Went 150/60/ZR17....

[bdavison]

Ok, so I've been wanting to try out a 150 on my ninja 250R just to see what it would be like, and after reading the posts from folks that have done it...went for it.

I chose the Michelin Pilot Road CT2 150/60/ZR17 tire.

First off, I dont know what crack the 150 proponants are smoking, but a 150 most definitely is not a "no clearance issues" tire for the 08 and later 250R.

Yes, you can install it, and yes it will work.

However, you are left with a baseball card thickness worth of clearance between the tire and the chain guard, and more importantly...between the tire and the right side of the swing arm.

Now...

Is that enough clearance to run it. Yes, provided you watch your tire alignment and air pressure religiously. After running this tire on my 250, through a rather hot run in the twisties, where I deliberately tried to get the tire to flex as much as possible, there are absolutely NO signs of any contact at the tight spots. I'm running 40psi in the rear to keep it nice and stiff. If you prefer lower air pressures for stunting, etc., it might be a possibility the tire will flex and make contact in the tight spots. IDK.

Now...as far as how it changes the handling of the bike.
Personally, I love it.

Gone is the "twitchy in the wind" feeling on the interstate. The bike tracks like its on rails, and is much easier to maintain your intended line through the corners. In addition, since its a radial dual compound EXTREMELY sticky rear tire, it hooks into corners like a dream and drives out of the exits with authority. As far as "loss of flickability"...I'm not seeing it. The bike still corners just as well as it did before, what I notice is less of the oversteer/understeer constant line correction that was necessary with the stock 130 rubber band that is normally used, instead I now have a very smooth instinctive "go where I point it" feel in the corners. To be honest....this is what should have been on the bike from the factory in my opinion.

Here is my set up...
Front tire. Michelin Pilot Power 120/70/17 - at 30psi
Rear tire. Michelin Pilot Road CT2 150/60/ZR17 - at 40psi - rear shock on "3"

[csmith12]

Have you tried a 140? Plenty of clearance and delivers a lot of the positives you mention.

[rojoracing53]

Dude there was like 10mm of clearance to the swingarm with the 17-150/70 Michelin Pilot road 3s I was running. I think you mounted you tire backwards

[bdavison]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Dude there was like 10mm of clearance to the swingarm with the 17-150/70 Michelin Pilot road 3s I was running. I think you mounted you tire backwards

Um...tire is same width forwards or backwards...but mine is oriented correctly for direction of travel. Also, aligned and installed correctly. Its a big tire....obviously much larger than the 3.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by bdavison

Um...tire is same width forwards or backwards...but mine is oriented correctly for direction of travel. Also, aligned and installed correctly. Its a big tire....obviously much larger than the 3.

Sorry I figured the joke was pretty obvious

Maybe you mounted it inside out

[fishdip]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Sorry I figured the joke was pretty obvious

Maybe you mounted it inside out

[Jiggles]

Have you ever tried Rosso 2's? And 40psi? Are you nucking futz?

[tubarney]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Have you ever tried Rosso 2's? And 40psi? Are you nucking futz?

I agree. You cant use 40 p.s.i and say it doesn't flex. If it don't rub or make contact with under 24-26 p.s.i then you have a worthy mod.

[CycleCam303]

I have a 150 and there is plenty of clearance for a hand or two. The radial tires will all have the positives that you mentioned. Eventually try the Pirelli rosso II's in a 140 width. I was really happy with them. @Jiggles I'm looking up tire pressure stuff now. I'm going to do some investigation. Basically I'm going to do a little street ride and figure out how hot I get the tires and play with setting the cold psi a few ticks below that. Words of wisdom from a crazy European guy I met at Sonoma. "It's just a street bike, who cares." This was said after he rode out to check out practice and his front tire had something like 19 psi in it.

[DaBlue1]

Originally Posted by bdavison

....
Here is my set up...
Front tire. Michelin Pilot Power 120/70/17 - at 30psi
Rear tire. Michelin Pilot Road CT2 150/60/ZR17 - at 40psi - rear shock on "3"

40 PSI is high for the Ninja 250, even riding 2-up. Most of the big heavy cruisers (i.e. Vulcans) run tire pressures in the 40's. You should be good with 32-36 PSI. A good long run on a hot day or sitting out in the sun can raise tire pressure by up to 5 PSI from the cold inflation PSI.

[WOTurtle]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Dude there was like 10mm of clearance to the swingarm with the 17-150/70 Michelin Pilot road 3s I was running. I think you mounted you tire backwards

I just got 150 70 pilot road 3 from revzilla and I CAN NOT GET THE BEAD TO SEAT. Did you have any issues? Even my local kawasaki dealer couldnt get it on.

[Jiggles]

I leave my track pressures in my street tires, xept the bmw

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by bdavison

As far as "loss of flickability"...I'm not seeing it. The bike still corners just as well as it did before, what I notice is less of the oversteer/understeer constant line correction that was necessary with the stock 130 rubber

cornering =/= flicking. A larger, heavier tire will not want to change speed/direction as easily as a lighter/smaller tire. This is equally true for accelerating, braking, and roll rate. Know why road cyclists are obsessed with super light tires/wheels? They make accelerating easier. An once of weight lost from the wheels feels like a pound of weight lost from the whole bicycle.

Personally, I noticed it minimally when going back-to-back between two sets of tires on my ninjette, but only when tossing it quickly from one direction hard to the other. Not that I'm saying that one type of tire was ever a 'bad' tire or that the bike felt slow to transition, but when going back-to-back, I noticed a small difference. Same idea as adjusting gearing; you only notice it right away. Once you get used to it, it's a non-issue. Is 'flickability' worth choosing one set of tires over another? likely not. The bike will still be light and nimble and a load of fun on curvy roads.

Again, this is all a theoretical point for discussion. In reality, YMMV. You might notice a difference if you ride with very quick, sharp directional changes; you might not if you like to be smooth and even in your carving.

As long as you like your tires and like the feedback you get while turning, that's the important part.

[chris21er]

I have the same exact sent up as you and im loving it!!!!!! Also looks a lot better

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by WOTurtle

I just got 150 70 pilot road 3 from revzilla and I CAN NOT GET THE BEAD TO SEAT. Did you have any issues? Even my local kawasaki dealer couldnt get it on.

Sorry I just saw this.
I don't think I had any funny issues but I do use a good tire lube. If you ever have trouble beading a tire try wrapping a ratcheting tie down around the circumference of the tire and cranking it down to spread the bead and keep moving the tire around till you get lucky. I've had some crazy hard to head tires in the past but my PR3's weren't ago them.

[bdavison]

Originally Posted by WOTurtle

I just got 150 70 pilot road 3 from revzilla and I CAN NOT GET THE BEAD TO SEAT. Did you have any issues? Even my local kawasaki dealer couldnt get it on.

I gave the tire to a local shop, and let them put it on. They had it on in minutes, didn't seem to give them any issues. At least they didn't say anything to me. However, mine is a Pilot Road 2CT, not the 3...so perhaps that makes a difference. IDK.

[bdavison]

Originally Posted by tubarney

I agree. You cant use 40 p.s.i and say it doesn't flex. If it don't rub or make contact with under 24-26 p.s.i then you have a worthy mod.

I'm not going to run it that low to find out. You can if it's that important to you.
Normally I run rears in the 38-42psi range, and I'd feel comfortable running this setup in that range. 24-26psi is in the "overstress the sidewalls, and prepare for blowout on hot day" range..even for a bicycle tire, so no.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by bdavison

I gave the tire to a local shop, and let them put it on. They had it on in minutes, didn't seem to give them any issues. At least they didn't say anything to me. However, mine is a Pilot Road 2CT, not the 3...so perhaps that makes a difference. IDK.

Every style of tire is different but they will all bead eventually. I find Bridgestone street tires to be a total bitch to bead because of the stiff carcass.

[Panda]

So on a hot day and a spirited ride your pushing what.... 47psi in the rear if your 42 cold? Also I am running 150 shinko podium and I have no clearance issues.

[Aggrotech]

Pics ?!

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by Panda

So on a hot day and a spirited ride your pushing what.... 47psi in the rear if your 42 cold? Also I am running 150 shinko podium and I have no clearance issues.

Nah because he's probably running helium to keep the pressures from rising with heat.

[Panda]

Helium in tires + backwards = 15rwhp at least

[bdavison]

It usually tops out around 41.6psi on a spirited 20 min ride.

Normally, for every 10 degrees F outside temperature, the psi goes up 1.
I check pressures EVERY morning before riding.

Also, the cold temps on a tire are the max inflation at COLD....not the max pressure. So if the max cold pressure is listed on the tire as 40psi, it is designed to handle 40+ hot, also....underinflated tires generate more heat, and also increase pressures more rapidly. Properly inflating one, will make both the tire temps and the pressures more stable.

[Jiggles]

That's some high ass pressures! I run the lowest I can in my beamer without it yelling at me that the tires pressure is low which is about 36 psi in both

[WOTurtle]

Took it to tire kingdom, firestone, columbia power sports, and my friends tire shop. In the end carb cleaner and a bic did the trick. It's rained the past few days here, and wet grip/drive out of corners is AMAZING

[mheitman]

All this and not one pic of a 150 installed?

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by mheitman

All this and not one pic of a 150 installed?

Here

[mheitman]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

Here

looks a little small for a 150.. how many miles are on it

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by mheitman

looks a little small for a 150.. how many miles are on it

About 100 to many

Here's another 150

[mheitman]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

About 100 to many

Here's another 150

that's more like it - looks good.

PR3s ?


how are they holding up?

[choneofakind]

Rojo kinda kills tires. Effortlessly.

He might not be the best one to ask about how rear's are holding up, seeing as he likes to run a sweet tire in front, and a crummy IRC roadwinner in rear. He might just be the first person to get even wear on an IRC roadweener.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Rojo kinda kills tires. Effortlessly.

He might not be the best one to ask about how rear's are holding up, seeing as he likes to run a sweet tire in front, and a crummy IRC roadwinner in rear. He might just be the first person to get even wear on an IRC roadweener.

Dude that front Michelin race tire I have on the bike right now has been on its last leg for a couple weeks. I swear the cords should have come through several hundred miles ago but I can still just bearly make out the center tread was and that tire is past 7000 miles

The 140 road winner on the back is doing great, still gripping the asphalt like a mofo and showing very little wear over 4000 miles into its life. I have a good feeling about this one, it may be my first rear tire I can get to go to cords on both sides and center. When I change the front tire here soon ill flip the rear tire again to keep the wear even

As for the PR3's they made it like 6000miles before they got to the cords so they are my longest wearing tire besides OEM. When I first mounted them up I loved them but during the last couple rides I started to lose faith in the front a bit for my more spirited(not your normal level of spirited) rides and when I finally went back to a full race tire I fell in love all over again.

Sure the race front wears fast then the road fronts but I can run them several thousand miles farther then a road front simply because even with the tire bald it still grips and feels great. But ill still mount a PR3 front for our short winter since I ride in the rain when it finds me.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

The 140 road winner on the back is doing great, still gripping the asphalt like a mofo and showing very little wear over 4000 miles into its life. I have a good feeling about this one, it may be my first rear tire I can get to go to cords on both sides and center. When I change the front tire here soon ill flip the rear tire again to keep the wear even

*slowclap*

We finally found a rear that might get as much mileage as a front for Jason. Who'da thunk it'd be an IRC???

[mheitman]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Rojo kinda kills tires. Effortlessly.

He might not be the best one to ask about how rear's are holding up,

thinking just the opposite. He looks like EXACTLY the person to ask about tire life.

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

As for the PR3's they made it like 6000miles before they got to the cords so they are my longest wearing tire besides OEM. When I first mounted them up I loved them but during the last couple rides I started to lose faith in the front a bit for my more spirited(not your normal level of spirited) rides and when I finally went back to a full race tire I fell in love all over again.

Sure the race front wears fast then the road fronts but I can run them several thousand miles farther then a road front simply because even with the tire bald it still grips and feels great. But ill still mount a PR3 front for our short winter since I ride in the rain when it finds me.

Thanks, that's good to know.. I have them on my 919 and so far so good, but it will take me a few seasons to wear them out.

[Ducatidave]

Wow, unbelievable!! I can't believe anyone would even run a sportbike tire with any cords showing. The way I ride, its definitely not worth the consequences. hopefully my friend you are not on the road with this....it only takes one time for that thing to go at the wrong time and your done.....not cool! Cords do not heat up and stick....the rubber does!

[csmith12]

Welcome David!

There are few riders here who are above the normal curve, Rojo is one of them. If he feels he can rock that tire, then just take it at face value as one might have a different risk vs. reward curve than he does.

[Hero Danny]

Thanks for the input

I've been toying with the idea of putting a 150 on my 300, but since I plan on doing some track time with the ol' 300 I don't think I want to attempt anything that could compromise the handling.

....Either way, I want one just not sure if I'll pull the trigger.

[LittleRedNinjette]

I got a 160 for my 300. Yes, i'm nuts. I fully admit it. No track plans at the moment and if i do i'll get track tires anyway. I should have them mounted this weekend.

[Ducatidave]

More like below the curve I think if I'm understanding you right. I have a stock pile of race tires and road tires that will fit his bike that have less then 500 miles on them that I am willing to pay shipping on and give him for free if its a money issue just so as these type tires are not put on the road for his safety and those who will be at the receiving end. I really can't imagine anyone enjoying riding on cords on edge. I would just hate to run him over not if but when the tire lets go in a turn. Just saying......