car tire size for Vstrom ???

[Jimm Dandy]

Originally Posted by Motorfiets

what's the offroad capability of a car tire?

MY uneducated guess would be.. that depends on yer skills and the size of yer CAJONES

[mrphotoman]

Calling a car tire on a motorcycle "darkside" is almost as stupid as the idea of installing a car tire on a motorcycle. Hell if you are so hard up for money that you can not afford a motorcycle tire for a motorcycle then you may want to sell your bike and start walking.

There is no worldwide tire conspiracy, car tires are for cars, motorcycle tires are for motorcycles. car tires on motorcycles is even more silly as the people that try to run summer sport tires on their cars in the winter then wonder why they wreck lol.

[Jimm Dandy]

Originally Posted by mrphotoman

Calling a car tire on a motorcycle "darkside" is almost as stupid as the idea of installing a car tire on a motorcycle. Hell if you are so hard up for money that you can not afford a motorcycle tire for a motorcycle then you may want to sell your bike and start walking.

There is no worldwide tire conspiracy, car tires are for cars, motorcycle tires are for motorcycles. car tires on motorcycles is even more silly as the people that try to run summer sport tires on their cars in the winter then wonder why they wreck lol.

and YOU know what they say about opinions

[Jimm Dandy]

Originally Posted by mrphotoman

Calling a car tire on a motorcycle "darkside" is almost as stupid as the idea of installing a car tire on a motorcycle. Hell if you are so hard up for money that you can not afford a motorcycle tire for a motorcycle then you may want to sell your bike and start walking.

There is no worldwide tire conspiracy, car tires are for cars, motorcycle tires are for motorcycles. car tires on motorcycles is even more silly as the people that try to run summer sport tires on their cars in the winter then wonder why they wreck lol.

jus wonderin how many miles you have logged on a car tire??

[viverrid]

SIZE of contact patch is a bullshit argument. for a pneumatic tire, contact patch is basically (lbs. load)/(psi inflation) = (sq. inch of contact). So a car tire inflated to a lower pressure obviously has a larger contact patch. Now there are stiffness factors as a tire is fairly thick rubber, not like a balloon. But the BASIC formula is load/pressure = patch.

A motorcycle tire run at a lower pressure also will have a larger contact patch. But does the mc tire run at a lower pressure handle better? Not, because handling isn't just about contact patch. It also involves stiffness and deflection and a myriad of related implications.

I'm not saying that your bike will instantly self destruct if you put a car tire on it. However a bike tire is optimized for bike use. A car tire is optimized for car use. You can test a car tire in service and if it is okay for you and your use, then it is okay for you and your use. For a bike that doesn't get leaned over much, and that will be run a long long way on the slab, I can more understand running a car tire.

For smooth & rapid transitions from one steep lean direction to the other steep lean direction, not so much. BTW there is also a basic formula for (minimum) hydroplaning speed. Tread design and depth can increase the speed at which this actually occurs, but again the basic formula is related to the square root of speed. So a car tire if run at lower pressure would actually tend to hydroplane sooner. TRACTION in rain is a different factor and is more related to COMPOUND. As cars are expected to routinely run in all weather but motorcycles are run less in the rain, it may well be that the average car tire has a better compund for wet roads than the average bike tire.

But anyway, contact patch is a bullshit argument because initial shape isn't how contact patch is determined.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Forseti

Hmmm... i would have thought a 185 70 or so would have been better due to taller sidewall to allow more flex along with narrower tread pack would be better but I have never run anything but m\c tires on the bike so what do I know.
I sure have been tempted though!

That 185/70 might well be better but ummmm,,,,,,, I don't think you will actually find that size in a 17.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Baron650

We had a guy show up for a ride with one of those things on the back of his FJR. We warned him of the sporty pace but he insisted he'd be OK. He made it up to Lost Lake in one piece, though his Bank Angle Sensors got jacked up a bit. He finally took it out into the weeds (or in this case saplings) on the way back out. The big sled was wedged, well, more like nestled, between two young firs with the the pilot still in place. A few of the fellows helped to push him out of there, with the bike only slightly worse for wear. Somewhat chastened, the Darksider headed back for town (via the Freeway no doubt) the minute we hit a road he was familiar with.
Moral of the story? Just because you could, doesn't mean you should. Spend your money on good tires and good times, then at least when you bin it it won't be so blatantly apparent that you were asking for it.

Have you ever given any thought that the above result was due to the rider running outta skill rather than tire? Just a thought.

In any event, I nor any darksider that I can remember has recommended a CT for someone who rails. I have even cautioned against a CT if you ride alot of rougher dirt roads on your bike. It has been my experience though that the CT is at least the equal in traction to most of the touring type tires, tires that are used for commuting and touring. You wouldn't mount up a TKC or ME880 on your gixxer for a trackday right? Most also wouldn't mount up a Power Pilot on their new Tiger Explorer and expect it to last and perform well for that Trans Lab trip. Neither would you mount up a track day tire on your Goldwing,,,, even if you could. What I saying with all this is that all tires are a compromise and teh CT is no exception. I will tell you that if used in a commuter/touring application,,,,, they last longer than a bike tire while costing the same or less on average. I will also say that in my application, they are better than any motorcycle tire. They last longer, give the same if not better traction while cornering on tarmac, both wet and dry. They giver better braking traction as compared to bike tires and the traction on most dirt roads is better than many bike tires.

So, just because you won't, doesn't mean that others shouldn't at least give it a try and choose based on their actual experience.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Motorfiets

what's the offroad capability of a car tire?

My CT works well on most Forest Service roads around here. Matter of fact, it might well have more traction than the 705s I usually run on my DL. Once the roads begin to become rarely maintained {read as "fun"}, the CT starts to sorta suck. Like I have said, the extra width really upsets the bike when ridden in rough, rocky and rutted conditions. Mud, real slick, snotty type mud,,,,, well that would suck terribly bad I'm thinking just like any non-knobby. But for most of the "off-road" that most would do on their DL, GS, or Tenere,,,,,, the CT would be fine. Not perfect mind you,,,,, but as good or better than some motorcycle tires. Not near as good as others.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by mrphotoman

Calling a car tire on a motorcycle "darkside" is almost as stupid as the idea of installing a car tire on a motorcycle. Hell if you are so hard up for money that you can not afford a motorcycle tire for a motorcycle then you may want to sell your bike and start walking.

There is no worldwide tire conspiracy, car tires are for cars, motorcycle tires are for motorcycles. car tires on motorcycles is even more silly as the people that try to run summer sport tires on their cars in the winter then wonder why they wreck lol.

See,,,, perfect example of the "peanut gallery" I was referring to earlier.

All I can say is that those that are the most ignorant and closed minded are usually the most damming.

Get yer pitch forks and torches ready,,,, dem damned darksiders are a xperimenting agin. Now, calm down, Skeeter. They ain't hurtin' nobody.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Jimm Dandy

jus wonderin how many miles you have logged on a car tire??

[Dirty Hippie]

Man, this is far out! Darkside. Lovin it.

I don't think it would work for me, but it is so cool that someone tried it to find out.

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Dirty Hippie

Man, this is far out! Darkside. Lovin it.

I don't think it would work for me, but it is so cool that someone tried it to find out.

It's certainly not for everyone but it's not the debil either. No nuns nor kittens have been maimed and the atmosphere hasn't yet caught on fire from those ignorant, cheap ass motorcyclists thinking outside the box.

[Sumo64c]

Kuhmo run flat rear car tire here on my 10' Wing. It has nothing to do with money, it's the run flat capability along with improved weight load. The added stability/ improved wear/ wet weather performance is all bonus. I want the safest tires out there, a run flat rear car tire and motorcycle rear tire on the front give me that for my particular 900lb empty weight ultimate 2 up touring barge.
When the tire manufactures finally offer run flats for non police motorcycles, I will be the first one in line when they offer them for the Wing, price be damned.

[JDana]

I have ct on yamaha stratoliner and it works really well for two up and pulling trailer. I used the darkside forum for info on what tires work for what bikes etc, mounted myself with harbor freights giant tire irons and only took 20lbs air to seat the bead. I can scratch up rims just as well as the dealer. Now if I could just put one on the klr

[panhead_dan]

Car tire for klr thread!!!!!