Darkside Review ???

tdragger said:

Nolton,

just my opinion based on discussions and posts on this and the other site.

225/55 seems to be the best fit. It is also the closest to the stock tire size without being smaller in diameter. 235's and 245's are just too **** big.

Brands:

Good reviews on Goodyear Eagle F1, Toyo Proxes TR1 and Riken Raptor ZR. It seems the most used is the Riken with the Toyo close behind.

Not so good reviews on the Cooper Zeon. Oddly enough, the Cooper advertises that it has a "rounded" profile. Unfortunately, this led to a loss in stability based on a couple of users.

Avoid brands with a thick (> 3/4 inch) continuous center rib. This seems to follow road irregularities. The Riken has a small center rib and I don't notice any issues. The Goodyear and Toyo do not have the center rib.

go to www.tiresavings.com and search on 225/55/16 and you will get a good list to pick from including pictures.

Hope that helps.

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Thanks, havent looked at the Goodyear. From what I've read, 225/55 looks to be the best. I dont know about "too **** big" I like some things big in the rear.
Its not about size though.
I didn't think about the center rib. Good call. Louisiana has ****ty roads. Man, I miss Texas.
Tiresavings.com has great prices. Just might do business with them when I decide.

I have just clocked up 8 1/2 tho Km's thats a bit over 5 tho mile, While I agree that that narrower 225 will be better if you are going to be riding on rutted roads at lower speeds. I have no Clearance, handling or rough road problems with my 245/55/16 Toyo Proxes TR1 the first thing you will notice is a bit more counter steer is needed and yes at Walking Pace it will bump steer but believe me and anyone else that has got one when they say the forget the fact it is a car tyre just attack the corners, after the first 100 or so miles you won't even notice the extra bit of counter steer.
The safety aspect is simple take it easy play with your tyre pressues between 28 and 32 psi you will find most guys are running in that range I went for the wider tyre with the higher profile for tthree reasons 1/ I liked the fat look, 2/the extra width for more stabililty while towing my slightly overweight Camper at 450kg 3/ the extra height of the 245/55 gears the bike up therefore correcting the speedo close to correct reading and better economy while towing, the rocket could have easily coped with a taller top gear.
Here in Australia we dont have as many options for brands and sizes but if you can find a tyre that hangs on better than the Toyo you will be lucky and as hellfire said it has nicely rounded corners, in conclusion try the darkside be carefull but not scared of it till you get used to it keep your pressure lower to start untill you gain a feel for it and bring up the presure a little at a time till you find the sweet spot, very few have ever gone back after they tried it but give it time one ride is not going to be enought to make a judgement unless it is a bloody long ride, oh and by the way I corner more agressively than some of my mates and regularly scrape the **** out my pegs as I said you have to find the sweet spot tyre pressure for your style Oh I nearly forgot it sticks like **** to a blanket in the wet

hanso said:

I have just clocked up 8 1/2 tho Km's thats a bit over 5 tho mile, While I agree that that narrower 225 will be better if you are going to be riding on rutted roads at lower speeds. I have no Clearance, handling or rough road problems with my 245/55/16 Toyo Proxes TR1 the first thing you will notice is a bit more counter steer is needed and yes at Walking Pace it will bump steer but believe me and anyone else that has got one when they say the forget the fact it is a car tyre just attack the corners, after the first 100 or so miles you won't even notice the extra bit of counter steer.
The safety aspect is simple take it easy play with your tyre pressues between 28 and 32 psi you will find most guys are running in that range I went for the wider tyre with the higher profile for tthree reasons 1/ I liked the fat look, 2/the extra width for more stabililty while towing my slightly overweight Camper at 450kg 3/ the extra height of the 245/55 gears the bike up therefore correcting the speedo close to correct reading and better economy while towing, the rocket could have easily coped with a taller top gear.
Here in Australia we dont have as many options for brands and sizes but if you can find a tyre that hangs on better than the Toyo you will be lucky and as hellfire said it has nicely rounded corners, in conclusion try the darkside be carefull but not scared of it till you get used to it keep your pressure lower to start untill you gain a feel for it and bring up the presure a little at a time till you find the sweet spot, very few have ever gone back after they tried it but give it time one ride is not going to be enought to make a judgement unless it is a bloody long ride, oh and by the way I corner more agressively than some of my mates and regularly scrape the **** out my pegs as I said you have to find the sweet spot tyre pressure for your style

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Now,thats a review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nolton said:

Now,thats a review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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readit again I just added a line on the end

I went with the Rinken Raptor 225/55/16.
I now have a little over 6K on it and it still looks new.
I personally feel more confident in the traction especially in the twisties.
It may be all in my mind but it works well for me.
As T stated 225/55 is closest to the stock size and isn't too wide so there isn't as
much counter steer.
Just my 2c.

hanso said:

Personly I left this site before because his crap attitude kept interupting good discusions he talks to everyone like **** so if he is nice guy as you said maybe you should give him a slap around the head when he spout of and even if he has good techicnal skills he has crap comunication skills I was relieved to hear he was banned here ( I only came back because Canberra R3b PM'd me because he like me respects Peter T's writing skills and knew I might like to help him) and might come back, over at the other site most of us have taken a different attitude we just bait him and then laugh and ignor his ravings unless he is not talking **** and yes he does lie just try the outragous claims of tire mileages he should just stick to engine Mods were he does appear to know what he is talking about, please Phill don't become another ImF&#*^$to

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Well, no worries about me becoming another IFT, mate! There can be only one and, anyway, I gotta' be me and that is a full time, not-so-easy job.

To throw in my $.02 about the Toyo. I picked it after doing alot of research, questioning and scrutiny because it seemed to be the overall best pick due to its compound, tread pattern and a good deal of glowing user feedback. I suspect that there may be better choices with regard to roundness of the tire's shoulder or the outside edge of its tread. My experience was that the Toyo had a propensity get up on and to roll over onto its sidewall when pushed hard in the twisties. It seems that reports of that occurring were more consistently attributed to the Toyo than to other brands, butwho knows really? Other than for the sidewall scraping (properly inflated, as far as I'm concerned) the tire wore well and evenly for the 7,200 mis. or so that I put on it. It still sits in my garage, if anyone local is interested in buying it for a handsomely discounted price. Perhaps the Toyo users are just more hardcore than other CT brand users? Are there CTs available with more rounded edges??? Pics would help.

Back to Art, for a sec. hanso, understandably, you (and others) grew tired of his obnoxious demeanor. It wore me thin, too. Nonetheless, he is not a liar nor does he create his own facts to suit, justify or support his positions, as I have surmised is commonplace for others both here and on the .com site. The info he has posted about the mileage he is getting with the OEM tires is 100% accurate, whether you want to believe it or not. I rode with Art plenty this past season and have witnessed everything that he has reported. he does check and maintain his pressures fastidiously, but other than that, he is an accomplished, stylish rider who knows very well how to throw a motorcycle around. His getting banned from this site was a BS move, orchestrated by the admin here and by a handful of members who agitated for him to take a draconian action for peashooter offense. In other words, the punishment did not remotely fit the crime, IMO.

Looks like the other site is reporting an Aussie rider down due to the Metzler locking up and sliding out. Add another to the list of victims of the safety hazard that is the Metzler.

tdragger said:

Looks like the other site is reporting an Aussie rider down due to the Metzler locking up and sliding out. Add another to the list of victims of the safety hazard that is the Metzler.

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Looks like your expanding rumors as no one said yet why he had braking problems or that he had a metzler. I read a book given to me by the tribal fund while I was recovering from my surgery. Its called Twist of the Wrist. By Keith Code with notes by Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey. here is a exerp from that good book sent to me by Dharvey and the tribal fund during my first surgery on my shoulder.



And this is non emergency stopping 75% to the front and 25% left on the rear any emergency stopping would leave even less rear brake use no matter what tire you have on.
This book was written by people who train people not ones who claim they know more then tire engineers.
Another thing when I was down on the tail of the dragon on this last Rocket get together I remember a guy with a Brittish Green and creme Rocket (had some awesome apple barbecue sauce which did not win) I was amazed that with the terrible MC tires on his bike how he could out ride anyone in the curves with his wife on the back. My point is when you read this book you find a lot of information reguarding going into curves and coming out of them with all aspects covered braking, engine rpm, suspention loading and unloading do to improper breaking and engine speed control. which constantly changes the amount of braking force both front and back. So I wonder if these rear ends sliding out is do to improper loading of the suspention and engine while using the rear brake as if it is light on the rear it just locks up easier and of course with all the weight transfer it can slide out from underneath you.
Car tire has better braking I don't need to try it to believe it this book shows in black and white how much bull**** that statement is. just by the weight transfer alone.

I must say it is a good read and they have Twist of the Wrist 2 I can not wait to read it also.

I believe that Mike referenced his friend's report that it was hard braking and the pictures clearly show a Metzler on the rear.

Mike referenced hard braking not any other details of why he had to brake it could be that if he had something run out or pull out in front of him that no matter what tire he had on withthe weight transfer from the front suspension compressing even a car tire could have slid out. There just is not enough details to form a opinion as to whether the tire had anything at all to do with it. and yes it looks like a MC tire whether its a metz or a bridgestone I can not tell from the tread I would say it is not a Cobra.



Blaming the tire is not the answer as I am not the most experienced rider and after 5 metzlers and 3 or 4 Avons I have never had one slide out. I guess one could say that if a tire slides out from underneathe you and its not on ice then you must not have enough riding experience toproperly judge the road ahead of you.