Need to swap out the stock rear on my Nightster, and am probably just going to do both. Was thinking about throwing a 160 out back instead of the stock 150, have heard it will fit no problem. So, just wondering what tires you guys are running, and if anyone has changed the size.

 

If you have the stock 3" rim I suggest thinking again about a 160 rear. That is wider than some brands recommend and I wouldn't be happy using one. My tyre of choice is Avon.

 

There are only a few 160's that will fit on the Sporty without modifications.
The Metezler ME880 160/80-16 and the Dunlop E3 160/80-16 will fit and work fine on a "standard" Sporty, I've run both of them very successfully.

HOWEVER, the 160's are a taller tire and I don't recommend their use unless you're running 11.75" or preferably longer shocks. (This rules out the Iron and Nighty)

The actual, real width of a given tire varies by both tire manufacturer and tire model within the same manufacturer. IE, a Dunlop 401 (stock tire) 150/80-16, is actually slightly wider than a Dunlop E3 160.

If you want high mileage with good handling (much better than the stock 401's), then look at the Metezler ME880 or the new Michelin Commander II's.

If you want a bit better handling than the Metz but at the sacrifice of mileage (tread life), try the Avon Venom's.

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+1 on Metzler 880 tires. I've had very good success with those for many miles.

I'm currently giving the Michelin Commander II a try on my Ultra, but it's too early to give an opinion on the duration. My initial impression with the Michelin is very good. I have yet to ride with those tires on a wet road. But, they handle great on dry road.

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Hadn't thought about height, and I dropped the rear with 10 inch shocks, so I dont want to run into clearence issues. Will probably look into the commanders. It might sound dumb, but I just hate the tread pattern look on the dunlops.

 

I have an Avon Venom 160 tire on the way so we shall see if we can add this one to the list. Probably the widest 160 tire on the market. I'm running struts so tire height wont be an issue.

 

I was just researching tires last night and I've narrowed it down to:

1. Perelli Night Dragon
2. Avon Venom/Cobra
3. Michelin Commander II

I've done almost 15k on my Donlops

 

Ok, stupid question time ... 07 Nighty w stock tires. Bought the bike bone stock w just under 1200 miles a couple years ago . Im pushing 8 now. Tires still look meaty, but the front looks like its getting small cracks along the sidewall.

If this was tubeless, I'd expect to lose pressure and have isses. Being its a Nightster, the wheels are laced and I have a tube that does not appear to lose any air.

So, do I push on to see how many miles I can rack up or say they have been on 5 years, its time to replace them? BTW, The rear is showing absolutely no signs of age.

 

Replace the front! Rubber ages blah blah blah

 

The bike is 5 years old and the tires are likely more than that. (The date code is on the tire sidewall)
Personally, I wouldn't run a tire that's older than 5 years. The cracks on the sidewall are a warning sign that you can see, but what's going on inside the tire is hidden.
Since those 2 rubber donuts are the only thing that's keeping your face from meeting the pavement, I'd change them.