Running "Darkside"

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by burkbuilds

Having said that, I'm happy with the change if it gets me double the mileage I was getting from much more expensive motorcycle tires.

What you said is pretty much what I said all along. You need to adjust your riding style to accommodate the different handling......as much as possible.

I would never consider doing it because there are times where fractions of an inch makes all the difference between just cleaning out your skivvies and taking an ambulance ride.
Also there are real MC tires that get better mileage than "average"; sometimes they are the cheaper ones too.

I got no real problem doing it on a big touring bike but on something like your "little" 500 I just can't see it. To each his own though.

[Water Warrior 2]

Knowing that BB is using the CT on a mainly commuter ride over long distances on the highway makes a lot of sense to me. If it is mostly straight line riding the CT will not wear nearly as fast with more rubber on the road compared to a MT. Straight line highway riding is hell on rear tires which is why touring rigs go for the dark side. BB is sort of doing the same thing.
The original tires on my Vstrom lasted very well for a lot of kms and then went south while riding across the prairies on mainly straight boring asphalt.
I think the ultimate use for CTs would be on a Ural sidecar rig with all the same size tires. All the wheels are the same so one spare on board will fit anywhere on the bike.

[burkbuilds]

I am trying to be as objective as possible about this change. I'm certainly not recommending that anyone else do this, or trying to convince anyone that they should do this. I am trying to tell you what my personal experience is, as well as I am able to. There are certainly pros and cons to MC tires vs CT some on each side. As WW points out, I am putting more than half of my miles each week running straight up and down I-75. When I'm on I-75, I'd have to say I prefer the MT. It doesn't respond much to all the "squiggly" grooves that blown car rims have etched into the pavement and it is much easier to maintain straight line riding than the MT. The only negative I've really noticed on the highway is when they've resurfaced the concrete by grinding four three foot wide paths in each lane. Sometimes they don't get each pass level with the adjacent passes and that little ridge wants to push you off more than it does on a MT. Traction on dry pavement seems the same with better (shorter) braking distances going to the CT, also less skidding if you hit it hard suddenly and thus better overall control. The MT seems to be better if you are running really curvy roads, especially if it is wet and cold, but I took the Vulcan up Signal Mt two weeks ago and came back down the "W" road and the only limitation was that I kept dragging my kickstand in left turns, the tires stuck great. So, yeah, I do have to modify my riding style a little, but I probably would be well advised to lighten up in cold wet weather no matter what type of tire I was running, so maybe this will inspire me to be more conservative when I'm in extreme weather conditions.

[JWR]

I thank you for taking the time to keep us informed.
In the one ride that I have had on the 500, I noticed the kickstand will get down on a moderate left turn.
Almost all of my riding is about a 180 from yours, so I will look at that issue.

I was going to post about naysayers, but I will quit here.

Good Riding.

[Water Warrior 2]

Dragging hard parts may be an indication that you aren't leaning your body enough. Try to kiss the mirror a little and you will be surprised how much of your weight is transferred to the side and how much less the bike has to lean. A word of caution though, the bike may corner way more than you expect. Take baby steps and work up to it. It is a whole new learning curve if you are normally an upright rider and keep your body inline with the bike.
I did some hard leaning and cornering on the Vstrom and was more than surpriised at how much faster the bike was in curves. Moving my weight to the left in a left hander makes me wonder if I ever want to find the limitations of the bike.

[Water Warrior 2]

Easy has made some fine points but I also have to agree with both sides of the discussion. If a CT works well for you and is cheaper in the long run then it stands to reason that the CT is a pretty good alternative to a MT tire with it's inflated price due to smaller production runs and distribution costs.
On a hyper bike a CT would be a short cut to a hospital stay but for us regular old guys not needing slightly subsonic speeds and the ultimate in handling the CT is a viable substitute. Might try it in a couple years with the Vstrom.

[burkbuilds]

ER, Again, I'm not trying to compel anyone else to do this, just trying to share my first hand experience doing it vs the "theoretical" ideas we've all heard and read about why/why not.
As to mfg's recommendations, that always has more to do with legal liability based on general perception than any actual fact. If they recommended anything but the generally accepted "norm" and one person did it and had a wreck, they'd get sued in court for millions of dollars and probably lose because "they should never have recommended putting a car tire on a motorcycle". The jury would be composed of regular people who would see the "logic" in that statement and award large settlements to anyone who sued the uncaring motorcycle mfg who was "obviously just out to save a buck on a cheaper tire no matter what risk it posed to the public." Actual science and facts of the case and whether the tire had anything to do with the accident would become completely irrelevant.

[burkbuilds]

Thought I'd update my impression of the car tire on the bike. I've put almost 2,000 miles on it so far and either I've finally gotten used to it, or the dynamics of the tire have changed a bit. When I first put it on, I could really feel a "flat spot" in the middle when I came up from a lean, especially if I was going over the top and leaning the opposite way. Somewhere around 1500 miles, I quit noticing that feeling. The tire now feels pretty much the same as a Motorcycle tire. I checked on some darkside forums, and those guys seem to think that car tires take about 1,000 miles to "break in" on a motorcycle. Maybe since my 500 isn't very heavy, it just took a few more miles. So far I've been satisfied with the car tire and hopefully I'll get a lot more miles out of it than I was getting out of the Bridgestone (about 12,000). I'd like to see double that or more on a tire that cost about 1/2 of the MC tire cost.

[blaine]

Good to know,makes sense that it would take time for the tire to break in.Have you done anything to the 750 yet? :??:

[burkbuilds]

Let's see. I've put on a new Michelin front tire, installed a chrome front fender, changed all the lights to LED's except the headlight which necessitated that I change the turn signal relay to one that would work with LED's. Replaced the lens covers with clear on brake and turn signals which necessitated colored LED bulbs on the rear. Added an outlet for my heated gear and a plug in for the Battery tender Jr. Polished and waxed everything. Took the battery box out and cleaned and repainted it. Moved the rectifier from under the battery box to beside the left passenger foot peg. I also replaced the oil cap with a nice chrome one that says Vulcan on it. I relocated the front turn signal/running lights down onto the front forks to allow room for the windshield I've got on order.

I've got saddle bag supports ordered and a slipstream Falcon windshield. Sometime soon I plan to check the drive shaft splines and make sure they've got the right molybdenum grease on them and change the rear "differential" 80w/90w lube. When I do that, I also plan on replacing the rear tire while I've got it off the bike. I'll probably go with a car tire there. I've been digging on the internet to try and find the OEM Fire and Steel Floorboards, but to no avail. I've found a nice picture of all the parts laid out before someone installed them and I may have to make the brackets myself and then fit them to something Kuryakn or somebody else makes because the Fire and steel ones don't seem to be available any where at any price. The 750 had a somewhat Unique footpeg mounts and nothing out there really seems to fit it in a full size floor board. I haven't ordered saddle bags yet, but I'll probably go with the "Ass of Yak" ones I have on my 500, they've held up well and didn't cost that much, plus, they hold a lot.

So, I've done a little and I've got a lot to do before I'm ready to take it out riding. Probably about a month before I'm ready to hit the road with this one, and of course I can see a custom seat in my future as well.