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Honda Trail 125 Forum

Welcome to the Honda Trail 125 Forum! We are an enthusiast forum for the Trail 125, Hunter Cub, CT125 or whatever it's called in your country. Feel free to join up and help us build an information resources for this motorcycle. Register a free account today to become a member. Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Tires

dmonkey

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Quite a few folks here running Shinko SR241, Shinko SR244, and Kenda K262.
DennisKirk.com stocks many of them, some have bought through http://dratv.com/tirwheelbrak.html

OEM tires are bias-ply tube type with the following specs for reference:
Front: IRC GP-5 D, 80/90-17M/C 44P
Rear: IRC GP-5, 80/90-17M/C 50P

 

dmonkey

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Load index. The OEM front tire is rated for 353 lb (160 kg) while the rear is rated for 419 lb (190 kg). Keep in mind that weight distribution per tire is not 50-50.
 

corndog666

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Mar 2, 2022
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Hey everyone, first time posting. I'm really glad I found this website!

I bought Michelin city pro 2.75-17 and I've gotta say that I prefer the stock tires. I feel like the wind is blowing me around my lane a lot more and I'm generally less stable on the bike with turns. Importantly, I'm a new rider.

Why do people recommend 2.75? Wouldn't the extra width of an 80mm (3.14 inches) be helpful for stability? I am riding as a commuter vehicle on pavement. I'm thinking I just bought the wrong sized tire, should have read the manual 😓
 

dmonkey

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You're right. It's all a compromise based on what suits you and your riding style best. Many go with 2.75-17 because if you're running knobbies they end up being taller and wider which causes clearance issues, and they can also be a pain to mount on the 1.6" wide rims. For a street tire you're unlikely to have that same problem.

Wider tire
- More rolling resistance
- More straight line stability
- More weight
- Generally last longer due to the larger contact area
- Smoother ride
- Generally costs a little more

Narrower tire
- Less rolling resistance (goes faster, more mpg)
- Better cornering due to having light steering (wide tires try to push through turns)
- Less weight
- Generally shorter life due to less contact area
- Feel bumps more
- Generally costs a little less

With these pros and cons in mind, some folks are running 3.0 rear with 2.5 or 2.75 front which seems like an interesting way to balance things.
There's some discussion on street tire options here, might be worth researching some of the tires mentioned if you're still looking for a different model tire to run: https://hondatrail125.com/index.php?threads/street-use-tire-questions.595/
 

corndog666

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Mar 2, 2022
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That is good info, if/when I decide to switch out my tires I might leave the skinny city pro on front and put stock on back to see what that feels like
 

AZ7000'

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Jan 28, 2021
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957
The 3.0’s I have don’t actually rub but they grab a lot of gravel and cinders and you can hear it inside the front fender. Also over 45 mph or so they expand out and very slightly run on the mud flap bolts. Neither bother me enough to feel the need to fix, the rear is fine.
 

SneakyDingo

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Aug 6, 2021
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I feel like at some point we should have a pinned post for tires, just tires. The information gets hashed over a lot and it can really help people find a comprehensive list of available options for street, mud and everything in between, especially for the budget conscious or the fancy connoisseurs among us, including where to order the tires from. Given the cheap running costs on the CT125, possibly even the potential for going together on an order if you're geographically close by.

Most of us know that the short and dirty list is Shinko's in 241 or 244 but I'm pretty sure every owner has read something from @dmonkey while looking for tires. It's no slight on this post specifically, just we have some super experimentation people who have tried a ton of testing on this somewhat but not widely available tire format that can share useful information and save others a decent chunk of money, and I myself have extensively used the (not great for this query) search function to try and get answers to the same question.
 

dmonkey

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I like the idea, go for it, make a megathread :D
Here's some info to start. Could also add reviews, longevity, clearance concerns, and suppliers.

ModelSizeType
IRC GP-5 (OE)80/90-17Mild Dual Sport
Shinko SR2443.0-17Dual Sport
Shinko SR2442.5-17Dual Sport
Shinko SR2412.75-17Trials
Kenda K2623.0-17Trials
Kenda K2622.75-17Trials
IRC GP-13.0-17Dual Sport
IRC TR-12.75-17Trials
IRC FB32.75-17Dual Sport
Vee Rubber VRM-0222.75-17Dual Sport
Vee Rubber VRM-0223.0-17Dual Sport
Michelin Pilot Street 280/90-17Street
Michelin City Pro Tires80/90-17Street
Michelin City Extra Scooter Tires80/90-17Street
 
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