h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, turns out that Dunlop - the last manufacturer to make tyres in the correct size for my bike - stopped making them about 9 months ago. Tried the main big online UK tyre sales places and no one has them (cos they keep stocks to a minimum).

Anyone know of any useful small shops that can find stuff no one else can?

I could try off-size tyres but as they can really muck up the handling I'd rather not - esp as you don't really know the effect until it throws you off!

facing a bikeless future at the moment - not good!

p.s. sizes are:
rear: 170/60-VR18
front: 120/70-VR18

http://www.motorcycletyresuk.com/index2.htm


You could try this place!

The front doesn't seem to be a problem but the widest 18" rear I could find was 160......

ah! Another one to try!

I'm increasingly thinking I shall have to go for the 160 section on the rear but I really don't want to

Shouldn;t upset the handling too much, but 160/60 will be smaller and 'thinner' than a 170/60 so might have some impact.

OTOH if I go 160/60 then I can go back to Bridgestones

Yeah I like bridgestones, they always semm to handle well in all weathers and seem to last longer than the others.

You'd notice a narrower rear when leaning in to a bend but I wouldn't have though the 10mm difference would make it unstable.

Well, this little saga is almost over now!

Turns out you can get BT54R still, but only on back order and bridgestone won't give a leadtime on them. So whilst I'm waiting for that I ordered an avon AM42C 180/55VR18. Well impressed as I had it on standard deliver and was thinking tuesday for its arrival - it turned up 9am the next day!

The other thing I've found out here is about rim sizes. Turns out that I can't fit a 160/60 to my wheels cos the 160s are all for rim sizes around 4.5". 170/60s are for 5-6 I think and 180s are for 5.5-6.5 or so.

Worth bearing in mind that 10mm width difference don't sound like much but the rim fitment could be an inch or more out.

The CB1000 rear rim is 6" or so wide so the 180 is perfect.

just updating, I got the bridgestone tyre through last week. So I think that makes it a 4 or 5 month lead time. Good job I had an alternative.

The avon, by the way, is a fantastic tyre and feels even more sure footed in the wet than the bridgestone. Dry performance seems about the same so far. Haven't noticed anything due to the slight change in profile, other than the chicken strips are a little bit wider (well, it ain't a sports bike!).