[OydnaR]

I hit 10k today on my rear tire

in general, the CT performs very similar to a MC tire

I'm still searching for the desired pressure, too high and it increases countersteer effort, too low and you have wallowing with sidewall flexing
I started at 41psi, went up to 45psi then down to 32psi then down to 25psi, I'm back up to 33psi planning on putting it up to 37 for the next thousand miles or so


the CT amplifies imperfections in handling, also the larger contact patch feels more road imperfections


tread depth in the center is 8-9mm and at the edges 9-10mm

 

[whyme]

handles like a regular tire????

that is the most frightful thing i have seen on a mc. it may handle in a straight line, but not any where else. i must assume you did that as a joke.i will not say any more

 

[OydnaR]

that is the most frightful thing i have seen on a mc. it may handle in a straight line, but not any where else. i must assume you did that as a joke.i will not say any more

please don't if you've never tried it before, some darksiders say the car tire handles better (yes, corners too) , I say different, but not really much

 

[henerythe8th]

that is the most frightful thing i have seen on a mc. it may handle in a straight line, but not any where else. i must assume you did that as a joke.i will not say any more

Don't speak to that of which you don't know...








.

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

From my previous posting you know my feelings on using a CT for a bike.
I saw some interesting videos of CTs in action from utube. It backs up my concerns. So does your comments about handling and finding the right pressure. The video clearly shows the tire riding up on the edges of the tire shoulder and definitely that the contact patch gets much narrower as you lean.

Yes, the contact patch is bigger when vertical. Its the ever changing size of the contact as you lean that plays hell with handling. I will stay on bike tires.

All I can say is be careful doing this.

 

[rjwinz]

What make, model and size of tire was that again?

 

[GP1K]

please don't if you've never tried it before, some darksiders say the car tire handles better (yes, corners too) , I say different, but not really much

And those people don't know how to ride a motorcycle, plain and simple. As it's physically impossible for a squared off profile car tire to handle as good, let alone better than an rounded MC tire. Bikes lean to turn, cars don't, simple physics. Those people simply don't know what they're talking about, or are just trying to convince themselves.

I can understand the people that put tons of highway miles on that would be buying a new MC tire every other month (that adds up quick!) be willing to sacrifice some handling to gain a LOT of tire life. But to say it equals, let alone exceeds the handling performance of a an MC tire is just plain ignorance and/or inexperience.

 

[bureaucrat]

Empirical evidence?

Here is an interesting video of a CT on a ST1300. Judge for yourselves . . .

Video Link: Hankook CT on my ST1300

 

[jeems]

Darkside threads are becoming like wee vs vee threads. People just can't wait to chime in. I'm not a darksider, but like that randyo is posting his findings and he's not preachy with them. Please let's not turn this into another "you're going to kill yourself with those" thread.

 

[oldturtle]

Randyo. Thanks for update on CT experiences with Vstrom. I was close to going darkside with departed Goldwing but then moved on before trying. We will always get these paranoid negative comments from the uninformed. This will not prevent many riders from looking at tire options that better meet their specific needs.

 

[richw]

The video was great

It looks like that car tire provides a good contact patch on all his antics

I would almost say that the radius of MC tires provides a small contact all the time and the car tire a similar one when on moderate lean and a bBIG when vertical

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

May the force be with you Luke.

More Tourances for me. Maybe an Anakee in my future also.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

i must assume you did that as a joke.i will not say any more

Best to stop digging while you can still climb out without a ladder.

I'm tired of buying tires.

My wife's Harley is redy for a new rear tire after 10,000 miles.
We'll probably go back to OEM, but I can't see how a darkside would interfere with its inherently modest cornering abilities.

Randyo, do you think a darkside might mitigate the percussive feel of the Dyna Street Bob's rear "suspension"?

 

[BillZ]

I did this on my Goldwing for 5Kmiles just before I sold it for my Wee and was draggin' hard parts and keepin' up with the sporty boys in the twisties. You ain't gonna convince me that it doesn't handle well, cause I "been there, done that."

I don't think I'll be doing this to my Wee, but I see some Shinkos, maybe 705s or 700s in my future...

 

[OydnaR]

Randyo, do you think a darkside might mitigate the percussive feel of the Dyna Street Bob's rear "suspension"?

most of the cruiser darksiders report a better ride, when I first went darkside, I still had stock suspension, it was already wallowing so badly it didn't seem to make things worse, but I was running high pressure then and dealing with the extra countersteer effort, not a big deal at speed, but low speed manuvering was a bit annoying all worth the results though, I will ride in any weather any time, It's a rewarding experience to ride on snowy roads with a bike while cagers are stuck in the ditch :mrgreen:

once spring came, I completely went thru the suspension, 1.2 springs in front, WP Suspension (***********:biggrinjester: in back

I started experimenting with lower pressures, not just a ride around the block, I keep the pressures set for a thousand miles or so, get used to it, its not till the extremes that issues are seen,

with lower pressures it rails with no effort, as good as any MC tire you can get in strom sizes & load specs the serious issue is that it can wag its tail and create serious head wobble under full throttle acceleration passing thru the wake of a truck. a knobby Karoo II T in front may be part of that equasion as well, I'm raising the pressure to find the happy medium,

BUT next on my list of farkles is a Scotts damper AND fork brace


Off road on loggin trails etc, traction is phenominal, just like snow, ice, sleet, slush, the weirdness is that you have an 8" wide track instead of a narrower one, you feel more of the surface imperfections, also have to get used to slipping clutch a little more, the CT grips so much better on takeoff in loose stuff that there is no wheelspin

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

also have to get used to slipping clutch a little more, the CT grips so much better on takeoff in loose stuff that there is no wheelspin

Not an issue with the 650 or the HD.

Thanks.

 

[GP1K]

I did this on my Goldwing for 5Kmiles just before I sold it for my Wee and was draggin' hard parts and keepin' up with the sporty boys in the twisties. You ain't gonna convince me that it doesn't handle well, cause I "been there, done that."

I don't think I'll be doing this to my Wee, but I see some Shinkos, maybe 705s or 700s in my future...

Those guys on the sport bikes most truly suck at riding, or your name is really Valentino Rossi. That's about the only way that's happening.

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

GP1K...my thought exactly, you sir, I owe a beer.

 

[biggyfries]

I am ALWAYS interested in this tire choice--I would do it myself--I still may one day--here is my idea that might make it better. Tire recappers have a machine that will 'true' a tire that is slightly out-of-round. It could be used to alter the profile of a square shaped tread. If the outer egdes were shaped more curved or rounded like a MC tire, it should handle about as well as a MC tire. Since we usually wear tires in the center anyway we can afford to grind off a little tread at the edges to make the profile a bit more round. It should work like a charm--and handle great AND wear like iron. Randy, I will be interested in the total miles you get out of your tire.

Some bikes lend themselves more to the use of the CT--Stroms may not be the very best for this, but a bike like a cruiser, (Valkyrie) it will work like a charm.

 

[biggyfries]

Those guys on the sport bikes most truly suck at riding, or your name is really Valentino Rossi. That's about the only way that's happening.

I am a fairly fast rider, some people complain that I'm always speeding--and I have had some memorable 'duels' with sportbike guys who were really flying, in one case I was following, and they were always WAY over the speed limit, and when we all pulled in to the same gas station, they came over to me stunned that an old greybeard had been on their tails with my elderly GOLDWING--they had presumed it was some skilled BMW guy or similar that was matching their pace--and were a bit sheepish it was a senior citizen on a GW--I considered it a compliment.