• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Vintage looking tires for /5

GSBikeKev

Qualified Fecal Stirrer
I would like to replace the Avon Roadriders that came on my 71 R60/5 to a more vintage looking tire. The look I am going for is that bulbous semi-knobby, what would have come on it originally. What can I get away with size wise with stock fenders and suspension, and what options are out there? The Avons just do not look like they belong on that bike at all, to me. I would much rather prefer some Heidenau K somethingorotherz, or the like. My bike is not the purdiest in the world and I do not carve corners scraping knees like on my K-bike so I am basically looking for that old original balloon look. Thanks for any advice.
IMG_0392.jpg
 
J.C. Whitney sold Cheng Shin's with the vintage tread. During special sale, I bought front and rear, tubes, and shipping for less than $100 but Cheng Shin went out of business I think. They were great tires. Still got them on my /5. Dunlop makes the vintage tires and lots of people use them. They are more expensive but not too bad.

:usa
 
RB2's became the thing along about '75 or so...Metzelers came new on my R60/6...put some sticky RB's on for the next set, but, even though they handled nicely, I went back to the Metzeler for mileage purposes.
 
I just picked up Heidenaus for my Aermacchi, very vintage looking. Haven't mounted them yet so no opinion on performance
 
Decisions, decisions...Continental RB2, K112, or Heidenau K44, K36, or Metzler ME 11, ME77, or Dunlop K70s?

I am good with the style of any of these sets, but I really want to make sure I fill the fenders. Anybody got any idea which one would be the fullest looking? I hate the big gap of the current tires between the tire and fender.
 
Fill the gap which way? Inch-sized tires will have a rounder profile vertically and may be slightly taller for a given set of tires. As for the width across the tire, you can look at the specs of the tire to get the approximate dimensions - a 4.00 tire is supposed to be 4 inches while 110 is the width in millimeters. But those will only be approximate.

Hmmm...I'm more interested about good performance from my tires...how they looked was a little down my list! :nyah
 
In the picture attached,(first post) you can see the huge gap between the tire and the fender on the especially on the front. I attribute that to the low profileness of the Avons. I am hoping to yes, get a taller tire , and if it fills up the sides some too, thats cool with me, as long as there are no clearance issues. I want a period looking tire, not too concerned about performance, besides all the ones I listed above should be more than adequate in that category anyway. I don't ride the Rbike very aggressively.

My "performance" tires are on the Kbike - Metzler Z8 Interacts!!!:rocker

Like I mentioned in the earlier posts, I was looking for that vintage, balloonish looking, fill up the fender area, stock looking 1971 tire.
 
I like Dunlop K70 tires for /5 - a true old school tread design and soft rubber gives good grip
easy to mount and dismount - true inch size tube tires such as bike was designed for

Available Motorcycle Superstore and other places online
 
My guess is Continentals - RB2 in front (3.25x19) and K112 in rear (4.00x18).

Yes indeed, those are in fact the originally supplied tires from the factory for that era machine. As far as correct look, they are the concourse essential.
 
Yes indeed, those are in fact the originally supplied tires from the factory for that era machine. As far as correct look, they are the concourse essential.

Ok, thanks. I think those are the ones I will go with. Now on to my first at home tire change project! Whoopee!

Thanks again for everyones input.
:wave
 
Prior to '77 you could either get Contis' or the dreaded Metzeler "Rille" for the front and the "C" Block for the rear.

Woodgrain
 
fwiw, (tho i suspect it won't matter to you, but i'm putting it out there anyway) those Conti RB2s and K112s were crappy handling tires when they were first produced, and were one of the few tires generally available (which is why we used them). they will have only gotten even worse in comparison to current tire technology.
 
they will have only gotten even worse in comparison to current tire technology.

So you're saying that they haven't improved the tires since 1970? I find that hard to believe. I don't have anything to offer up as I haven't run the Conti twins since I first got my /7. I am running a set of Continental 3.25x19 on my R25/2...no speed demon for sure but they work fine.
 
Back
Top