Entered the Darkside

[wngrr]

I finished installing the Nexen yesterday and although I haven't been able to ride the bike much since I finished, the miles I have ridden with it have been positive. Thanks to those who post on this forum for all the great info that I used in making my decision to go to the Darkside. My install experience was much like others posters have written about. I did take the opportunity to check the driveshaft splines and the drive unit while i had the bike apart. Although the bike only has 2000 miles on it I just feel better knowing all is well. You put the Carbon One lift adapter together with my craftsman jack and it makes working on the bike a dream..

 

 

David aka wngrr

[gunboat]

hi david

welcome to the darkside, please keep us posted how the c/t is working for you. as i have posted this is not a mod for everyone but it works for me. i'am on ny 2'nd c/t and i love it.

reguards

don c.

[Boomer]

Welcome to the Darkside!

I love my Kumho C/T !

[Wanderer]

Welcome. My Kumho is doing me right! I wish you as much success.

[BigBoyinMS]

Ditto x 3. I am so much more confident with my Kumho on the back over ANY motorcycle tire.

I hope you end up being as happy with it as I am. I usually don't even think about it but then something happens to remind me how happy I am that it's there. I even have reason to consider it a safety upgrade.

[Aussie Annie]

me too! Just joined the dark side

[ronjolly]

has any one tried a c/t on front??????????

[BigBoyinMS]

There is a fellow looking for one to fit his bike over at the Darksiders forum. Probably wouldn't be too big of a deal since the tires from decades ago were bias ply AND had a profile similar to todays car tires. I'm sure handling would probably be different but not "crash and burn" different.

[footsie]

I have always stated that I have had no problems with the car on rear, and I don't know if the results would have been any different with a motorcycle tire.

Today on the way to work on the interstate 75, I was running around the 80 mph mark, there was line of cars in the left hand lane and trucks to my right, one of the trucks up frount either through a cap or ran over one and through into the middle lane in frount of me. My only choice was to run over it, a full cap turned up on its side.

Man what ride, the bike jumped over the cap, I know both tires cleared the ground, it landed straight but then had few seconds of a major wobble. I got it back under control but it about made me mess up my pants.

 

 

Gregg

[Wanderer]

Glad you're O.K. Don't think would have been different with M/T. Before when I hit a deer (front and rear M/T) I had a heck of a wobble which I thought sure I was not going to recover, but I did.

 

[Kirby]

I have always stated that I have had no problems with the car on rear, and I don't know if the results would have been any different with a motorcycle tire.

Today on the way to work on the interstate 75, I was running around the 80 mph mark, there was line of cars in the left hand lane and trucks to my right, one of the trucks up frount either through a cap or ran over one and through into the middle lane in frount of me. My only choice was to run over it, a full cap turned up on its side.

Man what ride, the bike jumped over the cap, I know both tires cleared the ground, it landed straight but then had few seconds of a major wobble. I got it back under control but it about made me mess up my pants.

 

 

Gregg

 

 

Glad to hear you recovered OK. I got through a wobble once and was sore for a couple of days afterward.

[tsigwing]

I have always stated that I have had no problems with the car on rear, and I don't know if the results would have been any different with a motorcycle tire.

Today on the way to work on the interstate 75, I was running around the 80 mph mark, there was line of cars in the left hand lane and trucks to my right, one of the trucks up frount either through a cap or ran over one and through into the middle lane in frount of me. My only choice was to run over it, a full cap turned up on its side.

Man what ride, the bike jumped over the cap, I know both tires cleared the ground, it landed straight but then had few seconds of a major wobble. I got it back under control but it about made me mess up my pants.

 

 

Gregg

 

I think most ct's are more pliable and do have more flex and give, at least that has been by experience. MT's usually have much stiffer sidewalls. Probably did make it more exciting than it had to be. At least you kept it upright and came out ok.

[wngrr]

I agree with Wanderer. I don't think it makes a difference what kind of tire you have on the back in situations like you describe. I had about the same expierience with a mt mounted...

 

Glad you rode through it and all is well!

[Wanderer]

Glad to hear you recovered OK. I got through a wobble once and was sore for a couple of days afterward.

 

Hey this is a family site. We've all heard "that" wobble story before. :rotf:

[bluerstd08]

Welcome to the Darkside!! I too have the NEXEN and have just over 4000 miles ( already paid for itself). I'd be changing a MT already. I love it. The wife and I rode up to D.C. to visit a soldier I served in the Army with at Walter Reed this weekend, and the ride was great. Going back up at the end of May for Rolling Thunder. Just watch taking off real hard in first.... the tire will spin through first gear.

[wngrr]

Welcome to the Darkside!! I too have the NEXEN and have just over 4000 miles ( already paid for itself). I'd be changing a MT already. I love it. The wife and I rode up to D.C. to visit a soldier I served in the Army with at Walter Reed this weekend, and the ride was great. Going back up at the end of May for Rolling Thunder. Just watch taking off real hard in first.... the tire will spin through first gear.

 

Thanks... I look forward to many miles with the Nexen...

[Kross Kountry]

I've had a Kumho on now for almost 3k miles and will be taking it off in the morning. The side wall has was too much flex for me. The bike tends to wobble any time it gets close to 90 mph and I hit a ridge or heavy groove in the road. My riding buddies have GW with runflats and the difference between theirs and mine is night and day. So until I find a runflat for the RSV, I'll be sticking with MT's.

 

PS Before you ask, I started with 34 psi and ended with 46 psi. It handled better with 46 psi but it wobbled with no matter what the tire pressure.

[gunboat]

hi tracy

thanks for posting you thoughts and experiance on your c/t. i my self have never rode a bike with the runflat c/t installed. but a gw'er that had a runflat c/t installed, started me on my path to the darkside and i'am happy with my c/t experiance.

best reguards

don c.

[Wanderer]

I've had a Kumho on now for almost 3k miles and will be taking it off in the morning. The side wall has was too much flex for me. The bike tends to wobble any time it gets close to 90 mph and I hit a ridge or heavy groove in the road. My riding buddies have GW with runflats and the difference between theirs and mine is night and day. So until I find a runflat for the RSV, I'll be sticking with MT's.

 

PS Before you ask, I started with 34 psi and ended with 46 psi. It handled better with 46 psi but it wobbled with no matter what the tire pressure.

 

What did u have on the front. I'm beginning to think from my own experience that this has a great deal to do with the wobble? Thanks.

[Kross Kountry]

I have a Shinko 150 on the front, but that is not the problem. The problem is an uncontrollable flexing of the side walls. It only happens at higher speeds, and the only way to stop it is to slow down. It's best not to panic and hit the brakes, just back off the throttle. This is not to say that it will happen any time the tire excedes 85 mph, but rather that the potential is there. All that is needed is some side to side force like a groove or ridge in the road surface.

[Wanderer]

I have a Shinko 150 on the front, but that is not the problem. The problem is an uncontrollable flexing of the side walls. It only happens at higher speeds, and the only way to stop it is to slow down. It's best not to panic and hit the brakes, just back off the throttle. This is not to say that it will happen any time the tire excedes 85 mph, but rather that the potential is there. All that is needed is some side to side force like a groove or ridge in the road surface.

 

Don't know - - - as I am certainly still experimenting, but I am convinced since losing the OEM Dunlop and putting the Pirelli up front I am experiencing little or no wobble.

I rode 240 miles from SLC, after front tire change, with the wife on the back and could not get a wobble at any speed. I have not had enough opportunity since, to verify as much as a solo rider. We shall see.

[wngrr]

From an engineering standpoint I believe all motorcycles have the potential to go into head shake at some frequency/speed regardless of what tires are on the bike. This is not to say tires don't or can't have a role in causing it because they certainly can. You may not notice it unless you happen to be on a grooved spot in the pavement at a specific speed or rolling off the throttle to slow down etc... To me it's all about balance. Over the years the designers have learned how to mitigate this tendency. If we do something to our bikes to upset the balance, the the probability of head shake goes up. Sometimes the change can be very very minor. I believe this is why some bikes love car tires and some don't. Sometimes they (the car tires) upset the balance and sometimes they don't.

 

Just my 2 cents.... So far my bike is responding well to the Nexen.

 

David

Edited April 30, 2010 by wngrr

[Woody]

tring to decide between the nexen and the Nankang CX668. has anyone tried the Nankang CX668?

[BuddyRich]

I just saw that tire at Discount Tire. I may try it just to see what a CT is all about. My Avons have some serious cracks in them and I don't think I'll go back to Avons after this.

[Squidley]

Ponch and I were just talking about this 5 minutes ago. I have ridden Gunboats '99 with the Kumho on the rear and the Avon Cobra radial on the front and didn't notice any real issues that I couldn't live with. The mileage is nice out of the CT as Ponch has over 12K on his and has no visible signs of wear. As much as I have warned folks about using a CT I haven't had any issues with the 12 to 1500 miles I have rode Gunboats bike with one on it, I may try one on the '99 to get a 1st hand feel.