip of a normal, sport touring tire. I never tested a serious sport tire because none makes it in this size.
If you ride on the street you can never go so fast thet you have to worry about the last bit of grip, unless you are tring to kill yourself or who you find on your way. The margin you have to keep to come back home safe prevent to search the limit.
On a track, all another story, obviously. But you have to be really fast before searching the right size for you...
Nice video.

[@alex-thangnguyen2746]

Great videos and very informative. I think the weight of the rider has the most significant contribution to either tire size or performance. However, I also think tire size is a personal preference that also is dictated by how you apply techniques. If you are light and the bike is light, a larger slower tire helps you smooth out things. But if you are heavy and shift your weight too much, a newer tire feels like there is little air in them, thus compressing the sidewalls do accelerate the loss of the traction. A light rider, 150ish with any sized tire will outperform a heavy rider with the best tires. I personally do not feel any if much negative effects but I do feel the positive effects of a size larger due to the lightness of the footprint and how it spreads to the surface area easier. A 250 or 300 would not have that turning radius advantage, not even at high speed where stability and horsepower has a higher tolerance with a bigger tire. The bottom line is one size does not fit all and I have tried the 130 and 140 sizes; they suck compared to a 180 or 190 in the looks category, size does matter.

[@JLchevz]

a larger contact patch doesnt mean more grip

[@wanderlpnw]

Jorge Chávez, yeah it seems to be a common misconception.

[@JLchevz]

Yep, but they do deform and wear less though

[@JLchevz]

Yeah rubber is weird lol

[@wanderlpnw]

Man. I wouldn't want to engineer tires. That's not even as complicated as tread patterns.

[@Juuul89]

And then there's compounds, operating windows of temperature etc etc

[@WheatleyOS]

"we're gonna get scientific here"
"centrifugal force"

[@SativaWraith]

EXACTALY what I was thinking. Centripetal :/

[@oceantri]

My BMW K1600gt has a stock rear tire size of 190 55 17. After 10k miles on my Roadsmart 2 the rear tire got punctured. I patched it and went to cycle gear from the Sierra foothills about an hour and a half drive. In a pinch I bought a 180 55 17 Roadsmart 2 to replace it since it was the only size they had in stock. It made a big difference in handling with faster sided to side transitions. The K1600gt is a big super sport. The load capacity for the 180 55 17 is 73w which is good enough for the motorcycle. I like how it improved on handling, now just have to see how long it lasts.

[@JochenZeischka]

It's surprising how many people think that increasing the size of the contact patch significantly increases the grip level. There is a very minor increase, but in general, providing more contact patch, reduces the pressure between the contact patch and the road. Reduced pressure results in reduced grip per square cm or inch. So this gets perfectly balanced out, unless your contact patch becomes so small that non-linear effects such as tire deformation, instant heating of the contact layer and so on come into play, but we don't have that with normal tires (you would when you fit a bicycle tire on a motorcycle).
Wider tires are about wear and heat dissipation, not about grip in itself.
(And for motorcycles also about geometry, which influences handling, as very well explained in the video).
The major factor in grip is rubber softness. The softer the rubber, the more grip. But the softer the rubber, the more heating effects you get, so the tires need to become larger not to overheat (for racing). The same for wear: the softer the tire, the faster they wear, so you need more rubber to last long enough.
But a tire half the width, with the same rubber compound and a correct setup (rim), has about the same instant grip, no big difference there. You just can't race it, because it will overheat. But you'll do a perfect emergency brake with it.

[@JustTex]

Good video . That R1 has some decent chicken strips might need a bigger tyre.............. Cheers

[@Papa_Cam215]

chicken strips dont tend to mean what people think they mean, you have have large strips and take a turn harder then someone with skinny strips on the same type of bike with same tire size. the ride style will have more to do with your strips. how far you lean off your bike vs how far you lean the bike. different schools of riding that get the same end goal

[@JLchevz]

adv bikes have narrow tires so they can sink into the sand and mud and not hit as many rocks etc

[@yoshihirokodani3298]

Jorge Chávez
I came up with same idea.

[@Adrian-yn4qg]

Jorge Chávez absolutely not. I really wanna know the answer but that's not it. I ride ADV and you always work to stay on top of mud and sand.

[@truthinhere8270]

Finally something nice that helps. Need tyres for r3. I ride 2000km per year.

[@truthinhere8270]

I ride fast

[@janzencadiz7473]

Gladly i watched this bfor throwing up some oversized rubbers on my r3. Thanks men. More informative videos to come and more power to this chanel.

[@rushikeshpatil9621]

stick with your stock tire size 🤗✌️

[@nomusplenus]

Unless u want more grip, longer life, or stunts or better styling!!

[@WiserInTime]

What does MC garage think about these "dark side" folks out there who put car tires on their bikes?

[@DeviantMoto]

I you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all? ;)

[@ernestocastellanos6446]

Wiser InTime Dark side folks haha

[@WiserInTime]

Dark Siders is da craziest people!

[@KTM_Trooper]

id prefer to roll with the original tires nomatter what and I don't know about mc garage but I personally think that having a wider tire than what is prescribed for your bike that it's just a waste of fuel

[@TEAMWRIGHTEOUS]

Wiser InTime I have a buddy who has a car Tire on his bike. When I first saw it I had the same response everyone else does. There's no way that thing does good in curves. Ever since then we've ridden back roads and everywhere else. He can ride it no problem on any curves. Even takes it to The Tail of the Dragon.
He rides the bike to work 100 miles one way every day. That's 1,000 miles a week, plus what he rides locally every day. If he had a motorcycle Tire, he'd be replacing it once every 4-6 weeks.

[@k0conutk0mando]

informative video. I would say my super tenere has narrow tires to keep as much contact patch on the ground while traversing off road or gravely terrain. speeds on those surfaces are much less that on paved surfaces so there is no need to lean as much, keeping the tire upright. as the video explains it would also allow for better turn in on the street.

[@nzbeeker1]

nice video, good advice. I have a 1994 CBR1000F and have just come back from a 1,777kms ride on a 180 rear tire. Was a great ride (camera running the whole way...)

[@Kevin-yh8ol]

Centrifugal force doesn't exist Ari

[@daltonwilliams6297]

Kevin Arnold in an accelerated reference frame it does

[@Kevin-yh8ol]

Dalton Williams which is actually just inertia

[@Ryan.......]

In an inertia reference frame, it is inertia and therefore not a force. In a non-inertia reference frame, like that of a turning motorcycle, it shows up as a force. However, because it only exists in the non-inertia reference frame, that type of centrifugal force is a fictitious force. There is a type of centrifugal force that exists in inertial reference frames and is therefore as real as any other force: the Newton's Third Law pair force to the centripetal force. But that's not what Ari was referring to.

[@Kevin-yh8ol]

Ryan Bax umm, how is the turning motorcycle a non-inertia reference frame?

[@daltonwilliams6297]

This is why I'm in engineering and not getting a physics major 😂

[@DarkVarda]

so its easier to get your knee down on a bike with bigger tyres. interesting

[@jamesbizs]

The Vardarioter he didn’t say easier. He said wider bike tires NEED to lean over more to do what thinner tires do normally

[@inthesPhila]

Tire Width: Lean Angle: If the rear tire is 1" wider, assume that extra is a stripe around its center. Then the rear of the bike can be 1" wider before hard parts hit when it leans over OR it can lean over more before hard parts hit. I think the wider rear tires have helped achieve high lean angles partly for this reason.

[@freedomofmotion]

All of my bikes have had 130/60 on the back end.
I likes it that way, means just a little twist of the hips and the bike leans, makes twisty bits super fun as it's almost like the bike is doing all the work.

[@rivercarson5763]

This is really pretty wrong. First of centrifugal force (not centrifical) does not exist. If it did exist and were in equilibrium with the friction force from your tires you would not turn. It is the imbalance of forces that causes the bike to turn as opposed to staying at rest (meaning constant velocity). Second a wider tire does not always mean more grip. Friction (traction) is a function of normal force (the force ground exerts on the bike to balance out gravity and down force so you don't just fall straight through it) and is not reliant upon the area of your contact patch. However on sports bikes that use extremely grippy tires the friction forces from cornering and acceleration can exceed the strength of the rubber for skinnier tires, causing it to sheer off the tire body. By using a wider tire this stress is distributed over a larger area so that the tire stays intact and can use it's maximum possible grip. As such if you just take some random bike that is already optimized and just put a wider version of its current tire you don't gain any grip, just worse handling.

[@alphaforce6998]

+River Carson Centrifugal force is inertia. No need to split hairs about it because you know what he means. Wider tires maintain a consistent patch while providing enhanced resistance to shearing, so therefore, a wider tire will - in most cases - provide better traction. Bikes are rarely "optimized" around a particular tire. It's usually what the OEM was able to score the best deal on, and that will often be a popular size. Your logic of "OEM knows best" is faulty...because the OEM is faced with delivering a product that is profitable at a specific price point using manufacturing facilities with minimal retooling.

[@Showmetheevidence-]

You need to go back to school dude.

[@StephenWhite55]

Excellent first-level introduction to this topic - thanks! Please set up a more technical, 'Moto-Nerd' channel, to go into much more detail on these topics. We badly need a channel, that's aimed at dispelling the common mis-information about motorcycle chassis-dynamics - that would be a true public service!

[@2WHEELSor2WINGS]

Its good to actually agree with what someone else has to say about tyres!!!
So much rubbish regurgitated about tyres.
Good video. 😎

[@dzsonigold]

definitely enjoyed it. i would also be happy to see a more detailed breakdown of this topic, too

[@NJOwens-ep3hf]

That's a great video Ari .. I've gone through the gambit of trying to run wider tires on my bike for the last year and came back to the exact mentality, stock was best for a reason - I corner and accelerate much better on skinnier treads .. Wish you'd have made this last spring hahaha ..

[@paulb6295]

Outstanding explanation of tire width vs. lean angle!

[@kutojikapachuau4079]

Short video, with full of important information. Thank you. 🥰 Love from india

[@4dshrey]

sir your every video contains knowledge which in general people do not talk , thanks for sharing such information with us...
awesome videos by the way.

[@Samfixit]

i never fail to learn something new with this guy... thumbs up🖒

[@thatmanstumototours2270]

Important to clarify that "more grip" is basically referring to traction under acceleration. A tire need only be wide enough that it can take very hard acceleration without spinning up. You pay more for a fat tire and you turn slower and get less performance from your suspension because of it. Best advice was given in the video. Run the Stock size and be done with it. Nothing gained by going bigger other than "poser" points and lighter wallet(provided you have not added serious HP modifications and can no longer maintain "traction" with Stock).

[@805DD]

Loving my big red pig on Dunlop Trailmax Missions. 90/90-21 front and 130/80-18 in the rear. A true 50/50 tire IMO.

[@justinpedersen9174]

Could you guys maybe do a buying guide for second hand bikes? Like a walk around check list of things to look for and what to listen for when the bike is running. Love the channel, keep up the sick work guys :D

[@justinpedersen9174]

Also quite a broad area. Maybe break it up into price brackets? or Year brackets? Get a couple of episodes out of it :)

[@paachi17]

Really good video. Thanks for doing these videos guys. Much valued.

[@TheStringBreaker]

Thank got for this video! I wanted to detailed explanation on rear tire width - This video answers a few specific questions I had!

[@Kushy_biscuit]

Hey mcm, we love your videos.. extremely informative.. especially for an amateur like me.. i think bikes use centripetal force when in a lean angle

[@shanemiddleton3506]

Hmm, seems like it depends what you're into, amir? This channel is brilliant. Brilliant explanations.