Freebird Posted June 12, 2009 #1 Posted June 12, 2009 OK folks, I know that many of you are sold on these car tires on your bikes but it is NOT for me. I had an opportunity during Maintenance Day to take Stardbogs Stratoliner on a ride. earlier that day he and Kent and mounted a new car tire on the rear. Now this is NOT an RSV. The rear tire is much larger but I have to tell you, I did NOT like the way the bike handled with the car tire on the rear. It wasn't as back when you got up to speed but at lower speeds and slow speed turns, it definately took more effort to make the turns and get it up on the edge. Later in the day we went on a little group ride. I just happened to be right behind Stardbog and was watching it as we went through the curves. I've seen a number of posts that state that the tire stays flat on the road through the curves as the sidewall will flex and the tread will remain on the road. That may be true in some cases but I can attest with 100% certainty that it was NOT true on his bike. I watched it come up on the edge of the tread through every single curve. NEVER stayed flat on the road. I'm not posting this in an attempt to change anybodies mind about the tire they are running. If you are happy with it and think it is safe than that is your business. I'm simply saying that it is certainly not for everybody.
MiCarl Posted June 12, 2009 #2 Posted June 12, 2009 I've seen a number of posts that state that the tire stays flat on the road through the curves as the sidewall will flex and the tread will remain on the road. That may be true in some cases but I can attest with 100% certainty that it was NOT true on his bike. I watched it come up on the edge of the tread through every single curve. NEVER stayed flat on the road. The YouTube videos I've seen of car tires show them going up on edge during turns too. In fact, I can't imagine the bike would turn if it didn't.
pegscraper Posted June 12, 2009 #3 Posted June 12, 2009 I don't know what tire he has. With most CTs, the sidewall will flex enough to keep the tread flat. Here is the low speed corner through the puddle of water test. MT on the left, CT on the right. Which tire has more rubber on the ground? Make up your own mind. To each his own.
gunboat Posted June 12, 2009 #4 Posted June 12, 2009 hi don thanks for your post on your observation on the c/t. as i have stated and you this mod is not for everyone. but it works for me and i am very pleased with the c/t. i now have over 26,000 miles on mine. again thanks for shareing your thoughts. best reguards don c.
BigBoyinMS Posted June 12, 2009 #5 Posted June 12, 2009 I could be wrong but I think it's a comment that's meant one way and taken another. (stays flat on the road through the curves as the sidewall will flex and the tread will remain on the road) I agree there is no way it will stay flat with 100% of the tread on the ground but in a lean it will never be totally on the edge or beyond it. The bike would be way beyond scraping to do that. But they will get on the last couple of inches of tread... still more contact than a M/C tire. I can see the wider tires feeling different in the curves but as I have said before, the size that fits on our RSV's and RSTD's, for me at least, feels just like an M/C tire but with better grip. FYI, (and I may have posted this already) after I did my drive line lube I was checking the rear brake. Running at about 20 mph I wanted to see if it would lock up. It took a lot of effort to lock the rear and when it did lock you could feel the tire gripping hard. I tried the same on my Road Star with Venoms. On the Roadie and every other M/C tire I've locked up it will slide smoothly. In fact, I locked the Venom and didn't realize it until I was drifting a bit. The Kumho felt like a gum eraser dragged across a glass table top. Just my observations and my experiences. And my with change back.
footsie Posted June 13, 2009 #6 Posted June 13, 2009 The bigger the car tire the less air you need to run. On my valkyrie ( which my nephew owns now) I had a 205/60/16 which only needed 24 to 27 lbs of air. anymore and the tire would not flex any under the weight of the bike. You,ve gat a tire that is rate 1440 lbs carring 400 lbs. This might be the reason the tire was not staying flat.
Grey Ghost Posted June 14, 2009 #7 Posted June 14, 2009 .... I'm simply saying that it is certainly not for everybody. I don't think anyone here has ever said that it was for everybody. If you look at the questions about motorcycle tires, it's obvious that no one brand of m/c tire is for everybody. I have seen a couple of posts stating that the c/t tread stays flat, but I attributed that to whatever they happened to be looking at. I've only seen two, mine when a friend was riding it, and his when I was following him. Neither stayed flat on the road past a certain degree of lean in some curves. Having said that, I do believe that there is still at least as much tread surface in contact with the road as with a m/c tire. They do ride a little different, but it's like going from four tires to two. You get used to it or you park it and get back in the car.
BuddyRich Posted June 14, 2009 #8 Posted June 14, 2009 I'll stick with bike tires on bikes. For a few extra bucks its worth it to me to know the tire was designed for what its being used for.
OB-1 Posted June 14, 2009 #9 Posted June 14, 2009 I tried a CT last year and went back to a MC tire. A CT doesn't work on my Venture.
SLOW HAND Posted June 14, 2009 #10 Posted June 14, 2009 Thanks Big Boy I put new brakes and tires on at the same time and was concerned because the rear seemed to lock up easier . Had been thinking about brakes without considering tire grip . Just reading your post pointed out my brain fart. Not ready for a car tire as my confidence in my slow speed turning still isn't what it should be . No parking lot is to big for a newby on a Venture.
Grandpagak Posted June 14, 2009 #11 Posted June 14, 2009 i personaly have got to agree with you Don.. i rode a ike with the c/t on the rear.. all that i will say isit was not for me either..
Condor Posted June 14, 2009 #12 Posted June 14, 2009 (edited) I don't know what tire he has. With most CTs, the sidewall will flex enough to keep the tread flat. Here is the low speed corner through the puddle of water test. MT on the left, CT on the right. Which tire has more rubber on the ground? Make up your own mind. To each his own. I'm wondering, after looking at the pic, if the same thing would hold true when running at higher speeds in the twisties. On a moderatly slow curve I can see where the CT would have a larger foot print than the Moto tire, but once it climbs up on the edge in sharper turns at higher speeds that contact strip will decrease dramatically while a Moto tire will give a constant contact patch thruout a higher speed turn... While this may hold true I can also see if a rider does most of his riding on the slab, the tire wear will be much greater on the CT... Edited June 14, 2009 by Condor
Guest curtismiller Posted June 14, 2009 #13 Posted June 14, 2009 Too much psi in ct.Started my Kumho on RSV at 40.No like.Now at 32 psi.I love it.
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