Fit: Arrow 3-into-1 pipe and 190/55 tire?

[Styler]

I have ordered some wheels for my 2008 Triumph Speed Triple; the rear wheel has a width of 6", which should carry a 190/55 tire. While this wheel/tire combination fits the stock exhaust set-up, the fit with my Arrow 3-into-1 pipe is unlikely, since the clearance between the stock wheel/tire set-up and the Arrow pipe’s silencer is currently about 2.5 mm (5.75" wheel and a 180/55 tire).

Question: Can spacers be used on the two rear mounting points for the pipe bracket/frame to increase the clearance between the pipe’s silencer and the tire, or will this stress or otherwise negatively affect the connection of the header pipe to the engine?

[youngatheart]

Originally Posted by Styler

I have ordered some wheels for my 2008 Triumph Speed Triple; the rear wheel has a width of 6", which should carry a 190/55 tire. While this wheel/tire combination fits the stock exhaust set-up, the fit with my Arrow 3-into-1 pipe is unlikely, since the clearance between the stock wheel/tire set-up and the Arrow pipe’s silencer is currently about 2.5 mm (5.75" wheel and a 180/55 tire).

Question: Can spacers be used on the two rear mounting points for the pipe bracket/frame to increase the clearance between the pipe’s silencer and the tire, or will this stress or otherwise negatively affect the connection of the header pipe to the engine?

I do not know the answer to your spacer question but also would like to put a 190 on my 05 s3 like I had on my 01 s3.

Just wondering if you have researched the effects on handling resulting from this as this bike handles drastically better than my 01 did?

Also would like to know where you got the wheel and if it matches somewhat and if it was a custom......Thanks

[Bvretr]

What would be the advantage to the 190 tire? Purely aesthetic?

[Ride.]

And the question, that I'm sure most who didn't post are wondering....






....why on earth would you want a fatty in the rear?

[jasonworthing]

Up until '05 the bike always had a 'fatty' that looked pretty frikken nice.

I have a buddy that has a 190 on his 06, He liked the look of the three spoke wheel from the 03' so swapped 'em. Looks sweet from the back, love the look of a fat tire. There are apparently difference in handling as the 180 facilitates greater agility but the honest truth is that it's a streetbike and although ridden rather aggressively there isnt anything that has compelled him to take 'em off.

Do what floats your boat, going bigger really isnt a big deal, you'll simply operate within the envelope of the package you have.

The better handling of the current S3 over the prior generation likely has more to do with steering geometry and updated components moreso than it does the extra weight, mass, and 'limits' of the wider rear....but there is some..

[Styler]

Originally Posted by youngatheart

Just wondering if you have researched the effects on handling resulting from this as this bike handles drastically better than my 01 did?

Also would like to know where you got the wheel and if it matches somewhat and if it was a custom......Thanks

I'm getting a set of BST carbon fibre wheels in the seven-spoke design, such as that developed for the Ducati Hypermotard. BST has develop a solution for the Speedie, and while my prefernce is for a stock 5.75 inch wheel, I may only be able to get a 6.
http://www.blackstonetek.com/products.php (see the set profiled at the top of this page)

I'm building a project road bike that is both a mix of asthetic and function for blasting the twistie back roads of AR. The wheels are the next steps in helping to enhance the agility and the asthetic - the rear alone drops about 4 kg (8.9 lbs) of unsprung, rotational mass.

All other things being the same, a larger rear wheel (of equal mass)would reduce agility (which is the exact opposite of my intent), while increasing the contact patch; however, tire sizes can be extremely varible from one manufacturer to another and so one can have a small 190 or a larger 180 and there would not always be a 10 mm difference betwen the two.

All said, I'm going for a 5.75 if they do/will make it; however, if not, I'm going to fit the 6 incher. I think the benefits of the super-light wheels will outweigh any (and likely minor) ill affects of a 190 tire on agility. I will probably have increased agility and a larger contact patch with the 6 inch BST wheel, even though I'd prefer to have even more agility and the same contact patch.

The only reason I am looking for a 190 tire is that this is the optimal tire size for a 6 inch rim -- you want to preserve the profile of the tire. A 190 on a 5.75 inch wheel pinches the beads closer to the centerline of the wheel, increasing the roundness of the profile and reducing the contact patch; a 180 on a 6 inch rim would have the beads further out from what is optimal, creating a flatter or even a convex contact patch when the bike is upright, resulting in poor turn-in characteristics.

My original question still stands - has anybody used spacers to increase the clearance of the pipe, and what are the results? If not, I'm interested on an informed opinion about potential stress to the header pipes at engine's exhaust ports.

[Styler]

A happy ending!
They make the wheels in a 5.75!
Now I can source some tires.

[espresso]

And the other obvious answer to this post is actually a question... Will you sell me your old wheels to go on my 07 for $50?

[Greyboy]

Originally Posted by Styler

A happy ending!
They make the wheels in a 5.75!
Now I can source some tires.

Post some pics as soon as you have them mounted please. And tell us how the bike feels.

[boogievan]

Originally Posted by jasonworthing

Up until '05 the bike always had a 'fatty' that looked pretty frikken nice.



Do what floats your boat, going bigger really isnt a big deal, you'll simply operate within the envelope of the package you have.

The better handling of the current S3 over the prior generation likely has more to do with steering geometry and updated components moreso than it does the extra weight, mass, and 'limits' of the wider rear....but there is some..

I have to interject, for a moment...
As Styler already summed up, Putting a too-wide 190 onto a '05+ 5.75" rim will definitely result in negative handling characteristics....

The previous owner of my bike fitted a 190 onto the stock rear wheel, and the "pinched in" beads crowned the tire profile just enough that the rear end had a tendency to sssssssslide around every corner that I rode it into...

As much fun as a lack of rear grip can be, and it is fun, it's not very confidence-inspiring.

I mounted up a (correct) 180/55 rear tire, and now, instead of sliding around corners if find myself wheelieing out of em.