99 valk.interstate trike front tire ?

[Bad On 3]

i have a interstate trike and  was thinkin of putin a car tire on the front   dont know what size ? dont know if this is a good idea or not --hear that it works good on a trike more rubber on the road --any imput would be great ---had a 2002 wing trike and ran a rear tire backwards and it lasted alot longer than a front tire would --thanks

[old grouch]

I have a 99 I/S trike as well and had the same thought.  Only CTs I could find in 17" that MIGHT fit were for antique cars.  I say might, because they were sized in the old, pre-radial format,  (6.50-7.00 17)  and I don't remeber how to translate that stuff anymore.  Don't remember the websites now, but they were bias and pricey!  Try Googling "antique car tires"  No clue as to mileage either.  Also just replaced my front, and the last few thousand miles on the old one were MUCH more work to steer, as the tread got flatter.  It was a BT021 rear, radial, reverse mounted.  100% easier to steer as soon as the new one was on.  Not so sure I think a CT up there is a good idea any more, but will re-evaluate when this one (Michelin Macadam 50 bias rear, reverse mounted) gets down to the flattened stage.  Could be a CT would not increase the steering effort since it is designed to have a flat tread.  Hope this helps.  Stan

[tank_post142]

you might want to look at a vtx1800 frt fender. they are much "squarer"  and would probably allow for a car tire up frt.

[Ricky-D]

On a trike, the front tire pushes as you make turns. No leaning as we normally expect on a motorcycle so the more rubber on the front, the better.

My friends on trikes have stopped using "front motorcycle tires" since they were them out so quickly and now are using "rear motorcycle tires".

I have experienced the force requirement needed to run a trike through the turns and it is substantial!

I am not sure the tire profile has much bearing on the force needed to turn a trike, so commenting on the pro's and con's of this, I cannot do.

***

[Bad On 3]

THANKS  i ran a mich. m50 rear tire on my 2002 wing trike and rev. it and i put on 16000 miles and sold it and talked to the man that bought it and the tire is still on it with 22000 on that tire --i think i will go to the m50 again if it lasted that long a dont think i could do any better -- just thought a car tire would be flater with more rubber on the road --a normal front tire only lasted about 9000 miles   till i needed to replace it ---thanks again for all the boards help   RIDE SAFE !!

[Chiefy]

All the trike manuf say no car tire in front.  But they don't say why.  When you steer a trike, the front wheel goes at an angle, and the tire will start going to its' sidewall some.  My guess is that a flat tire out there is really going to fight back when you want to turn.  The forces to steer up front are different then pushing from the back.  So I don't imagine any darkside facts are going to apply to the front.

Steel belted radial tire sidewalls are too mushy, use bias ply.  Most trikers (as you know) use a rear motorcycle tire in front, reversed rotation.  Several reasons.  The rear tire has thicker tread, so lasts a lot longer.  You reverse them because the tread is applied to the tire using a splice that is glued together at an angle.  Since the front force is all braking, and the rear force is mostly driving, the splice could tear apart in front if mounted forward, and you brake heavily.  Admittedly, I've never heard of that happening, but almost all trikers swear by it, and AVON TYRES specifically says to reverse the rear tires when put in front.  The other reason you use the tire reversed is rain.  If it were mounted forward, it would channel all the rain water out to the rear and side, right under your rear tires causing hydroplaning.  Reversed, it channels the water in, and away from the back.   Of course, the next question is doesn't that cause the front to hydroplane?  Mine doesn't, and haven't met a triker yet that complained of it.

[old grouch]

Chiefy - sounds like you got it right.  Especially the part about the flat tread fighting back.