Another tire choice? Not what you think...

[crazy steve]

Let's stir the nest a bit...

This was noted in the 'for sale' forum, I thought I'd throw it here for a general look.

http://darkside.nwff.info/

I'll note that this isn't really an option on a XS, but for those of you that may have big cruisers...

[jetmechmarty]

I'd be willing to bet this can get real ugly on some cruiser forums!

[crazy steve]

Oh, I'm sure....

You'll have the 'try, it, you'll like it!' guys on one side, and the 'yer gonna die!!!' crowd on the other...

I seriously looked into this, but there's pretty much nothing out there that would fit a XS, or my Sportsters for that matter.

[crazy steve]

Here's a few more sites....

http://mcdarksiders.forumotion.com/t6000-4-years

http://www.motorcycleforum.com/showthread.php?t=96429

http://lifeisaroad.com/stories/2004/10/27/theDarkSide.html

[trbig]

BUT... tell me most of you wouldn't try a rear tire that you could get for $100 and get 40k+ miles out of it? Most would have to change it due to age instead of wearing it out. Of course.. .that still happens to TC and a Dunlop 404, doesn't it?

[tv5150]

+1 on a Car Tire

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...

[crazy steve]

There is this one that should fit a XS if you have the 16" wheel....

http://www.cokertire.com/550r16-coker-classic-blackwall-tire.html

.... but cheap it's not. Whether or not you'd get enough miles out of it to justify the price is hard to say. Tod, you were complaining about your last Dunlop, you want to be the guinea pig?....

[trbig]

Reading a few threads about those on old roadsters and such, they don't last very long even with light cruising. I did see one conversation though. A discussion about one guy posting that tire, which is a radial with modern rubber, and another chiming on about how a bias ply is tradional. The next guy wrote, "Bias plies are traditional.. so is VD."

Next guy wrote, "Bias plies are traditional, so is VD. VD can be stopped with a modern rubber." lol.

ANyway... yeah, that's a pretty big chunk o' change for such a small tire. Many of the guys looking for tires for their old cars are being sent to motorcycle websites to look at those 16" tires for heavier bikes.

[Elevener]

All this thread needs is someone to mention balancing said tire with dyna beads.

[madmax-im]

Not into the darkside forums but there isnt a group out there that doesnt have its adherents...so to say...Over on ST-Owners website theres folks over there who have converted their ST11's and 13's over to running car tire on rear...with very favorable results as reported by even people who were really skeptical but came away totally impressed. MC tires for an ST usually dont last more than 8000 miles regardless of manufactuer...and car tires will on average last at least 3 to 4 times as long as a conventional MC tire. It makes more sense to the higher...mega milers who year after year rack up some hefty mileage totals...especially on ST's..and Goldwings
Personally I havent gone over but have considered it...but on my ST11 I would need to change the rear wheel to one off an older Goldwing and add a spacer to the axle to align it wheras the ST 1300 would just take a car tire on its OEM rim..so its just not a priority... Last year I rode nearly 22K miles on my ST on 2 sets of tires and that was riding conservatively except for the XSive Riders rally in Stecoah NC...that was fun...

[madmax-im]

All this thread needs is someone to mention balancing said tire with dyna beads.

Snake oil ...

[BA80]

A friend of mine here ran a car tire on the rear of his Yamaha Warrior 1700 for a while. Said it wasn't bad.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Tod,

That's an idea, maybe I should get the 404 or 501 the next time instead of the E3. However, if fuel prices get well over $4.00/gal then I'll probably end up commuting on it and then I'll be putting many k miles on it in a season

Steve, that last one looks a lot taller than a 130/90-16 style tire, and I don't like that it requires a TUBE, but it is a radial design.

I remember seeing a Youtube video posted a while back of a cruiser or such bike running one of these tires, showed from the rear fender view, and going thru lots of turns and such, and the footprint maintained a considerable amount of contact on the road as it slightly rolled over to the sidewall edge of the tread like radials are supposed to do. If I were Fredintoon, I'd be more inclined to put it on the bike since it isn't leaning much in turns compared to a 2 wheeler.

T.C.

[tv5150]

All this thread needs is someone to mention balancing said tire with dyna beads.

Ummmm, snake oil??? I use dyna beads in all my tubeless tires except my GL18 Wing which has Centramtics on it...www.centramatic.com (click on Goldwing) Yep, love the dyna beads and the centramtics...(guess I'm a snake oil lover per the other response to your post) Ain't technology great?

[madmax-im]

Ummmm, snake oil??? I use dyna beads in all my tubeless tires except my GL18 Wing which has Centramtics on it...www.centramatic.com (click on Goldwing) Yep, love the dyna beads and the centramtics...(guess I'm a snake oil lover per the other response to your post) Ain't technology great?

Just kidding ofc...being sarcastic...