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Sure looks like a plain ol car tire on the back there.....
Nathan
KD9ARL
μολὼν λαβέ
1978 XS1100E K&N Filter
#45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
OEM Exhaust
ATK Fork Brace LED Dash lights
Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters Green Monster Coils SS Brake Lines
Vision 550 Auto Tensioner
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
And I bet he doesn't get the gas mileage he claims (almost 40 mpg) with that car wheel on the back.
I'm sure that thing gets 40 mpg or even better. You're certainly not going to drive it faster than 35-40 mph! At those speeds 40 mpg is a reasonable expectation.
Marty (in Mississippi)
XS1100SG
XS650SK
XS650SH
XS650G
XS6502F
XS650E
Sure looks like a plain ol car tire on the back there.....
Yeah it does...
As to handling with a car tire, there is a site on the web (http://darkside.nwff.info/index.php) that thoroughly discusses the pros/cons of running a car tire. It seems the Valkyrie guys (they did this first, and now others) have found common-sized car tire that will fit on those and many are running them. They do report that handling is 'different', with the main thing being is the bike won't 'hold' a 'set' while cornering; you have to 'hold' it into the corner, but that was basically it. Other than that, they all seemed very satisfied with handling.
So why do it? In two words, tire mileage. They were reporting the same crummy mileage numbers you see here with motorcycle tires, sometimes even worse, with nobody getting anything over 15K, many much worse. With tire prices of about half and double the mileage, it would be hard to resist...
I looked into it, but you need to own one of these BIG cruisers to do it; you can't find any car tires that will fit smaller bikes...
Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two
'78E original owner - resto project
'78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
'82 XJ rebuild project
'80SG restified, red SOLD
'79F parts...
'81H more parts...
Other current bikes:
'93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
'86 XL883/1200 Chopper
'82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...
One of my friends in Georgia put a car tire on his Valkrye (big Honda whose name I don't know how to spell). He took it right off again. To him, it was horrible. To be sure, we have a lot of curvy roads in No. GA.
Marty (in Mississippi)
XS1100SG
XS650SK
XS650SH
XS650G
XS6502F
XS650E
One of my friends in Georgia put a car tire on his Valkrye (big Honda whose name I don't know how to spell). He took it right off again. To him, it was horrible. To be sure, we have a lot of curvy roads in No. GA.
and damn fine curvy roads at that...FWIW alot of Goldwing owners have gone over to the darkside as well as a bunch of folks on their ST1100 and 1300's...Surprisingly alot of them claim that the bikes handling isnt really that much different...just takes a little more effort going into a corner...but the tire's grip is just as good as a regular m/c tar...ofc as always...YMMV
I've had a Run-Flat car tire on my one of the GL18 Wings before and it really is just a matter of finding the right tire pressure to run in it. After a while you forget it's even back there and with the bonuses of the extra load capacity and the run -flat tech it's really a win-win. Also, much more traction in the wet. YOMV but that's mine... BTW, I've found I can purchase a new take-off M/C tire at a trike shop for like $165 ( with only 10-20 miles on it) and that's already mounted, balanced, and with the new wheel included...
As to the bike, my question was .."WHY!!??" But then I think the same thing when I see "Artistic statements" being made of things. As to handling, that bike has to rate about just above me on one of those old tricycles we had when we were two.
As to the car tire, I have never tried it, not sure I would either. All the reasons given and money to be saved would never convince me to give up performance in a turn after my "incident" a couple years ago. And I can in no way see a tire with a corner on it like an auto tire giving you the turning ability of the curved bike tire. If you run it above or below recomended tire inflation, you going to lose all the proposed milage gain on the tire IMO.
Life is what happens while your planning everything else!
When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.
81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection
Previously owned
93 GSX600F
80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
81 XS1100 Special
81 CB750 C
80 CB750 C
78 XS750
My first reaction was OCC. Made to be a show piece.
I do kinda like the tank however.
Current Stable:
1978 XS1100E - Beauty - Vetter Full Dress
1979 XS1100F - The Beast - Winter Project to Factory Full Dress
1979 XS1100SF - Black Sunshine - The Lucky Find
1978 XS1100E - Little Orphan Annie - Sold to a friend, slowly becoming a 1196 monster.
WTB:
1981 XS1100H Venturer - Long distance cruiser.
1989 FJ1200 - For playing in the curves!
I wonder what the purpose of throwing that alt. on there was. He isn't exactly stressing the stock system with that set up...
I knew a guy who was running a car tire on the back of his Vulcan 2000, he said it worked great. I was riding with him and a few others through a torrential downpour, and he never seemed to have any issues, even in the puddle laden corners. Not sure I would run one, but then, I don't have a bike that large either.
Joab
"If nothing else, it will be interesting..."
______________________________________________
1979 XS1100SF
1972 XS2 650
______________________________________________
Ozark, Alabama
There's a guy at the local car show that runs a car tire on his bike, it's some kind of 6 cyl custom. He said it's more or less fine.
As for tire pressure, remember the specs you normally see are for a typical weight car. If you pull tires off a mustang that were run at 40psi and throw them on a 2000lb t-bucket without lowering the pressure you will have a 4" contact patch and a really rough ride. You have to drop the psi down to 18-ish. Ask me how I know
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