Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

Hey fellas, I've got a question about the possibility to put up a fat rear end on the Suzi. Meaning getting the 180 tire in replacement of the 160.
Thinking of it, it should be doable, I had the other day the chance to look at a GSX1250FA and it seemed to be practically the same bike.

Am I off with my assumption? And whats your opinion, is it worth putting up a bigger rear tire?

I put a 170 on mine. I like it. seems fine. I might consider going to a 180, but if I do, Imma have to do a little research. you might wanna up the front tire size if you go that big on the rear...I think it would look good forsure though. If you do it post some pic's please.

Why ??? ,better handling or to make it look better ??

Putting a bigger tyre on then a standed ,doesn't make it handle any better ,probably worse.
It may look better ,but will void your insurance.
Really ,its not worth it to me ..sure a bigger tyre may look cool ,but it doesn't give a WOW factor ,its just a standed tyre for a bigger CC bike ,some rim stickers would give it more POP.
If you went a 300 ,then that some thing to talk about.

Yes your off!

The 1250 has a 1" wider rear rim to accomodate the bigger tire, also the rear swing arm is different. Furthermore, going bigger on the rear can (dont know for sure) make your chain 'bite' into the sidewall of your bigger rear tire.
And like Sleddog said, the handling would be worse. The increase in 'contact patch' you get of putting on a 180 tire is not necessary, The 650F isn't a sportsbike and doesn't need it with the low power engine.

Thanks for the answers, I think it make sense, with worsening the handling, I actually had a VTX1300 with a 240 rear end, being a cruiser it was okay to handle.
I got a solution though my wife approved my request..... Will have for my devilish times soon a SRAD tehe! That will be fun!

I just wanna add my two cents lol! I went up to a 170 and in no way did it affect the handling of my motorcycle! and I've craved some pretty high speed turns from 160 kph up to 200 kph making long drawn out turns very short and deep I can't say anything for the 180 but my 170 feels and handles great! low speed turns same deal 90 degree at 50 and 60 kph handled like a dream!

10mm is about the limit before you get the ... tire kink effect.

when you mate a too wide tire to a rim you're effectively making it taller with a sort of VALLEY between some point of the sidewall, and the outer-wall of the tire. the wider the tire/narrer the rim, the more severe the effect. It's Generally not something you want to get in the practice of doing or trying to get away with either for cool's sake, or otherwise.. I ran a 170/60/17 Pilot Road 1 on the back of my F for a while because it's what was laying around, and didn't experience any such bad mojo, but I also didn't trust it leaned over either.

I see what you're saying voided. I can see it even in the 170. It's seemly being taller that is...I probley wouldn't trust the 180 neither but brother I've tested the 170 to the limits and it performed like a dream. going up one size on this bike tire for the rear leaving the front stock, and it kicked ass in the turns. not at any point did I think I was gonna lose to the turn. 180 would probley be abit much though!

Very interestings Fellos, thanks for the great advise, I can see that 10mm might be still tolerable. Thinking 5 mm on each side wouldn't make much of a difference either.
Knowing that a bike runs literally on a small area, touching the surface, would made me think, that added width, would result in to a larger surface touching.
Coming from the car tuning taught, that the lesser the unsupended mass, the higher the lateral G's the car/ tire can take in a curve. I'm not entirely sure, whether that would apply on a bike tire too, since the construction is differently.

right, but a car can't lean into it's own tires for more weight on the contact patch, which kinda nixes the whole wider is better thing.

the only thing wider ensures is that the tire will stay cooler, longer, when you're out flogging on it.