Car tires on bikes...and more...

[Dan K]

That video made me scared for the rider and I only watched a few turns...let's minimize the traction patch!  We have plenty of traction to spare!  

Wow.

- Dan

[rg500]

remember when tires used to be triangular?.....

[Justin]

This is a very common practice in the LD/rally community. At the last rally I attended there was one Goldwing that was double-darkside; car tire on the rear and a rear motorcycle tire on the front. He had about 18k on the front tire and it looked new. And from what I know this guy does not ride like sissy.

[Dan K]

This is a very common practice in the LD/rally community. At the last rally I attended there was one Goldwing that was double-darkside; car tire on the rear and a rear motorcycle tire on the front. He had about 18k on the front tire and it looked new. And from what I know this guy does not ride like sissy.

I'll spend the extra $$$ on a tire designed for my vehicle, thanks!

|_|  is less desireable in a turn than \./

- Dan

[Justin]

I'll spend the extra $$$ on a tire designed to be replaced more frequently and make the rubber companies more money, thanks!

FTFY

In all seriousness, I would not do it on my current bike. If I rode a big fat touring bike or Goldwing, I'd give it a try.

[Dan K]

Sorry, I like leaning my bike over, even when I rode a cruiser.  How much are you saving by using a non-motorcycle tire?  Even if you ride 50k miles a year?  Buy a touring tire that can't handle but lasts - still better than a non-motorcycle tire.

Not worth it for me. I also wear a helmet, so WTF do I know.

- Dan

[Justin]

Sorry, I like leaning my bike over, even when I rode a cruiser.  How much are you saving by using a non-motorcycle tire?  Even if you ride 50k miles a year?  Buy a touring tire that can't handle but lasts - still better than a non-motorcycle tire.

Not worth it for me. I also wear a helmet, so WTF do I know.

- Dan

Apparently it does not affect handling as much as you'd think. You just need to get used to the abrupt turn in  

But the car tire actually flexes on a heavy bike, so even when leaned over you are on tread and not the sidewall. The people I know/know off that run them on GW's, FJR's, ST1300's, etc seem to have no issue with them and do not crash and die  

But since I like to occasionally hit a twisty road and get all Ricky Racer, I'll stick with my PR2's  

[Dan K]

Flex?  Did you see that video?!?

[Mookie]

I recently switched rear tires due to a flat and had to go from a 150/70 to a 150/60 because the shop didn't have an exact replacement.  The difference was huge in how it felt. Much more difficult to get it to lean over fully compared to before.  I can't imagine trying to ride on a "flat" tire.  Well actually I can imagine it and it would suck donkey balls.  I like turning and using minimal effort to do so.  Fighting my bike to get it to go around a bend just to save a few bucks per year is retarded.

[Hardware]

Only way I'd run square cage rubber on a 'sickle would be if it had a side-hack bolted on.

[Redbandit14]

I was heading South on I75 and came up behind a guy on Valkyrie . He was doing 75-80 and i was behind him for a few miles as traffic was heavy. In the middle of a pretty gentle right hand turn he suddenly shoots out to the edge of the lane and just crosses onto the shoulder. then shoots back again.Scared me . I was tired of following anyway so i went past at the next opportunity . Yes he was left lane banditing.  

I was ready for a rest about 45 minutes later and pulled off for a Coffee and gas. went to Mcd's for the coffee had a little walk to stretch out and went for gas. He was just pulling into the gas station  and i pulled into the pump behind him. Then i saw the car tire.  i had to ask. "How's it handle with the car tire on there? " " Great!"  he says.  Shook my head and walked away.

Can't understand it myself . Even though I'm in ontario where we just don't have much in the way of twisties and I regularly square of tires .

[dan88z]

It looks like that 14 with the car tire video has too much air. People who run the car tire say you need to experiment and find the sweet spot where the tire gets enough flex in the sidewall to have a good contact patch. Underinflation is the key. I've seen other vids where the tire has much more contact that what you see in the vid linked here.

Still, not for me.

[rgbeard]

A guy running a couple of Wings at Laguna Seca with car tires.

I have no idea how he got them out there - I can't imagine them being allowed.  The Tech inspection must have been lame, waived or ???


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmNqKOhX1r4&feature=feedu

[X1Glider]

The cross section of the tire aside in regards to leaning, there are still other things going against it.  Car tires are significanlty heavier.  They're constructed to support heavier weights.  That takes more energy to spool it up.  It also means the carcass flexes less and won't conform to the road.  When going straight, the contact patch is huge.  That's a lot of friction to overcome to keep it rolling.  So a car tire is less efficient.  They're probably burning more fuel running a car tire.  Hydroplaning.  In the rain, as a motorcycle is pretty light compared to a car, there's more chance of hydroplaning on that huge contact patch (when going straight).

I change tires for everyone I work with.  One guy frequents one of those sites where car tires seem to be the rage.  He asked me to put one one and I told him "fuck no."

[ianbh]

Ever run one?  Gotta love all the opinions without experience!  Ian, Iowa

[Cablebandit]

Ever run one?  Gotta love all the opinions without experience!  Ian, Iowa

That explains it.

[CosmicCowboy]

Ever run one?  Gotta love all the opinions without experience!  Ian, Iowa

Yes. It sucked.

[rgbeard]

It's all the rage on the GL Forums.  The GL-1500s and 1800s have found a car tire that fits.

Those that run them, say they love them.  I don't hear from people that went to the car tire and then came back saying they didn't like it.  (Maybe those people are killed?)

They cite that it's harder to initiate a turn, but that they feel they have better braking and better wet weather traction, too.  That youtube video was made by a guy running CT on his 1800, and wondered enough to try it.  He has a vid from Buttonwillow too.

If anyone's curious about this phenom, and wants to do some fun reading, hit goldwingfacts.com/forums, and search for the words "Car tire" or "Darkside".  You'll find plenty to read.

Would I ever run one?  Hell no.  I don't mind what anyone else wants to do - as long as they're not riding with me.  

[Roadhandlerxx]

It appears to me that most of these car tires are being fitted to bikes that have a maximum lean angle of what , maybe 30 degrees , before something drags .  Sort of a built in safety factor .  If they were able to lean over any further , they would find out why the rounded shoulders of most sportbike tires are made of a more sticky compound .   Ken

[theshnizzle]

It's all the rage on the GL Forums.  The GL-1500s and 1800s have found a car tire that fits.

Those that run them, say they love them.  I don't hear from people that went to the car tire and then came back saying they didn't like it.  (Maybe those people are killed?)

They cite that it's harder to initiate a turn, but that they feel they have better braking and better wet weather traction, too.  That youtube video was made by a guy running CT on his 1800, and wondered enough to try it.  He has a vid from Buttonwillow too.

If anyone's curious about this phenom, and wants to do some fun reading, hit goldwingfacts.com/forums, and search for the words "Car tire" or "Darkside".  You'll find plenty to read.

Would I ever run one?  Hell no.  I don't mind what anyone else wants to do - as long as they're not riding with me.  

LOL, thats kinda funny...the killed comment that is. Seeing the way that tire behaved in the vid is just plain scary shizz, does it stress the bike in some way? in some sort of structural way? JW......