Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroGravity360
I forgot to ask, how can I check for signs of rubbing after rides? What can I do if it is rubbing? I would hate to waste $110 on a tire I can't use :( I really thought I was doing the right thing!
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Look for marks on the tire in areas that are close to parts of the bike.
Here's a tire that's been rubbing on the chain.
Here's an example from a car.
Imagine if you put the bike up on a stand with the wheel spinning, and held a chunk of metal against the tire. That's the sort of damage you should be looking for, because that's exactly what would be happening.
If there is rubbing, you need to alter something so there isn't rubbing. That could be anything from grinding away part of your swingarm to getting a longer chain to move the wheel back to just buying a tire in a size that fits properly. As Jim said, it's it's just a tiny bit of rubber being ground off, it may be ok to just let it do that. Like Alex said, a big enough tire could possibly cause problems with the tail on big bumps. My major concern is something metal on the swingarm digging into the tire enough to cause serious problems.
I'm not saying nobody should use non-stock tire sizes (I myself have a non-stock wheel and tire), but there are a lot of details that go into part selection. You need to make sure you're considering all aspects that the change will affect. If you're doing something that most people aren't, that could be because it's a great idea nobody has thought of yet, or because it's a bad idea that nobody wants to do. If you're not willing to make some mistakes, it's a lot easier and cheaper to just stick to what's already been proven.
Unless someone has a very specific need met by another tire, my default recommendation for any small Ninja on the street is the
PSR in stock sizes. It's not the best in any single category, but it's very close in all of them (whereas the winners in each category usually suck in the other categories). If you want, going up to the 140 is an option, but it only increases the wire's width by the thickness of a CD jewel case - it really is a pretty tiny amount in the grand scheme of things. But either one will fit fine and Just Work™ and be a really good tire. Everyone I've heard using them loves them.