Hero Glamour tyre size, front and back

Glamour tyre size and bike back tyre size by version

The drum and disc variants of today's bike carry identical tyres; only the front brake differs. If a Glamour came in with a 90/90-18 rear and its owner wants a straight replacement, I fit 90/90-18 again unless the owner chooses the wider 100/80-18 used on current bikes, which stands the same height.

Glamour front tyre size explained

The Hero Glamour front tyre size is 80/100-18. Break it down as 80 mm across the tread, a Glamour sidewall about as tall as that width and an 18 inch rim. A tall front wall on a narrow tyre suits a commuter: light steering in traffic, and enough cushion to take a pothole without bending the rim. The same front size has been used across the fuel injected and current bikes, so front tyre swaps are simple.

Glamour rear tyre size: 90/90 or 100/80

The Glamour back tyre size is where owners get confused. Current spec sheets give 100/80-18. Tyre sellers and a maker dealer listing still show 90/90-18 for many Glamour bikes. Both are right for the bikes they came on.

The two differ by only 2 mm in height, so the speedometer barely notices. The 100/80 is 10 mm wider, giving a little more grip when carrying a pillion and a bit more stability on wet patches. On an older Glamour, make sure the 100 section Glamour rear sits clear of chain and swingarm.

Old Glamour bike tyre size

The first Glamour bikes used 2.75-18 at the front and 3.00-18 behind. These numbers are the tyre width in inches with the rim size after the dash. Many of these were tube type tyres on spoke or early alloy wheels. If your old Glamour runs tubes, you can stay with the same inch sizes from a reputable tyre maker. Moving to tubeless needs a rim made for tubeless use, not just a new tyre, so ask the mechanic to confirm the rim type first.

Wider rubber on a Hero Glamour: worth it?

Moving a Glamour from 90/90-18 to the 100/80-18 that the newest bikes wear is a mild, common change. Going beyond that is not something I recommend on this bike. A much wider rear tyre can rub the chain or mudguard, makes the bike feel lazy to turn, and reduces mileage, which is the main reason people buy a 125 cc commuter. The front should stay at 80/100-18.

Pressure and load for these Glamour tyres

Glamour owners usually see 25 psi listed for the front tyre, cold, and 32 psi for the rear. One tyre maker gives 23 and 33, so check your owner's manual for the maker's own figure. If your Glamour often carries a passenger plus shopping bags, add a little to the rear within the manual's limit. A soft rear tyre on an 18 inch commuter wears the edges fast and makes the bike wallow over speed breakers. Petrol pump checking is covered in the bike tyre pressure guide.

When Glamour tyres need replacing

A Glamour rear goes bald long before its front partner, since it pushes the bike and holds the rider and pillion. Change a Glamour tyre once the wear markers sit flush with the tread, once the crown has squared off, or once cracks open between grooves. Before the monsoon is the right time to check, since a worn rear on a wet road loses grip suddenly under braking. For more on reading bike sizes, see our bike tyre size hub, and see how the Glamour stacks up against the Splendor tyre size and Honda Shine tyre size pages.

Other Glamour pages

Battery questions are covered on our Glamour bike battery page. The separate Glamour X model is a different bike with its own spec sheet listing an 80/100-18 front and 100/80-18 rear, so check its own manual rather than assuming it matches the standard Glamour.