A little Lean Angle fun

rjsjota · Nov 9, 2019

Claviger said:
I was under the pression 440s would not be serviced by Progressive any longer, if they do still, that's great for owners of them.

Hopefully going to a 200mm rear tire will let me track around corners faster with less angle required.

Claviger, at the risk of hijacking this thread, I have to respond to your "200mm rear tire" comment.

I LOVE the 200mm rear tire on my R3R. Bridgestone Battlax BT020 200/60R16, the second one I've fitted. The first one lasted 9,500 miles and the bike's handling stayed excellent to the end. So much nicer steering than any 240 tire.

Before that I fitted a Bridgestone Exedra Max 200/60R16. That only lasted 7,500 miles, showed a lot of tread scalloping, and the bike's handling deteriorated towards the end. I don't think it liked being stretched onto the 7.5" rim. Before that I used an Exedra Max 240/55R16. Handling definitely got worse after some wear and miles. Not impressed with the Max.

LOVE the BT020.

barbagris · Nov 9, 2019

rjsjota said:
I LOVE the 200mm rear tire on my R3R. Bridgestone Battlax BT020 200/60R16, the second one I've fitted. The first one lasted 9,500 miles and the bike's handling stayed excellent to the end. So much nicer steering than any 240 tire.

Pictures please!

Claviger · Nov 9, 2019

Mark Johnson said:
Can anyone tell me what the stock UK Rocket III Roadsters horsepower and torque is vs. the USA version? I would like facts if anyone has them. I hear stories of how the U.S. version is so detuned and choked down from the homeland version. Or can you point me to a thread that already addresses the differences? Or are the stories BS or fact? I'm just trying to learn as much truth about them as I can, in order not to spread the B.S. I've been hearing and reading. Thank you

rjsjota said:
Claviger, at the risk of hijacking this thread, I have to respond to your "200mm rear tire" comment.

I LOVE the 200mm rear tire on my R3R. Bridgestone Battlax BT020 200/60R16, the second one I've fitted. The first one lasted 9,500 miles and the bike's handling stayed excellent to the end. So much nicer steering than any 240 tire.

Before that I fitted a Bridgestone Exedra Max 200/60R16. That only lasted 7,500 miles, showed a lot of tread scalloping, and the bike's handling deteriorated towards the end. I don't think it liked being stretched onto the 7.5" rim. Before that I used an Exedra Max 240/55R16. Handling definitely got worse after some wear and miles. Not impressed with the Max.

LOVE the BT020.

Exactly the result I expect! Glad someone else has been silly enough to stretch a 200 on a 7.5" rim haha. The BT020 seems to be perfectly matched to my intent, it's high silica content, dual compound, and light weight. It also happens to be inexpensive My one and only concern with a 200 vs 240 is high power drive off corners, the footprint will be smaller on the 200, so I am a little worried I'll eat the area where the compound transitions from hard to soft quickly, that area is what got demolished on the MAX.

I can attest to the 240 max still gripping quite well, mine got flogged pretty hard when heavily worn, it grips, you just have to trust it. The 200 stretched may compromise the design of the MAX, for sure.

Ishrub · Nov 9, 2019

rjsjota said:
Claviger, at the risk of hijacking this thread, I have to respond to your "200mm rear tire" comment.

I LOVE the 200mm rear tire on my R3R. Bridgestone Battlax BT020 200/60R16, the second one I've fitted. The first one lasted 9,500 miles and the bike's handling stayed excellent to the end. So much nicer steering than any 240 tire.

Before that I fitted a Bridgestone Exedra Max 200/60R16. That only lasted 7,500 miles, showed a lot of tread scalloping, and the bike's handling deteriorated towards the end. I don't think it liked being stretched onto the 7.5" rim. Before that I used an Exedra Max 240/55R16. Handling definitely got worse after some wear and miles. Not impressed with the Max.

LOVE the BT020.

BATTLAX BT-020 RADIAL | Products | Motorcycle Tires | Bridgestone Corporation

TIRE SIZE REC. RIM (inch) APPR. RIM (inch) OD (mm) TW (mm)
200/60 R16M/C 79V TL 6.00 5.50 - 6.25 650 206

Wow, way over spec fitting to a to 7.5" rim!
And rated Load spec is DOWN 17.5% from 240 Exedra Max too! 79 (437Kg) vs 86 (530Kg)

The Battleaxe BT-20 is gone from latest product listing. The new replacement BT-23 does not go up to 200 width now BATTLAX | BATTLAX BT-023 SPORT TOURING | Motorcycle Tires | Bridgestone Corporation

240/50-R16 vs 200/60-R16 Tire Comparison - Tire Size Calculator | Tacoma World
Perfect rolling circumference match to stock though if fitted on correct rim width.
But I do not think it would be so when stretched on a much too wide rim.

240/50-16 200/60-16 Difference
Diameter inches (mm) 25.45 (646.4) 25.45 (646.4) 0 (0) 0%
Width inches (mm) 9.45 (240) 7.87 (200) -1.57 (-40) -16.7%
Circum. inches (mm) 79.95 (2030.73) 79.95 (2030.73) 0 (0) 0%
Sidewall Height inches (mm) 4.72 (120) 4.72 (120) 0 (0) 0%
Revolutions per mile (km) 792.5 (492.43) 792.5 (492.43) 0 (0) 0%

EXEDRA MAX | EXEDRA MAX (Radial) | Motorcycle Tires | Bridgestone Corporation
Exedra Max Radial specs
Tire Size Standard Rim(inch) Appr. Rim(inch) OD(mm) TW(mm)
200/60R16 M/C 79V TL 5.50 5.50～6.25 647 200

240/55R16 M/C 86V TL 8.00 7.00～8.00 675 243

Claviger · Nov 9, 2019

The BT020 is not gone here, they're still for sale on every site I check in the US.

The load rating capacity is an utter not concern, my bike exerts 345 pounds, not kilos, on the rear tire at rest, add me to the bike and that goes up to 455 pounds on the rear tire, WELL under the load rating. The Goldwing only uses a 77 rated tire OEM, and its a motor home. The 86V rating or 87V rating on the tires we use is sheerly a factor of the dimensions, not because the bike needs that much capacity.

The E Max is only rated to 149 MPH, mines been over that probably 100-200 times now. I didn't die

Ishrub · Nov 9, 2019

Oops thanks Claviger I checked my post and had an incorrect 200 BT020 size posted for 17".

Now fixing with a BIG edit.

rjsjota · Nov 22, 2019

barbagris said:
Pictures please!

After some delay, here are pictures. They were taken in the parking lot at work, apologies for the road salt and dirt.

Front tire: 150/70ZR17 Michelin Road 5.
Rear tire: 200/60R16 Bridgestone Battlax BT020.

Bridgestone BT020 data reports 200/60 installed width = 8.10in (206mm) on 6.00in measuring rim.

Here are some measured dimensions when stretched onto the Rocket's 7.50in (nominal width) rear rim (mine actually measures 7.45in) -->

Bridgestone BT020 200/60R16:
Tread width = 8.38in (213mm)
Sidewall width = 8.53in (217mm)
Circumference = 80.0in (this is not affected by changes in rim width).

For comparison...

Bridgestone Exedra Max 200/60R16 on the same rim:
Tread width = 8.15in (207mm)
Sidewall width = 8.45in (215mm)
Circumference = 80.0in.

Metzeler ME880 Marathon 240/50R16 on the same rim:
Tread width = 9.10in (231mm)
Sidewall width = less than 9.10in (not measured)
Circumference = 80.6in.

Tripps · Nov 22, 2019

I tried running a 200 on the rear of my Touring, which takes a 180, looking for more traction on take-off. The biggest thing I noticed was slower steering, you could actually feel that it took longer to roll from say left to right, so I imagine a very large difference in response going from a 240 to 200. I went back to 180 on the Chrome I just bought, I figured I do a lot more curves than hole shots, as we used to call them.

Claviger · Nov 22, 2019

rjsjota said:
After some delay, here are pictures. They were taken in the parking lot at work, apologies for the road salt and dirt.

Front tire: 150/70ZR17 Michelin Road 5.
Rear tire: 200/60R16 Bridgestone Battlax BT020.

Bridgestone BT020 data reports 200/60 installed width = 8.10in (206mm) on 6.00in measuring rim.

Here are some measured dimensions when stretched onto the Rocket's 7.50in (nominal width) rear rim (mine actually measures 7.45in) -->

Bridgestone BT020 200/60R16:
Tread width = 8.38in (213mm)
Sidewall width = 8.53in (217mm)
Circumference = 80.0in (this is not affected by changes in rim width).

For comparison...

Bridgestone Exedra Max 200/60R16 on the same rim:
Tread width = 8.15in (207mm)
Sidewall width = 8.45in (215mm)
Circumference = 80.0in.

Metzeler ME880 Marathon 240/50R16 on the same rim:
Tread width = 9.10in (231mm)
Sidewall width = less than 9.10in (not measured)
Circumference = 80.6in.

Thanks for posting all that and taking the time to measure!

Looking at the BT020, it is a little on the wider side for a 200/R16, which is great. Also reported to have a very stiff sidewall, something I prefer on the rear.

Will definitely be doing the change to a 200, bikes going to feel quite different for 2020!!

Sort of funny, many VN2000 guys want to run our stock size, and some of us are going to their stock tire (the BT020 200/60R16).

Idaho Red Rocket 3 · Nov 22, 2019

Interesting to see a 200 on a Roadster/Standard. I always though it could be a much better size on the rear for cornering. Looks like we are about to find out.

A little Lean Angle fun

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