2nd Gen FAQ - Handling, Suspension, Tires, Controls, etc.

Handling, Suspension, Tires, Controls, etc.

(still under construction)

Q: Man, this bike is HEAVY! And it feels like it is going to fall over every time I turn in the parking lot. Is there any way to improve this?

A: This is a VERY common complaint for the stock RSV or RSTD, and it is generally considered the worst on a stock bike with OEM Bridgestone tires (much worse for this than with Dunlop D404s, the other OEM tire). There are two very easy and complete solutions: put on better tires (discussed below) and/or raise the rear of the bike slightly which changes the rake and trail of the front suspension and dramatically improves the low speed handling. The rear can be raised by 1" by replacing the stock lower struts on the rear shock with struts that are 1/4" shorter. See this article in the Technical Library for more info: [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=492]Raising the Rear of the RSV - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=492]Raising the Rear of the RSV - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

Look for discussions about "Leveling Links" for an available retail solution. In addition, lowering the front by about an inch should provide the same dramatic improvement as raising the rear. See this article in the Technical Library for more info: [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=939]Lowering the Front End - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=939]Lowering the Front End - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

Q: My legs don't seem to reach all the way to the ground - what options do I have?

A: There is a commercial lowering kit available for the rear which involves both different shock struts AND a new bracket to move the rear brake calipers below the swingarm. Be aware, however, that lowering the rear of the bike without also lowering the front should make the low speed handling worse. I will note here that some owners who particularly like their bikes with the lowering kit disagree with this.

Q: What tires are the best tires for my Royal Star, and what sizes should I buy?

A: Let's take those questions in reverse order. The stock tire sizes are:

Front: 150/80-16, Load rating: 71 (need to verify). Speed rating H

Rear: 150/90-15 or MV85-15, Load rating 74, Speed rating: H

Some people recommend switching to a slightly narrower front tire (130/90-16) to improve slow speed handling. While this is a fairly popular choice the opinions are mixed. It definitely makes slow speed handling faster, but many also feel that it reduces high speed stability. In addition, the effect of the narrower front tire is very similar to the improvement you get from raising the rear of the bike, and if you do both changes, some riders feel the result is not optimal. Do some research on the forums on the subject of tire sizes, front tire size, handling, etc. In particular, V7Goose has done a lot of tire testing and provided detailed write-ups, so an advanced search for posts from V7Goose and the key word "tire" should result in most of those discussions.

As for the question of what tires are best, we will try to provide a few suggestions while recognizing that preference in tires is a very personal thing. In general, the vast majority of experienced Royal Star owners agree that the OEM Bridgestone tires are the absolute worst possible choice for this bike. The OEM Dunlop D404 is generally considered an acceptable but just average tire. The three most popular tires for the 2nd Gen Royal Stars are currently Avon Venom, Dunlop Elite3, and Michelin Commander. Any of these tires in stock sizes should provide you with an excellent handling bike and above average tire mileage.

Q: Is it OK to mix brands of tires?

A: Yes. While most tire manufactures state that they recommend you use only a matched front and rear tire from their specific brand for best handling, I do not believe any of them specifically prohibit mixing different brands or tread styles between front and rear. In addition, many many riders have chosen to change brands of tires when the rear wore out, but stay with the still good front tire without noting any ill effects.

Q: Can I use radial motorcycle tires on my Royal Star?

A: No. Both the tire manufacturers and the bike manufacturers say to only use radial tires on bikes that were specifically manufactured for use with radial tires. In addition, at this time there are no radial motorcycle tires available in the stock sizes for these bikes.

Q: How long should my tires last? I see some posts where people claim to get over 20,000 miles on a rear tire - can this really be true?

A: Now this is a REALLY controversial subject! In general it is VERY difficult to compare tire mileage between different riders, even when both are on the same bike and same tire. This is because even seemingly minor differences in riding style have a HUGE difference on tire life - the biggest factors being smoothness of throttle usage, amount of engine braking used, and differences between front and rear braking techniques. While it is certainly possible that some riders have achieved more than 20,000 miles on a rear tire with a Royal Star, this is VERY rare, and you should not count on it.

But here is how you can predict with reasonable certainty what mileage you can expect from a particular tire by comparing it with others: If Joe says he gets only 8,000 miles on Tire "A", but 12,000 miles on Tire "B", you cannot necessarily expect the same mileage, but you CAN expect that you will get 1/3 more miles from tire "B" than you would get from tire "A", just like Joe did. For example, if you know you also only get 8,000 miles on tire "A", you can expect around 12,000 on tire "B", just like Joe. But if you have been getting 12,000 miles from tire "A", then you will probably get 16,000 from tire "B".

Now with all that said, here are some average rear tire miles that we have seen reported over and over again from many riders on this site for some common tires (front tires generally last 1.5 - 2 times as long):

OEM Bridgestone: 8,000

Dunlop D404: 10,000 - 12,000

Avon Venom: 14,000

Dunlop E3: 16,000

Michelin Commander: (need this info)

Q: I am not happy with how long my tires last. Can I use a car tire?

A: This is a question of intense debate and strong feelings on both sides. All tire manufacturers, motorcycle manufacturers, and many riders are emphatic in saying this should never be done. On the other hand, there are many riders on lots of different brands of bikes who chose to run a car tire and are just as emphatic that they believe their bikes handle acceptably with this modification.

The arguments against using a car tire on a two-wheeled motorcycle range from "Your momma (or the manufacturers, other bikers, lawyers, etc.) said don't do it," physical incompatibility (15" car wheels are not the same dimension as 15" motorcycle wheels), it's dangerous and your bike will handle bad, and it gives your insurance company a legal ground to deny your claim in an accident.

The arguments for using a car tire include they cost less, they last longer, a larger contact patch when traveling straight, better braking traction, and some people like (or are at least willing to accept) the way their bike handles with it.

In an effort to reduce the arguments and animosity that can arise from a subject where the opinions are so strong, this forum has set up a special area specifically for this discussion, and we request that issues dealing with car tires installed on two-wheeled vehicles be kept here: [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=106]The Darksiders - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=106]The Darksiders - VentureRider.Org[/ame]