I've already done my research and know that it is possible, it just needs to be run opposite the directional arrow. Exile Cycles does this on all fronts over 150. Planning on running a 160 Metz on front and it's only made for the rear. Not interested in hearing why I shouldn't do this on MY ride, but want to hear from others who HAVE done this and what handling changes (if any) I can expect to encounter. If there's no one out there doing this, then I guess I'll be the guinea pig! Thanks in advance!

 

Ur gonna do what??.








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You might also want to search up some German or Brit H-D sites/forums. It seems to me that they are doing that quite often over there. Russell Mitchell gets a lot of styling ques from the the euro market...

 

I tried this once. Mounted a rear 140 on the front of my Night Train. The bike handled strangely in the turns to the point that it was scarey. I experimented with different air pressures and shock settings but couldn't get it dialed-in. Never heard of reversing the tread direction.

 

 

I wont tell you why you shouldn't, but I will ask you why?

 

The last bike I bought had a 130 on the front that said for "rear use only" on the side wall...handled fine, couldn't tell the difference. The reason for turning the tread around is to keep it from cupping ...Dunlop actually changed the arrow on the sidewalls of some of their tires for this reason...don't think you will have any problems.

 

1. Can't find a 160 front. I plan on running white walls next change, and since I have a 160 rear, I want the walls to match.

2. If you look at your tires, the front tread angles back toward the center of the bike and the rear also angles back toward the center. It makes sense if you run a rear up front to run it backwards so the tread pattern is the same as a front tire. Also, the stresses are different. Rear is made for acceleration stresses and the front for braking stresses. Opposite stresses, so it makes sense to turn the tire round so the stresses are where they were designed to be. Like I said, research done.

I have researched the euro market, and it's not unusual. Exile runs rears up front on all sizes above 150 due to the lack of tire availability. Even states this on their site. It's been done many times, kind of like dark siding, people just don't get the whole "think outside the box" concept.

Maybe it's a little OCD, but I want the front to match the rear, especially with whitewalls. It would drive me nuts.

On the flip side, I would never suggest running a front on the rear. The stresses on the rear are much greater, and fronts won't handle it.

 

I can offer this as an out of the box idea. Have you thought about the vintage style tires. I think Duro is one style, and Coker may be another. Those old style tires are not directional, nor were they front/rear. I don't know what size they come in as they are rated in proper inches, not modern metric numbers. But I had a 5.10-16 and that thing was huge. It barely, and I mean just barely fit between the forks. I can't believe your Night Train forks are any wider than an FLH Shovelhead front end.

 

That's a good thought, I'll check into some of those vintage tires and see what's available. They look pretty cool too. Right now I'm running a 150 Metz up front and it measures right about 6", my 160 rear is 6 3/8". There's plenty of room for the 160 between the tubes.