New wheel question

I'm considering AM26 Roadriders and am going for new rims. Can anyone post or send me a pic of a WM3 wheel on a Commando so I can see what it looks like? I've probably seen pics of them just no one identifies them as such. Thanks

powerdoc said:

Can anyone post or send me a pic of a WM3 wheel on a Commando so I can see what it looks like?

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A WM3 (2.15" internal width) rim is 0.30" wider than a WM2 (1.85") so there isn't much to see.

Well then, is anyone up to a WM4 with 100/90 tyres?

Ugh. Personal opinion, but do what you want, it's your bike.

Dave
69S

Is "ugh" just a theoretical non-stock complaint or does it look funny? If Avon sez use 2.15 as a minimum and in actuality you can use more tire in natural cornering, are wider wheels bad? Is the "ugh" for just the wm4 or does a wm3 get an "ugh" too? Like I said in the first post, let me see some pix .

No, I'm just against large profile rear tyres. Just a personal opinion. I put a 4.50-19 on my rear rim back in the day and had to adjust the rear mudguard to accommodate it and have been sorry ever since. I noticed the difference in handling too. I went back to the 4.10-19 upon rebuild and had to get another rear mudguard to replace the hacked up original.

But don't pay any attention to me if you want a large profile rear tyre, it's your bike. I think the original configuration was best for handling.

Don't take it as a flame, please.

Dave
69S

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm quite a noob at this, but I was under the impression that the configuration of the original 4.10 K81's and the 100/90 Roadriders were approximately the same. BTW, I have a kevlar flight suit so I'm relatively flame-proof, just don't insult my grandson's big ears!

I assumed if you wanted to go to the WM3, you were looking at a larger profile tyre. Maybe my mistake. What I'm saying is I'm a traditionalist and like the original configuration and have found it works best for me. As far as I know the 4.10-19 and the 100/90 are about the same, but I'm not the expert for tyres, only my opinions. I'm still using the Avon 3.00-19 Speedmaster MK III ribbed for the front, so you can tell where I'm coming from.

Dave
69S

On my green café racer, I have 18" wheels front and back, the front is a WM3 with a 100-90 and the back a WM4 with a 120-90, pics here http://www.pbase.com/jeandr/cafe_racer On my Commando, I went with 21" wheels in a WM3 width, both mounted with 90-90 tires, pics here http://www.pbase.com/jeandr/cafe_commando I think Nortons look better with skinnier tires, but going one up on rims (from WM2 to WM3) take away the fat_man_with_a_small_belt look of the stock rims.

Jean

Does this help? WM3 Front and Rear with AM26s.

Yes, helpful; thanks to all.

I love the fat tire look on my Commando, although it may not fit under a stock fender, especially the earlier ones.

DogT » Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:46 pm
No, I'm just against large profile rear tyres. Just a personal opinion. I put a 4.50-19 on my rear rim back in the day and had to adjust the rear mudguard to accommodate it and have been sorry ever since. I noticed the difference in handling too. I went back to the 4.10-19 upon rebuild and had to get another rear mudguard to replace the hacked up original.

But don't pay any attention to me if you want a large profile rear tyre, it's your bike. I think the original configuration was best for handling.

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For factory powered isolastic C'do's nothing best the factory 100's at both ends. Fits as narrow a rim as will fit these for a bit less spinning mass you can feel when pressing them. Only reason to deviate is just displaced lust for fat rear ends or if enough power to need the heat and wear reserves of fatter tire. Trixie gets 110 rears only because THE Grit wears 100's out so fast even w/o trying. But I like seeing all the extremes and then the feed backs to have at it.

I like 100/90 front and 110/90 rear (AM26)

Some personal preference involved.

Remember, the bigger the tire, the heavier it is. Additional unsprung weight isn't preferred.

Next time I need tires on factory Trixie I'm going rotate front 100 to rear and put anther 100 on front. Original pre-Peel Combat came that way but didn't have comparison and everything else I'd put a bigger tire on I like better, till motorcycle hobby has taught me otherwise. A bigger fatter tire can be aired a bit less to take really rough stuff better, but its sort of like work boots vs ballerina shoes.

So is the answer for AM26's the wm2 or wm3 or, as it seems to be here, it really doesn't matter!? :?:

powerdoc said:

So is the answer for AM26's the wm2 or wm3 or, as it seems to be here, it really doesn't matter!? :?:

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I run my AM26's on wm2's. They go just dandy. However if you are looking for new wheel/rims then the wm3 is what is suggested and the minimum width 2.15 vs 1.85, a difference of .3" or a liitle more than 1/8" or a liitle more than 1/16" per side. If I were to get new alloys I would get the wm3.

Have a look at a few other threads on this. It keeps coming up. I run 100/90 x 19 Avon Roadriders on WM4 (2.5") Morad alloy rims. I think I'm the only one. The wheels are somewhat lighter than stock with the same tyres. Avon recommend this size rim for this tyre. They also say that 2.75" and 2.15" rims are suitable alternatives. They also say that this tyre is also suitable for the standard 1.85" rim, but with a more mushroom profile and tread at the edges that you just can't use. The Roadriders are not a traditional type tyre, but a modern one. They are made, as per Avons website, to suit the 2.5" rim. This is the way I went and would have no hesitation in doing it on any future Nortons I get my hands on. 18 inch rims and tyres do not make Commandos handle better. They are for "looks". They can, indeed, amplify certain Norton handling traits which are less than desirable. Wide tyres on narrow rims can make steering feel heavier than it should. The 100/90 Roadrider on a 19 inch 2.5" rim puts more rubber on the road at any lean angle than a 120 section tyre on a 2.15" rim.
The sharp steering and excellent stability have been commented on by others who have ridden my 850.
As my rear tyre wears out, I fit a new one to the front and fit the front tyre on the rear. The advantages are that the handling doesn't deteriorate as the front wears and I only buy one tyre at a time. You cannot do this with mismatched tyres front and rear.
By the time you have fitted a wide tyre and rim to have any more meaningful contact patch on the road, the combo won't fit in the standard swingarm. My combo only just fits after a couple of slight mods. One is to turn the right rear shock mount bolt around so the head is on the inside of the swingarm otherwise the tyre won't fit. The other is to use button headed cap screws on the front mudguard mount attached to the forks or the front tyre won't fit.

Go ahead, do it. you'll like it.

However if you are looking for new wheel/rims then the wm3 is what is suggested and the minimum width 2.15 vs 1.85, a difference of .3" or a liitle more than 1/8" or a liitle more than 1/16" per side. If I were to get new alloys I would get the wm3.

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Actually Avon recommends a 2.50 (WM4) for 100/90 AM26's and a 2.15 (WM3) for the 90/90.

That being said, I have 100/90-19's on WM2's on my Interstate and they work fine. The only problem is you will have a wide "chicken strip" on either edge of the tread.

I also have a 110/90-18 AM26 on WM3 on the rear of my 850 PR replica. It's pretty close the chainguard.

I want to lace up some wider rims for my next Commando project, preferrably on valanced alloys. My fear is if I could find a WM4 - 19 (or 18) for the rear it might spread the 100/90-19 too wide to clear the chainguard. Similarly a WM-3 with a 90/90-19 might be pretty intimate with a stock fender stay.

http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/roadrider

Roadrider AM26 (universal)

100/90-19

57V

MT2.50

2.15 - 2.75 min./max.

109

4.3

671

26.4

5.6