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Unable to find Road 5's in Stock Tire Size. Are 120's ok?

4K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  BMHS 
#1 ·
Been waiting for Revzilla and other online sellers to get the recommended front tire size (110/70 R17) back in stock, but after 2 months of waiting, i'm doubtful it will happen before the ride season is over.

Looking at their site though, and i see they have the following front tires in stock.
120/60 R17
120/70 R17

Would I encounter any issues using either of these?
And if I did go the 120 route, which size would be the better option?

Also,
They have the recommended rear size in stock (150/60 R17)
But if I go with 120's in the front, should i stick with stock size in the rear?
Or should i go with a different size in the rear to help offset whatever difference the 120's on the front will make?
 
#3 · (Edited)
One thing you need to be aware of is the change in ride height when fitting the 120 tyres. Incase you dont already know the 70 and 60 refers to the aspect ratio. It expresses the height to width ratio as a percent. A 70 aspect ratio means the tire's cross sectional height is 70% of it's width.

So... The 110/70 stock tyre has a profile height of 77mm. If you fit a 120/70 you will raise that profile to 84mm and conversely if you fit a 120/60 you will lower the profile to 72mm.
So if you want quicker handling go with the 120/60 but you will get a slightly harsher ride with the shorter side walls as they flex and absorb less.

Our 'ol mate SDSS would do a geometry change correction when fitting non OEM tyre sizes but that's a whole other story... 😄
 
#6 ·
If you got the ABS, there is the possibility of throwing a code. Well, there's only one way to find out.

PS, the Bridgestone S22's are readily available in stock size. Awesome tires for the street.
 
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#8 ·
Guys,
I had a long discussion with a senior customer service rep at Michelin. I have Road 5's on my Z900RS Café, and I love them. Michelin has not built any Road 5's for a while and in the short term, none are planned, in our sizes. They will be available before the spring. The part numbers for the tires are front - 02018, rear - 39184. I did find a rear at Chaparral Motorsports in LA, $198.00, free shipping. I'm still looking for a front.
Brian S
 
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