Gents,

Im going to replace my Dunlop's (stock size) for some new tires for this riding season. I thought I might as well kill two buzzards with one stone and put a 18'" front wheel on my '06 while Im at it. Well I found one off a 2011 with a tire for $250. was a take off so little miles on them both. So come to find out unless Im wrong the stock tire on it would be a Dunlop American Elite 130/80B/18. Now I went to look for that tire for my rear replacment and found there is no such thing. So now I should look for just a 18" wheel and buy some Metzeler ME880 and call it a day BUT what size would I buy with that 18" front and my stock 16x3 rear? What are you guys running for your tire brands and sizes? I would love a 150 rear but I know the Metz 150 has a load rating that might not be safe so 140 rear. Yet the stock MU85 is a 140 dunlop man o man this tire stuff is making me

 

I just bought a 2012 FLHX wheel/tire for my 2006. It came with a D-407 tire, not American Elite. So I'm not sure about that.

In any case, for now I'm running the MU85 the back since it's brand new. I've put about a thousand miles on that combo so far with no noticeable issues from having different tires (they're both bias ply, though -- important not to mix "types"; i.e., bias ply and radial). In fact, I like the way it handles better with the 18 on the front. Looks way cool too. You'll love it.

If you do have an American Elite on the front wheel, you need to know if it's radial or bias ply before mixing it with your back tire... I couldn't tell by looking at Dunlop's website. Someone on here will know.

One thing I'm quite sure of... Neither the American Elite nor the D408 (the back tire that goes with my new front) are available in sizes that will fit on the back of our bikes.

I think the answer for you if you want matching tires is Metzler 880's or something like that. I know Metz has a tires that will work well on your new front wheel and on your old back wheel. There are threads on here from guys that have squeezed a 150 in the rear by trimming the belt guard or something.

 

It is unfortunate but not all tires come in all sizes. As far as mixing and matching I put bias on the front and radial on the rears of bikes all day long without issue. Dunlops usually come in stock sizes for certain bikes and the tires that comes on the 08 and earlier bikes are different than anything on the 09 and newer. It is just the way it is. Get a Metzeler ME880 130/70/18 for the front and a 150/70/18 for the rear and you can match.

Dunlop's sizing is more random due to the fact that the tires are made for stock size wheels.

 

Hogpro, does the 150 fit the back without modification to the bike?

 

I bought a 2011 FLHX 18" front wheel with a good tire on it and just ran that with my stock 16" rear, no issues.

 

2011 SG front wheel on my 08 Ultra with the stock Dunlop 130/70/18 tire and rear has been a MU 85 Michelin first and now a MU 85 Pirelli Night Dragon. No issues with either. The Pirelli is the widest section tire that is labeled an MU 85 that I have seen. I looks as wide as the 150/70/18 that I am running on my 08 SG. I've never had any issues with mixing brands on either bike.

 

Mixing bias and radial tires is only an issue if they are mounted on the same axle, which is not the case for bikes (except trikes, of course).
Lots of bikes are delivered from the factory with mixed tires with no problem whatsoever.

 

For the older bikes look at the Dunlop E3 for the rear. That is the older bike comparable tire to the American Elite. The bias ply not the radial.

 

Yup, 150-70/18 should fit or any 150 on any size wheel for that matter for a 2006-2008 bagger.

 

Just run a Dunlop Elite III MU90B16 on the rear, there isn't a matching 18" rear wheel anyway, so not sure what you're talking about.