Back tyre on the front. Legal?

Rilot

Rilot

Rilot

Don
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
23,267
Location
Wargrave, UK
I can't seem to get my head around the legalities of this.
Owners of my bike in the US tend to fit a Metz 160 rear tyre to the front wheel of their bikes citing improved stability and cornering due to the width difference between the 240 rear and the front being reduced. They mount the tyre in reverse so that the tread pattern is the correct way round for a wheel that isn't driven.

Now, I can't seem to find anything regarding the legality of this for UK use? I think there are MoT regs that state that the tyres must be fitted the correct way around but I can't seem to find any prior art for mounting a rear tyre, on the front of a bike.

Any ideas?
 
Some bike owners in the US also state that car tyres work fine on the back of their bikes...

Unless there is some drastic handling problem using the correct sized tyres (over and above normal cruiser handling issues) then I would stick with original sizes. Adding more unsprung mass to a bike is never a good thing.
 
Have a friend who done it (rear wheel and tyre in front)
Never any hassle from mot/sva chaps.

Steering is crap tho
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