helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted May 17, 2014 Posted May 17, 2014 Coming time to buy new tires and I thought I would through this question out there. It has been said that 120/60 steers quicker but a 120/70 has more contact area plus absorbs bumps better. Fire away ....!!
docc Posted May 17, 2014 Posted May 17, 2014 Hmmm . . . steering quicker onto a smaller contact patch . . .
czakky Posted May 17, 2014 Posted May 17, 2014 I've always blindly bought 120/70, never considering 120/60 but on my lemans the front has always been quick to steer. The rear is a little less so....
earemike Posted May 17, 2014 Posted May 17, 2014 Early 90's this debate was all the rage for the 600cc blokes with various factory fitments. I always preferred the 120/70. I can't remember if it was from personal experience but always thought the 120/70 was more forgiving on suspension setup (it could have just been better suited to the suspension set up I had...). On a heavier bike (& the road) I'd assume the 120/70 would soak up the minor bumps while still allowing excellent feel.
helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted May 18, 2014 Author Posted May 18, 2014 Well after perusing numerous forum threads from all over the web (I'm not going to post any links as there are 20 dumb comments for every useful one) ...... I have come to a consensus that the 120/60 steers SLOWER. It was generally regarded as a tire for the twitchy 600 Supersports of the 90's as it made it safer for inexperienced riders. I also found out that most racing WET tires are /60's as it is prudent to slow down the steering on wet pavement. On the other hand .... there was a lot of talk that when installing a /60 then the front forks need to be lowered in the T-clamps to compensate for the smaller diameter of the tire - perhaps this is where the idea that the /60's steer quicker could come from. There is also a general consensus that the /70's give better road ride due to the extra height of the tire and it's ability to work as a shock absorber. For now I'm thinking of sticking with what I know and that is the /70's.
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