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91 k100rs tires

2slow

New member
What are you guys running for tires have been looking around and it seams like the rear tire size 160/60-18 are real limited the Dunlop road smart tire is about the only matched set I can find front and back any ideas
 
On my 1992 K100RS I've been running Michelin PR 2's. (Just checked and the front is 120/70 - 17, rear 160/60 - 18.) The PR 2's I believe have been superceded by PR 3's, but I "think" I found a site which listed both of these sizes in PR 3's. They are both supposed to combine good all-weather traction with fairly high mileage. So far I have been happy with mine.

Do let us know if you can confirm this availability for our bikes, and possibly other choices as well. It CAN be hard finding tires that fit for some rather elderly bikes. They are not in every MC shop.
 
This is a timely thread for me. A friend of mine with a K100RS needs tires and I am probably going to help him mount and balance them, since I have the tools and experience. (although I've never touched a K bike).

He rides mostly solo, some 2-up. Not a high mileage rider or a ricky roadracer type. What tires do other K owners recommend?

Also, I have not looked at the bike - are there any special jigs required for wheel balancing? I have cones and a Parnes adapter for an R1100RS back wheel. What do I need for the K bike?
 
New sneakers on a 1992 K1100LT. We mostly ride two up and pull a Uni-Go. Based upon a number of suggestions for this particular bike, this year we are going with radials:

F: 110/80-18 PR-2 R: 140/80-17 Avon Azaro 46

- Bob
 
I am not riding my K1 on tracks or extremely aggressive and I do not tour long distances with it. I am running Conti Road Attacks. Front 120/70 Z 17 and rear 160/60 Z18. Price was $250 for the pair, mounted and balanced.
 
Spoke with my frind and his RS is an '87 so does nto have the wide rims. Tire sizes are (I think):

front 100/90-V 18 or 100/90-VR 18
rear 130/90-V 17 or 130/90-VR 17

This really cuts down the available selection and seems to limit construction to bias ply. Anyone have favorites in that subset of things?
 
The bias ply Metzeler 880s are available to fit that bike. That is the same sizes as on the K75 bikes. We have run a number of sets and they are excellent touring tires.
 
85K100RS w Wide Rear Rim and Modified Center Stand: Michelin Radials. Some DIY tips

I've enjoyed Michelin radials exclusively since 1996 when I bought it with 37K miles, now have 148K miles. They work well, wear well and I think I've only picked up one screw causing a flat rear. I plugged it in someone's yard in California, then road home to PA. A slow leak had me checking it at each fill up and filling it every few days. I might have picked up another screw once and think it was near replacement time anyway, so another plug for a week or so, waiting for the new one to arrive. I change them myself and rarely change both at the same time.

The front wheel I balance by rolling the tire on the axle in a "fork" on 4 shoulder screw mounted ball bearings. By taping on test weights that later get glued on the rim when spinning ends randomly. The rear I balance in a totally odd way: I have a 2"-3" kitchen funnel with clothesline through the 1/4" center part. After mounting the rear tire to the rim, I lay it on the funnel on the floor. By picking up the rope through the funnel (knot inside funnel), then up though the odd BMW rear center hole, I watch the tire lift off the ground, then lower it, let the funnel rotate 1/3 turn or so and pick up tire with it again watching how it lifts off the ground. An unbalanced tire will lift the heavy side late, put a test weight opposite until you get an even lift with the funnel rotated all around, its crude but very effective. This assumes the center hole and the mounting bolt pattern are concentric.

I often clean the empty rims with a solvent and spray paint them before installing the new tire. I use a 19" sq. piece of plywood with a flat 2x3 border as a way to keep the wheel and brake rotors off the concrete floor. My large bench vise always breaks the bead. I use a ratchet strap around the tire's circumference to help the air in make both beads begin to seal all around, a few drips of dawn in a bowl with a sopping wet paper towel for lube on and off, some plastic rim protectors, a couple tire irons and a flat 2"x6" under the center stand to help rear tire roll out without taking off fender. Hope this helps. Recently learned that laying the brand new tire to be mounted out in the hot sun while getting the old one off makes putting the new one on a lot easier.
 
It shouldn't be rocket science...

but damn near is. My understanding (based on two owners manuals) is that the early "2-valve" K-bikes (both K75 and K100) required bias-ply tires. My K75 (1987) manual lists the same front rim and tire for both the K75/C and K75/S. (2.50 x 18 E; 100/90 - 18 tubeless.) For the "C" model, the rear rim is 2.75 x 18 E with a 120/90 - 18 tire. For the "S" model, the rear rim is 2.75 x 17 E with a 130/90 - 17 tire. I have no clue what size tires the RT models take.

The 1991-92 4-valve K100RS/K1 all have the same rim and tire designation and use radial tires, though that is not spelled out in the manual, just has to be figured out by the tire models - which of course is totally out of date. Front: rim 3.50 - 17; tire 120/70 - 17. Rear: rim 4.50 -18; tire 160?60 - 18.

My conclusion is there are no SIMPLE ANSWERS to tires when you buy a used 1985 - 1992 K-bike. If a previous poster is correct, the 1993 K1100 may also have different tire sizes too. There is is also the possibility that a previous owner has swapped out one or both rims.

It just became a LOT clearer to me why our tires are so expensive - hundreds of sizes and bias, radial, and tubed. And a rather small market.

Perhaps some of you can bring clarity to the confusion: tires currently available for all these fine old K-bikes.
 
I've decided that the 85 k-rs in the garage has got get back on the road. First off new tires. I always liked Michelins for the handling previously. What's out there these days? Any one still make a bias ply tire?


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