BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Will 150 wide tire fit our rim or is it too narrow, what are we limited to as far as more aggressive tire choices for r1150r? I love the bike otherwise I have put 2000 miles in past month and a half.

You get a 150 tyre on a 5.5" rim I'm afraid!!

There ARE some 180/70/17 adventures tyres - not quite as good as proper off-road tyres, but good "dual-purpose" tyres.

The only one i've so far used is the Pirelli Scorpion Sync - pretty good actually.

I ran a couple of sets of Avon Distanzia on my R. Front was good and correct size. Rear was a 160 instead of the usual 170 as I recall. Only other one available at the time was the Scorpion. I liked the Avon, but it did wear fast on long highway use. Tended to get too hot with the bigger blocks and go soft. Much more stable than street tyres on the dirt. Good wet weather grip, and no noticeable handling issues in the dry.

I gave up using my R on dirt as It was too vulnerable to flicked stones and dirt from the front end, even with a mudflap. Started picking up lots of stone chips, and it would have been a sight with those big oil coolers if I had ever slipped over on the dirt. Too much to break. It also seemed to collect a lot of small stones in the alternator belt via the vent holes. I chewed up two belts, so carry a spare. I eventually gave up and went to an R1150GS/Adv.

Thank you guys for a prompt reply i posted similar on ADV and someone suggested Distanzas I think ill heed the advice and try a set

MIXR wrote:I ran a couple of sets of Avon Distanzia on my R. Front was good and correct size. Rear was a 160 instead of the usual 170 as I recall. Only other one available at the time was the Scorpion. I liked the Avon, but it did wear fast on long highway use. Tended to get too hot with the bigger blocks and go soft. Much more stable than street tyres on the dirt. Good wet weather grip, and no noticeable handling issues in the dry.

I gave up using my R on dirt as It was too vulnerable to flicked stones and dirt from the front end, even with a mudflap. Started picking up lots of stone chips, and it would have been a sight with those big oil coolers if I had ever slipped over on the dirt. Too much to break. It also seemed to collect a lot of small stones in the alternator belt via the vent holes. I chewed up two belts, so carry a spare. I eventually gave up and went to an R1150GS/Adv.

Oddly - the oil-coolers on the 1150R aren't that vulnerable. My Rockster went over a couple of times when I went off-roading with it and I had no problems at all.

I am going to do some research and see if I can't find a car tire that will fit the wheel. I put one on my Goldwing & I am lov'in it, great ride, handles wonderful, & hope to double/triple the miles, & costs less. I have noticed a few of the Harley guys running them, Gold-wingers have for sometime, & rode with a FJR with a c/t on the rear,

Michelin Alpin PA3 R/F
195/55/16


A nice fit.


I knew in one block it was a good decision, the Wing always was a nice ride, but with this tire it is incredible
for both rider & Passenger.

A car tire?! Saw this guy a couple years ago, could not believe my eyes:



Sure enough, a car tire, square profile, no ability to manage the contact patch of a two- wheeled vehicle under any type of cornering physics. Use at your own risk. Or strictly within the planar confines if grid-defined Midwest. Or under non-countersteering sidecar/hack conditions. Ouch.

As to the OP: had good luck with Pirelli Scorpion Syncs in 120 and 180 tire sizes, but the 17" front wheel will never yield the sure-footedness of a larger ADV wheel/tire combination, particularly in loose gravel. You're in a pinch to find 170 rear with suitable ADV-worthy tread pattern. Good luck, let us know what works. FWIW, I've got a spare tire set of the Syncs ready for some ADV journey in the unknow. The rear will square-off under highway conditions, but the front is solid, handled a trackday a few years back when I had such tires on my Buell.

Distanzas are coming in this Wednesday ill let you guys know how it works out. The trip is about 3k with about 300-400 of seasonal roads.

Car tyres are a big no-no! Maybe OK if there are NO bends in ANY road that you ride
but the sidewalls aren't flexible enough and if you lean it on a curve in the rain you'd
better hope there isn't a ditch/mountainside/wall/sheer drop/oncoming traffic to
slide into!!

I agree with OJ....unless you plan on riding in a straight line for the life of the tire....I don't care how much "cheaper" the tire is...it's not worth it.

Amazingly, TKC 80s are available in a 120/70 front and 180/55 rear. Maybe if your next trip has an even higher number of off-road miles

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/w ... 80_en.html

Grey Thumper wrote:Amazingly, TKC 80s are available in a 120/70 front and 180/55 rear. Maybe if your next trip has an even higher number of off-road miles

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/w ... 80_en.html

They're supposed to be one of the best on/off road tyres as well.

Look like they'd be pretty bloody rumbley on road though!

I'd be very worried riding on a car tire; it's not designed to be on a two wheeled machine.
Please don't ride down the roads I ride on with that thing.
Accident waiting to happen......and you might consider how your insurance is going to handle your case when they discover you were using an inappropriate tire on your bike. And when you go down and take someone out with you, well, don't expect to win the suit.

Get a GS, and car tires are for cars.