Back tire up front and mounted reverse

[Shimpy]

I myself just don't feel comfortable running a rear tire in reverse. It's tread was engineered to run in one direction for water dispersal and that's the direction I'll run it. As far as breaking forces on the belt design, I figure a rear tire is understood to also have to brake and I use my front brakes only for additional stopping power when the rear isn't quite enough. I'm guessing how they wear would be the same but I'll put safety over wear. JMHO

 

[cjmitch]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
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<div class="message">It's tread was engineered to run in one direction for water dispersal and that's the direction I'll run it. ...JMHO</div>

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</div>Which is exactally why you put it in reverse..<br />
And consider the following<br />
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Take a look at the following picture....<br />
<img src="http://www.gwrra-ohh2.org/claude/mpa.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br />
On the Left you have a Michelin Pilot activ<br />
In the middle you have a Standard gl1800 tire<br />
notice how the tread lines are reversed<br />
On the RIGHT you have the Michelin Pilot activ with the threads REVERSED...<br />
Notice how they NOW match the direction of the Honda OEM tire<br />
That is why you reverse the tire when you put it on the front.

 

[Shimpy]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>cjmitch</strong>
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<div class="message">Which is exactally why you put it in reverse..<br />
And consider the following<br />
<br />
Take a look at the following picture....<br />
<img src="http://www.gwrra-ohh2.org/claude/mpa.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br />
On the Left you have a Michelin Pilot activ<br />
In the middle you have a Standard gl1800 tire<br />
notice how the tread lines are reversed<br />
On the RIGHT you have the Michelin Pilot activ with the threads REVERSED...<br />
Notice how they NOW match the direction of the Honda OEM tire<br />
That is why you reverse the tire when you put it on the front.</div>

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Those pictures just show me a couple tires that I have no idea what direction they are rotating. I guess it's just me and my aging brain, but I can't comprehend how you can move a rear tire 4 feet to the front and then say it is running the wrong direction. Was it designed wrong to begin with? I don't want to seem like I know it all and would really like to find an answer to this often asked question. I could care less if I'm wrong.

 

[Shriner Jim]

I know this question has been beat to death, but one final question.


With regard to TRACTION only, especially on wet roads, forgetting about tire life, which method of mounting is the safest?

Yea, I guess you're right, it's been beat to death.

 

[Teal]

like shimpy said

 

[cjmitch]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
<a href="showthread.php?p=155350#post155350" rel="nofollow"><img class="inlineimg" src="images/buttons/viewpost-right.png" alt="View Post" /></a>
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<div class="message">Those pictures just show me a couple tires that I have no idea what direction they are rotating. I guess it's just me and my aging brain, but I can't comprehend how you can move a rear tire 4 feet to the front and then say it is running the wrong direction. Was it designed wrong to begin with? I don't want to seem like I know it all and would really like to find an answer to this often asked question. I could care less if I'm wrong.</div>

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</div>I'm not trying to prove you wrong, just trying to communicate the information to you. Look just go outside and take a look at your or ANY 1800 tire. Now compare it to the tire in the middle... NOW you have your baseline.<br />
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You see how the tire is cut so that the grooves go DOWN and to the outside.<br />
Now look at the FAR left tire (its a pilot activ with the direction arrows pointed in the same way) see how the grooves are cut from the middle UP to the outside.... That is backwards. (for a FRONT tire)<br />
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Now look at the tire on the right; it is Pilot active reversed, the grooves go down to the outside like the OEM tire in the middle.<br />
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Look, you are being given an answer, and its about the only answer that you are going to get because there just aren't any more reasons to tell you why you should.

the pictures speak fro themselves.

 

[Shimpy]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>cjmitch</strong>
<a href="showthread.php?p=156003#post156003" rel="nofollow"><img class="inlineimg" src="images/buttons/viewpost-right.png" alt="View Post" /></a>
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<div class="message">I'm not trying to prove you wrong, just trying to communicate the information to you. Look just go outside and take a look at your or ANY 1800 tire. Now compare it to the tire in the middle... NOW you have your baseline.<br />
<br />
You see how the tire is cut so that the grooves go DOWN and to the outside.<br />
Now look at the FAR left tire (its a pilot activ with the direction arrows pointed in the same way) see how the grooves are cut from the middle UP to the outside.... That is backwards. (for a FRONT tire)<br />
<br />
Now look at the tire on the right; it is Pilot active reversed, the grooves go down to the outside like the OEM tire in the middle.<br />
<br />
Look, you are being given an answer, and its about the only answer that you are going to get because there just aren't any more reasons to tell you why you should. the pictures speak fro themselves.</div>

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</div>I see what you mean Mitch, I guess what you are saying is that rear treads run opposite front treads and have to be reversed to run like a front tire....... I'd be courious to know why front and rear would be different. I heard an explaination once that had to do with front tires on a bike dispersing water away from the rear tire. Since these tires are designed for 2 wheels I wonder if having 2 wheels in the rear would make a difference.

Would the front tread then disperse the water into the path of the rear tires? Who knows? My trike dealer will not mount them in reverse after talking to one of the the tire manufactures but most will.

 

[Duck]

I didn't mean to stir up the pot but I will say I am happy with the MPA mounted backwards. I have put about 750 miles on it and about 100 of that was in a downpour. Never once felt like the front was having any problem holding the road.

 

[skuuter]

Rear Tires generally do not have all the "siping treads" that Front Tires have......from "personally riding" the Pilot Activ Tire Standard and Reverse Mounted on Gold Wing Trikes, it definetly disperses water better and is quieter than mounted in Reverse...Traction Level seems virtually the same.........

 

[FRR]

Well guys have reading every thing I could find on this subject, including all the comments on this thread I have finally made a decision. If the weather EVER breaks here in Southern Ohio and Spring ever comes, I"m going to have my new tire mounted IN REVERSE. There have been some great comments posted here by some folks that have have years of experience in these matters and I'm going to take the majority of advice from the comments here. It could be six of one or a half dozen of the other, but I think the arguments presented to mount in reverse are persuasive at best. I appreciate everyone who commented. That is what makes this website such a great read.

 

[SMSgt]

I've decided to put an MPA 130/70-18 rear mounted reverse on mine. I'm sold.

 

[John Luciano]

Please come back and gives us your opinion...it is important for people the see that you are happy with it. Make sure it is a BIAS PLY TIRE

 

[FRR]

I'm going to be running a Battlelax BT-45, which is what many of the guys use. Bought it in November was less than 100 bucks on sale so even if it doesn't get the mileage that the stock tire would, (and I have every reason to believe that it will) it was still cheaper than the stock tire.

 

[dcpeg1]

ok i may not be to smart but don't the rear tire turn the same way as the front and don't it turn ,shed water, stop, and everything the front tire doses so why the reversing wouldn't it lose all that it was designed for. i under stand that you don't need the traction but you do need the stopping and the water displacement