19/17 vs 21/18

[plumber mike]

I've got an oppurtunity to swap even my BMW Xcountry 19/17 wheels and tourance tires for a 21/18 Xchallenge wheels with Kenda K270 tires that have under 500 miles on them. The guy is getting married and wants to use the bike for 2 up with the new wife(also bought a KTM for the woods)
      I live 5 miles down a dirt road and have wanted a 21/18 set for better tire choices and to be able to "hang" with the KLR's. I know the 19/17 is a better highway ride , but are the 21/18's going to make "slabbin it" miserable? Should I get a knobbie 19/17 combo like the GS'ers?
      What say my fellow hills riders?


Also could swap straight across for the Xchallenge rear air shock which is better than what I have but not an Ohlins, Wilbers or Hyperpro.

[plumber mike]

Forgot to mention that I had priced Takasago(sp?) Excel wheels with a woodys superlace spoke pattern at a little under 1K (which would be the ultimate) Should I wait and save up or not worth it in your opinions?

[Hank]

I'm sure the 21/18 combo would make it your bike much better off-road, but at the cost of giving up some road worthiness.  All those curvy roads out there, are you sure  you want to do that?

Would your x-country really ever be something you'd want to flog off-road?   Buy a cheap used KLR/DR/DR-Z and keep the x-country as is!
The answer to every question is always to add more bikes

[Sportfaller]

I like the more bikes answer too, I'm actively looking for a woods bike myself.  I cant afford to keep running knobbies on my 1200GSA.

[loingrader]

mike flogs his bmw pretty well, even with the street tires. 

if you love your bmw, and plan on keeping it for awhile (5 yrs or more) i'd make the swap, tires and shock.  if not, i'd keep it as is because it will probably be easier to sell an xcountry with the stock wheels, and you've still got your little honda for serious trails.

interstate slabbin on my klr with kenda k270s is far from "miserable" and it will even hold a line in the twisties at speed, far better than what i would have ever considered.  the same tires on your bmw will fare far better in both situations, as well as being much better off road.  not only from the traction, but from the larger diameter keeping your tires out of the holes and over the rocks so much better.   

if you were putting 1000 road miles on that bike every month, i'd say skip it.  for the riding you do, i think it is a no brainer. 

[plumber mike]

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'm going to go for it. I can treat my BMW like a KLR,DRZ,XRL(Can't I? or will the motorrad club frown ) My riding realistically consists of about 50/50 street/dirt. There will be some freeway miles too, but try to keep those to a minimum (That's where a nice sport/touring unit will come in...my rim choice for this bike shall in no way dictate the number of bike's that will be collected )