Forum

[Vijayinder]

I got 2 110-90-19 tyres to put on my 2016 royal Enfield 500 EFI.. problem is, both of them are front tyres, how would I go about putting the front tyre in the rear? Does that mean I put the tire in the opposite rotation? Thanks.

[papasmurf]

No it doesn't. (Even though Guy Martin did it on his travels around India, without spotting it.)

[ric]

110-90-19 is the rear tyre fitment for this model,



If this is what you ride then you have two rears not two fronts, Why not store the second for when the first wears out and buy the correct sized 90-90-19 tyre for the front. No safety issues and no worries.

[ric]

Sorry - haven't fully woken up yet ! The correct rear tyre size for this model is a 100-90-19. But as above, why not simply buy another tyre and save the spare one for later.

[2cvandy]

HI Vijayinder. I don't know why Ric thinks you have two rear tyres, presumably they have Front Fitment or similar marked on the sidewall?

There are differences between front and rear tyres of course. The front might typically be more angular to get the bike to tip into corners more easily, while the rear would typically be more rounded. The construction would be different too, because the front has more forces applied through braking and the rear more forces applied through acceleration, which is I assume why you asked about fitting the tyre with the opposite rotation.

Some tyres are actually designed to be fitted either front or rear and are marked with opposite direction arrows depending on which end of the bike they're being fitted to.

So in answer to your original question, if you've decided you want to use those particular tyres for whatever reason (looks presumably?) then personally I would fit them, and yes, I would reverse the rotation for the rear wheel.

But, that's just my opinion, and just what I would do on my own bike. I don't know if it would be legal, I don't know if it would pass an MOT?

I doubt it would affect the handling adversely on such a low powered bike, but I cannot promise you it won't. As with all things when we deviate from standard, it could well be a case of try it and see, but obviously I'm not recommending anybody should try this at home children, just saying what I would do in this situation.

[Vijayinder]

Thank you for the replies. I still have some life left on my current tires so I got some time to think about it I guess. Thank you. I guess I should treat safety as a #1 priority.

[Paul G]

Hi I had a bike fail an MOT a few years ago because the tyre rotation arrow went the wrong way. I had wrongly thought it was a universal tyre, but the MOT guy reckoned the rotation arrow had to go the right way, as long as this and the tread were OK it would pass regardless of which end a front or rear tyre was on. He actually phoned someone up the MOT chain to check.

[Alan R]

"I guess I should treat safety as a #1 priority".....Exactly !!-------- Remember, it's not just yourself you put at potential risk but those that you might collide with as well....

As 2cvANDY points out}---Some tyres are actually designed for Universal fitment and will be advertised / marked as such....So, if the tyre is marked for rotation then be guided by those marks, otherwise leave well alone, I would counsel...........Oh, just one other thing}--- remember that you are required to inform your Insurance company of any deviation or mods. from standard spec. that you might make, even if they are from the "Approved" list ( eg.. our hosts panniers or windscreen etc.. ).......... Weather any of us do or don't is another matter!!!.

[2cvandy]

[Rattlebattle]

I would never put a front tyre on the rear or vice versa. They are made as front or rear tyres for a reason; each has different priorities apart from the shared ones. Form over function on something as safety critical as tyres is just plain stupid in my opinion.