by Bill Jurgenson » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:22 am
From the start, the tour had both 130/80 together with a 43 tooth chainwheel and 150/60 with the 39 t. as rear tire. By 1995, the 130/80 had been removed from the papers. The Sport had only the 150/60 option. The final ration was approximately the same due to the much large cirumference of the 130/80 tire.
I positively do not recommend this tire size from my own experience; my blue early 1994 Tour was so equipted.
The 120 is too large for the rim. You could run the 150, if it is a 150/60, but you are probably better off selling both as a set if they are good.
the 4" rim at the back is too wide fro a 150 tire in any event. That is not only my personal experience, it's what the tire makers say as well. For a 150 /60 the reference rim is either 4,25" or 4,5". The 4" is a bastard size left over from the pre-radial tire days.
The best allround tire for the Skorpion, even if ridden hard, is the Bridgestone BT45 in 110/70 and 140/70.
It is good in the rain, neutral in handling, is inexpensive and it gets good mileage as well. THe BT45 is not a radial tire.
If handling and wet grip are absolute priorities (and obviously then mileage not), the the BT090 Pro is by far the best tire on the market for the Skorpion. It, too , in 140/70 at the back. Nothing comes even close to it, but mileage is NOT its forte.
Retain the the 43 tooth chainwheel for the smaller circumference tires, however, since the the OEM final ratio is too long.
