Sumitomo 165/70TR13 Is No Longer Available

I was looking to replace my rear tire with the Sumitomo 165/70TR13 but I cannot find it for sale and it is no longer being made. Does anyone have an alternate tire to recommend for its replacement?
Thanks;
Barry

Yes replace it with proper MC tire---bias, Honda recommended IRC on last SilverWings built. You will find it handles well as a scooter.

Fitment wise, there are alternatives out there. I had found a 165/65R13 on ebay I think it works just fine. Close enough to stock tire size that it does not affect the ABS brakes. You could try this one in the link as it is even closer to stock diameter than the one I am currently using.

Google can be a help in your search for tires that will fit and work for you. Put the tire size into the search box and you should be able to find an online source. You could also check ebay for tires if your are comfortable enough to trust sellers. I have done so several times without issue... especially when trying to get a difficult to find size tire. None of the tires I bought there were more than 3 years after date of manufacture... because I asked first before buying. some were less than a year old. Best sellers are those that are in the business of selling tires. More risk in buying from an individual non-business type seller.

https://www.tires-easy.com/brands/achilles-tires/122?code=1AC-155701375-TV000

These are sizes of tires that will fit on the Silverwing rear rim. I have used them all except for the 165/70R13, but many others have. They will have varying degrees of performance and ride characteristics.
Standard bike tire 150/70-13
155/70R13 car tire - This one should ride like a standard tire that has been "squared off" from wear  and would not affect ABS brakes Since it is even closer to standard tire diameter than a 165/65R13 tire.
165/65R13 car tire
165/70R13 car tire
175/70R13 car tire - more pronounced initial acceleration lag and roll on after throttle let-off + a little better fuel economy.

Generally speaking, the wider the tire is, the more one notices the squared shoulder effects. The taller it is, the more initial acceleration lag there is. That is; it is as if the bike is starting up a shallow incline, but is still quite capable of pulling away from traffic lights quicker than cars. Fuel economy may see an ever so slight improvement due to lower rpms for given speeds. Taller tires also tend to have slightly more rounded shoulders and tend to have longer roll on after throttle let off.

BTW, there is a "DarkSide" car tire section here in FORUM: Honda Silver Wing: Accessories & Modifications: Darkside Car Tire.

bandito2 wrote:

Fitment wise, there are alternatives out there. I had found a 165/65R13 on ebay I think it works just fine. Close enough to stock tire size that it does not affect the ABS brakes. You could try this one in the link as it is even closer to stock diameter than the one I am currently using.

Google can be a help in your search for tires that will fit and work for you. Put the tire size into the search box and you should be able to find an online source. You could also check ebay for tires if your are comfortable enough to trust sellers. I have done so several times without issue... especially when trying to get a difficult to find size tire. None of the tires I bought there were more than 3 years after date of manufacture... because I asked first before buying. some were less than a year old. Best sellers are those that are in the business of selling tires. More risk in buying from an individual non-business type seller.

https://www.tires-easy.com/brands/achilles-tires/122?code=1AC-155701375-TV000

These are sizes of tires that will fit on the Silverwing rear rim. I have used them all except for the 165/70R13, but many others have. They will have varying degrees of performance and ride characteristics.
Standard bike tire 150/70-13
155/70R13 car tire - This one should ride like a standard tire that has been "squared off" from wear  and would not affect ABS brakes Since it is even closer to standard tire diameter than a 165/65R13 tire.
165/65R13 car tire
165/70R13 car tire
175/70R13 car tire - more pronounced initial acceleration lag and roll on after throttle let-off + a little better fuel economy.

Generally speaking, the wider the tire is, the more one notices the squared shoulder effects. The taller it is, the more initial acceleration lag there is. That is; it is as if the bike is starting up a shallow incline, but is still quite capable of pulling away from traffic lights quicker than cars. Fuel economy may see an ever so slight improvement due to lower rpms for given speeds. Taller tires also tend to have slightly more rounded shoulders and tend to have longer roll on after throttle let off.

BTW, there is a "DarkSide" car tire section here in FORUM: Honda Silver Wing: Accessories & Modifications: Darkside Car Tire.

Great report and service to those who are interested in running a car tire on their Silverwing.  

My Silverwing is over across the Puget Sound which makes it immediately difficult to get the make / model and size of the tire I had put on it otherwise I would of added my specifics.

I will say this:  After about 100 miles of riding on the car tire, I quit thinking about it and just ride my scooter like I have always done.  It doesn't come up in conversation except on forums when someone is looking for information and then the naysayers come out to give their advice.

I do have a car tire on the back of my Goldwing.  I just followed the advice of those on the Goldwing1800 site.  Listening to those that have successfully done it for 100,000 miles was enough confidence for me.  

Now I will say that there are those that have put a car tire on the back of their Goldwing and after the tire wore out, went back to a regular motorcycle tire.  Their reasons vary from performance to preference, but none that I have heard from say that they experienced unsafe riding conditions due riding a car tire on their bike.

bandito2 wrote:

155/70R13 car tire - This one should ride like a standard tire that has been "squared off" from wear  and would not affect ABS brakes Since it is even closer to standard tire diameter than a 165/65R13 tire.
165/65R13 car tire
165/70R13 car tire
175/70R13 car tire - more pronounced initial acceleration lag and roll on after throttle let-off + a little better fuel economy.

OOPS!! A small and minor mistake that may not even make much difference. This^ should read like this:

155/70R13 car tire - This one should ride like a standard tire that has been "squared off" from wear and should not affect ABS brakes Since it's sidewall is only 1.25mm taller in radius than a 165/65R13 tire. (or only 3.5mm taller sidewall than a stock 150/70-13 scooter tire)
165/65R13 car tire
165/70R13 car tire
175/70R13 car tire - more pronounced initial acceleration lag and roll on after throttle let-off + a little better fuel economy.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

To be honest, I don't recall anybody even having ABS trouble with the 165/70R13 tire which has a sidewall 10.5mm taller than the stock scooter tire. But I could be wrong about that. I wonder what the experience is for Silverwing600 riders with ABS and are using a 165/70R13 car tire.

Hi BarryH,
Ditto on "Modernman's" comments... In April of 2015 I had a Hercules Raptis TR1, 165/70R/13 installed. Being probably the newest and least experienced rider of this group, I saw little to no difference after the switch over to the "darkside". Having said that, there did seem to be a little hesitation (as noticed by at least one other rider) when going through that "tip-in" phase going into a curve or turn. But as was said before, that feeling was soon forgotten about; all else is "normal". That, plus I do have ABS and have not experienced anything untoward.

DickO wrote:

Hi BarryH,
Ditto on "Modernman's" comments...  In April of 2015 I had a Hercules Raptis TR1, 165/70R/13 installed.  Being probably the newest and least experienced rider of this group, I saw little to no difference after the switch over to the "darkside".  Having said that, there did seem to be a little hesitation (as noticed by at least one other rider) when going through that "tip-in" phase going into a curve or turn.  But as was said before, that feeling was soon forgotten about; all else is "normal".  That, plus I do have ABS and have not experienced anything untoward.

So how many miles do you have on that tire? What was the cost of the tire? Who mounted it up for you?

Important: Would you buy the same tire again?

Hi Modernman,
The tire I had installed only cost me $56.00 from a "Shell Station" in Topeka.  Had it installed (with no balancing or "snide" remarks) by a local bike shop in an adjacent small town for $15 bucks, I believe it was.  The measly 3K miles I've put on it ain't enough to make any decisions on but all things remaining equal, sure, I'd get another one if I ever get around to wearing this one out.

DickO wrote:

Hi Modernman,
The tire I had installed only cost me $56.00 from a "Shell Station" in Topeka.  Had it installed (with no balancing or "snide" remarks) by a local bike shop in an adjacent small town for $15 bucks, I believe it was.  The measly 3K miles I've put on it ain't enough to make any decisions on but all things remaining equal, sure, I'd get another one if I ever get around to wearing this one out.

What? You don't put 35,000 miles a year on your scooter?

You must sleep alot.

Thanks for the info.

Here is a tip for car tire mounting. Walmart will mount for free any tire purchased from them. Just tell them that your rim came off of a cargo trailer. Walmart as a policy of not doing any motorcycle tires whatsoever. So, if you tell them your rim is off your bike, you are out of luck. No free mounting for you.

Larry