Hi Paschal,
I wanted to go the other way with my rear tire. I saw a 120 mounted on the front of piper's bike and that made me think of how sweet my old Triumphs handled with same size or near same size tires. My America rides out as well as all our BonnyAms do. But get in some tight sweeping roads and just when your about to touch a knee, the rear tire takes over and your have to slow down to finish. I wanted to get the Avon venoms, but today I was at Sears to see when their motorcycle jack was going on sale again. When I left, I hit a small piece of angle iron in the parking lot that cut a 25mm gash in my rear tire. I called my bride for a ride home to get my truck and took the rear wheel to an independent shop. No one in town had Avons the size I wanted. But this dealer had some Dunlop Elite II in a size close to stock 170s. He said they are the same as a 160 would be, slightly narrower than stock. I bought it for $125 mounted with a new tube. I installed it on my bike and immediately saw a difference. The rear end feels really tight through curves with no difference in straight up riding. My old tire had half the tread left so the "newness" of the replacement shouldn't be what I am feeling. The dealer said this is really the best street tire Dunlop ever made. I know nothing about tire sizes, but this one is labelled: MV85B15 - I like it. I was forced to buy it because it was the only choice in town and my sweetness was all alone in the mall parking lot with her rear end tore out and under a cover (didn't want anyone to see her like that). Fat rears look cool, note the new Victory Hammer!
Dennis
