Rear rim / tire size for a 2014 ST Limited

[Jared]

I was reading another thread about tire replacement for a Spyder. What tire sizes are common for a ST Limited 2014? My rear tire size is 225/50 R15. I have heard / read to go to a 225/ 60 r15 if I want to correct speedometer reading. Can I go with that size tire? Has anyone done that size? If I go with a 215/ 6 r 15 I have more choices but I still need to know if that size would work. Any help or past experience would be great.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I don't know where you got a 225/60-15 size .....I have never heard of it......The common swap if you aren't going with the KUMHO 225/50-15 .....is the 215/60-15................I'm not sure but you may have to shim your fender just a bit.......Mike

[Peter Aawen]

I run a 225/60/R15 Kumho on the rear of my 2013 RT Ltd, the same size should fit your ST. Because it's a larger tire with a larger volume of air inside it but the load on it hasn't changed, I run a little less air pressure in it than I did on the stock size & yet I still get even tread wear across the face of the tread - over 15,000 miles already vs the less than 4k on the Kenda! And at 22-14 psi, the speedo is pretty much spot on; however, if I inflate the tire to 28 or 30 psi the speedo can read one mph or so under true, so it's a close thing.

Possibly (depending on tread depth & the way the particular tire manufacturer measures their 'nominal' tire size) that size tire in another brand could just touch on the Spyder under-pinnings, but like I said, on my RT running a Kumho Solus KH17 225/60R15 it's clear of everything underneath throughout the full range of suspension travel & tire deflection; altho when riding thru sticky mud if the tread picks up too much goop it does tend to scrape that off on the bottom of the shock mount as the tire rotates - but I suspect that (depending on the muck) that sort of thing would happen anyway, regardless of the tire size!

And the traction, ride, & handling I get is soooo much improved than I ever got from the Kenda, it's not funny!!

Over to you.

[Jared]

I don't know where you got a 225/60-15 size .....I have never heard of it......The common swap if you aren't going with the KUMHO 225/50-15 .....is the 215/60-15................I'm not sure but you may have to shim your fender just a bit.......Mike

Just thought I read that tire size someplace but not sure now. As you can see from the second post its not unheard of.

[Jared]

I run a 225/60/R15 Kumho on the rear of my 2013 RT Ltd, the same size should fit your ST. Because it's a larger tire with a larger volume of air inside it but the load on it hasn't changed, I run a little less air pressure in it than I did on the stock size & yet I still get even tread wear across the face of the tread - over 15,000 miles already vs the less than 4k on the Kenda! And at 22-14 psi, the speedo is pretty much spot on; however, if I inflate the tire to 28 or 30 psi the speedo can read one mph or so under true, so it's a close thing.

Possibly (depending on tread depth & the way the particular tire manufacturer measures their 'nominal' tire size) that size tire in another brand could just touch on the Spyder under-pinnings, but like I said, on my RT running a Kumho Solus KH17 225/60R15 it's clear of everything underneath throughout the full range of suspension travel & tire deflection; altho when riding thru sticky mud if the tread picks up too much goop it does tend to scrape that off on the bottom of the shock mount as the tire rotates - but I suspect that (depending on the muck) that sort of thing would happen anyway, regardless of the tire size!

And the traction, ride, & handling I get is soooo much improved than I ever got from the Kenda, it's not funny!!

Over to you.

That is probably the tire I go with as long as you are not having problems with rubbing anywhere which it does not sound that way.

[900Dave]

That is probably the tire I go with as long as you are not having problems with rubbing anywhere which it does not sound that way.

He is running that size on an RT, if he posted correctly. I believe as Mike stated you may have to shim the rear fender on an ST or RS to make clearance for that size tire.

[Bob Denman]

If you're looking for an alternate tire size; stay with the 215/60-15.

[Jared]

I'm confused are you sure the rear fender is different from one machine to the next? If it is why does my current tire fit when its a 225 or are you only talking about the aspect ratio going from a 50 to a 60 which would add about 20mm of height. If that is the case I would be better off staying with a 225/50 becuase a 215/ 60 is only 6 mm shorter. if I am doing the math correct.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I run a 225/60/R15 Kumho on the rear of my 2013 RT Ltd, the same size should fit your ST. Because it's a larger tire with a larger volume of air inside it but the load on it hasn't changed, I run a little less air pressure in it than I did on the stock size & yet I still get even tread wear across the face of the tread - over 15,000 miles already vs the less than 4k on the Kenda! And at 22-14 psi, the speedo is pretty much spot on; however, if I inflate the tire to 28 or 30 psi the speedo can read one mph or so under true, so it's a close thing.

Possibly (depending on tread depth & the way the particular tire manufacturer measures their 'nominal' tire size) that size tire in another brand could just touch on the Spyder under-pinnings, but like I said, on my RT running a Kumho Solus KH17 225/60R15 it's clear of everything underneath throughout the full range of suspension travel & tire deflection; altho when riding thru sticky mud if the tread picks up too much goop it does tend to scrape that off on the bottom of the shock mount as the tire rotates - but I suspect that (depending on the muck) that sort of thing would happen anyway, regardless of the tire size!

And the traction, ride, & handling I get is soooo much improved than I ever got from the Kenda, it's not funny!!

Over to you.

....Interesting about this TIRE....I checked with TWO major marketers in the USA for it ( Tire Rack & Discount Tires Direct )....Neither one lists it......So it may only be available in Australia !!!!........Also this Size is 1 1/2 inches larger in Diameter then a 225/50-15......Good luck trying to get that under the rear fender of an ST.....................Mike

[Bob Denman]

I'm confused are you sure the rear fender is different from one machine to the next? If it is why does my current tire fit when its a 225 or are you only talking about the aspect ratio going from a 50 to a 60 which would add about 20mm of height. If that is the case I would be better off staying with a 225/50 becuase a 215/ 60 is only 6 mm shorter. if I am doing the math correct.

The 225/60 is about 6.9% taller...
That might just start confusing Nanny.
Why do you want to go taller? If it's to reduce revs; the 998s LOVE to spin!

[900Dave]

....Interesting about this TIRE....I checked with TWO major marketers in the USA for it ( Tire Rack & Discount Tires Direct )....Neither one lists it......So it may only be available in Australia !!!!........Also this Size is 1 1/2 inches larger in Diameter then a 225/50-15......Good luck trying to get that under the rear fender of an ST.....................Mike

Kumho Solus KR21 225/60/15 I was able to find it on Amazon for $102. But yes throw that rear fender away, I don't think you can use this tire if you keep the rear fender.

[Peter Aawen]

snip......Neither one lists it......So it may only be available in Australia !!!!........Also this Size is 1 1/2 inches larger in Diameter then a 225/50-15......Good luck trying to get that under the rear fender of an ST.....................Mike

Funnily enough Mike, the tire suppliers here tell me this 225/60R15 size is more popular in the States than it is here in Oz!! But you certainly could be right about it being a 'different availability/different spec' thing, altho the KH17 is a reasonably common size/spec tire here, being one of the more used comfort/ touring size/specs for mid/high end vehicles; still, it shows up as an acceptable tire size/spec for use on a fairly significant range of vehicles, including GM, FORD, Cadillac, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, & a bunch more including European makes...

As for the differences in tire size, that's one of the traps of using tire size calculators rather than doing a direct comparison. I did a direct comparison, & the Kumho Solus KH17 225/60R15 at 28psi on the stock rim came in at 22mm larger rolling dia than a new Kenda 205/50R15 at 28psi on the stock rim, which is within the specs for easy handling by the Nanny (especially when teamed with similarly larger front tire sizes plus my generally running a lower pressure in the tire - bigger bag needs less air to carry the same load, & at 22-24 psi the speedo is spot on accurate!!) How can this be so? Simple really, tire manufacturers don't all use the same baseline or sizing conventions, so a nominal sized tire from one manufacturer may well be somewhat different in reality to the same nominal sized tire from another manufacturer!! Hey, the same sized tire but with a different tread could well be different in rolling dia/circumference even if the tires are from the same manufacturer!! Some use the tire carcass or casing as the basis for sizing, some use the case plus a nominal tread thickness, others use casing plus actual tread thickness; and then there's all the differences that running different air pressures or even running the same tire on a different width rim can bring!! And yeah the Nanny hasn't objected to this sized tire AT ALL; in fact, if anything she likes running this sized tire on the rear with 175/60R15's up front even better than she liked running the stock spec tires all around, with less needless interference but even more impressive braking & handling/steering than the Kenda's ever achieved as well as a more comfortable ride - but they are a heavier construction tire with higher specs in wear, speed, & load carrying; and I do have a BajaRon bar up front too!! So there's less scope for loose or sloppy handling & better traction/handling to start with!! And as a result, these tires not only feel/behave better, they have already lasted significantly longer than the crap the Spyder came on!!

But you may be right about fitting the bigger tire under the ST fender Mike!! (& others) I hadn't thought of that when I posted first, but the RT fender is higher/further away from the top/rear of the tire, with the closest point being up front at the shock mount/swing arm pivot end; while on the ST the fender wraps around the rear of the tire from the axle end of the swing arm - so it might pay the OP to measure very carefully there before spending the $$ on a 225/60R15 & then finding you need to toss the fender to get it to fit!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Kumho Solus KR21 225/60/15 I was able to find it on Amazon for $102. But yes throw that rear fender away, I don't think you can use this tire if you keep the rear fender.

...Dave , He has a Kumho Solus ......KH17.....so this is the tire I was looking for !!!!... but thanks for the effort.......Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Funnily enough Mike, the tire suppliers here tell me this 225/60R15 size is more popular in the States than it is here in Oz!! But you certainly could be right about it being a 'different availability/different spec' thing, altho the KH17 is a reasonably common size/spec tire here, being one of the more used comfort/ touring size/specs for mid/high end vehicles; still, it shows up as an acceptable tire size/spec for use on a fairly significant range of vehicles, including GM, FORD, Cadillac, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, & a bunch more including European makes...

As for the differences in tire size, that's one of the traps of using tire size calculators rather than doing a direct comparison. I did a direct comparison, & the Kumho Solus KH17 225/60R15 at 28psi on the stock rim came in at 22mm larger rolling dia than a new Kenda 205/50R15 at 28psi on the stock rim, which is within the specs for easy handling by the Nanny (especially when teamed with similarly larger front tire sizes plus my generally running a lower pressure in the tire - bigger bag needs less air to carry the same load, & at 22-24 psi the speedo is spot on accurate!!) How can this be so? Simple really, tire manufacturers don't all use the same baseline or sizing conventions, so a nominal sized tire from one manufacturer may well be somewhat different in reality to the same nominal sized tire from another manufacturer!! Hey, the same sized tire but with a different tread could well be different in rolling dia/circumference even if the tires are from the same manufacturer!! Some use the tire carcass or casing as the basis for sizing, some use the case plus a nominal tread thickness, others use casing plus actual tread thickness; and then there's all the differences that running different air pressures or even running the same tire on a different width rim can bring!! And yeah the Nanny hasn't objected to this sized tire AT ALL; in fact, if anything she likes running this sized tire on the rear with 175/60R15's up front even better than she liked running the stock spec tires all around, with less needless interference but even more impressive braking & handling/steering than the Kenda's ever achieved as well as a mire comfortable ride - but they are a heavier construction tire with higher specs in wear, speed, & load carrying; and I do have a BajaRon bar up front too!! So there's less scope for loose or sloppy handling & better traction/handling to start with!! And as a result, these tires not only feel/behave better, they have already lasted significantly longer than the crap the Spyder came on!!

But you may be right about fitting the bigger tire under the ST fender Mike!! (& others) I hadn't thought of that when I posted first, but the RT fender is higher/further away from the top/rear of the tire, with the closest point being up front at the shock mount/swing arm pivot end; while on the ST the fender wraps around the rear of the tire from the axle end of the swing arm - so it might pay the OP to measure very carefully there before spending the $$ on a 225/60R15 & then finding you need to toss the fender to get it to fit!!

...... ERROR ........Bob Denman is " The Tire Chart Guy "...not me, I only use individual specs given by the manufacturer.........Mike

[Peter Aawen]

Sorry

[AY4B]

I have been reading tire threads for a couple of days and most of what I find is arguing with few answers.
My rear tire is going bald in the middle with only 3700 miles.

I remember Bob saying what tire he has. I do not understand why people want a 60 instead of a 50.
Is this a good option?
Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 All-Season Tire - 225/50R15 91H

http://www.amazon.com/Kumho-Ecsta-KU...PFF4C90H4E2Z88

[AY4B]

anyone know anything about
VEE RUBBER VTR-350 ARACHNID TOURING MOTORCYCLE TIRES:

are they going to give me low miles like the Kenda did because they are a motorcycle tire?

[Peter Aawen]

.....I do not understand why people want a 60 instead of a 50.....

There are a lot of different riders out there, which means a lot of different specific needs & wants, so there could be all sorts of reasons for making the choice to go to a different profile....

In my case, it's quite simple: for what I do & want from the Spyder, the Kenda's that came on the Spyder are absolute crap!! I didn't get more than 4000 miles out of the Kenda on the rear, nor 6000 miles out of the Kenda's on the front, but then I do ride the bulk of my riding on some pretty rough roads in fairly high temperatures, neither of of which are recommended or conducive for/to running soft compound low profile tires.

So by choosing to run a higher profile tire I immediately increase the ground clearance (& that means less scraping & underbody damage) PLUS I get better tire life! The higher profile tires not only raise the bike a little, but they also have higher speed, wear, & load ratings; so I get more of a 'cushion' of air inside the tire to protect the Spyder itself & the rims from impact damage; the taller tires when run at slightly lower pressures are far more resistant to punctures because they have more 'meat' to allow flex/conforming over sharp road hazards plus the stiffer sidewalls & stronger tread plies are better/safer too, especially considering what I do/want from them; and the slightly larger rolling dia means just a handful fewer revs per mile which means less wear, better fuel economy, & more comfort with very little (if any) impact on performance.... and all those benefits add up!!

So for what I do & want from my Spyder, it's a logical & smart choice to run a slightly larger & vastly more robust tire.... in fact, one hasta ask why wouldn't anyone with the same needs/wants do the same???

But then, you may have completely different needs & wants & even different expectations to mine... so your choices may be somewhat different; but it still doesn't mean that you are wrong (despite being significantly 'wrong' according to what I need/want/expect!!)

[Peter Aawen]

anyone know anything about
VEE RUBBER VTR-350 ARACHNID TOURING MOTORCYCLE TIRES:


are they going to give me low miles like the Kenda did because they are a motorcycle tire?

It won't necessarily be 'because they are a motorcycle tire' - it's far more likely to be because they are a relatively soft compound tire that's aimed at providing good traction even when barely warmed up or at low ambient temperatures.

That said, the Arachnid Touring tires are meant to be a harder/better wearing compound than the Kenda's, & their construction is more robust than the Kenda's too, so they should last a little longer & probably provide a firmer ride & crisper handling when run at their optimal pressures for your loads, riding style, & the conditions you ride in - they might take just a little longer to warm up to optimal operating temps tho.

[AY4B]

There are a lot of different riders out there, which means a lot of different specific needs & wants, so there could be all sorts of reasons for making the choice to go to a different profile....

In my case, it's quite simple: for what I do & want from the Spyder, the Kenda's that came on the Spyder are absolute crap!! I didn't get more than 4000 miles out of the Kenda on the rear, nor 6000 miles out of the Kenda's on the front, but then I do ride the bulk of my riding on some pretty rough roads in fairly high temperatures, neither of of which are recommended or conducive for/to running soft compound low profile tires.

So by choosing to run a higher profile tire I immediately increase the ground clearance (& that means less scraping & underbody damage) PLUS I get better tire life! The higher profile tires not only raise the bike a little, but they also have higher speed, wear, & load ratings; so I get more of a 'cushion' of air inside the tire to protect the Spyder itself & the rims from impact damage; the taller tires when run at slightly lower pressures are far more resistant to punctures because they have more 'meat' to allow flex/conforming over sharp road hazards plus the stiffer sidewalls & stronger tread plies are better/safer too, especially considering what I do/want from them; and the slightly larger rolling dia means just a handful fewer revs per mile which means less wear, better fuel economy, & more comfort with very little (if any) impact on performance.... and all those benefits add up!!

So for what I do & want from my Spyder, it's a logical & smart choice to run a slightly larger & vastly more robust tire.... in fact, one hasta ask why wouldn't anyone with the same needs/wants do the same???

But then, you may have completely different needs & wants & even different expectations to mine... so your choices may be somewhat different; but it still doesn't mean that you are wrong (despite being significantly 'wrong' according to what I need/want/expect!!)

So does the 60 interfere with the rear fender? Some post suggest shimming them or removing them.

[AY4B]

Is there any difference in these 2 tires? except for price?

http://www.amazon.com/Kumho-Ecsta-KU...PFF4C90H4E2Z88

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...0&rd=15&cs=225

[Peter Aawen]

So does the 60 interfere with the rear fender? Some post suggest shimming them or removing them.

Not at all on my RT - but it may on an ST....

BTW, those tires you linked above look like they are exactly the same tire, just a different supplier & possibly a different business model that means different mark-ups.... but here in Oz we need to be very careful that tires offered on ebay or elsewhere on the internet are in fact Aus spec/quality tires & not cheap crap out of some oriental sweat shop factory made out of used condoms & discarded chewing gum.... and a lot of them are!! Not sure if you have the same issues in the States, but IMHO it's always nice to be able to look at the sidewall on the tire & see where & when it was made - can't do that over the internet!

[AY4B]

I think Ill just stick with the 50, but thanks for your explanations. Another concern is to make sure they are not any wider than the oem tire. I installed the missing belt guard on mine and there is like only an eighth of an inch on either side of the belt guard . Tire on one side and belt on the other.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Is there any difference in these 2 tires? except for price?

http://www.amazon.com/Kumho-Ecsta-KU...PFF4C90H4E2Z88

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...0&rd=15&cs=225

........It's the same tire ....But Discount's price is quite a bit better........and also free shipping ....Mike

[900Dave]

...Dave , He has a Kumho Solus ......KH17.....so this is the tire I was looking for !!!!... but thanks for the effort.......Mike

Ah! Kumho's lettering/numbering system got the best of me. No worry I'm sticking with the Kunho Ecsta AST. My new one just arrived today to replace the almost worn out Kumho that is on now. I will ride it out and get a couple more thousand miles out of the old one. This tire has performed very well for me.