New member, first post, new tires and tubes question

[fjmartin]

Hey everyone...I've got an RX3 coming in a few weeks and searching the interwebs I found this amazing group providing awesome information. :thanks:
I think I've gone on overload reading each and every thread but I wanted to be ready for when the bike arrives. Because I plan on doing a fair amount of dirt riding on the bike and the good info I think I'm going to order a set of 244s for the bike to put on once the break in period putting around on the road is complete. I'm going to put on the SHINKO 244 5.10-17 M/C 67P, FRONT/REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5270) on the back and the SHINKO 244 3.00-18 M/C 52L, FRONT/REAR (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5271) on the front. I also wanted to put on some heavy duty tubes and keep the OEM ones as spares. I want to use the IRC TUBE 4.00/5.10-17, 130/90-17 (HEAVY DUTY), TR-4 (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2347) for the rear and the IRC TUBE 100/100-18 (HEAVY DUTY), TR-4 (http://www.americanmototire.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2351) on the front. From everything I've read I believe I am making corrected choices on the tires and the rear tube but I'm not sure about the front. This is the smallest heavy duty they make and the factory tire is a 100/90-18. Does the fact that the radius of this tube is 10mm higher make a big difference with the tube? I've been cycling (road, mountain, CX) for years and have mixed a few sizes in without issues in the past but with a moto we have the potential of going a LOT faster.
Any and all feedback is appreciated and thank you again for such a great resource!
Joe

[pyoungbl]

Hi Joe!
Welcome to the cult of Zong. Others can better answer your questions but I just wanted to say HI.

Peter Y.

[rojo_grande]

Hey Joe,
Welcome aboard. Great choice on the RX-3 and the fastest color (orange!). Your tire choice is spot on. I run the Shinko 244's on my KLR and couldn't be more pleased. Great on road and off. Run the Kendo 270, pretty much the same tire, on the RX-3. The tubes should be fine. You can even use a front tube in a rear tire in an emergency as long as you don't need to go too far or too fast. I'll probably end up with the Shinko's on the TT250 once I burn thru the stock tires. Although the stock tires have proven to be pretty good as least on rocky terrain and hard packed dirt roads.

Enjoy the RX-3.

Rojo

[willy dog]

Hey Joe were you going with that Zong in your hand check out the last sticky lots of info on tires

[2LZ]

Hi Joe!
I've heard nothing but good things about the tires you've listed and many here run them. Myself, I do 90% pavement and 10% gravel road and the stock tires actually do amazingly well for this combo of riding. They can really tuck the corners well.

I've had stellar luck with the Kenda Tuff Tubes and run them in everything that I take a tire off of. About half of my rolling stock now has them and not one flat so far (that I didn't create myself).

Rojo is right too. The orange may be slightly faster....but the white/blue attracts the ladies. ;-)

Welcome to the forum! It's a wealth of info here, a clean run shop, with a lot of helpful folks....oh....and pics are mandatory when the stork arrives!