kenda tire size question

[Terry Taylor]

Here in Oklahoma the winds can blow really hard at times.Last week I was travelling Westbound on I-40 at highway speeds. The wind was blowing from the South...hard,very hard.Riding on the side edge of my seat rather than the top of seat hard as the bike had to be leaned over to account for the wind blast.It got me thinking...I wonder if this wind could actually blow the front tire out from underneath the bike? The front tire of a KLR is somewhat narrow & the contact patch is not really that big especially with DOT nobbies on it.Has anybody heard of a KLR going down simply because the wind has blown the tire out from underneath them?? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Arden Kysely]

Never heard of a bike being blown over, but I have been nearly blown off the road, as have friends of mine. We have a wicked wind gap up the coast that funnels strong gusty winds across the highway, making for some treachorous riding. Some years back there was a crosswind discussion here where it was suggested that sticking your knee out in the direction of the wind would help stabilize the bike. I've tried it and it seems to help. Changing to a low front fender and removing the stock handguards has also been said to help. With a KLR you're riding a big sail, so wind will always be a challenge. __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Terry Taylor wrote: > > Here in Oklahoma the winds can blow really hard at times.Last week I was travelling Westbound on I-40 at highway speeds. The wind was blowing from the South...hard,very hard.Riding on the side edge of my seat rather than the top of seat hard as the bike had to be leaned over to account for the wind blast.It got me thinking...I wonder if this wind could actually blow the front tire out from underneath the bike? The front tire of a KLR is somewhat narrow & the contact patch is not really that big especially with DOT nobbies on it.Has anybody heard of a KLR going down simply because the wind has blown the tire out from underneath them?? > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Randy S]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Terry Taylor wrote:

> > Here in Oklahoma the winds can blow really hard at times....It got me

thinking...I wonder if this wind could actually blow the front tire out from underneath the bike?

>

--- It wasn't a motorcycle, but I once saw a bicycle literally picked up by a tornado, rider and all. It was the wierdest thing. Sad thing was when the twister passed, a house landed on top of her. 'Course, that was Kansas, not Oklahaoma.

[Jim Douglas]

Terry Taylor wrote:

> > Here in Oklahoma the winds can blow really hard at times.Last > week I was travelling Westbound on I-40 at highway speeds. The > wind was blowing from the South...hard,very hard.Riding on the side > edge of my seat rather than the top of seat hard as the bike had to be > leaned over to account for the wind blast.It got me thinking...I > wonder if this wind could actually blow the front tire out from > underneath the bike? The front tire of a KLR is somewhat narrow > & the contact patch is not really that big especially with DOT > nobbies on it.Has anybody heard of a KLR going down simply because the > wind has blown the tire out from underneath them?? > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >

In TX, about a month ago I was blown over coming to a stop light, about ready to put my foot down and a gust came from the left side hard and the bike and myself simply fell over to the right! The guy in the car next to me jumped out to help me right the thing and said that he had felt it also!

[mikeypep]

I get the feeling that the front end is going to wash out from under me in high sidewinds. This is especially freightening ini the rain. I can't help but wonder if a low fender would help.-- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jim Douglas wrote:

> > Terry Taylor wrote: > > > > Here in Oklahoma the winds can blow really hard at times.Last > > week I was travelling Westbound on I-40 at highway speeds.

The

> > wind was blowing from the South...hard,very hard.Riding on the

side

> > edge of my seat rather than the top of seat hard as the bike had

to be

> > leaned over to account for the wind blast.It got me thinking...I > > wonder if this wind could actually blow the front tire out from > > underneath the bike? The front tire of a KLR is somewhat

narrow

> > & the contact patch is not really that big especially with

DOT

> > nobbies on it.Has anybody heard of a KLR going down simply

because the

> > wind has blown the tire out from underneath them?? > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > In TX, about a month ago I was blown over coming to a stop light, > about ready to put my foot down and a gust came from the left > side hard and the bike and myself simply fell over to the right! The > guy in the car next to me jumped out to help me right the thing and > said that he had felt it also! >

[stevedyer@cox.net]

10 points. Steve ---- Randy S wrote: It wasn't a motorcycle, but I once saw a bicycle literally picked up by a tornado, rider and all. It was the wierdest thing. Sad thing was when the twister passed, a house landed on top of her. 'Course, that was Kansas, not Oklahaoma. ------------------------------------ List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links

[Michael Martin]

--- Spike55 wrote:

> Could someone post back what the proper front and rear Kenda tire > sizes? 3.00 vs 3.25-21 front and 4.60 vs 5.10-17 rear. My brother > needs new "meat" for his '08.

Don, I installed the larger sizes on my '05. Dividing the original front/rear tire sizes of 90 mm and 130mm by 25.4 gave me numbers closer to 3.25 and 5.10. HTH, Mike Martin, Louisville, KY