It's the takeoff weight, wing airfoil and incidence, lift devices and
ability to rotate to a given angle (tail clearance) that determine
liftoff speed (not taking into account air density, determined by
ambient conditions). From these factors the tire limit speed is
determined and tires manufactured to support that airplane. Note that
three airplanes, at least, are limited to a higher liftoff speed than
they could actually use because of tail drag - F102, F106 and F15. All
three can fly at a much higher angle of attack than te design limits.
I suspect the 757/767 are in the same boat. BTW I think the touchdown
speed on the Shuttle is higher than 200 mph. That's only about 173
Kts, less than some fighters. Tires are built for much higher speeds -
and you can buy them for your car. A waste of money unless you have
the right car, though.
As I remember the tire limit speed on the DC10-30 was 217 knots. A
no-slat no-flap touchdown was right on that limit, too.
Our F104As with three external tanks and the dart tow rig rotated at
205 Kts and about 5000 feet of roll. That was the heaviest we flew at.
The F4E carrying dispensers for the CBU38 (? antitank munitions) on
the inboard pylons rotated at 196 but that was a CG problem. FWIW we
got one batch of F104 tires that were built and designed to someone's
erroneous specifications (built to a newly specified design) and we
were throwing treads off brand new tires on a light-loaded zipper -
only gun ammo and 2xAIM9s aboard. That was interesting . . . Shortly
thereafter the specs were changed to a performance criterion and the
problems disappeared.
Walt BJ