First ride on my Kumho C/T today 8/15

[FL-Venture-Rider]

I have to say, I was very nervous going into this, as the reviews have been mixed that I read in the past.

 

Here's my first day's ride experience on the Kumho

 

As soon as I picked the bike up, It seemed the center of gravity has changed a tad in the rear. I felt a small drop in the rear. It might have been just me.

 

When I rode the first few miles, I was expecting allot worse. I was expecting wiggling in the rear, having to really push the bike into the turns, and all the other things I read about going with a C/T.

 

I was pleasantly surprised how nice the bike road and how straight it tracked. Within the first few miles I was right back to riding with one hand.

 

After about 15 min around town, I jumped on the highway for a 20 min ride to see how it would feel. Bike tracked straight and smooth. I got it upto 95mph, backed it back down to 70mph, and after 10 min riding on the highway, I didn't even notice but to look down and I was riding with one hand, which meant mentally I was comfortable all ready.

 

Got into a groove on the highway, and the C/T hung into it like a shoe stuck in hot glue, palms got real sweaty fast as I realized It pulled me over the white lines slightly into the other lane. I reacted and got it right back over, and that was Little wake up call for me.

 

Got home about a hour later riding around, and picked up the wife. We rode for 2 hours as the sun set, one hand on the bars,the other on her leg where I normally keep it when I'm riding 2-UP, and the bike rode great, riding 2-UP was very comfortable, and felt stable going down the rode.

 

After todays ride, I'm very comfortable riding with the C/T, and love the feel of it going down the road,as you can tell you have more rubber grabbing the road, feels great riding 2-UP, which I do allot of.

 

The only thing after all day of riding I have to get used to, is the feeling of sometimes the rear would feel like it was on snow, and get Little slippery, just for a short second or two.

 

From what I read, after the first few hundred miles, the C/T breaks in, and by then you forget it's on the bike, ( Hopefully )

 

I really like the Kumho's profile. The center threads hit the pavement flat, but the edges of the tire are rounded, and I felt good in the corners with it.

 

I live in Florida where the roads are flat. I'm 41 years old, had 8 sport bikes in the past,

( Two ) Honda VTX's with fairings etc, ( One ) 2005 Goldwing , and now the Venture

 

My opinion just from riding today was so far I like the C/T, especially riding 2-UP, the ride seemed smoother. My wife loved it. I think for the type of riding that we do, I mad the right decision with going with the Kumho. I really like the profile on this tire.

 

My stock tires had 13,000 miles on them, and the front still has another 2K plus on it, so I haven't changed it out yet.

 

I paid $43.00 for the C/T, & $13.00 S&H. Then I paid $55.00 to mount and balance it.

So I have $111.00 into a tire that will hopefully last 30K miles.

 

I'll post a review again after a few weeks of riding

 

Were going out tomorrow for a 150 mile ride all day, so I'll get a good day's in tomorrow also.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Eck
corrected speling error- changed "licked " to "picked"

[gunboat]

hi marco

welcome to the darkside. thanks for your post and your comments. i will state this is not a mode for everyone but it works for me & i now have 30,000 miles on my bfg c/t. the kunmo is the next c/t i will try after the bfg. please keep us in formed on your like or dislikes of the c/t.

best reguards

don c.

[slick97spirit]

I've been following all of the ct posts for some time and will probably go the way of the dark side on the next rear. What air pressure was required to get it to bead up?

[FL-Venture-Rider]

Thanks Gunboat, I'm sure it will be " OK "

 

Slick97, I told the place that mounted it, to expect it to bead around 80-100lbs of air, then set the tire pressure at 40lbs.

 

I never even checked to see what they set it at, I'll go outside and check it now

 

Gunboat, will the slipperiness in the rear eventually go away, or is that just to be expected with running the C/T ?

[FL-Venture-Rider]

I just checked it, and by mistake let 2lbs out. It was set at 40lbs, so I added the 2lbs back in, and I now have it right at 40lbs in the rear.

 

Slick, I didn't ask what pressure it took to bead it when I picked it up, but they did say it took 6 weights to balance it, not sure how much that is

 

My friend who is also running a C/T went with the Dyno beads. I really wanted to add them, but forgot to order them, and wanted the tire mounted.

[buddy]

Have the Kumho Run Flat on my Wing with 3oz of Dyna beads installed and have to say I'm very pleased with the ride. At the International Rally -Hub, the Kumho did great in the turns and curves never did slip or slide,took some of those curves around 40-50mph and never did get loose on me, like I said (some) not all ! some of them curves your kissing your behind going around but still this Kumho did its job:happy34:. Also pulled our trailer to the Rally cruising speed with the trailer 70-75mph and every thing went as clock work. Course this is a Run Flat CT and a whole lot more money $$$ too. But by what I been told and read I should get around 25,000 - 30,000mi out of this Kumho. I am well pleased with this Kumho and I'm sticking with it. No the CT is not for everyone but for me I very pleased!!

Buddy

[BigBoyinMS]

I know I sound like a broken record but the Kumho on mine has never given me any problem. And I don't think I've heard of anyone feel like their Kumho was slipping. In fact, mine is the opposite. It grips better than anything else I've had.

I started at 42lbs for a few hundred miles and have had it at 40lbs until last Saturday when we did the Coast M&E. I dropped it to 35lbs as a test and for the entire trip I was aiming for tar snakes and any imperfection in the road so I could see how it handled them. No problem at all. And a lot of the trip was on wet roads as we were dodging the rain all day. FYI, my front tire is a German ME880 at 40lbs that was installed just before the CT.

 

I've been wondering why some riders have different results. I'm starting to think that putting on a CT must bring out any issues with the front tire or vice versa or maybe some fronts don't play well with CT's. Or maybe I can't tell when I have a problem. I've probably crashed and burned and never even realized it.

Maybe we will figure it out as more people get more miles on them.

[gunboat]

hi marco

that slipeness could be be mold release compound that on all tires from the maker. give it about 500 miles to totaly ware off. just as the m/c tire i installed before the c/t. the folks at the shop told me to me to take it easy, & give it a hundred miles to ware off. hope this helps. you may have to play with the air pressure a bit. me i have about 40 psi in mine. started out about 36-38 & settled at 40, just seems to work for me.

that remindeds me i need to go out & check the air pressure, have not done that in a few months.

by the way i set the cruise control also and let go of one bar or the other. the bike tracks well for miles on end. i have also taken both hands off the bars at times same result, but this is me. keep us informed of your likes or dislikes & concerns. feel free to contact me any time.

best reguards

don c.

[Guest curtismiller]

Had to make a super hard stop at an intersection and I think the ct on my RSV saved my arse.Owned a lot of bikes and have never experienced such a smooth hard stop.Also got caught in the rain for the first time on the ct and think it does better than stock tire.I now have 2k on the tire and I aint going back. Curtis

[gunboat]

hi curtis

welcome to the darkside & sharing your observations on your c/t. keep us in formed. i feel a darkersider m & e coming on.

best reguards

don c.

[Hummingbird]

I too was in a quandary about going to the dark side but I did bite the bullet and move. It works JUST FINE for me @ 35# but I think I'll go to 40# just to see the difference. Probably end up somewhere in between.

When it's time to replace the Dunlop on front I'll go all the way and put an Avon RADIAL on. Don't know how that'll feel on the Venture but Michelin radials on my 1500 GoldWing were the cats meow.

[FL-Venture-Rider]

Well , we just got home from a 200 mile ride today, 90% back roads and 10% interstate. Rode 2-UP all day.

 

The slippery feeling I was getting was actually the C/T grabbing the road more. Now that I just rode on the C/T today for 10 hours, I must say, most of everything is in the mind for myself. To much reading into it.

 

 

My wife LOVED the softer ride, and I had NO Issues today at all. No slippery feeling, no uneven tracking, nothing. After riding today, I have a totally different outlook running the C/T

 

I also, took both hands off the wheel once or twice to untwist the cap for the water bottle, and the bike balances perfect running down the road

 

As far as turns, I LOVE the way it grips the road.

 

As far as highway riding, best, most comfortable ride I had on the RSV, and I love the way the bike just stays straight as a arrow

 

As far as general riding, all through town, back roads through cow farms, we rode through gravel, dirt, everything that a 200 mile through the middle of the country can throw at you, and the C/T was the best investment I made so far on the bike !

 

I now have 300 miles on it, in 2 days of riding, and I'm SOLD !

 

Why didn't I do this sooner !

 

If you can get past the mental game that you have a C/T back there, and just ride the bike, your 80% there !

 

For us, I'm never going back, the Kumho is perfect for out type of riding here in Florida !

[gunboat]

hi marco

thanks for the update. try this link for another darksider link has a lot of info.

http://mcdarksiders.forumotion.com also motorcycle cruiser has a good article in the tech section by mark zimmerman " mounting c/t's on m/c's- shop talk. as he is not keen on the idea but there is the link for the mcdarksiders. i will listen to all the pro's and con's.

best reguards

don c.

[FL-Venture-Rider]

Very cool, I saw some of your post their Don, thanks for the link

 

I'm going there now to do some reading

[jneed53]

I ran my Kumho through the Dragon while at Vogel and was very pleased with the handling. It handled like a m/c tire and never wobbled. I now have over 2500 miles on it and after dropping the pressure to 38 psi, I am happy.

[PastorPaul]

I now have 3500+ on my nexum. My wife and I love it. I drug my floor board for the first time a few weeks ago. Didn't realize I was leaned over that far. Before the rear would feel like it was going to slide out from under me a lot sooner. Now it feels glued to the road. I would not go back unless the insurance co. makes me. It took 78 Lbs to seat when I had it mounted. A little tire shop in Hephzibah, GA mounted it for $15.00. All I had to do was pull the wheel and take the wheel and tire to them. Have 3oz of dyna beads in it and have it inflated to 36lbs.

[Leeway]

I ran my Kumho through the Dragon while at Vogel and was very pleased with the handling. It handled like a m/c tire and never wobbled. I now have over 2500 miles on it and after dropping the pressure to 38 psi, I am happy.

 

thanx for the PM John. I do need to update my information on this forum. It's just to good weather, to not stay in the wind!

[VentureT]

Hello folks,

 

Very interested in switching to a C/T. I am getting the impression between the darkside forum and your posts that Kuhmo is the choice most preferred.

 

I am having problems finding anyone with a car tire in the sizes I found on one conversion sheet on the dark side net. Which model of tire is everyone going with and can I confirm the size with you please? Any references on who to use up here in the great white north?

 

Any problems with speedometer accuracy?

 

Thanks

 

Trevor

[footsie]

165/80r/15, no problems with speedo on mine.

[Pegasus1300]

as a tire company's ad once said "it's time to retire" and I going to go to a c/t. My question is this:the c/t's are all radials but the regular tires on our bikes are not.Is there any problem with that?Those of you who have someone mount your tire are you going to a cycle shop or a car tire shop for mounting?BTW I am riding an 08 RSTD.

[FL-Venture-Rider]

They offer a 155, and a 165. Most folks go with the 165, wider profile

 

165/80r/15

 

I bought the Kumho from www.tirerack.com Paid $43.00 + shipping

 

As for the front tire, I'm mounting the rear tire backwards on the front, as most others are doing

[BigBoyinMS]

 

Any problems with speedometer accuracy?

 

Thanks

 

Trevor

 

No problems using the 165/80R15... it's the same height as the stock tire so the speedo will STILL show 7% fast.

[gunboat]

my bfg 155 c/t is almost 10 mph off. lonestarmech & masterguns both vertified this. no big deal just have to keep a mental note on it. the bfg is about 1/2 inch shorter in height than the stock m/c tire & the kunmo c/t. i will try the kunmo next time i change the c/t, should be another 10,000 miles or so ( have 30,000 on it now ). there are other tire makers who have c/t's that will fit, but the prices start going up. the mickey thompson looks good but not for $165.00.

also the verinsten looks good too but it's a high $ also. i have a list at home, but is post here on the darkersider side. keeps us all informed, glad to help any way i can.

best reguards

don c.

[gunboat]

hi paul

i mounted my own c/t didn't balance it, but seams to be ok. cycle gear took off the old m/c tire but said they would not mount the c/t. i bought the c/t from national tire & battery which is owned by sears. they said the same thing.( maye i gave them too much info. ) some have had a dealership or other tire shop mount it for them with no issuses. my air compressor only goes to 120 psi but had no problems. another d/s had to go to a guy who mounts big truck tires. had a pto driven air compressor that would go to 195 psi. i belive we didn't go over 130 psi, his air compressor would not go past 115 psi. so we just neede a little extra push. trick is to lube the tire beads up good and to set it in the sun for awhile to heat it all up.

best reguards

don c.

[PastorPaul]

We took a wire wheel on a drill and cleaned up the bead area on the wheel all the way around. The wheel felt sticky before we did it and was clean and slick afterwards. We lubed the beads real good after letting the tire sit in the sun awhile. It seated at 78lbs. I took t 3ft pieces of 4x4 and stood them upwith some 2x4's nailed on the bottom to hold them upright. 2 nails in the top of each just wide enough to sit the axle between made an old fashioned balencer. I cheated and put 3 oz of dyna beads in and mounted the tire. If your bearings are good this should work to balence the tire. Below is a good link on changing a motorcycle tire using homemade equip.

 

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

 

Ride safe, Ride Hard, and ride Blessed.