Put a new Mefo 120/80-18 on the rear. Bike seems to handle upper speeds much better. This tire is about 4 inches wide. The old original 603? is about 5 inches wide. The bike just seems to be able to accelerate from 65 to 70++ with a lot more vigor.

Got the Mefo from Trail Tricks. Very good place to deal with and good prices on these tires.

I think the 130/80 - 18 would also fit width wise but I am glad I went with the narrower tire.

How is it in dirt/sand? Not enough miles yet to judge. Seems OK so far.

I also have a new Mefo front tire ready to go one once I wear the front 606 down a little more.

Nice tire that I expect to get a lot of miles out of. Time will tell.

Also changed it myself. A very good learning experience. I think changing the front tire will go easier since I am now an old pro ( 1 done ) at MC tire mounting.

 

That looks real nice.

 

That's a great looking ****...!

 

What's the height measured from the floor to the top of the tire, overall diameter?

 

Both the old worn 603 and the new Mefo are about 25 inch diameter

 

The front tire is harder to change, btw. Alot of KLR650 riders use that tire.

I can go from whole bike to changed tire in under 40 minutes.

 

Heard the Mefos get some good mileage but at $160 a pop I have to think long and hard about it.

 

Got the Mefo from Trail Tricks

Check them out much better price than the $160 mentioned.

 

When I took my bike in for it's first service the mechanic put down my front tire had 75% wear left and the rear 50% remaining. Doesn't that seems a little drastic for a bike with less then 700 miles on it? I could MAYBE see it if I was peeling out and stuff, but I'm just driving to and from work on side streets.

 

Unless that mechanic had measured your tires and recorded the reading when the bike was brand new he's probably blowing smoke. Some tread depth gauges are calibrated in percent but they are bogus as not all tires have the same depth of tread when new. The better tread depth guages read in 1/32" increments. Replace tires at 1/16" or before (1/16 is pretty skimpy).