flat track front tire for 200x and flattrack set-up info...HELP

[200X FT]

Hi. I was wondering if anybody knows of a flattrack-type front tire I could use on my 85 200x. It has the stock 11" front wheel and I cannot find the tire I want for it. I have seen tires for the rear, but not the front. Do I have to run a 10" rim on the front to get a decent tire? :wondering I was thinking of using an 18x11x8 turf tamer tires for the rear. I don't plan to race, just to ride on a few tt/short tracks for fun. I was also wondering if anyone also has some knowledge of set-ups for flattrack. Any help will be apreciated. thank you.

[200x350xtriz250]

Wow, Grafton Ohio huh...I grew up right next door in Lagrange. Can't help you much on your question though. Where do you ride up there?

[200X FT]

Cool! Well, I don't have anywhere nearby that I can go riding. I'm still piecing my x together and I don't want to go big at Smith road raceway (nearest place to ride and great mx track) just yet. I race flat track ( on bikes ) and I think it would be cool to ride something different, and the X would be great for that. There are a few TT tracks and short tracks that would be accomodating to trikes.

[200X FT]

hello again. First off, scratch the turf tamers from the rear tire selection, I meant to say to turf savers to begin with. I found some Carlisle Fairway pro's and their Straight Ribbed tire online and both seem to be good candidates for rear tires. Both tires come in 18x9.5x8 configurations and the ribbed tire I think could be grooved to look like any hoosier or AR flattrack tire. I still have not found an 11" front tire, is there a 10" rim that bolts up to a stock 200X front hub so I can use the 10" tires? I also have a 250R rear axle that I was told would fit my 200X. It's of course wider than my stock axle and was wondering if it indeed can be fitted to my 200X. I'm learning alot thanks to this site and I hope to have my trike running soon.

[200x350xtriz250]

I may be wrong but to put a 10" wheel on your 1st gen 200x you will need to get a different front hub - your bolt pattern should be 4x190 or 4x195 which is to big for the 10" wheel. A front hub from a 85-86 350x, 86-87 200x or 85-86 250r all have a smaller bolt pattern of 4x170 and 10" wheels can be purchased that will fit. For 1 of those hubs to fit your bike and line up with the brake caliper you may need to modify your front axle spacers or use the spacers from one of the other bikes. The wheel itself will be expensive too - Douglas will make them but a minumum order of 25 wheels - I think - is required. You also have to slightly modify the hub and brake caliper for clearance. This site has done a few group orders to get this done. There is also a member here that supplies a front wheel - not sure of the details but I believe it costs about $125 and requires no modifying of the hub and little or no modifying of the brake caliper.

[200X FT]

Thanks for the info. I have done some more research. For the front wheel dilemma, I was looking at trailer wheels and hubs and I think they might work. The hub is a pretty simple design, it looks like after a bearing swap it should work. The hubs are cast-iron, and the wheel is steel, so they're plenty hefty enough to take some punishment (both rated to 1 ton load). Make up some spacers to line the wheel up, put on your tire of choice and ride. I hope. I know the front brakes will need to be re-done to fit (I don't have any front brakes anyhow), but I'm just trying to get the wheel figured out at the moment. The wheel I was looking at was 10x6", 4x4 bolt pattern and I was thinking of using an 20x8x10 American Racer tire. For the rears I was thinking of using 18x9.50x8 Mowku lawn tires, they look sort of like a race tire. Are the tire sizes too tall? Should I go 18 up front and 16 in the rear? I plan on a riding a few TT's with some slight jumps, so I don't want to set the X too low. Anyone with expertise on flattrack tire set-up, Please reply. Also, nylon vs rubber tire; big difference in handling?

[200x350xtriz250]

Not sure about the trailer hub/wheel idea. Personally I would buy a Honda 86-87 200x or 85-86 350x or 85-86 250r hub off of ebay and the 10" wheel here - granted it would cost more but look better and less mods to get it to work. It would also be much easier to put front brakes on it, assuming you plan to do so - I'm not a flat tracker but it seems to me front brakes would be more helpful than back brakes. As far as tire sizes - 16's are going to be hell to regear for - I'd stick with the 18's or even 20's. To each their own though. Here's a link to some other tire choices - there are more on the previous and following pages too:

http://www.smalltires.com/categories/atvtires.cfm?action=Products&subaction=List&StartRow=57&Next=1&CategoryId=aec9d092-e125-442b-aeb4-9c362ea31b5a&Size=10&Brand=DURO

[BWard]

I used the stock front tire when I was flat tracking my X back in 83-84, Never had any issues, Lowered the rear dropped the forks and raced it

[200X FT]

Hello. I have some questions for you BWard, if you don't mind. I know how to drop the forks, but as far as lowering the rear, was it smaller tires, lowered shock, or both. I planned on using 18x8.5 Mowku or rib lawn tires in the rear (grooved accordingly), but I've seen some hubbub about 16's. Any opinions? I don't want to spend the $ for AR's or hoosiers, just want to ride a few TT's/shorttracks and around the yard and not get too serious.

[BWard]

Well, to be honest when I first started and was broke, I used a tiedown strap and tied down the rear end, was not the best, but Least expensive and it did work, Later I believe we had a shorter shock made, Worked real nice, but expensive. Our rear tires were Armstrong Z's, Hoosier or Oats ( Ohstu 901 or 902 or 903)
I was always a big fan of the Oats, had Goodyear too kind of a S shape pattern. My swingarm was also 2 inch longer than stock.

[twotimetommy]

I'd say hoosiers are your best bet for flat track tires. i frun the D10 compound. softest one they got then i siph them with a groover, and then use a tire softener. they stick so well i can ride wheelies on ice. without studs. I ice race in wisconsin with them

[atc300r]

I raced flat track and tt back in the 80s .I raced 250rs stock front tire works well .Make your x low and wide.

[200X FT]

Thanks for all the info. I appreciate the info on the Hoosiers, but Hoosiers and A/R's are way too pricey for my budget. I don't need the BEST tires right now, I just need some that will work in the hard pack and in the grass. As far as making it lower and wider, I know of the front spring trick and I have a wider 250r rear axle that I was told will work if flipped around for a 200x. I've also have heard 400ex hubs will also widen it. I'm figuring out the rear suspension and I heard somewhere on here that a rear shock from a 93-02 XR 200 will bolt in and it's shorter than the stock X shock. If this is true, I will go that route in the rear suspension to lower it. Any opinions, ideas, or experience would be appreciated. Thanks

[200X FT]

Progress... The X is almost ready to ride. Having some trouble getting her to run. It'll spin over on its own a couple of revolutions and then dies. Gas and carb are clean, timing is right on( checked it 20 times),valves are adjusted right, I have spark, carb is adjusted correctly. Low compression? Anyways, the x is all together except the rear brakes, in which I need a rebuild kit for the caliper. I put some 18x9.50x8 turf savers on it, have some Z's as a spare. The rear shock is stock, but I have an 95 xr200 shock and a strut lying around that I can use if I really want to lower it. The X is low now with the smaller rears on it and the fork tubes pulled up through the trees. I'm hoping to have it ready for the first TT here in Ohio, May 26 at Highline Raceway. I hope some of you can come on out and have some fun. You can see video of the track at highlineracingministry.com, click on the highline raceway tab.