How many have ran a CT on a 1st Gen ?

[KIC]

It seems that most of these posts are on 2nd Gen and car tires.

 

How many, and can you fit them on a 1st Gen ?

[Freebird]

I don't know of anybody that has found a CT that will fit on a first gen. Makes sense that you would have to go to an antique car parts source. Maybe something from a model T?

[Yammer Dan]

I don't know of anybody that has found a CT that will fit on a first gen. Makes sense that you would have to go to an antique car parts source. Maybe something from a model T?

 

 

A Model T as fast as a 1st Gen could have changed history!!!

[Money Venture]

Nope, I own a Model T and they are 21 inch rims. 4.50/21

 

My 1928 Olds is a 19 inch rim, so that is getting closer.

[Yamak]

My brother found a CT for the rear of his 86 venture. I believe it was made for an antique car application. He mentioned having a difficult time installing it but got it on and used it for at least 1000 miles. He was looking at the tire last week and found the tread on one side of the tire / edge to center was badly worn.further inspection determined that the tire had slipped off the bead on one side but had not deflated!! He was running recommended pressure in the tire at the time. His first gen has a sidecar attached so no lean angles involved, but heavier loading for sure. He is going back to a motorcycle tire ! My recall of the exact miles may be a little off but results are what matter most.

I have a little experience with a CT on an 03 wing, I installed a Michelin radial RF. It actually felt pretty good with little to no air. My 03 venture rig has radial CTs on the car and rear end, both cheap off brand tires that came with the rig, they seems to work fine.

[mralex714]

It seems that most of these posts are on 2nd Gen and car tires.

 

How many, and can you fit them on a 1st Gen ?

 

What's the point of putting a car tire on a motorcycle?

[Pegasus1300]

Cheaper cost and better mileage. greater contact patch for braking, better traction.

[mralex714]

Cheaper cost and better mileage. greater contact patch for braking, better traction.

 

Can I still scrape the foot pegs?

[dna9656]

Car Tires have little or no tread on the side walls, that's where you need tread if you do much banking (not the $$$ kind of banking) when turning. Low, wide, (slow) baggers could use car tires IMH, (un-informed). Those bikes are heavier, carry heavier loads in equipment & larger riders.

 

It looks cool running a 60 series tire I suppose; but car tires are not made to be used in a bike application. I understand the loads on a car tire (when used on a bike) are much lower; however the direction these loads come (when used on a bike) from may not be compatible with it's design.

I have never had trouble using car tires on cars, truck tires on trucks, and motorcycle tires on motorcycles. Funny how that works.

I will always run the factory spec'd tire on my bikes UNLESS some one whom I trust might suggest another size but it would have to be for a very good reason. In my case running a lower profile tire would help me get my feet on the ground, I have 1 foot flat on the ground if I lean the bike to one side; otherwise I am on my toes. If I were to go to a smaller tire it would upset my speedo (which is reasonably accurate; so far I have no speeding tickets) and negatively impact my gas mileage; a BIG reason I ride to work year round WX (weather) permitting. The road has to be ice free and not snowing.

All this conjecture applies to 2 wheeled bikes, I know only that a 3 wheeler handles all differently from a 2 wheeler so those tires would have a different mission (more like car tires) than 2 wheel bike tires.

Edited December 29, 2014 by dna9656

[Holly]

Have been using a kuhmo on mine for 2 years, yes you still can scrape the pegs. I have been running max air pressure in it to bow it a bit. 08 2nd gen.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Holly
clarification

[IronMike]

http://forums.delphiforums.com/darksiding/start

Go to the above page and scroll to the information folder, read for a few days,

Then on same base page click on top left messages tab, go to Yamaha and read what other have done! You go that route, same exact tires that have been mounted and proven. Only experienced Darksiders should be picking new tires to run Darkside. Its a science.

 

Below is the most untypical application of a Darkside tire on a Bike I can find. Darkside tires are normally run on tour and cruisers NOT Sport bikes, but watch to the part where the tire slips out on him and he crashes. (It doesnt happen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYhkCA_JwJM

 

If you run the right Darkside tire on the rear and a rear on the front reversed, you can go past 30K on that combination. So you will leave on a few long vacations and never worry about changing a tire. You will stop better, you will have superior traction front and rear in any weather or conditions, sand, mud, snow, wet roads, towing, it will ride better, it will everything better. Everything but in some cases go over 100 better. Some have experienced a whobble over say 85 or somewhere in that range all depending. In this case same as a Bike tire, get your weight over the tank and slow down. Sometimes its just a play on air pressures. it can be cured .....its normally the PSI or Out of alignment. in over 70K miles on Darkside configuration those would be the only drawbacks of a darkside tire. But, considering I would not normally ever go over 85 I don't care. I got tired of the expense and time changing out tires. Darkside is far cheaper.

 

Your best bet is to read up on it and You Tube it and mount what someone else has according to the forum I posted. You should not rely on information from someone who has not run a Darkside tire, and you yourself should not run one without some serious study time. There are plenty of things you need to know. The worse person to listen to is someone who mounted one and took it right back off without turning it in to the bike. (150 miles of ride time and finding the right air pressure PLUS running the right front tire with it. Typically a Rear tire that has more width complements a Darkside tire.

 

This guy an accomplished author on the subject as he is on the Darkside always.

http://lifeisaroad.com/stories/2004/10/27/theDarkSide.html

He has very good information.

 

Its not for everyone. If you don't ride in inclimate weather, tow, or put more than 4000 miles a year on, its probably not for you. If you look back in history the Big heavy HDs came with a Car Type tire. In fact all bikes had that type tire, the tires we have now came from the need to mimic the racers, same as we have spoilers on our cars now and wide tires we don't really need or use. Its money in their pockets.

 

Anyways study up on it, then decide. Personally I feel unsafe not riding the Darkside. On the other hand I have seen where a few countries have found out about the priactice and have outlawed it. ewww I would so regret that day.

[suds]

Does anyone have an answer to the OP? Is anyone running a CT on a first gen?

[cowpuc]

Does anyone have an answer to the OP? Is anyone running a CT on a first gen?

@suds, I have spent a little time onboard the 1st Gens in perpetual tour mode and have swapped out a number of tires in the process.. Because of the minimal miles we have gotten out of our tires (due to 2 up, loaded up, HOT TARMAC of the western states) I have often thought about Dark Siding it.. Had a neighbor with a Valk that was Dark Sided.. Spent a fair amount of time on it - not bad after playing with air pressures.. He hated it - I liked it..

Spent a fair amount time pawing around for a Dark Side for my 1st Gens (have owned and wore out 5).. Found what I think may work to my satisfaction (click on link).. Problem is I have become so adept at swapping tires on my 1st Gens (can have rear tire off rim in less than 30 minutes) and usually able to find pretty good prices online for regular scoot tires that I just havent been able to spend the 150 bucks to "test" my hunch that the Dunlop below would do me for over 20k miles.. Would LOVE to though!!

Anyway,, here is what I would try if I had the xtra cash to play with -

https://www.universaltire.com/dunlop-tires/dunlop-radial-tires/175r16-austone-taxi-black.html

[Venture n Dixie]

Interesting Puc! But that link is for the "Austone" ??? tire. The Dunlop is $221.

https://www.universaltire.com/catalog_filter/?ftire_size=175R16

[Beau-Kat]

This is a good post for me to follow. Thanks for posting the question.

Planning on putting my sidecar on the '88. So a car tire would work best for me there...I think.

[Great White]

I'm actually going the other way with my 83. I'm looking at going to 17" radial MC tires.....

[jfman]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Austone-175R16-Taxi-Tire-Tubeless-Radial-/381487664427?hash=item58d26fcd2b:m:mQN2qr_Fv4uq3t3d5sDc2dA&vxp=mtr

 

What is a taxi tire? I dont get it.

[Venture n Dixie]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Austone-175R16-Taxi-Tire-Tubeless-Radial-/381487664427?hash=item58d26fcd2b:m:mQN2qr_Fv4uq3t3d5sDc2dA&vxp=mtr

 

What is a taxi tire? I dont get it.

 

From Puc's original link it is for the "London Taxi".

British version of the Yellow Cab.

175R16 Dunlop Taxi Blackwall

OE fitment for the London cab!

Made in France

The Austone is the Chinese version. Therefore the price difference.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney_carriage

[jfman]

Ah ok!

 

Do we know if this tire clears the Venture Swingarm? 175 must be wider than 150 OE tire

[Venture n Dixie]

No one has tried it yet as for as I know.

If they have they either:

a. didn't live to tell about it,

b. too embarrassed to admit they wasted that much money on something that wouldn't fit,

or c. still going cross country trying to wear it out & don't have time to post.

 

My bet is there's not enough room but I've never seen one so I'm an ineligible witness.

[camos]

Ah ok!

 

Do we know if this tire clears the Venture Swingarm? 175 must be wider than 150 OE tire

The Dunlop Elite 3 MU90B16 works out to 140/90/16 according to the Internet. The Elite 3 is: Overall Diameter: 25.72 Overall Width: 5.57" Rim Width: 3 inch.

The 175R16 is: Overall Diameter, 26.90". Tread Width, 5.50". Suggested Rim Width, 5-5.5.

 

There might be enough room overall but there is the rim width issue, quite a difference there.

[Flyinfool]

using the above info.

MCT has a circumference of 80.80

CT has a circumference of 84.51

 

That taller car tire will also roll about 3.7 inches farther per engine revolution. Most people that mess with gear ratios head in the opposite direction to get less distance per revolution.

[mantree91]

From experience tires are ok to be put on a narrower rim. My 31/10.5r16 inch tires on my truck recommend a 10x16 rim but I have them mounted on 9x16 stock rims. I worked out according to 6.496 inch section width with factory tire is about 5.51 inch wide leaving a diff of .986 inch or .493 inch per side. If someone who has there bike handy would check clearance from factory to swingarm that would be fantastic. I am really sick of burning through a tire over 9k on my sidecar.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[cptriker1]

Ok, this HAS to be solved.

 

I'm so pissed about having to plunk down $130 for a OEM Dunlop (included mounting & balancing) and looking at limited miles. Yet others (Wingers) have solved this issue with glowing reports. I drive the PISS out of my bike and I want things to last. It's time to solve this ETERNAL question because there's us in here that just damn well aren't going to give up our first gen machines unless pried out of our dead hands OR lottery happens.

 

That being said, one person posted a size on Darksiders for the 89VR (which I have) but NEVER posted if it's a confirm working fit or not. I mean, COME ON!!!! We all know that DS'ing 2nd gens work...and just for the plain poop of it I want to know.

 

One guy in this tread talked about someone had done it but failed to discuss the size of the tire only to say that the bead was off????

 

So, I'm planning to get my expensive metric calipers out since I've got the ENTIRE a$$ end of my bike dismantled and I'm going to take pictures and start running numbers to start tracking this down. I want to solve this. Right now I'm just stuck with this bike. I've never changed a tire before and don't have the equipment at home, but I've told my wife I'm pissed about this after what just happened to me (I'll post a pic) and you'll understand why I'm motivated to solve this.

[cptriker1]

What could have killed me...

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk