E3's - Can tires look way narrower before installing?
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
From: Frederick MD
E3's - Can tires look way narrower before installing?
I just got new Dunlop E3's based on all the great reviews I've seen here. I'm kind of a newbie as it comes to tires, so forgive my possible ignorance, but the new tires look much narrower. But they haven't been installed yet. Is this normal? I'm kind of freaked out and want to make sure I don't need to send them back to Ron Ayers. The front tire looks an inch narrower, and the rear tire looks a half inch narrower. I got the following sizes, which according to posts I've seen here, are the closest to my stock D402's:
Elite 3
Front: MT90B16
Rear: MU90B16
My original stock tires are:
Dunlop D402
Front: MT90B16 (obviously the same size, but the E3 is an inch narrower BEFORE install)
Rear: MU85B16
I appreciate your help!
Elite 3
Front: MT90B16
Rear: MU90B16
My original stock tires are:
Dunlop D402
Front: MT90B16 (obviously the same size, but the E3 is an inch narrower BEFORE install)
Rear: MU85B16
I appreciate your help!
Last edited by cybricon; Jun 16, 2009 at 05:49 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 658
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake, VA
Quit freakin...I have the same tires on an Ultra and so far they are great. They will be somewhat wider when installed. I don't remember the exact measurements but I based my decision on the measurements I took of the stock tires and the published E3 dimensions. Rest assured, there will not be any noticable with difference.
They stuck pretty good in the Smoky Mountains two weeks ago and were gonna give them another go next week...This might sound sick but I love my scooter!!
They stuck pretty good in the Smoky Mountains two weeks ago and were gonna give them another go next week...This might sound sick but I love my scooter!!
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: NW PA
Relax.... I put the E3's on my 2007 Ultra and now have 3000 miles on them. Just got back from 1806 mile trip to the dragon, cherohloa, and Blue Ridge... Rode the Dragon last week on Thursday afternoon in a monsoon rain storm and 45 mph winds, and the E3's stuck like glue to the road.... I like them... If I get anywhere near the mileage I was getting with the 402 I will keep buying them...
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 156
Likes: 1
From: Frederick MD
Thanks!
Thanks for the quick replies - I knew you guys would help me out! I'll be putting the E3's on in a couple weeks, two weeks before a 5000+ mile road trip with my daughter (see my other posts). I'm glad to know they fatten up because they sure look skinny now!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Illinois
Nothing sick about that...My #1 wife refers to my scoot as my #2 wife...
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
E3's seem to be narrower unmounted than most, with the bead surfaces closer together than the D402's I've mounted in the past. When I purchased my first E3 I was concerned that this closeness might make inflation difficult since the bead may not touch the wheel, which is a worry since I mount my own tires. There are ways to spread it out with professional mounting equipment, but our hardware is fairly basic, so I've been stuffing cut sections of 2x4's between the beads to force them wider apart, leaving them in for a week or more. This works to train the beads farther apart and I've had no problems mounting these tires. Any other DIY'er notice this or had any problems?
Last edited by iclick; Jun 16, 2009 at 10:28 PM.