Going to try it

[Freebird]

Well, I have always been adamantly against the idea but I posted last weekend that I lost a chunk of tread out of my rear tire. Ironmike took his wheel with the BF Goodrich tire off his RSV when he traded it in and told me to take it and try it. So....I guess I will. Have to do some reading or talk to him to find out what pressure was working best for him.

 

[Yammer Dan]

I think its going to be my next one.

[Skid]

I keep thinking about going that way myself. Several people I know likes the dark side

[10spd]

Am I wrong in the thinking that when you lean into a curve it comes up on the very edge of the tire.

 

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[snyper316]

I was kinda wondering the same thing.

[Yammer Dan]

I've had that thought also but with the voyager kit on there it shouldn't make much difference.

[eagleeye]

I run that BFG on my RSTD, and have found that 45psi, and that is with balancing beads (don't know if the beads come into play, but thought I'd mention it)

works best. I did run a CT before at a lower pressure and had that high speed back and forth, say passing a truck sometimes, and after a suggestion from a member, can't remember who to go to 45 and that was the ticket.

 

As far as running on the edge? They stick like glue.

Edited October 22, 2016 by eagleeye

[Condor]

I've had that thought also but with the voyager kit on there it shouldn't make much difference.

 

That's my thinking as well. When and if the rear tire wears out on the '04 Voyager... or disintegrates because of old age... , I'll go dark.

[WildBill1]

When I had my 06 Venture I ran a Kumo C/T for about a year. Need too try different tire pressures based on your handling and style riding charactics . Air pressure affected slow speed handling more than higher speed. Stopping actually was better. Laying into a curve was no noticeable difference with two up riding. I ran it up to over a hundred upon installation no wobble or knee slaps. Kumo did best at cornering at 42psi. The bikes I have now don't have the right size wheel size to allow running a C/T now. I would do it again if I had a 15" wheel on the back.

[Yammer Dan]

One of my concens with the Voyager was I would get even less miles out of rear tires. If I keep it right and go Dark I guess That won't be a problem. I just get no miles out of rear tires. Growing up is not a option. Ain't gonna happen. If I ride right hand is busy!! 5k on a rear is a lot for me.... And No it hasn't figured in any of my accidents.

[eagleeye]

One of my concens with the Voyager was I would get even less miles out of rear tires. If I keep it right and go Dark I guess That won't be a problem. I just get no miles out of rear tires. Growing up is not a option. Ain't gonna happen. If I ride right hand is busy!! 5k on a rear is a lot for me.... And No it hasn't figured in any of my accidents.

 

I took the Nexen off to lube the splines one spring and discovered it was about wore out, and that was at 30,000 miles. If I hadn't lubed the splines I'm sure I would have gotten several thousand more miles, but once I had it off, there was no way I was putting it back on, so just put on a MC tire for a year and then went to the BFG.

[Kretz]

Playing Devil's Advocate here...

I've read so much in the m/c press about how m/c tires are constructed differently than car tires & I understand that. Car tires after all don't get over on their side walls they're actually designed to prevent that very event. I know, many out there are using car tires & having no problems, so if it works for you....

BUT

In the event of an accident no matter what the cause, how would dark siders be looked upon by their insurance company?

Well, he's not using the right tires, that must have contributed to the accident, so his/her claim is reduced/ invalid etc????

We all know what a bunch of sharks insurance companies can be & how they ALWAYS try to mitigate any loss & prove that liability lies elsewhere.

Just a thought.

[Freebird]

Well, I put it on this morning and then went for a ride. Not a very long ride because we have company but I found a few curves and then coming back a bit of straight road to try it at higher speed. I talked to Ironmike and he couldn't remember what pressure he ran but thought that 37 psi sounded right. I put 38 in it but I think it needs more. Anyway, it's different but didn't feel bad. Normal riding in a straight line...I don't know exactly how to describe it but if you swerve back and forth....sort of like you would if you were trying to scuff in a new tire...it seems to want to stay more upright. If that makes any sense. Leaning hard into curves felt just fine. Honestly, I couldn't feel much...if any...difference in a curve that with a MC tire. On a piece of straight road, I bumped it up to an indicated 110 MPH and it was fine. Did seem to want to wander a bit at that speed but like I said, I think it needs a bit more air.

 

So my opinion at this point is a DEFINATE....maybe.

[Skid]

[SilvrT]

I don't know much about the BF Goodrich but I ran a Kumho on my Wing and loved it. Ran it around 32 - 34 psi

 

Put a Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3 ZP on my Victory once the stock tire wore out. Loved that also. Same air pressure.

 

Both tires are radial winter tread and the Kumho was a run-flat. The reason many darksiders go with the above tires is that the profile is much closer to that of an E3 for example. They do not have the crisp, sharp edge that many car tires do and as such, you get more tread on the ground in a corner and less of a feeling of it "standing you straight" when you come out of the corner.

 

I've read a lot of threads about these tires over on the Wing forum as well as the Vic forum long before I chose to go dark side and it's clear that different car tires will feel and perform differently and the pressures will vary. You may find you're not completely happy with that particular tire but don't judge them all by it if that's the case.

[SilvrT]

Well, he's not using the right tires, that must have contributed to the accident, so his/her claim is reduced/ invalid etc????

 

I would think they would have to prove that the tire was the contributing factor. One can't just "say it's so" without facts to back it up.

[SilvrT]

 

If you compare this tire to the BFG that Don has, there is a noticable difference in the edges.

 

What brand of tire is this Skid?

[Freebird]

Really not much noticeable difference once it was inflated. It had been sitting for a while and only had about 20 lbs of air in it. I started at 38 psi and it looks very close to that picture. That being said, I won't be trying different tires.

 

Here's the thing. I had a tire go bad, Ironmike had this one sitting in his garage because he took it off and put the MC tire back on his RSV when he traded it off. He told me to take it and see what I thought. So far, my thoughts are mixed. Nothing really negative but certainly not the feel that I'm used to. If I decide that it's not for me, I won't be buying and experimenting with another car tire. I'll just order a MC tire and be done with it.

 

There seem to be a lot of differing opinions on the preferred air pressure. Just in two posts I've seen 34 psi and 45 psi. That's a huge difference. I'll experiment just a little but I just want to get on the bike and ride. I've reached a point where I don't want to be messing and experimenting with things all the time. If Mike hadn't happened to have this tire already mounted and offered to let me try it out, I wouldn't have even considered installing a car tire. So if I end up not liking this one, that will be the end of it for me.

[Skid]

If you compare this tire to the BFG that Don has, there is a noticable difference in the edges.

 

What brand of tire is this Skid?

 

At the beginning of the video he says it a Dunlop Sport 5000 car tire

[SilvrT]

At the beginning of the video he says it a Dunlop Sport 5000 car tire

 

ahhhh ... I didn't have my sound on.

[SilvrT]

So if I end up not liking this one, that will be the end of it for me.

 

At least you have the opportunity to try one without taking the leap and buying one.

 

Car tires are not for everyone thats for sure (and not for every bike either) and there's certainly nothing wrong with deciding to stay with an MC tire.

[wizard]

I'm on my 3rd TA Radial tire and 28 psi suites me fine, after I break in the tire for about 5oo miles at 34 psi. But, please understand, I very seldom ride above 90 MPH, which might be the reason I've never had a wobble on this tire.

[Yammer Dan]

Really not much noticeable difference once it was inflated. It had been sitting for a while and only had about 20 lbs of air in it. I started at 38 psi and it looks very close to that picture. That being said, I won't be trying different tires.

 

Here's the thing. I had a tire go bad, Ironmike had this one sitting in his garage because he took it off and put the MC tire back on his RSV when he traded it off. He told me to take it and see what I thought. So far, my thoughts are mixed. Nothing really negative but certainly not the feel that I'm used to. If I decide that it's not for me, I won't be buying and experimenting with another car tire. I'll just order a MC tire and be done with it.

 

There seem to be a lot of differing opinions on the preferred air pressure. Just in two posts I've seen 34 psi and 45 psi. That's a huge difference. I'll experiment just a little but I just want to get on the bike and ride. I've reached a point where I don't want to be messing and experimenting with things all the time. If Mike hadn't happened to have this tire already mounted and offered to let me try it out, I wouldn't have even considered installing a car tire. So if I end up not liking this one, that will be the end of it for me.

 

 

Someone around here said that about 2nd Gens once... Yeah I know!!! Back to MY corner!!!

[Kretz]

I would think they would have to prove that the tire was the contributing factor. One can't just "say it's so" without facts to back it up.

Just sayin' & insurance companies are notorious for trying to mitigate their losses. There is so much "expert" press/ testimony out there advising not to use car tires, do you think they are going to ignore that fact?

My RSTD manual states "After extensive tests, only the tires listed below have been approved for this model by the Yamaha Motor Co Ltd"

It also carries a warning stating that "front & rear tires should be of the same make & design, otherwise handling characteristics of the vehicle may be different which could lead to an accident" Yamaha's warning not mine

I know we all use "other" motorcycle tires which can be proven to be equivalent to (or better than) the Bridgestones for design/ load/ speed etc. But could you prove the same for a car tire? Would a car tire manufacturer stand up in court & say his car tire is suitable for use on a motorcycle? I very much doubt it.

Like I said earlier, I'm just playing devil's advocate.

[SilvrT]

Just sayin' & insurance companies are notorious for trying to mitigate their losses. There is so much "expert" press/ testimony out there advising not to use car tires, do you think they are going to ignore that fact?

My RSTD manual states "After extensive tests, only the tires listed below have been approved for this model by the Yamaha Motor Co Ltd"

It also carries a warning stating that "front & rear tires should be of the same make & design, otherwise handling characteristics of the vehicle may be different which could lead to an accident" Yamaha's warning not mine

I know we all use "other" motorcycle tires which can be proven to be equivalent to (or better than) the Bridgestones for design/ load/ speed etc. But could you prove the same for a car tire? Would a car tire manufacturer stand up in court & say his car tire is suitable for use on a motorcycle? I very much doubt it.

Like I said earlier, I'm just playing devil's advocate.

 

that's ok. I think most of us are familiar with all of that.