When you go to try and make your scooter faster, brake better, or corner like a fly to honey, the only thing that will improve all of that at once are tires. By choosing a different size, tires can offer an improvement in the looks department, too. Tires can change your gear ratio, change your stance, and even change your wallet weight. Hey, lighter is better, right? Tires are one of the most versatile Yamaha Zuma and Honda Ruckus parts out there, but you have to be careful when choosing the size you want. We’re going to go into some detail in tire sizing today. This isn’t the answer to what tire will fit your scooter and wheel, but it will get you going in the right direction.
There are two factors at play when it comes to tire overall diameter: Sidewall height and actual measurements. Now, what do you want, well that depends on what you’re trying to get out of it. You want more speed, well then you want a taller tire (larger overall diameter). However, you’ll sacrifice acceleration, which can be a little to a lot depending on how much taller you use. With most scooters, you can’t get much taller in diameter of your tire because it will rub the engine case, in most cases. Now, if you want acceleration, stay with the stock size or go a little shorter. If you’re doing a fatty, do you want a stretch (skinny tire on a wide rim), round (like what you have now), flat tread (golf cart tire) or a combination of stretch and round or stretch and flat tread look? Having an end goal will be the key in selecting your tire.
Couple of quick examples for Tire Measurement
Say you want a Bopper on your stock rim, but you want some more acceleration out of it. The stock tire is 130/90-10. That is a 19.21″ tall tire (again, overall diameter). If you switch to a 120/90-10 Bopper, that will be an 18.50″ tall tire. What that means is that the 120/90-10 Bopper will get to full rotation quicker, which means faster acceleration. However, the 130/90-10 Bopper will travel further per full rotation, meaning higher speed.
Going Plus 1
Now, if you switch to a 12″ rim, also known as going plus 1, will you gain speed? That answer is “not necessarily.” If you go with a 120/70-12, that will be an 18.60″ tall tire, just barely taller than the 120/90-10, but still shorter than stock! The 130/70-12 will be 19.16”, which is actually shorter than the stock tire by just .05″!
Something to keep in mind, my measurements are based on advertised measurements. Actual tire sizes can vary manufacturer to manufacturer, even tire model to tire model. You’ll have to do research to know what the actual measurements are. Sometimes, manufacturers will give you the actual overall diameter. So, the question that actually has to be answered is this: What overall diameter am I really looking for? Once you find out, subtract it from the wheel diameter, divide it by half and that will be the sidewall height you are looking for. So, let’s say your overall diameter is 19″ and you want to use a 13″ wheel. That’s 6″ difference, divide that by 2 and 3″ will be your sidewall profile. On a 130mm wide tire, that is roughly 5″. That would mean you would want to look at a 130/60/13 advertised tire and see what it really is by the manufacturer.
