My year on the darkside

[1olbull]

A 225/55 would have addressed most of the issues you described. I'm on my 5th year of running darkside and will not be going back. Like you, I'm not an overly aggressive rider so it works for me. I also average 10-12k miles per year so it is an economic choice for me.

Well said! This is an honest and logical explanation!
No unsupported claims of a car tire performing better than the tire designed for the machine.
Thank you! May you enjoy every mile you ride.

 

[HansO]

Being Open Minded I have been trying out a Brigdestone Excedra Max and while the low speed handling is not as nimble on a DS (245/50/16) as it is on the bridgy, I never had any problems craving the twisty stuff on a DS but I also am not a small bloke so having a bit of upper body strenght probably helps and I will more than likely go back to a DS.
Must say it is refreshing to see a civil conversation on the subject by obviously open minded people who have Either tried one or are prepared to listen others opinions with out offering unnecessary sarcasm

 

[idk]

Apart from the OEM tyre, I have used a 245/50, several 225/55, and a 215/55. The problems you mentioned are definitely more pronounced with the 245 and almost non-existent with the 215. However, the diameter of the 215 is slightly less than the OEM tyre and I did not like the higher engine speed that resulted. For me, the 225 is the best option.

 

[kblahetka]

Being Open Minded I have been trying out a Brigdestone Excedra Max and while the low speed handling is not as nimble on a DS (245/50/16) as it is on the bridgy, I never had any problems craving the twisty stuff on a DS but I also am not a small bloke so having a bit of upper body strenght probably helps and I will more than likely go back to a DS.
Must say it is refreshing to see a civil conversation on the subject by obviously open minded people who have Either tried one or are prepared to listen others opinions with out offering unnecessary sarcasm

Yeah, at higher speeds it felt a bit more secure, less likley to sweep out from under you with the car tire. I'm not small either. 6 even and 260 ish.

 

[1olbull]

Being Open Minded I have been trying out a Brigdestone Excedra Max and while the low speed handling is not as nimble on a DS (245/50/16) as it is on the bridgy, I never had any problems craving the twisty stuff on a DS but I also am not a small bloke so having a bit of upper body strenght probably helps and I will more than likely go back to a DS.
Must say it is refreshing to see a civil conversation on the subject by obviously open minded people who have Either tried one or are prepared to listen others opinions with out offering unnecessary sarcasm

Mate,
I have a good friend that has raced in years past as I have, He had ridden darkside for 10 years! I have spent time on his V2K (same as mine) and was surprised to find it worked better than I had expected.
I did not like the constant side to side flop (pressure) of the bars in my hands caused by the car tire trying to stay on the flat tread.
Cornering was not a problem and the bike did not flop once it was on the edge as I thought it would; however, there is no way I would trust it as much as a good motor tire in a hot corner. I was comfy up to approximately 75% of my abilities - no more. Uncle!
I have absolutely no problem with the use of a car tire for monetary purposes (did I say HUGE monetary purposes?) and - NO it won't instantly kill you!
My ONLY issue is with claims made that a car tire performs better than the tire engineered for the motorcycle. I am aware of NO "advantages" that are supported by scientific testing and data. My only caveat to this would be perhaps drag racing. I would also really like to see some comprehensive brake testing comparing the two types of tires.
My head just can't get around the fact that darksiders are always searching for the "best" shaped car tire and always running various pressures below the recommended levels and counting on sidewall flex to compensate for the car tire not being designed to lean. Sidewall flex, same as frame flex is NOT conducive to positive performance handling. Nuff said. Respectfully,
1olbull

 

[dave64]

And its for a car not a bike

 

[idk]

You don't run the tyre under pressurized. Most people run between 28 and 32 psi, which is what they generally run when on cages. The reason that you don't put 42 psi in is that there is more tread on the ground so you don't need to run the higher pressure.

 

[Boog]

A 225/55 would have addressed most of the issues you described. I'm on my 5th year of running darkside and will not be going back. Like you, I'm not an overly aggressive rider so it works for me. I also average 10-12k miles per year so it is an economic choice for me.

I followed TD on Saturday for a few hours and tried to watch that DS tire as much as I could. I have never ridden one but have determined that I don't always like having a narrow front tire paired with a fat back tire. The M-109 and Victory Hammer come to mind. I just didn't like their slow speed turning on city streets where I commute most of the darn time. But back to TD's bike, I watched in the slow and in the tight curves and never saw anything that came close to being dangerous or unsteady; not that I could tell from my spot. Now then, how well or how much of a difference is there between the classic or Roadster and my Touring bike is there when it comes to back verses front tire widths? I put a lot of miles on my bikes and know how expensive changing tires becomes 2-3 times each year. Has anyone here went DS on an R3T?

 

[Macrider]

I did with my R3T and I love it, would never go back to a rear motorcycle tire. I have given up on trying to argue with guys who say D.S. tires are dangerous and not engineered for motorcycles, most of them are talking out of their asses as the have never done it.
That's fine with me ,they can stay with their motorcycle tires.
Mac

 

[TDUNCOMB]

This is just information for anyone considering the move. I'm not looking to debate the pros and cons with anyone.

To start, I am not a very aggressive rider and I put on a pretty average amount of miles per year for living in the midwest.

I installed last winter a 245/50 raptor on my bike and kept it at 32psi pretty much all year except the experimental phase of figuring out where to set it. I went with the 245 because I have an inner douche bag in me that has a tribal armband tattoo and demands crap like a big fat tire and a 2300 cc motorcycle. The tire was a tight fit and on occasion I wondered if it was rubbing anywhere. I would occasionally hear some strange sound in parking lots but never saw any evidence of it.

Everybody decribes a car tire as feeling the road more. What I think happens it the road pushes the tire around more. If you come to a stop and have a left to right incline, that tire will want to be flat, and you will have to fight that by holding the bike upright. Driving, the tire gets the same treatment, it's more noticeable at slow speeds. When making a hard right into my driveway, the bike would want to go upright when the tire hit the curb.

Turning requires a little more effort, nothing you need any muscle for. In a sense the turns at higher speeds feel more secure as the handle bars give a more consistent feedback that you are pressing in. You don't tip the bike into a turn, you press and hold it there and when you release that pressure it goes right back up right. The period of adjustment to this is very short. I did manage to scrape pegs more than once and the rear never felt like it was unstable in anyway.

In parking lot maneuvers or slow speeds the car tire is a lot more work, the bike wants to stay upright always. This combined with whatever flaws from the road and you have to remain more focused on the low speed work. This seemed more evident with a passenger.

I decided at some point last summer to go back to a MC tire when this was done. I didn't mind the car tire but the bike didn't feel as nimble with it. I never felt like it was a hazard or unsafe riding it. Earlier this week I ran over a large bolt and elicted to just replace it as I felt like puging a tire that requires so much flex would be a bad plan.

I rode home today n the new MC tire and the bike feels more nimble and light, I had to adjust to putting less pressure on the bars and now I have to actively hold the thing up at lights. All in all, it was the right move for me. If I rode high miles I would consider the car tire a solid option.

I also have tried a car tire on my Rocket. An Eagle tread, I thought looked cool and beefy. I tinkered with the air pressure for a little bit. The tire shop, when asked, thought I should be ok down to 25 lbs. I was trying to get the edge to not be so noticeable when I cornered. Yes, the cornering takes a little more finesse. One thing I quickly realized was; don't 'goose' it when passing somebody on the edge of the tire... it will slip. My wife gets the' Heeby jeebies' when she feels the edge ride up, or when the road is uneven and you feel every little crack. She first told me to never put another one on... but know is wanting me to put the 'normal' one back on before I even get the tread wore down on the car tire. I think I'll be stalling on the early change... When I put the car tire on I was looking for a smoother ride, which I do get when I am going straight down the road. Last year, I discovered I am also do for rear shocks and a front forks rebuild. I guess I'll see how much riding I get in this year.