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How much tyre clearance

  • Mr.Mow
    Mr.Mow
    5 years ago
    Is required between top of the tyre and the guard?
    My sportster chop runs a 130 16 on the rear, previous owner put a Shinko 777 on it, a rather modern tyre, outer diameter is 25.2 inches.

    Problem is it looks rather out of place and modern on a vintage bike.

    Looking around, both the Shinko super classic and the Avon speedmaster II measure in at 26.3 (and seem to be the only vintage style tyres I can see for a 16”)

    When the bike was built it was built around the crappy Shinko, means there’s about 12mm clearance, those vintage style tyres also require a similar distance, so yes technically it will just fit, but how much will a tyre expand at speed?
  • brash
    brash
    5 years ago
    My sporty build I had down to approx 5mm, never touched but wasn't ideal.

    The garden hose technique is a good rule of thumb, Jam the hose in, plonk the guard on top and fab from there. I used that for my chopper build with a Shinko classic and looked the goods.


    chopper3quarter.jpg
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    5 years ago
    Quoting brash on 03 Mar 2019 02:46 AM

    My sporty build I had down to approx 5mm, never touched but wasn't ideal.

    The garden hose technique is a good rule of thumb, Jam the hose in, plonk the guard on top and fab from there. I used that for my chopper build with a Shinko classic and looked the goods.


    chopper3quarter.jpg
    I shall pipe up here with NO information. But that bike is beautiful. Not what I do but give 10 years, would peg her.......
    She is on my screen saver.... Beautiful bitch.
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    5 years ago
    The width of a garden hose is what I see on the box.
  • Mr.Mow
    Mr.Mow
    5 years ago
    Quoting tussuck on 03 Mar 2019 10:39 PM

    The width of a garden hose is what I see on the box.

    Sigh.. so I’m stuck running a modern profile tyre, unless we fabricate a whole new rear guard, sissy bar and seat.
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    5 years ago

    What about a 777 with whitewalls?  I'm in the same boat as I'm chopping the Sporty and the Night Dragons are going to look out of place in 12 months time as I near completion; but in the meantime I enjoy the traction.

    I am looking at a set of 777 tyres in the long run, however I will be retaining shocks on the rear (albeit fully covered chrome units) as I need to ride every day to work.

    My compromise was a set of modern whitewalls.

  • Mr.Mow
    Mr.Mow
    5 years ago
    Quoting tussuck on 04 Mar 2019 03:54 AM

    What about a 777 with whitewalls?  I'm in the same boat as I'm chopping the Sporty and the Night Dragons are going to look out of place in 12 months time as I near completion; but in the meantime I enjoy the traction.

    I am looking at a set of 777 tyres in the long run, however I will be retaining shocks on the rear (albeit fully covered chrome units) as I need to ride every day to work.

    My compromise was a set of modern whitewalls.

    Nah, not into white walls at all! Whitewalls for me suit certain types of bikes but not choppers!
    To be fair the 777 is an ok tyre, just on a vintage bike they’re weird lookin.
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