What is the rear wheel width on 1600 Nomads?

[claybuster]

Specs online didn't show wheel width anywhere. Even Kawasaki Customer Support couldn't answer this question.
Is the size stamped anywhere on the rear wheel?

The reason I'm asking is I just ordered Dunlop Elite 3 tires in bias ply, 160/80HB-16 for the rear. The recommended wheel width is 3.5" wide for the 160/80-16. I called Dunlop and spoke to their tech dept. and they said 3.5"- 4.5" is acceptable for the 160/80HB-16 bias tire. I'm wondering if our rear wheel is wider then 4.5" the measurement is taken on the inside edges where the bead sits against the wheel.

Thanks.

[VulcanE]

Claybuster, The 1600 rear wheel width is 4.5"

[claybuster]

Originally Posted by VulcanE

Claybuster, The 1600 rear wheel width is 4.5"

Thanks VulcanE.
Have you measured it or is it stamped somewhere on the wheel or hub?

[ringadingh]

The 1500 rear wheel width is 3.5"

[watchman]

The 160/80HB-16 is what we are using. We have the Dunlop Elite 3 on Liz's bike and I have an Avon Venon on mine in the same size.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by claybuster

Specs online didn't show wheel width anywhere. Even Kawasaki Customer Support couldn't answer this question.
Is the size stamped anywhere on the rear wheel?

The reason I'm asking is I just ordered Dunlop Elite 3 tires in bias ply, 160/80HB-16 for the rear. The recommended wheel width is 3.5" wide for the 160/80-16. I called Dunlop and spoke to their tech dept. and they said 3.5"- 4.5" is acceptable for the 160/80HB-16 bias tire. I'm wondering if our rear wheel is wider then 4.5" the measurement is taken on the inside edges where the bead sits against the wheel.

Thanks.

I have to say I'm curious...why a 160, when most upsize to a 180 from the stock 170 width?

[claybuster]

Originally Posted by Ringadingh

The 1500 rear wheel width is 3.5"

Yes, the 1500 Nomad is 3.5" I saw that on Dunlops website but they don't show the size of the 1600. I know the 1600 Nomad rear wheel is wider then the 1500 Nomad rear wheel.

[claybuster]

Originally Posted by watchman

The 160/80HB-16 is what we are using. We have the Dunlop Elite 3 on Liz's bike and I have an Avon Venon on mine in the same size.

Is your 160/80HB-16 on a 1500 or 1600 Nomad? How do you like it?

Thanks for your reply.

[claybuster]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

I have to say I'm curious...why a 160, when most upsize to a 180 from the stock 170 width?

That's a good question Cactusjack. I expect a lot of comments from you guys that mounted car tires. LOL


The reason I ordered the Dunlop Elite 3, 160/80HB-16 in bias vs going up in size to a 180/70R-16 radial replacement for our stock Bridgestones is mentioned below. This was my reply to a fellow Delphi Forum member that was looking to replace his first set of tires on his 1600 Nomad,.

94327.20 in reply to 94327.1 (my post from the Delphi Kawasaki Vulcan Forum)

I've listened to a hundreds of comments over the last 3 years about every tire size and brand for our Nomads. I've also read the reviews on this forum and many other websites and Forums. The guy with probably the most experience as far as our Nomads go is our own forum member 'HiwayNomad' (Dave). Dave told me last summer when we were at Maggie Valley the best tire he has found so far for his 2006 Nomad was the Dunlop Elite 3's in bias ply. Dave has tried all the other popular sworn by brands. When he had the radial Elite 3, 180/70-16 on the rear he did not get the high mileage out of the larger sized radial as he did with the narrower 160/80HB-16 bias tire on the rear. He was also running the Elite 3 bias 150/80H-16 on the front.

One interesting point Dave mentioned to me was the 160 width rear tire is actually sized correctly for the width of the 1600 Nomad rear wheel where as the stock 170 wide Bridgestone is really alittle too wide for our rear wheel even though that is what comes stock from Kawasaki. Because of the extra width of the replacement 180 wide that alot of the guys choose vs the 160 wide it causes the 180 to bulge out even more on the sidewalls which could be contributing to less mileage and faster wear. When Dave explained this to me, it sounded logical and based on Dave's tire experiences on his 2006 Nomad I just ordered both bias Elite 3's for my 2007 nomad. Motorcycle Superstore had the best online price when you consider the shipping is free. Dennis Kirk is 5 dollars lower but you pay $5.00 per tire shipping and the total still work out the same from both vendors.

Total cost to your door is $257.98

The Elite 3 bias 150/80H-16 front is $106.99. The Elite 3 bias 160/80HB-16 rear is $150.99 This is the same tire recommended for the 1500 Goldwing and the weight rating of the 160/80HB-16 and also the tread depth is greater then that of the 180/70R-16.

Interesting isn't it? Check out Dunlop's website to see what I mean. The 180 wide tire shows wheel width of 5 inches is recommended.

Mine will probably arrive this Saturday

Hope this helps.

Maybe Dave, (HiwayNomad) will see this post and add more comments.

BTW.
Dave mostly rides 2 up and he had somewhere around 21,000 miles on his front Elite 3 bias, 150/80B-16 and over 18,000 on his Elite 3 bias 160/80 HB-16 rear tire.

[cactusjack]

Okay, I'll buy that explanation. I'll be curious to see what kind of life you get out of them.

I wasn't trying to turn this into a car tire vs motorcycle tire thing, I just wondered what your reasoning was in going smaller when practically everyone else goes wider. Nothing wrong with going "against the grain", so to speak.

[trosco]

CJ & Clay; I have a E-3 160/80 sitting in the garage waiting to go on rear of my 07, if the stone on rear would ever wear out. This is the 2nd stone on rear that has gone 13K for me and still wasn't worn to wear bar. But I will change before spring so that I don't have to deal with it when on the road. Got 23K out of orig front stone but stones lasting a long time, well that is a whole nother story.....
Clay I am with you; we are switching to the LARGEST motorcycle tire you can get for a 07 Nomad that is compatable with our rear wheel. The 160/80 is bigger than the 180/70. And a 160 series tire on a 4.5 inch width wheel has a larger contact patch than a 180 series on the same wheel. That because of the eccentric profile of a motorcyle tire.
CJ, I am still headed to a CT. I don't beleive that an eccentric tread pattern is necessary on our motorcycle and the kind of riding that their design allows us to do. I believe that I will go with a van type tire in the 175 series when I do so that I get the re-inforced side wall and bead (in the 6-8 ply van and truck tires) that our motorcycles need and still have a tire whose width mates well with my wheel so that I can get the traction (braking) and tread wear that is available from the non-eccentric (flat) profile of a car tire.

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by claybuster

Thanks VulcanE.
Have you measured it or is it stamped somewhere on the wheel or hub?

Clay, I don't remember where, but I read it in a service bulletin. On the 1600s, the rear is 4.5", and the front is 3.5".

[claybuster]

Originally Posted by VulcanE

Clay, I don't remember where, but I read it in a service bulletin. On the 1600s, the rear is 4.5", and the front is 3.5".

OK Thanks.
When I called Dunlop customer infomation today, The Rep I spoke to told me the optimum wheel width for 160/80 tires would be 3.75" wide but 3.5"- 4.5" is acceptable. He also said the optimum wheel width for the 180/70 tire is 5" wide but 5.5" is acceptable.

[Yellow Jacket]

The Kawasaki Service Manual for the 1600 states in the General Specifications on page 1-11:

Rim Size:

Front - 16 X 3.00
Rear - 16 X 4.50

[watchman]

Liz (no-mad-Liz) and I both ride 08 1600 Nomads. But that is the same tire we used on her 1500 Nomad when she had it.