tires for '93 goldwing w/sidecar

I ride a 97 SE and have a Motorvation FII mounted on it. I am VERY new to sidecars so I can only offer my thoughts based on my 2 wheel exp.
before I added our sidecar I had went double dark side on my bike, MY reason was simple, I have had 2 fairly new tires fail. I was very lucky both times as they didn't blow out but rather separated and one even through a large chunk of tread. the MC tires out there are borderline as to weight limits for the Wings when you go 2 up with a camper. So I run a 175 60r 16 car tire on the rear and at the moment I have a Pilot Activ rear tire on the front. this gives me twice the tread of a normal front tire and a better weight rating. I can say the ride is very smooth and quite.
I have the Goodyear Assurance fuel max on mine and I like it. it will raise your RPM's as it is shorter than most MC tires

it's going to boil down to what you feel comfortable with and what your used to

I use Austone taxi tire on rear & Pilot Activ rear tire on front.

VLAD how does the taxi tire do with the sidecar, I saw where someone posted that because it's a taller tire they struggled with being able to use 5th gear in the hills

I use the Pilot Active also on the front. I got a 15 inch wheel fabricated to bolt onto rear Gold W ing hub. Radial car tires are readily available and wear really well.

I do use 4th and sometimes 3rd gear with full load. It is not hills but mounts here in Colorado (also strong wind). Both 4th and 5th is overdrive on Goldwing. 1500 have 5 gears and i think is nothing wrong using all 5 (one after other) of them when I need it. It is not a custom made hill climbing rig after all.
I think if you and me will race side by side we will be almost even. May be i will be little behind mainly because i like food too much, but not because of the tires.

My 47 year, 24/7 sidecar rig experiences, FWIW: Had our 4th rig over 13 1/2 years, to-date [ '95 GL1500/CSC FSIII ] since first BMW rig in 1968. DO NOT RIDE SOLO! Tried many m/c tires on Wing [ Dunlop, Metzeler, Avon, Austone rear ] since 2001, when Wing was purchased used & sidecar mounted. Now running Avon Venom front tire, Dunlop E3 rear. Went through 3 Avon Venom sets UNTIL Avon redesigned their rear GL1500 tire to 8 1/2" tread width....rubbed BADLY on inside right of swingarm....had to remove [ could not resell damaged....is flower planter in wife's garden ]. Austone trial for one riding season was BIG MISTAKE! Due to larger rear wheel circumference, had to drive almost constantly in 4th gear....engine lugged badly in 5th, if not downshifted. Shortly after going back to E3 rear tire, severe rod rap started in right cylinder bank....had to re-engine Wing with '96A power plant. My aftermarket rig items: EBC HH brake pads for 12 years/CompuFire alternator for 10 years/700CCA pickup truck battery in sidecar trunk since 2004/Progressive 412-4223C rear Wing shocks in 2012, made for sidecar work/Unit Forks Leading Link front end from England for entire 13 1/2 years [BEST front end I ever had on ANY sidecar rig!]. My two cents. TTFN....Old Tom aka papasmurf in NH 🙂

papasmurf - 1/16/2015 8:09 AM
Austone trial for one riding season was BIG MISTAKE! Due to larger rear wheel circumference, had to drive almost constantly in 4th gear....engine lugged badly in 5th, if not downshifted. 🙂

Wow!!! It must be big hills in NH...