Greetings for galveston Co.,

My 1st post in a few years...
Story:
I changed to 21" & 18" wheels on my 05 Road Glide. At that time I went to an Avon 120/70-21 AV41 on the front and a Avon 160/60-18 AV56 on the back. *(Didn't want the 150/70-18 because it is taller than the stock tire/wheel combo) I took it for a test ride and it felt like the wheel bearings or swing arm bearings were bad and/or loose. I stopped by a buddy's shop to put it on a table lift and see what the heck was going on and he told me the problem was the AV56 was a radial and the AM41 was a bias ply. He said had to run a radial on the front too or 2 bias ply tires.
When I looked for a bias ply 160/60-18 tire they did not exist. So I bought another 16" tire and went back to the 16" wheel.
I have had a couple people tell me that the Metzeler ME880 is a radial but has a rienforced side wall that will work???
Question:
Does anyone know who, if anyone makes a bias ply 160/60-18?...or have any input on my delima?

Thanks in advance!

 

I mount Bias and radial tires every day and have never had an issue.

 

What brand and tire combinations? All I know is as soon as I got the radial off, life was good again!

 

Metzeler ME880 XXL 120/70/21 Bias ply front and Metzeler ME880 radial rear.