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What is the benefit of a 190 over a 180?

I've had both the 190 and 180, and I have to say that the 180 allows me to steer quicker into a turn faster than the 190.

180/55 street and track, thats how I roll :ride
 
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On a 5.5x17" rim that normally comes stock with a 180/55/17 tire...

180/55/17 :thumbup

190/50/17 :thumbdown (The low profile short sidewall height really needs a 6.0x17" rim for a proper fit)

190/55/17 :thumbup

190/60/17 :thumbup

Folks will banter how they're happily running a 190 on a 5.5x17 rim but the often omitted key is which 190 they're talking about.
 
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Notice ,given equal lean angle on the rear tire. The narrower rear tire, the front tire leans a set amount. A wider rear tire, the front tire leans more then the set amount.
Experience with a standard 120 front tires. Different bikes that used 160 rear - 200 rear. 190 120 combination zero chicken strip on rear and front. 160 120 combination zero chicken strip on rear, few inches of chicken strip on front. 180 120 combination zero chicken strip on rear 1/2 inch chicken strip on front. Seems the 190 is a match with a 120 to lean at same amount.
 
kyles here said:
the AMA also doesnt run 190/50 or 55s though and i believe dunlop makes a 190 for a 5.5" rim
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the AMA guys, on dunlops, DO RUN a 190/55-17. the 190/55-17 that dunlop makes, either the d211gp or the d209gpa, fit a 5.5~6.0" rim.
 
at first i was a contact patch whore, so i went with the 190/60 on my 600 so i could get maximum contact patch leaned over. i even went as far as the 195/70 on the stock 5.5"

but once i got comfortable with the throttle and suspension was money, i went back to the 180/55. It gives you more drive because the 600, short of adding 50 hp, just ain't enough bike for the 195/70.

the 180/55:
transitions side to side the fastest
more stable braking
a little squirly leaned over
fastest drive when getting on the gas
 
nope, pirelli runs a 55 profile as well. in the 05 & 06 season dunlop riders ran a 190/60-17, but then in late 06 dunlop had their 190/55-17 ready and everybody switched. this is all for DOT tires, slicks come in several profiles.
 
Junkie said:
of course, these are just the numbers the manufacturers give. Doesn't mean that's how big the tires actually are.

But yeah, a 190/55 has a similar shape to a 180/55 but is wider, whereas a 190/50 tends to be a lot flatter so it doesn't offer as large of a contact patch when leaned over.
Click to expand...

So a 190/50 would be better for tracks with long straits and more obtuse turns rather than a track with many acute turns?

and vise versa for a 190/55 ?


luckett said:
10mm difference in width. You'll never notice the difference at anything less than 10/10ths. Get the cheap one and with the money you save, buy me a beer.
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Would you say a b-paced rider would not be able to ride a 190/55 to is full design potential?

RcrBoy said:
Also there is another thing to think about in regardes to handling in a 190 vs a 180 tire besides the size and aspect ratio. The tire profile is a factor too. More trianglated vs rounded profile. Tread design too if you want to count street tires................


:loco Mark :loco
Click to expand...

What is a good example of triangulated profile ? rounded profile?

What about tread design?

elskipador said:
the supersport guys, in the AMA, have been running the 190 on 5.5" rims since 2004.
Click to expand...

what is the ideal rim size to run a 190? why?

is there a pro or con for running a 5.5" vs a 6"

supertireguy said:
On a 5.5x17" rim that normally comes stock with a 180/55/17 tire...

180/55/17 :thumbup

190/50/17 :thumbdown

190/55/17 :thumbup

190/60/17 :thumbup

Folks will banter how they're happily running a 190 on a 5.5x17 rim but the often omitted key is which 190 they're talking about.
Click to expand...

why does the 190/50 get the :thumbdown ?
 
elskipador said:
nope, pirelli runs a 55 profile as well. in the 05 & 06 season dunlop riders ran a 190/60-17, but then in late 06 dunlop had their 190/55-17 ready and everybody switched. this is all for DOT tires, slicks come in several profiles.
Click to expand...

what are the advantages of them switching from 190/60's to a 190/55's?
 
Espionage101 said:
So a 190/50 would be better for tracks with long straits and more obtuse turns rather than a track with many acute turns?
Click to expand...
for track use you want the 55. the only time a 50 might be better is at a drag strip... when was the last time you spun up the rear once you stood the bike up?
 
Junkie said:
for track use you want the 55. the only time a 50 might be better is at a drag strip... when was the last time you spun up the rear once you stood the bike up?
Click to expand...

Why do so many company's manufacture 190/50's if 190/55 is more useful?

When completely stood up? never have i spun the rear completely stood up.
 
elskipador said:
the AMA guys, on dunlops, DO RUN a 190/55-17. the 190/55-17 that dunlop makes, either the d211gp or the d209gpa, fit a 5.5~6.0" rim.
Click to expand...

Which reminds me...the 190/55 you recommended for my '03 636, handles just fine on the track. :thumbup
 
Espionage101 said:
Why do so many company's manufacture 190/50's if 190/55 is more useful?

When completely stood up? never have i spun the rear completely stood up.
Click to expand...

same reason they make 120/60 when a 70 is more useful. its cheaper and about 80% of riders are using it to its capabilities and then you get those that total the bike in 2 months
 
Espionage101 said:
What is a good example of triangulated profile ? rounded profile?

What about tread design?
Click to expand...

I'll keep it basic:

Triangulated profiles have a quicker turn in than a more rounded profile.

The tire with more tread vs a more slick type tire (less grooves) tends to move around a bit more. (Not something you're likely to feel on the street if you want to live long :( )


:loco Mark :loco
 
Quick question for all the physics majors here who think wider tire = bigger contact patch...

At 30 psi, with a bike that has say (I'll use a nice round number to make it easy) 300lbs load on the back wheel, how big is the contact patch...

With a 180
With a 190
With a 140???

I'll give you a clue.

It's not the size it's the shape that affects lateral grip. And that means you lose out in other ways (like, stability, ability to rotate, etc. etc.)
 
Joebar4000 said:
Quick question for all the physics majors here who think wider tire = bigger contact patch...

At 30 psi, with a bike that has say (I'll use a nice round number to make it easy) 300lbs load on the back wheel, how big is the contact patch...

With a 180
With a 190
With a 140???

I'll give you a clue.

It's not the size it's the shape that affects lateral grip. And that means you lose out in other ways (like, stability, ability to rotate, etc. etc.)
Click to expand...
30psi is the air pressure. The tire carcass itself provides quite a bit of stiffness, it's not a balloon.
 
Espionage101 said:
what are the advantages of them switching from 190/60's to a 190/55's?
Click to expand...
mostly, its easier to set the bike up with the 55 profile, than the 60, especially if it has a very short shock, like some years r6's.
 
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