Help with Tire Sizes for Apollo DB36 Deluxe

[Ski_rush]

Hi Everyone

I'm looking for some help with tires and tire sizes. I took the Apollo out on the road today; mostly around town. I don't think my tires feel "right". I'm mostly referring to the front tire. The best I can explain it...the front tire has not seemed 100% round or true since the day I took it out of the crate. For example, when I spin the front tire, I see a "lump" or a "high spot". I should see a perfectly round tire spinning with no obvious "high" spots. However, I can see a "high" spot and it doesn't seem true or perfectly round. And, I feel like I can feel this on the road; it sort of feels like running on an unbalanced tire. It just has never really felt right. Either way, I don't like it and to make me feel better about the bike (and riding it), I want to replace the tires. I don't have this problem riding the Magna. That has new tires and I trust that bike more.

The problem is that when I search for tires in the size that's on my bike, I find mostly street tires. I'm having a very hard time finding dual sport or even dirt bike tires for this bike. This bike must have tires that are a wonky size. Here is what is currently on the bike:

Front Tire: 100/80/17

Front Rim: J17 x MT2.50

Rear: 130/70/17

Rear Rim: J17 x MT3.00

*Note, that the plate on the frame says that the front tire should be a 110/80/17. So, I'm not sure why it's running a 100/80. See pic below.

Can someone please help me determine what size tires would fit these rims (front and back)? If I need to go with a more aggressive dirt tire, that's fine. However, I'd still like the tire to be DOT legal.

Is my problem that I'm searching for a 110/80/17 for the front? Is this as simple as buying a 2.50 x 17" tire? I've never done this before, so excuse the newbie question.

Thanks

[Megadan]

For starters, a 2.5 x 17 would be wayyyyy too small for a 2.5" wheel. That 2.5 is the tread width, not rim width. A 110 width tire is actually 4.33" wide.

As far as why they put a 100 width tire when they state a 110... a 110/80-17 tire is a goofball size. A 100/80-17 is actually a more common size.

A 110/80 is also about .6" larger in diameter than a 100/80. 23.3" vs 23.9"

The good news is, there are other options for sizing out there. As far as dual sport tires, you could run a 4.6 x 17 front and a 5.10 x 17 rear. The Shinko 244 and 700 both come in these sizes and they easily meet the rim widths in question.

The only catch to these tires would be that they are a bit larger in diameter.
The rear isn't too much of an increase, A 5.10 x 17 is 25.6 vs the 130/80-17 at 25.2 - or 0.4" larger diameter. The front on the other hand is 1.46 inches larger in diameter than the 100/80-18, and .86 inches larger than the 110/80-18 size. Width for both should be fine. 5.10 width is more or less the same as a 130 tire and the 4.6 is only .33" wider total ( about 5/32nd wider per side) than a 110 width.

This is a DRZ Sumo with the 244's in the 5.10 x 17 and 4.6 x 17 sizes. I think it looks good personally, nice chunky tire setup.

[RedCrowRides]

Lol damn that DRZ looks GOOD !

[pete]

on those rims widths .... I would run 110 maybe a 120 front / 140 rear..
but the thing is.... will a 140 fit in the arm or give enough chain clearance...



...

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pete

on those rims widths .... I would run 110 maybe a 120 front / 140 rear..
but the thing is.... will a 140 fit in the arm or give enough chain clearance...



...

As long as it wasn't a very knobby tire a 140 would probably fit just fine.

A 120 front wouldn't work the best with a 3 inch front wheel though, unless it had a lot of sidewall like a 120/90. Most 120 Supermoto and dual sport tires, IE 120/70 or 120/60 recommend a 3.5 width. Doesn't mean you couldn't run it, but it might alter the profile of the tire some.

[Ski_rush]

I just watched some videos on how to true a spoked wheel. Looks like I will be doing that in the very near future.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

I just watched some videos on how to true a spoked wheel. Looks like I will be doing that in the very near future.

That's not a bad idea to check the wheel for "trueness". So far every wheel for either Hawk has needed some truing done. The front's have always been the worst for whatever reason.

[NzBrakelathes]

Have you looked at imperial sized tyres? Say 4.00x17? Or isn’t this a sizing used there?
17 inch is an odd off road front style
I did have some on my hawk like bike trying to think what brand it was
If you have a 120 front like I had it would struggle to turn into the corners
Front n rear needs to have about a difference of 20 so let’s 120ish rear and 100 front
As you turn the centers of tyres should spread allowing easier turn into the corner - natural falling into the corner, if to close sized you must push the thing into turn
That was my experience
Kenda that was the brand! I had 120 rear or 130 from or so, didn’t flow into the corner well at all
130 rear and 100 front is common on bikes and that’s worth copying

The 130 means 130mm wide somehow the second number means % of the width in height 130/90 = 90% of 130mm
The height or aspect ratio I think it’s called might not bother you st all, with eill

[NzBrakelathes]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F273629602847

Too wide I’d think tho

[JerryHawk250]

Have you check to make sure the tired is beaded evenly?

[OneLeggedRider]

My Hawk front tire wasn't seated uniformly on the rim, so we corrected that. But the tire itself is bad, has a bulge from the factory, and makes me question their quality control standards. I'm still running it but wont be for long.

[Ski_rush]

I checked out my tire again this morning. The bead appears evenly and properly seated. I only did a rudimentary check for trueness by lifting the bike, leaving the wheel on the bike and spinning it with a pointer attached to the fork.

The test was good enough to determine that my wheel isn't true; which is what I suspected. But, I was wrong about a "high" spot. It's left and right. Which is probably easier to deal with.

I don't want to buy a wheel stand...I'm too cheap. I saw a video on Youtube about a guy who made a wheel stand at home. I might try to make on instead so I can true the wheel easier with the wheel off the bike.

[brianjmt]

Pierille scorpion rally comes in 110/70/17 front and 130/80/17 rear. Might be a good match for you.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

I checked out my tire again this morning. The bead appears evenly and properly seated. I only did a rudimentary check for trueness by lifting the bike, leaving the wheel on the bike and spinning it with a pointer attached to the fork.

The test was good enough to determine that my wheel isn't true; which is what I suspected. But, I was wrong about a "high" spot. It's left and right. Which is probably easier to deal with.

I don't want to buy a wheel stand...I'm too cheap. I saw a video on Youtube about a guy who made a wheel stand at home. I might try to make on instead so I can true the wheel easier with the wheel off the bike.

I used a junkyard find swiningarm off the back of a junk MC and braced it up with a strap of steel, all attached to a piece of 1/2 inch plywood... ARH

[Firdouse]

Hey man, i got a apollo 250 with 21" wheel in front and 18" in rear.
Ive been scrouging the internet trying to find 17" wheels for this because I want to make this into a supermoto. I cant find ANYTHING at all but now i see that yours come stock with 17" wheels. just wondering if anyone knows where i can get 17" wheels for my apollo 250