I was recently told by another HD triker that he has replaced his front tire with a motorcycle rear tire and reverse the tread when mounting. In other words "mount tire backwards". He indicated he gets much better mileage from this than purchasing the original tire for the front. Has anyone else experience this? As I understand from my HD service shop, that they will not mount tire for you.

 

Maybe this will help. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/tri-g...ront-tire.html

 

I've seen the tire thing on trike boards and a lot of 2 wheel boards. It may work, I don't know, BUT all those engineers at Dunlop, Metzler, et al design front and rear tires, and mark rotation direction clearly on the tire. I'm more prone to believe the guy that designed the tires. When I bought Harleys, fuel mileage, tire life, and general economy weren't part of the decision. If you want to mount a rear tire on the front, why not. I just don't understand the reverse rotation part. But, hell, I'm just an old man riding a stock trike.

 

Thanks all! At least now I know it can be done. When time comes I will have to make decision on tire and direction. Safe riding to all!

 

Goldwing trikes have been doing this for years, I use a Bridgstone Battle Ax BT-45 bias ply rear tire for sport turning morotcycles on the front of the wife's wing trike, stock tire gets around 7000, using the BT45 I get around 20,000.

Mounting in reverse rotation is due to the fact one is using a rear tire, designed for accerlation, mounting on the front reverse rotation allows for better breaking and water dispersion. This was even advised by Michelin when using their Pilot Active on the front of a GW trike ( also a bias ply rear tire, ST)...I have also used the BT45 in normal rotation and didn't notice any adverse effects and got the same mileage, so pick your poison...
Also, most HD Tri Glides are getting 18000 or better front the stock tire, so I don't see an advantage to going to a sport touring tire.....

 

I have done this. The reverse direction is because the tire was stress designed for acceleration and on the front reversed it will handle braking stress much better. I have a total of 80,000 miles on two trikes and have found that a rear reversed gets a little better grip and the mileage is the same as any other front tire.

 

I knew a skydiver a few years back that had a thousand jumps to his name. Then on one fatal day things didn't go just right and he was killed. You are safe running a bias belted tire either direction because of the way the layers are wrapped it does not matter. But a radial tire is wrapped 90 degrees of the biad belted and CAN come apart if rotated in the wrong direction. Hense the arrow on the side wall. If you have ever had a flat on the front it will cure you of fu-king with the front tire. You are gambling with your life. Its like the old redneck saying "If He Had A Brain He Would Take It Out And Play With It". You might get by with it a long while but the day the tire will give up will me like Murphey says at the worst possible time, you can kiss your a$$ good by. I think I will put the propper tire on in the right direction and gamble with something not quiet as valuable as my life. This is from an retired engineer that beleives that they have a reason most of the time they print directions, Thanks, Jerry

 

You know,,,, some of the tire manufactures see no problem with doing the rear in the front and/or reversing the rotation. I have seen a few doing just that thing with no adverse effects.
I for one am glad people try things as long as all the faults are examined first! Where would we be if..........mute point...... Excuse my rant !

 

Did it to my TG,could not be happier.I know that rear tire is stronger yet softer than the skinny OEM front tires.My reversed rear tire mounted up front rides better,corners better and stops smoother and faster.All those tire engineers are there to basically sell tires, lots of em.

T K