Will the LeMans 5.5 wheel w/ 190 tire fit on a 2000 Sport?

[RichPugh]

Let me start off by saying, I'm more curious than intending to make a change.

 

I've followed several threads on here and one particularly, steering ones away from basically anything over a 170 rear tire but in the spirit of gaining knowledge, Will a 5.5" LeMans rear wheel with a 190 tire, Fit? Has anyone done this? Even a 200 tire? I have seen the standard 5.5/180 setup on a few Sports. Just checking on wider tire fitments.

 

I appreciate every opinion and trust you are all correct when you say "it just doesnt handle well" by going with a wider rear tire but I am just looking to see if it will FIT.

 

Thank you

[Guest ratchethack]

Uh, well actually Rich, I think you'll find that most of the qualified expertise here will steer you toward nothing over a 160 rear for your stock 4.5" wheel, and that this is a much better handling choice than going to even a 170 on a 5.5" wheel -- let alone a 190 or a 200!!

 

Now I know that it's a Popular Kulture "bling exercise" to have that big fat black meat protruding as conspicuously as possible out back. (See the clowns at OCC for all your favorite such stereotypical 2-wheeled rolling foolishness). But are you really prepared to chase ridiculous groupthink-conditioned appearances by seriously compromising handling?? As has been widely reported in the posts you seem to be aware of, it ain't a small difference. . .

 

I've seen countless squids who very evidently are prepared to make that trade, but I know of very few who would actually admit it. Why d'you s'pose that is??

 

Your question calls to mind a line from nearly 50 years back (with apologies to Rob't Z. for any slight misquote): "Of course I've never engaged in that sort of thing before, but yes, I think it could be very easily done."

 

I believe the answer to your Q is yes. A 190 tire can certainly be force-fit on a 5.5" wheel, and IMHO, this could more'n likely be made to fit in your Sport. I don't know for sure, but if you're -- err, motivated to shave off the outboard edge of the tread if need be to clear the driveshaft, I'm pretty sure this could be done. I wouldn't venture a guess on a 200, but how far past absurd d'you want to speculate here?! The wheels themselves are interchangeable at the hub. I've seen a 180 on a 4.5" wheel on a Guzzi Sport (like yours and mine), and there wasn't anything like a clearance problem. But the tire itself looked absolutely grotesque -- kinda like 10 lb. of bologna stuffed into a container designed to hold 5 lb. The sidewalls were so distorted that it looked like the beads would pop out of the wheel over the first bump in the road. IMHO the guy who mounted up that tire should've been held legally liable for putting the rider at risk. The rider in question thanked me later every time he saw me about 5 times over for recommending that he go to a 160 -- it was THAT MUCH of an improvement in handling.

 

OK. I didn't intend to go overboard in reply. Sorry for bloviating. But beyond handling and such aspects as safety, have you considered the wear pattern problem and shortened service life of using such a highly-engineered item as tires these days so improperly?

 

Yeah, I know -- you were just asking . . .

 

And I was just answering.

 

As always, TJM & YMMV . . . [sigh]

[pete roper]

The question is 'Will it fit?' While I'm not sure I do know that Mr.Denny's Scura had a 180 on the back and I *think* that has a 5 inch rim. When we swapped it for a 170 at my workshop I seem to remember that it was in fairly close proximity to the shaft but I can't categorically say that another 5mm would of caused it to rub on it.

 

As Ratch says, if you want your Guzz to handle like a pig on stilts then go as fat as you can on the back! If you want it to behave sensibly go smaller. Incidentally I recently went to a 170 section on the back of the Griso and it has made it a lot more whippy! Onl;y problem is I don't use as much of the front tyre now so all the poofter dags are still in the edges! With the first set of Rennsports, (A dreadful tyre! Deafeningly noisy!) I managed to wear the elephants off the edges (Which for a scaredy-cat slowpoke like me is really quite impressive!)

 

Pete

[RichPugh]

I believe the answer to your Q is yes. A 190 tire can certainly be made to fit on a 5.5" wheel, and IMHO, this will fit in your Sport. The wheels themselves are interchangeable at the hub. I've seen a 180 on a 4.5" wheel on a Guzzi Sport (like yours and mine), and there wasn't anything like a clearance problem. It looked absolutely absurd to me -- kinda like 10 lb. of bologna stuffed into a container designed to hold 5 lb. The sidewalls were so distorted that it looked like the beads would pop out of the wheel over the first bump in the road. The rider thanked me later every time he saw me about 5 times for recommending that he go to a 160 -- it was THAT MUCH of an improvement in handling.

 

BAA, TJM, & YMMV

 

Thank you for not dancing too much around that answer haha. I appreciate it and appreciate everyones opinion.

 

I will admit I do prefer the look of the wider wheel/tire on the rear (i.e., even the 5.5/180 LeMans setup) so it is not out of the question that I could do that swap simply for asthetic reasons. I've come from a history of riding japanese sport bikes generally with 190 tires on 6" wide wheels and I personally have never experienced a sinigle handling flaw or disadvantage from the wheel/tire setups I've had in the past. I will admit the handling characteristics of this (my first Guzzi) V11 Sport is nothing like the 1994 GSX-R 750 (180/55) or 2004 Yamaha R1(190/50) or 2005 Honda CBR 1000RR (190/50). Perhaps my riding style dictates I could have a 300 tire on the rear and nothing would matter. Maybe I'm a wimp? I'm 6'1", 325lbs... and I dont drag the knee LOL

 

On the contrary, if I decide I want to pursue a more adventurous spirited riding level, I would no doubt resort back to the narrower, more rounded rear wheel/tire setup as it has proven itself to be the choice of many.

 

Sorry if I'm tainting the V11 by the mere thought of asthetic changes that would ultimately sacrifice handling. I just dont think, in my case, it would matter.

[FuelCooler]

The 160/60 is an improvement over the 170/60 (on the 4.5).

 

FWIW-

My resprung but other wise stock 2000 V11 has a 2002 MG 5.5 inch rim with a 180/55 Michelin Pilot Power on it. No clearance issues even with the stock hugger. The handling is fine on my bike, but mine is set up for my weight and the forks are up 10mm in the triple clamps.

I do know a guy running a 190/50 Super Corsa on his 5.5 rimmed Scura. He does track days and loves it.

 

Before the flames, has anyone but me tried a big rim and tire on a short-frame bike?

[pete roper]

The 160/60 is an improvement over the 170/60 (on the 4.5).

 

FWIW-

My resprung but other wise stock 2000 V11 has a 2002 MG 5.5 inch rim with a 180/55 Michelin Pilot Power on it. No clearance issues even with the stock hugger.

 

I'm more than happy to deffer to those with more experience than me on the clearance issue. Looks like you could do it but it still puzzles me as to why you'd want to do something that will cost more money and make the bike worse

 

Pete

[Guest ratchethack]

Pete, let's face it. For a great many riders, motorcycles (unfortunately including Guzzi's), fulfill a very distinctive, very narrow role. That role is to serve primarily as an object of personal expression of conformance to Popular Kulture via groupthink-fabricated styling cues . To these people, spending more money to make their bikes worse is "art". Their bikes are NOTHING more to them than butt jewelry, and wot they do with them has NOTHING to do with actually riding them.

 

And o' course, when it comes to "art", there's simply no accounting for taste. . .

 

Exhibits A & B:

[RichPugh]

Pete,

 

Thanks a lot. Thats all I was looking for. I'm in no position to get a LeMans wheel and put a 190 tire on it and slap it on my Sport without checking these forums first. I've even seen the 5.5/180 LeMans setup on a few Sports but I dont know, if any, what modifications were required to even do THAT. I'm just trying to find out, from the other members, will it fit and if so, does it require any modifications. I think your answer helps. Thanks!

 

I've been in the VW/Audi tuning community for a long time and when someone asks on those forums, if something fits, its a horribly shady bunch of answers haha. I KNOW a 16x9 wheel, 20+et offset with a 215/35-16 tire fits on the rear of a 1991 VW GTI with 5x100 VR6 rear brake conversion with very minimal fender arch trim modification. I KNOW a Mk3 GTI dash will fit in the Mk2 with complete AC ductwork and electronics. I KNOW a On the VW forums, you get answers like "Why would you want to do that?" and "It will handle terribly..." or " anything will fit with enough time and money". I'm trying to avoid those being the only answers I get.

 

While I may be a retired moderator and cherrished member of a VW forum board elsewhere, I am a full fledged, 100% Newbie here. I am looking to learn as much as I possibly can about this motorcycle and seeing as how there arent limitless pools of info floating around, I'm humbly asking for everyone elses information. Ultimately, the "Live & Learn" method may be the most expensive and most conclusive way

[RichPugh]

The 160/60 is an improvement over the 170/60 (on the 4.5).

 

FWIW-

My resprung but other wise stock 2000 V11 has a 2002 MG 5.5 inch rim with a 180/55 Michelin Pilot Power on it. No clearance issues even with the stock hugger. The handling is fine on my bike, but mine is set up for my weight and the forks are up 10mm in the triple clamps.

I do know a guy running a 190/50 Super Corsa on his 5.5 rimmed Scura. He does track days and loves it.

 

Before the flames, has anyone but me tried a big rim and tire on a short-frame bike?

 

 

Much appreciated! Thanks.

[Admin Jaap]

I've even seen the 5.5/180 LeMans setup on a few Sports but I dont know, if any, what modifications were required to even do THAT.

AFAIK easy swop. There are a few germans who did it.

[RichPugh]

AFAIK easy swop. There are a few germans who did it.

 

Thank you!

[Paul Minnaert]

I see enough clearance that a 200 would fit. But each size tire is made for a specific rim width.

If you combine else, the shape that was intented by the tyreco won't be there. We got here some people telling that theirs works, like our guy with the most colorfull v11, fine for them.

 

so

4.5> 160

5.0> 170

5.5> 180

6.0> 190

 

And v11 sport have 4.5, all later have 5.5.

[FuelCooler]

AFAIK easy swop. There are a few germans who did it.

 

Correct,

It is 100% bolt up, the disc is the same, as is the axle, cush drive and spacers.

[RichPugh]

Beautiful,

 

The later MG 5.5/180 setup is probably the only option worth entertaining. I appreciate all the replies

[GuzziMoto]

Keep in mind that tyre size is general. A 180 tyre is not exactly 180mm wide. It can be anywhere within about 10mm either side. Dunlop, Avon tend to be wider. Pirelli and Metzler tend to be narrower. Michelin in the middle.