[Ski Pro 3]

I figure this might be a good time to start an invoice for what this is costing.

1. eBay rear wheel assembly with brake drum $140 +$25 shipping for $165
2. Hub shipping to Mike McG $11 FedEx
3. Wagon wheel rim 12x4 $32
4. Wheel bearing set with seal $15
5. Lug bolts $11
6. Duro V2 tire $115
7. Valve stem and mount tire $12
8. Hub machine work $225

Total $586

 

[Ski Pro 3]

I ordered the lug bolts based on Brian and Mike's reference to VW style bolts which are ball style, not conical.
I got a set of 5 for $11 off Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N1RU2WQ/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A2MIOKJ0DJYQIH&psc=1

 

[oldworld 124]

Ski Pro 3, is your chain length going to work? looks like that 26" tire will need to get your axle way back for it to fit in the swing arm?

 

[Ski Pro 3]

Ski Pro 3, is your chain length going to work? looks like that 26" tire will need to get your axle way back for it to fit in the swing arm?

Brian says yes, will work fine. He has a photo shows the snail adjustment between 3 and 4. Scroll back here to his photos and see for yourself.

 

[TW-Brian]

With the stock swingarm, the stock length chain and the stock 14/50 sprockets, the snail adjusters fell between 3 and 4.

Here is the clearance on the chain side of the swingarm.

Here is the clearance on the brake side of the swingarm.

It was hard get my phone in position to get a good angle for these swingarm shots, but with the snail adjusters between 3 and 4 there is at least 3/8" clearance between the swingarm and all surfaces of the Duro V2. The pictures make it look closer that it really is, and this is more clearance than I had with the original Duro. It also means that there is likely still enough adjustment slot length left to add a link, or possibly two, to the chain which would add a bunch more clearance at the front of the swingarm.

 

[oldworld 124]

Pretty amazing to see this size of a tire fit. Thanks.

How does the bike handle on the trails with the bigger tire?

 

[Fred]

I've a bit over 12,000 mostly off-road miles using 26x8-14 ATV tires on one of my TWs.
Their width occasionally reveals some atypical behavior; things like on firm sidehills where you might notice sidewall contact is occurring a bit further from under center line of bike requiring a bit more weight shift.
Tire's width when it exceeds that of narrow, deep ruts made by MX grade knobbies means ATV tire does not drop to bottom and act like a slot ca. Instead rear can dart a bit from side to side seeking an equilibrium giving the impression of a drunken sailor. So there might be a slight loss of stability but I don't mind due to traction improvements in marginal conditions.
My one TW with the ATV tire does well in mud, sand & snow conditions that tend to cause grief to the other TrailWing equipped TW. Had I completed today's ride on the stock tire TW I would have spun the tire a lot and made a mess of some otherwise nice trail sections.
Once again these issues are lessened with a rounder profile like the Duro2 or my Terracross. My Terracross can be made to slid around somewhat playfully but my original Duro's squarish profile wasn't so linearly predictable...try to get the original Duro up on sharp sidewall edges and feed in power with good balance and it just wants to make even more traction, stand up and go a bit ballistic. Get the balance wrong and it can quickly slide out instead. Doable, just a bit more demanding than a rounder profile tire. Just like TW-Brian's RipSaw equipped TW he let me ride up one rooted trail the square edge tires seem to be happiest just making gobs of forward traction.
When conditions are firm and dry the ATV tire gives few benefits other than aggressive looks. Downsides include slower acceleration and reduced fuel mileage due to weight and rolling resistance imparted by low air pressures we typically operate at.
It is said that they certainly handle better with no air pressure than a conventional TrailWing with a puncture.
I can only confirm this comparison at 4psi for each.

 

[Westieterrier]

Hopefully a more rounded profile will occur once Duro2 is installed and inflated. I but briefly sampled TW-Brian’s Duro2 on the street and was impressed, more rounded than the original Duro I was running at the time.
Nay sayers abound preaching mayhem with running ATV tires on the street but I’ve had no issues running mine over Sierra passes like Carson, Ebbets, Monitor & Sonora just as fast as lil’ Betty Boop will go leaned into corners just as brave as I will go...You’ll have fun once you get used to it. Ten to fifteen degree heat wave is coming next Friday, maybe you can get out and rip up some rotten snow.

Fred, are you able to ride 55 - 60 Mph on the street with these ATV tires? So curious about that! Thanks man.

 

[Westieterrier]

Quick question about the trailer wheels: why not go for an aluminum one? It'd be lighter, probably just as strong, and could be brushed or polished to look super sharp. I'm just curious and I didn't see any mention about it. Thanks.

 

[Workingman]

Most of the aluminum trailer wheels actually weigh a little more.
Strange but true

 

[Ski Pro 3]

Quick question about the trailer wheels: why not go for an aluminum one? It'd be lighter, probably just as strong, and could be brushed or polished to look super sharp. I'm just curious and I didn't see any mention about it. Thanks.

I don't think the aluminum wheels are 0" offset. Most have a negative offset. Plus the center hole has to be opened to allow the sprocket flange to fit through the rim. An aluminum rim is thick and I don't think the hole could be made large enough and still have enough material around the mounting holes for the lugs and nuts. The steel rim is thin and works well for this modification.

 

[Fred]

While I spend most of my riding time in the dirt I haven't had any concerns riding the ATV tires at normal TW road speeds.
Yes I'll crank the speeds up occasionally , think a bit over 70 mph was the max but that was downhill with a tailwind. Maybe a hand full of 20 to 30 mile highway jaunts at 55 mph, 150 mile trips through Yosemite or twisty paved sierra passes but mostly in the 45 to 55 mph range limited due to park speed limits or twisty steep roadways.
I suppose the concerns might entail fear of destructive heat build-up and centrifugal force unseating the bead while cornering hard or after sustained high speeds. Someone with more road riding experience might detect something unsettling but bike seems to behave and handle no noticeably different from the stock TrailWing rear tire.
In general I don't spend much time on pavement and 50mph seems a more pleasant reassuring speed. 13x55 tooth sprockets does make even the 223cc engine fairly wound out in 6th. The stock 198cc motor was even busier in 5th at 55mph turning the tall and heavier ATV tire.
I don't have enough experience to endorse regular sustained highway speeds on ATV tires to others but I have no qualms about another 20 to 50 mile tour at 10psi around 50 mph. This was typical for a tour in and around National Parks in southern Utah with Admiral, Mrs.Admiral & I were all astride ATV tire equipped TWs. There we had highway miles between camps and back country destinations.

 

[admiral]

Fred, are you able to ride 55 - 60 Mph on the street with these ATV tires? So curious about that! Thanks man.

Late summer Mrs. Admiral and I rode about 8 hours of pavement. She has the Maxxis Ceros ATV tire on the trailer rim mod and I had a Duro ATV tire on the stock TW rim. Hers is tubeless and mine has a tube. No problems.

 

[Westieterrier]

Late summer Mrs. Admiral and I rode about 8 hours of pavement. She has the Maxxis Ceros ATV tire on the trailer rim mod and I had a Duro ATV tire on the stock TW rim. Hers is tubeless and mine has a tube. No problems.

Thanks Admiral! Were you and the Misses running about the same speeds as Fred, 50 - 60 mph?

 

[admiral]

Thanks Admiral! Were you and the Misses running about the same speeds as Fred, 50 - 60 mph?

Yes. We have those days when we want to hit the tar twisties too.

 

[Westieterrier]

Wow guys! The ATV tire is definitely in my long term plans now! It's right after the 225 mod, which is after the new gas tank, which is after the new mirrors, which is after the headlight, which is after the carb mods, which is after . . . . Maybe 18 months away. My bike is still new for another year, and, me, well, that will be years! I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Fred]

If you get the shaft extension and put in on a shelf now you will be taking the first step.
Even though my off-road emphasis has had me to use the wide ratio 6-speed to extend low speed stump pulling abilities rather than extend top speeds you can see from following video that 13x55 sprockets don't necessarily limit road speeds nor cornering with an ATV tire.

 

[oldworld 124]

I know you are buried in snow, so what else you gonna do? Ha! Nothing like working on a bike in the garage in winter.

Instead of working on them I think Admiral will be burning one of his bikes this winter in order to keep warm.

 

[littletommy]

If you get the shaft extension and put in on a shelf now you will be taking the first step.
Even though my off-road emphasis has had me to use the wide ratio 6-speed to extend low speed stump pulling abilities rather than extend top speeds you can see from following video that 13x55 sprockets don't necessarily limit road speeds nor cornering with an ATV tire.

Rides like that, I pretend I'm on the back looking over your shoulder, fun fun fun, but when you get too crazy, I jump off.

 

[Westieterrier]

If you get the shaft extension and put in on a shelf now you will be taking the first step.
Even though my off-road emphasis has had me to use the wide ratio 6-speed to extend low speed stump pulling abilities rather than extend top speeds you can see from following video that 13x55 sprockets don't necessarily limit road speeds nor cornering with an ATV tire.

Thanks again Fred! Great video that shows what the ATV tire can do on the road as well as on the trail. Very good information. The music was a nice touch!