pic request for 250R's with 18" tires

[JasonB]

I am torn between an 18" tire and a 20"tire for the 86R. I want larger wheels and less sidewall, but im worried 18's will look donkey behind an extended swinger. I want a 10" wheel and 18" tire. Anyone got any good pictures to post up? thanks in advance!

[George_Doucette]

This is my 82 With 18inch turf tammers haha

[Mosh]

18's on 8's







20's

[ditchmud]

no pictures of mine right now but a little input from my experience. i only use the 18" at the track because they are no good for trail riding.

[Red Rider]

18x11x10 Fast Trekkers & +2 swingarm on a very rare '88 250R

[JasonB]

18x11x10 Fast Trekkers & +2 swingarm on a very rare '88 250R

damn that looks good! I think i will be going with 18's, that looks great!

[JasonB]

no pictures of mine right now but a little input from my experience. i only use the 18" at the track because they are no good for trail riding.

why are they no good for trail riding? no low end power or what? I would think that a smaller tire diameter (18") would be more work for the motor and slower to get out of the hole than say a larger diameter tire (20") that has less work to do to turn. thoughts or what? Am I thinking this backwards or what? Because Rosco pointed out that he uses a smaller front sprocket (13 teeth) with his 22" sand paddles because the 14 tooth sprocket was creating issues with climbing the dunes and having the gearing to do so.

anyone care to provide me with some education?

[250r kid]

here's my 250r with 18 x9.5

[JasonB]

18x11x10 Fast Trekkers & +2 swingarm on a very rare '88 250R

what size wheels you got there bro bra?!~

[Red Rider]

why are they no good for trail riding? no low end power or what? anyone care to provide me with some education?

The only reasons I can think of that some might not like them for trail riding are:
1. Going from a 20" to an 18" tire, you'll lose 1" of ground clearance.
2. With a 10" rim in an 18" there is very little sidewall to protect the rim, so in rocky terrain, big rocks can & will damage the bead.
3. The ride quality will be slightly stiffer as well with an 18" tire.

Unless you re-gear via sprocket(s), you'll lose top end speed, but gain low-end grunt with the smaller tires.

[wisconsinite]

why are they no good for trail riding?

the lower the tire, the closer your sprocket and rotor are to the ground. i run 20's on my tri z, and even those have some clearance issues on some of the trails i ride. rocks bad.

[RoscoW]

Jason,
18" fast trekkers on 8" rims


18" fast trekkers on a 10" rim, a lot less sidewall for the same O/A diameter tire as above


20"tires on a 9" rim


The 14-39 gearing was good all around for me for the 18" tires but when I put my larger 22" paddles on, it was too tall. As a compromise I switched back to the 13-39 gearing so I don't have to play with my chain every time I switch tires. A smarter(and richer) fellow would have bought smaller sand tires and left the gearing alone. All I lost was a little top end speed with the 18's which I rarely see riding the trails we see.
Front sprockets are cheap and it's easy to take a link out of your chain and drop down a tooth. I'm pretty sure I bought a 13, 14, and 15, tooth front to try out.

Ross.

[JasonB]

Thanks guys! Great info here, really has helped out alot. Thanks for the pics and specs on everything too. I am going to be ordering a mountain of parts tonight or tomorrow night to start building my bike for TF11 !!!!! IM STOKED!

[justin4]

Roscow that is one bad ass looking 250, the blue one . And mosh what can I say that black and silver one is the best looking trike I have ever seen . Great work to all you.

[hillbilly 200x]

I know its not a 3rd gen but I have Carlisle Flat Track Tires 18' on 8' (gold rims) and hole shots 20' on 8'