Sorry same old questions

[Mitchv60]

Morning chaps I have a few questions for the collective knowledge.
I'll apologise now because I know they have for the most part been covered a thousand times but I just need to make sure I've got them right in my tiny brain.

I'm just looking to buy a new set of Avon Roadriders for the new wheels I'm having built,but need clarification on the sizes.The front is obviously a 3.25x19 but I can't find an old style measurement for the rear.Is the 110x90x18 the best to go for the nearest match?

I've been looking for a new chain and sprocket.The stock is obviously a non o-ring 530 and but I would like to fit an o-ring chain.I have read that the 525 o-ring is to wide and saws into the caseing,does anyone know if a 520 o-ring would do the same or would it be ok.

The sprocket nuts have the security tabs to stop them coming loose but are these really necessary,I've never seen these on any modern bikes.I was thinking of changing the nuts to nylocs do you think this would be ok or is there some quirck on the early bikes that would cause them to spin off?

[matthewmosse]

My bikes use nylocks for rear sprockett, I've had good and long service off std DID branded chain and sprockett kits of the non O ring type, not sure of the measurements, just ordered a std kit of DID brand from D Silvers, only used 2 new ones up and a few part worns bought off ebay, I got a lot of miles out of them (took the bike from 65000, right round the clock and back again.) That was tugging a sidecar too. I ran std gearing and sprockett kits though it came with a smaller rear sprockett that was good fun - especially the ability to set it sideways by opening the throttle into corners and drifting! 4.00 18 is stock rear size. Avon sm mk11 I found to be excellent in all weathers and lasted well, both for solo and sidecar and also on my bmw fully faired and luggaged tourer (solo)

[SteveD CB500K0]

Convert tyre sizes by dividing by 25.4 (ie the number of mm in an inch)

In your case, a 110/90 metric size is the equivalent of (110/25.4) = 4.33 inches: closer to the old 425/85 rear sizes we used.

A closer match would be a 90/90 which is 3.54 inches wide.

HTH

[Bryanj]

use 530 HD chain and there is not room for standard nylocs on a 500/550

[Mitchv60]

The standard rims are only 1.85 in section, fitting 410 front and 425 rear resulted in tyre wall flex because the rim was too narrow to support such wide section tyres. Best to stay with 360 front and 410 rear or the metric equivalent. It was one of the reasons I binned the spoke rims and fitted Lester alloys as they were 210 in width and could support the 410 and 425 tyres whcih I preferred.

I'm not fitting 410 & 425 I want standard size,just a bit unsure about the back.I'm good with modern sizes I just get a bit confused with the classic stuff.

[Mitchv60]

Yes standard sizeswhere 3.35 F and 3.50 rear.
As they do metric and imperial front with the imperial being slightly wider and only metric in the rear would I be better using both metric or doesn't it really matter?

[matthewmosse]

I routinely run miss matched tyres. Most combinations work fine - I've had as much odd handling quirks from matched metric tyres of same brand as from miss matched part worns - my bmw in particular was quite horrid (felt like it was twisting on white lines or repairs in the road ) on a set of metric parelli tyres but excellent when on some old Avons bought part worn off ebay.

[Yoshi823]

This is the page from the Honda catalogue showing tyre sizes




On all of my CB550s I fitted 4.10x19 fronts & 4.25/85x18 rears with no problems whatsoever. never had tyre flex or speed wobble, despite provocation. My favourite tyres were the Dunlop Red Arrow front & Avon Roadrunner rear.