Wide rear tires on a Valk

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

Some of you know that we have been making and selling a 240 rear tire kit for the the VTX that includes a modified swingarm to accept the larger tire. Based on the volume of kits we have sold for the VTX I wonder if we made a similar kit for the Valkyrie if there is still any demand for a kit like that on the Valk.

I would appreciate any input as the setup is very similar to the VTX and wouldn't take a lot of time to put together.

[Valker]

I would think that a lot of the folks who run a car tire would rather be able to run a wider one with less worries about rubbing. The folks who customize with the hot rod looks would be more likely also. I wouldn't, just because of the lower mileage you'd get on the 240 bike tires compared with the Avons/Metzs on my 'just ride it' bike. Just my $.02 :shock:

[Smilin Jack]

Hal is that to put a car type tire on the Valk? I am not sure what the 240 is. Is that a fat Avon?

Jack

[BADNUF]

Im sure if you make it they will sell

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

Its a motorcycle tire. Metzeler makes a 240-40x18 and we are using it on our VTX kit and it looks awesome. It mounts on an 8.5 inch wide rear wheel.

[LaMonster]

Hal is that to put a car type tire on the Valk? I am not sure what the 240 is. Is that a fat Avon?

Jack
This is not a great picture but this is the idea. It looks killer :D
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/503/10380127hub.jpg

[sarge]

I'd be all for it if a tire can be mounted that would give some tread life coupled with some Pizzazz http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/non-smileys-animated/smiley_abzz.gif

Car Tire, MC Tire, Used Tri-Axle :D well, you get the idea


http://www.american-made.com/amstore/images-cci-etc/cci_images/cci_goliath_rear.jpg

[LaMonster]

This is a better shot of it.
http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/503/10380129wilburback.jpg

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

Sarge,

The 240 kit is usually not the way to go if you are after better tire mileage.

The 240 kit will make you do strange things that will probably decrease your mileage.

[Maddog]

I am getting ready to start a project bike based on a Valkyrie engine, I would be very interested

[Jeff K]

Emmit did a couple for him and his friends. He had to do a offset on the wheel, and cut into the swingarm. A guy in Germany did it also but they couldn't sell any "kits" so they gave up. I got email from a guy in Germany, he said the tire wear was so bad he took his 240 off.
But on the other hand...
Mine will have a 240!
:D

[ensign]

That's one of the things I liked about the Rocket III was the 240 rear tire, if I can get it on the Valk then even better.

[Fudgie]

How would you "rework" the fender? I had to modify mine a little to put a 200 Metz on. I like the wide tire IMHO. I get good traction in the mud also. What kinda price range are we looking at? Post on the VRCC board and see what kinda response you get from there. :twisted:

[V-MAN]

Some of you know that we have been making and selling a 240 rear tire kit for the the VTX that includes a modified swingarm to accept the larger tire. Based on the volume of kits we have sold for the VTX I wonder if we made a similar kit for the Valkyrie if there is still any demand for a kit like that on the Valk.

I would appreciate any input as the setup is very similar to the VTX and wouldn't take a lot of time to put together.

Hal

I think the 240 on the Valk would be way cool ... I like the FAT look that is why I have been running the Toyo Proxies. But as long as your "going for it" why not design the new swingarm to accomodate a 280 or the new 300 series ... now that is REALLY FAT :D I imagine there is a market for the wide look - good luck!

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

I have a 300 tire and wheel on order for the VTX. I don't have a Valk frame here that I have daily access to so it makes it a little harder to redesign what we have already done.

Here is the Valk swingarm with the areas in red marked for cutting and reweld to accept the 240 tire. I am going to go ahead and do one and see what the response is.

On paper we have figured out how to put the 300 on a VTX. I got in some of the parts today to modify the driveline. Looks like Chris's bike will be the guinea pig for the 300 tire on a VTX.

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/502/1038Valkswingarm.jpg

[LaMonster]

Emmit did a couple for him and his friends. He had to do a offset on the wheel, and cut into the swing arm. A guy in Germany did it also but they couldn't sell any "kits" so they gave up. I got email from a guy in Germany, he said the tire wear was so bad he took his 240 off.
But on the other hand...
Mine will have a 240!
:D

Well the VTX guys are buying them like crazy and so far there are no complaints. The bike weighs the same and has the same HP so I don't think there will be a big difference. Maybe his bike was not done right to start with and that's why it was eating tires. :(
I think the Valkyrie guys are going to love this mod, I know it looks great on the VTX. :twisted:

So are you using the swing arm that Hal gave you for your 240? Will it be done for Bike Week? Can't wait to see it.

[V-MAN]

I have a 300 tire and wheel on order for the VTX. I don't have a Valk frame here that I have daily access to so it makes it a little harder to redesign what we have already done.

On paper we have figured out how to put the 300 on a VTX. I got in some of the parts today to modify the driveline. Looks like Chris's bike will be the guinea pig for the 300 tire on a VTX.


Just a couple questions:

1) Is the 300 available now?

2) What width wheel did you order to accomodate the 300?

3) Poor Chris ... the "guinea pig" eh :wink: Sounds more like a "lucky dog" to me! http://www.v-man.org/images/gif/thumbsup.gif

Any pictures of the finshed X after assembly? Thanks

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

Hal @ Honda Direct Line wrote:
I have a 300 tire and wheel on order for the VTX. I don't have a Valk frame here that I have daily access to so it makes it a little harder to redesign what we have already done.

On paper we have figured out how to put the 300 on a VTX. I got in some of the parts today to modify the driveline. Looks like Chris's bike will be the guinea pig for the 300 tire on a VTX.



Just a couple questions:

1) Is the 300 available now?

2) What width wheel did you order to accomodate the 300?

3) Poor Chris ... the "guinea pig" eh Sounds more like a "lucky dog" to me!

Any pictures of the finshed X after assembly? Thanks


The 300 tires should be available in February.

My memory is a little fuzzy on the size. It was either 11 or 11.5 inches.

We will post photos of the 300 installed but we have to wait for the tire and then fit it into our schedule. We have roadtrips coming up.

[Jeff K]

It won't be ready by Bike week. Work has been unreal lately. Our company is going through restructuring. Everyone is trying to prove they have some value to the new structure, so there are "experts" going nutz. I'm not going to be effected by the restructure, well, my job won't be effected, but it is sure keeping me hopping!
But I have made progress on the new bike. It's really going to be cool!

[Maddog]

Hal,
In the picture of the Valk swing arm, are you just cutting areas marked in red out and boxing them in ? I am going to be putting a fat tire on this new project and if I don't have to reinvent the wheel I won't

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

You don't box it as the actual point where the tire is 8.5 inches is very small. I don't have a photo of the actual mod on our VTX Swingarm but I would describe it more as a half-moon type of modification.

[Jeff K]

Really you don't need to cut into the non-drive shaft side at all. If you can slip a piece of paper between the tire and the swingarm you're good to go.

[Fudgie]

And passenger as extra weight? Will it make the tire "squat" and become wider? :? I noticed that after I put my 200 Metz on. I was fine but once passenger/ cargo was added, the tire squated and rubbed my fender. Had to take the fender off to cut the nut bracket. How will it fit under the rear fender? I like the idea so far and can't wait! Now if the SO will only approve! :twisted:

[Jeff K]

Is the 200 metz a radial tire?
A radial shouldn't change shape.
I'm only repeating the things I've been told from people that have done it already.

[Hal @ Honda Direct Line]

Metzeler tires do not expand. Others like the Avon have a problem with expansion and won't work on a bike where the clearance is very minimal.

Once we get the swingarm/tire done we can tackle the fender. With a tire that wide you will probably want to use a wider fender so that the fender can come down over the tire and give it a lower look. Guys who use the stock fender usually end up with a fender that sits too high to make sure they have enough clearance.

[Maddog]

The fender won't be a problem, I will be slicing it and widening it anyway. The frame isn't a problem as that I am making pretty much from scratch. My biggest concern currently is if I will need to extend the drive shaft to achieve the layout that I want and if I can accomodate the wide tire. Sounds like the rear tire won't be too much of a problem. Seems to me that offsetting the tire would affect the tracking of the bike. What am I missing here?

[Jeff K]

If you split the swingarm, to widen it, it will put the drive shaft at an angle that will not mate to the trans. You can do it with out widening the swingarm, but you would have to offset the wheel.
There is not enough room between the drive shaft and the 240 tire.

[Fudgie]

Its a Metz Marathon 880. Put on 2 yrs ago. I was fine riding it alone but once the SO got on we were smoking rubber! TP was fine. Huh, makes me wonder. Keep us updated! The VTX looks great! :twisted:

[Maddog]

I was not talking about widening the swingarm. I was referring to spliting the fender and widening it. I am building the frame pretty much around the swing arm and engine mount points as I do not want to have to do all of the engineering calcs that Honda has done to make the scoot work. I may have to lengthen the drive shaft, not sure yet

[sarge]

Wide Tirehttp://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/non-smileys-animated/smiley_abzz.gif
http://roguebiker.com/Jim-3.jpg

[Scooch]

Yes I would be interested in a 240 on my Valk.How much would it be?I have a Rocket 3 on order and the tires are the same size.I wonder how many Rocket 3s are going to be at Inzane 4 .Mine will be there. Scooch

[sarge]

Wide Tire - 300 Modified by Hard Krome on a VTX

Non-Functional - Display Only :(

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/102IM000392.JPG

[Valkcabbie]

Hal, I may have to fly to SF for three weeks in april. I could leave the IS with you to work out the calculations...vc