Darkside regrets???

I've run a car tire on the rear of my 1998 Valkyrie since 2016   I have no regrets for having done it,  though I've learned not all tires of the same size are in fact the same width.   Study the tire charts to find which car tire sizes are the same diameter as your stock motorcycle tire so you don't get too misled by your speedometer.  I believe my current tire is a P205 60R x 16" and by GPS speed is very close to what the speedometer reads.

Jon

darkside is not for everyone but I think you are going to be hard pressed to find people that installed a car tire and then regretted it. I know there are a few out there that just didn't like the way it handled and removed them but they are few and far between. I too have been running dark side for many years, even before I found my way to the offset world of sidecars. I had 2 rear MC tires fail on me, most likely from too much weight, running 2 up with camper in tow. so sure it was probably my fault, however I have NEVER had a car tire give up or even act like it was going to get me in a precarious or dangerous situation. I run them right down to the wear bars and then put another one on 

I’ve a feeling that Jan is asking somewhat rhetorically and building a discussion. 😉

that said, with exactly 90 miles on mc rear tires and 4 miles on car tire rear, I am comfortable saying that I don’t see a point at all of keeping a mc rear tire on the back of the tug.  Three times the cost, ¼ the lifespan and nothing like the load rating of a car tire just doesn’t even make sense.

I know, “lurk more and post less”.  I will get my popcorn.  This should be better than an oil thread!

In addition to the benefits mentioned above, the additional rubber on the road with a car tire mounted on the pusher of Mrs. SwampFox's Burgman rig seems to help braking efficiency as well.

In Nova Scotia a car tire on the rear separated while cruising along about 50 -55 mph. We weaved and swerved a little, but kept it under control.  Of course it was a holiday weekend, nothing open in Antigonish for three days. Finally could order a new tire, then two days to get it.  Five days of feasting on small town fish & chips, hand dipped chocolate milkshakes...

Wow Jon

glad to hear you were able to get it stopped safely. That is probably only the second or third time I have heard of a CT failing 

Did that make you shy away from the CT. just curious what style and size tire was that 

Quote from Tax Man on June 21, 2021, 12:58 pm

I've run a car tire on the rear of my 1998 Valkyrie since 2016   I have no regrets for having done it,  though I've learned not all tires of the same size are in fact the same width.   Study the tire charts to find which car tire sizes are the same diameter as your stock motorcycle tire so you don't get too misled by your speedometer.  I believe my current tire is a P205 60R x 16" and by GPS speed is very close to what the speedometer reads.

This is a REALLY handy link to a tire size calculator.  Plug in the old and new tire sizes and it will give you all sorts of useful information, including diameter differences, affect on speedometer , etc etc. I've used it often when looking at changes on bikes and cars.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?

Duncan

On my first rig, bought used and well set-up by the previous owner, I had interchangeable car tires on the rear and sidecar. It was an adventure-style rig [2005 GS + DMC M72D] and both tires were Vredestein Snow+. Fantastic traction in all kinds of terrain, great tire mileage and handling. The front was a stock motorcycle tire; I converted it over to a car tire using one of Strokers centerline automotive wheels and also ran a 15" Snow+ on it albeit a different size than rear. Only down side was the the tire tracked highway truck ruts more than the motorcycle tire did.

On my current rig, I have no option but to run car tires, and I am happy with that. I just wish EML would build their rigs with same-size wheels/tires on all 3 corners.

Duncan

Quote from AJ1500 on June 22, 2021, 7:35 am

That is probably only the second or third time I have heard of a CT failing 

Did that make you shy away from the CT. just curious what style and size tire was that 

That was the tire Slacker used to explore Mexico for several months before I bought his vstrom1000 rig. Most likely that tire was well past its expiration date though there was still plenty of tread on it as can be seen in the last photo. Yes there was weight on it but not exceeding its load carrying capacity. 

BBBaker now has that tug with a Canadian tire on it.

Am still using car tires on the rear of my rigs.  Have even used a space saver donut tire on the KLR expedition rig. Was the only car tire that would fit the Kawasaki rear wheel.

On my 750 rig Run 155/60R15 Car tires on both rear motorcycle and on sidecar. It works well .

On the big bike and twin sidecar I run 195/60R16 an a 13 inch car tire Not a trailer tire on the sidecar. never and issue. On both the car tire helps in snow a lot.  Also seems to do much better in rain. It may just be me but I have found the Car tire with mileage ratings of 40,000 miles work better than those with ratings of 80,000. Different compounds.

  I am now working on converting the 2020 RGL to car tire in the rear. Issue is factory is an 18 inch wheel and no tire will work. Already have a 16 inch wheel set up with bearings and ready to try it. The over all height will end up about 1/2 lower. So we need to work out Effects on the traction control system.

     I will not tell others what to do. But suggest , if you remove the sidecar avoid car tire on a two wheel bike. I know it is done . I have done it. I am not sure it is a good idea.

  Any tire can fail. What cause the failure effect the out come. The worst tire failure I ever had was a valve stem on a tubed sidecar tire separated from tube. It was a wild ride until stopped.  Other than that tire it had been many years sense I ran any tube tires.  I have not forgotten the tubes getting rapped around wheel and locking a tire up. No tubes for me.

I am triple dark side on my Sidecar rig. I am dark side on my solo 1800 Gold Wing. The idea of having run flat technology back there is very appealing.

However I am one of those who removed a car tire from the rear of my solo 1999 Valkyrie Interstate. For some reason that bike likes MC tires better.