Looking for new tires for a CB125F

[Silversnek]

I might be a bit stupid here but I'm really struggling to find a tire selection for this bike.

I wanted to see what tires were available and if I could perhaps find some decent 70/30 tires that fit. Since I ride quite a lot on gravel.

The original tire sizes are:

100/80-18

90/90-18

How how can I actually vary this? I see some people are fitting wider tires on their times but I've never understood how much I can actually change tire sizes around. Can I fit a taller tire? A lower one? Is the widt the most important aspect? Or the height? Or both?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Riejufixing]

You'll have to go to the USA for tires, I'm afraid (unless you're already there....). Sorry.

[Silversnek]

[quote="Riejufixing"]You'll have to go to the USA for tires, I'm afraid (unless you're already there....). Sorry.[/quote]

I'm sort of hoping you're joking here, but what tires would you be talking about?

[Nobby the Bastard]

What are 70/30 tyres?
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Silversnek]

[quote="Nobby the Bastard"]What are 70/30 tyres?[/quote]

It's used to describe the road/offroad percentages in Dual Sport and Adventure tires.

100/0 would be a full on-road tire, slicks basically, useless for going off road.

So 70/30 means 70% on road 30% off. Usually meaning it's a good road tire that works quite well on gravel roads.

50/50 means 50% on road, 50% off, Heidenau K-60 Scout falls in to this category. It has a strip down the middle making it quiet to ride on straight and noisy in corners, also increasing wear.

40/60 is about the most offroad type of road-legal tire you can get, the TKC-80 falls in to this category as a barely legal road tire excellent for off-road.

30/70 and you're talking about offroad tires which are illegal to use on public roads.

So when I say 80/20 or 70/30 I'm really just talking about tires which are suited for mostly road usage with a little bit of gravel roads thrown in. =) I have some absolutely excellent gravel roads near where I live though so wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to go on those.

[Nobby the Bastard]

And you really think a cb125 could do tyres like that justice? I used to rag my rg125 with ching shin tyres round quarries with no issues.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Riejufixing]

[Silversnek]

[quote="Nobby the Bastard"]And you really think a cb125 could do tyres like that justice? I used to rag my rg125 with ching shin tyres round quarries with no issues.[/quote]

Don't really have to, I just want to get some decent tires to get used to offroad riding. I'd rather put some nice tires on a CB125F and let it rip rather than trying to learn to ride gravel roads on a 200+ kg adventure bike.

[Riejufixing]

I think it's really an "either or". If it's just gravel, then something just fairly blocky looking like a Heidenau K76 would suit (whatever looks like this in your size). However, you won't get the best road or offroad from any dual-purpose tyre. I think "70/30" is entirely a misnomer. You could ride 30% of your time on "gravel" on road tyres, they just would not be "off road" miles", if you see what I mean, but some compromise.

[Silversnek]

[quote="Riejufixing"]I think it's really an "either or". If it's just [i]gravel[/i], then something just fairly blocky looking [i]like[/i] a Heidenau K76 would suit (whatever looks like this in your size). However, you won't get the best road or offroad from any dual-purpose tyre. I think "70/30" is entirely a misnomer. You could ride 30% of your time on "gravel" on road tyres, they just would not be "off road" miles", if you see what I mean, but some compromise.[/quote]

It's more about finding a tire "suitable" for someone who wants to ride 70% on the road 30% off as opposed to 70/30 tires being the only ones that work.

Anyhow, as far as I could see the K76's don't come in 18" size.

But I appear to have found what I was looking for in the Michelin City Pro's which have enough of a thread pattern for me to think I would be comfortable with them on some light offroading and wet surfaces.

[Riejufixing]

[Nobby the Bastard]

Your looking for something that doesn't exist. For the 10 minutes you'd spend shitting yourself before you drop your really light bike you'd have compromised its handling 9n the road.where it actually matters.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Silversnek]

[quote="Riejufixing"]
They have a similar nice-lookinhg "blocky" pattern.[/quote]

They do, they appear to have just enough blockyness for me to trust them on gravel roads.

[quote="Riejufixing"]
When you've tried them, send a review in (copy it here)!.[/quote]

I will if I remember :) But I probably wont.

That said I found them on a reddit post regarding the CB125F and they seem to be the preferred tires for the bike based on the replies there. Seemed be universally agreed as the best all-round tire.

And when the only competition are the much slicker Pirelli City Demon or Continental ContiGo, then that doesn't surprise me even for a second. :p

[Riejufixing]