Hi folks!

I need to replace my rear tire and looking for a replacemnet proves to be quite difficult around here.
It´s really hard to get a 19 inches rear tire at a decent price and a short time so replacing the rear rim whit a far more popular 18 inch one has come to my mind. It is fairly easy to get an 18" rear tire as there is a good offer, mostly Pirelli and Metzeler.
I´m really reluctant to do it but as use the bike a lot, getting replacement tires easly and at a decent price will be a great thing to me, not to mention the improvement in performance.
I need your advice here. Have anyone used an 18" rear rim and a 19" front at the same time? Should I go 18" on both wheels or shold I keep the 19" rear and keep searching for a decent rear tire?

Thanks in advance for your kind help.

Cheers!

Matías.

email (option): mbilamdjian@yahoo.com.ar

Matias with so many bikes on 19" rims, I'm surprised that you're having trouble locating them. Very easy to buy on the internet, but that of course will involve shipping.

If you are talking about an M20? It should be no problem to use an 18" rim. If you then fit a 400x18 tyre the overall diameter of the wheel will be about the same as before at about 26"......and with a slightly bigger footprint. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi Matias

I have an original 18inch M20 wheel, apparently RAF combinations used 18inch wheels all round.

I'm not intending to get rid of mine but I will take a picture later.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Indeed Rob. If you zoom in, you can actually read the 400x18 tyre size. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Zoom shot. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

No problems 'mixing' 18" and 19" sizes front and back...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Here's my 18" rear with a standard 19", with these tyres the 18" does have a slightly smaller outside diameter.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Right! I based my assumption on my Norton's. Both measure about 13" from wheel spindle to floor. But of course the Big 4 has trials type tyres. But as Ian says, It's fine anyway. Lots of bikes have a bigger front wheel. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

They do indeed...Triumphs for example ran 18" rear and 19" front for years..

Then there's 18" and/or 19" rears with 21" fronts on trials machines, 20" on the front of some Triumphs, Ariels and military B40s etc. etc...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thank you so much for your replys and time guys!

I bought a really crapy new 19inch tire to get by to the next overhaul (a couple of months ahead) and I think I might give the 18x4.00 a try!

Ron, I can get some 19" tires but they are not very good. They have the looks and that´s pretty much it. I use the M20 as everyday transportation and I do about 50Km per day, rain or shine and on highways, so I want a dependable tire. Buying overseas was an option some time ago, but with large items shipping cost are sky high to get them to Argentina, not to mention our "newest and improved" taxes. Mind you that anything that we buy abroad have an extra tax of 35%. So the price of the tire, shipping, the new taxes and a not very friendly dollar, euro or pound exchange rate to our peso is really explensive for us.

Well, I don´t want to bore you. I just want to thank you Ron, Rob and Ian again for helping me.

Cheers!

Matías.
from the other down under!

email (option): mbilamdjian@yahoo.com.ar

I could never figure out how to get an exact measurement on those rims

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com