Best Darkside article so far?

[bomber]

There are MANY reasons for running them, beyond what someone with a closed mind could possibly fathom evidently. Talk to real riders and then make up your mind. Or not I guess.

It may be true that there are MANY reasons, but all I've heard is the financial angle. That's one.

I did ride an Gold Wing with  car tires, one where the owner was proud of the handling . . . I could not believe how badly it handled. That he could hustle the thing around corners without shitting himslef regularly is a tribute to his balls, guts, or stupidity, and not a positive comment on how the bike handled.

I've talked to real riders -- those who think their bike lost nothing by mounting car tires on em are, well, mistaken.

[slvrsprint]

I wonder if any darksiders read Rider Magazine.

[coho]

I wonder if any darksiders read Rider Magazine care what we think.

FXT.

[steelerider]

You are right. I have ridden a V Strom, a Valkyrie, and a Gold Wing, each equipped with car tires on the back. All three of them handled like ass in every way. There is zero possibility that anyone who has the slightest understanding or appreciation of handling characteristics or vehicle dynamics would ever think that a motorcycle so-equipped was anything but an unmitigated disaster. In each case, the owner was adamant that the bike handled great, turned beautifully, etc. In every case they couldn't possibly have been more wrong.

In the words of vehicle dynamics expert Chris Rock…

“Yeah, you can do it…but it don’t mean it’s to be done! Sh@t! You can drive a car with your feet if you want to; it don’t mean its a good f*%kin’ idea!”

Word.

[steelerider]

Also - I would like to add the following intense scientific analysis that I came up with all by myself:
A car tire is designed for a CAR. WTF? Who the hell came up with this idea, and then somehow convinced everyone else that we are "close minded?"
That's like walking around wearing your underwear on the outside of your pants, and calling normal people stupid.

Seriously? A 'SQUARE' car tire on a bike? I mean for real??

Whatever dude, LMAO.

[The Shepherd]

Nothing feels better on a bike than the first few rides on a fresh set of tires. That is because they have a wonderfully round profile.

When I last got a set of track tires for the Honda, they were only giving away 190's. The caveat was that it came as a 190/55 17, so the tire had a rounder profile and wasn't so flat, which makes for a quicker turn in on the track.

If there was no issue with handling, I'm sure some tightwad would try and run one at a track day. No one running a track day with half a brain would ever let a Dark Side out there as they'd just end up red flagging their group at some point.

[Kootenanny]

If there was no issue with handling, I'm sure some tightwad would try and run one at a track day. No one running a track day with half a brain would ever let a Dark Side out there as they'd just end up red flagging their group at some point.

I don't really want to defend the "darksiders," butI don't think any of them are promoting the use of car tires on track bikes.  Most of them seem partial to large, heavy luxo-tourers or cruisers, which don't have a huge amount of lean angle to start with.  I understand Valkyries are popular...

[sfalexi]

Well written article.

Although, scientifically, as far as i can see it, i would the the best test would be to put a car tire on and see if it still passes all the test requirements a motorcycle must pass before being safe to be put on the road.  I'm sure there are standards written somewhere for, "stops from 0-60 in x feet, lean angle of x capable" and measure the longevity of the tire however they measure motorcycle ones.

It would have been intesting if he had contacted those few companies that actually market car tires for motorcycles (i think tirerack.com has a car tire or two listed as being compatible for motorcycles), or contacting the companies of POPULAR models of car tires that are being used on motorcycles (Quick search shows kumo? Kuhmo? being a popular brand for darksiders, woulda been nice to hear what kumo thinks of their tires being used for that).

But oherwise, i thought it was well written and pretty well thought out.

Alex

[Flyover Country Joe]

Not this crap again!

Did you notice he came to the conclusion without trying the CT? Ian, Iowa

You noticed that, too. Not really unexpected, however, considering where he gets his paycheck............
                 Joe

[GTS_Rider]

...It would have been intesting if he had contacted those few companies that actually market car tires for motorcycles (i think tirerack.com has a car tire or two listed as being compatible for motorcycles), or contacting the companies of POPULAR models of car tires that are being used on motorcycles (Quick search shows kumo? Kuhmo? being a popular brand for darksiders, woulda been nice to hear what kumo thinks of their tires being used for that).

But oherwise, i thought it was well written and pretty well thought out.

Alex

Yeah, I wonder why he didn't contact Kumho.   ...

 “Car tires and motorcycle tires are constructed and designed differently due to the different ways in which they are used,” warns John Mosby of Kumho tires, one of the auto tire brands often selected by Dark Siders. “Kumho passenger car tires are not made to absorb the reduced contact patch at high camber angles that motorcycle tires frequently experience. Because of this, durability can be affected by operating at such high camber angles, which can lead to tire failure. We strongly discourage anyone from using Kumho passenger car tires on their motorcycle.”

[coho]

Also - I would like to add the following intense scientific analysis that I came up with all by myself:
A car tire is designed for a CAR. WTF? Who the hell came up with this idea, and then somehow convinced everyone else that we are "close minded?"
That's like walking around wearing your underwear on the outside of your pants, and calling normal people stupid.

Seriously? A 'SQUARE' car tire on a bike? I mean for real??

Whatever dude, LMAO.

I'm not defending the darksiders, but this guy seemed to do okay on square tires.

[sfalexi]

Yeah, I wonder why he didn't contact Kumho.   ...

 “Car tires and motorcycle tires are constructed and designed differently due to the different ways in which they are used,” warns John Mosby of Kumho tires, one of the auto tire brands often selected by Dark Siders. “Kumho passenger car tires are not made to absorb the reduced contact patch at high camber angles that motorcycle tires frequently experience. Because of this, durability can be affected by operating at such high camber angles, which can lead to tire failure. We strongly discourage anyone from using Kumho passenger car tires on their motorcycle.”

i'll be on my stool in the corner.

[Rattlehead]

Just playing devil’s advocate here:

Contacting the mfg’s is going to give you nothing but the liability induced “correct” answer.
If you were to contact Craftsman tools and asked about using one of their slotted screwdrivers as a paint can opener, or a punch or any of the millions of  other things screwdrivers excel at (other than driving screws) they would say “we cannot recommend the use of our product for anything other than its intended purpose”. Tire manufacturers are going to be even more cautious because of liability concerns (anyone remember the Firestone/Explorer fiasco a few years back?   ). You will never find a tire maker that will agree with putting a car tire on a bike, even if it worked flawlessly. Judging from the lack of reported failures or tire related accidents coming from darksiders, I’d say it does work, provided you’re willing to put up with the atrocious handling characteristics. I, personally, would never sacrifice that much in handling and feel to save a few bucks, and I am a cheapskate of the highest order.  

Anyway, I feel the article was severely flawed as it had absolutely no scientific testing or data, as far as I could see. The whole thing could be written from behind a desk with nothing more than a computer and a telephone. Even though I whole-heartedly agree with the conclusion, I still feel the article was rubbish and the “research” was flawed at best..

[Carbonero]

I'm not defending the darksiders, but this guy seemed to do okay on square tires.

little, thinner tires like that deflect very, very differently. Some P180 car tire simply won't deflect to make the cornering "right".

[bomber]

Reading this thread -- I am reminded that I miss Bubbles.

So, in that spirit . . . .

"I can't believe we're discussing this shit again."

There.

;-}

[atadaskew]

 Most of them seem partial to large, heavy luxo-tourers or cruisers, which don't have a huge amount of lean angle to start with.  I understand Valkyries are popular...

I've owned Valks and Wings.  And w/in their design brief they are really nice handling motos.  In moto tyres.
But like all bikes, once the tyres get squared off, the fun disappears and I couldn't wait to put new tyres on.
So, to go to a car tyre, which is more squared off than you could ever make a bike tyre, and have no issues with the handling.  Well, those chumps deserve to be riding around on CanAm Spyders.

[jfurf]

My new list of the worst motorcyclists:

5. People who wear helmet mohawks
4. People who ride bikes with straight pipes
3. All Moto Guzzi riders ever
2. All FJR riders ever
1. Dark Siders

[Carbonero]

Crap. I fit two of those, and I'd *totally* wear a helmet mohawk if someone bought it for me. I just can't bring myself to actually pay for one.  

[slvrsprint]

Well, those chumps deserve to be riding around on CanAm Spyders.

 

[sfalexi]

Well, those chumps deserve to be riding around on CanAm Spyders.

I wonder if anyone's put motorcycle tires on a CanAm and what the benefits could be.............