Darkside/downside

[bigdogmotorcyclist]

What I can't understand is..... why is it the few here who do not like to run car tires are so passionate to get others not to run them? Soooo curious. Could it be ideology? Aren't the majority of them left leaners? Not throwing stones, just trying to figure out why they always getting in the middle of darkside discussions with negative rhetoric. I relish my freedom (to choose).

Here's where I am with respect to the "new information" about the perils of darkside: I weigh what the risks are on both sides of the equation.

I weigh the possible risk of insurance companies looking for an out to not pay vs better traction when starting and stopping*. If for no other reason, being able to stop faster to avoid collision is far greater than the possibility of the insurance risk.

*I am intentionally leaving out lateral forces because that is debatable. However, knowing what I know now from riding mega miles on both dark side and mc tires, I do not feel as comfortable with a MC tire on the rear. MOF, I probably will soon put one on the new Roadster.

I am running a 205/60 R16 on my R3T and am loving it. It took some retraining in riding but now I get more drive on the exit of the corner than before. While riding 2up its even better. I got the sportbike guys all confused, they still wondering why they are following and not leading. Which they were doing before I went to the Dark Side.

 

[1olbull]

I am running a 205/60 R16 on my R3T and am loving it. It took some retraining in riding but now I get more drive on the exit of the corner than before. While riding 2up its even better. I got the sportbike guys all confused, they still wondering why they are following and not leading. Which they were doing before I went to the Dark Side.

Just HAD to rip off the scab, didn't you?
By all means, run a CT if you wish!
Just do not foolishly claim they are better than the tires that were designed for it.
Folks do not have to jump off bridges to know it is dangerous.
The laws of physics support the engineers who have designed the motorcycles and those who have designed the motorcycle tires.
I personally have no issue with those wishing to save money with a car tire on the rear.
Just ride within its limitations.

 

[HansO]

 

[HansO]

I am running a 205/60 R16 on my R3T and am loving it. It took some retraining in riding but now I get more drive on the exit of the corner than before. While riding 2up its even better. I got the sportbike guys all confused, they still wondering why they are following and not leading. Which they were doing before I went to the Dark Side.

Ahh another enlightened Rider, ignore the NahSayers, it is their loss,

 

[bigdogmotorcyclist]

I don't recall saying anything about levels of traction regarding car tires vs motorcycle tires. I simply pointed out how motorcycle tires behave in the extreme. And I'm not trying to comment on the virtues or defeciencies of either type of tire. I'm just asking a question. If for some reason you choose to turn that in to some kind of political reference, well fine, whatever.

But I still wonder, how does a car tire behave at the limits of traction? Does it slide predictably and recover, or does is just let go. I would guess with the power that the Rocket possesses, and the abilities many here claim to possess, someone has surely pushed a car tire hard enough to comment.

Its the same question we ask with tires for our race car. Some types and brands of tire will stick forever and suddenly let go with little warning. Others will slide predictable and can be recovered at will.

I have had the METZ before, on my Kawasaki they where great, on the R3T they did not do well. I have also used the Avon Cobras which performed better but the rear did not last. I am an aggressive rider, I push my bike to its limits. The R3T is in my opinion the best street bike, you can cruise all day and you can carve the corners at speed if you want. Having said that I have 40 years riding time, have had my share of mistakes and road rash. I went to the Dark Side to test the ride, I found a tire that was speed rated with a rounded shoulder. I run the pressure at the recommended 32 psi, I am a big guy (350lbs) I have put over 5000 miles on this tire. I am riding just as hard as I was the MC tire if not harder. Yes on a heavily crowned road you lean the bike, on a road with truck ruts you move about. These are things you learn, just like when switch from an under powered cruiser to the Rocket, its a learning curve. I ride the bike like it was intended, come on people, they call it a ROCKET for a reason. Ride it as such.

 

[bigdogmotorcyclist]

Tell you what. You come up when I'm getting the BS fitted and we get Joe to swap rear wheels. We can "test" the tyres for a week or so, you can be as agressive as you want and we're not risking each others bikes. I'll ride down for the swap back. Down the mountain on the federal should let me know how it really feels. I can provide an objective review of a car tyre and you can see if the BS is up to your riding style.

To get the real feel of the car tire, You need to spend time on it. Several hundred miles over different conditions.

 

[CanberraR3]

To get the real feel of the car tire, You need to spend time on it. Several hundred miles over different conditions.

You need to do a bit more research before jumping into this debate. That was more a dare than a real offer. Not accepted of course, and we all know know why. Hope you're not a sook like most of the others who think it's a smart or sensible or safe thing to put a car tyre on a bike. Disagreement makes most of them cry. Just wait and see.

 

[CanberraR3]

To get the real feel of the car tire, You need to spend time on it. Several hundred miles over different conditions.

You know you sound a little like a Catholic priest grooming a choir boy. Suggest you keep your stupid ideas to yourself, eh.

 

[HansO]

You need to do a bit more research before jumping into this debate. That was more a dare than a real offer. Not accepted of course, and we all know know why. Hope you're not a sook like most of the others who think it's a smart or sensible or safe thing to put a car tyre on a bike. Disagreement makes most of them cry. Just wait and see.

You forget I have tried a Bridgestone and while it is the best of the bike tyres it is not as good as a Dark Side Federal 595 ( This is of course only my and quite a few others opinion of course ) the only sook around here is the one that wont spend the bucks to try the alternative but wait you longer ride a Rocket do You mr Name caller .... grow up and grow some will ya

 

[HansO]

You know you sound a little like a Catholic priest grooming a choir boy. Suggest you keep your stupid ideas to yourself, eh.

Is that what happened to you........ now I understand where the chip on your shoulder came from came from Mr Hyde