Darksider challenge

[Top Cat]

Just picked up an Oct. issue of Cruiser magazine.
Seems Mark Zimmerman the tech editor of the mag thinks cartires on motorcycles are dangerous but admits he has never ridden on one.
Now he is looking for anyone with a car tire on that lives within an hour or two of Danbury, Conn that is willing to let him ride your bike. He would like to make a more educated opinion before he prints more on the subject.
Any takers ???

[cactusjack]

I applaud him (Zimmerman) for his willingness to at least try it before he shoots his mouth off about it.

More people should be that open-minded.

[Jared]

He really out to barrow a bike for a few days.

[waterman]

I don't know about his opinion. But after riding behind a V2000 with a car tire, I am really impressed. He really said that it took a little time to get used to it. But after riding real twistie roads he was even more impressed with the car tire. He claimed that after a curve, he could launch his bike and felt more comfortable with it than a motorcycle tire. Here is a video of another bike with a car tire on.

http://stewey.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/ES2009/9700227_FRubM#655750425_GK8hA

[cactusjack]

I don't know about his opinion. But after riding behind a V2000 with a car tire, I am really impressed. He really said that it took a little time to get used to it. But after riding real twistie roads he was even more impressed with the car tire. He claimed that after a curve, he could launch his bike and felt more comfortable with it than a motorcycle tire. Here is a video of another bike with a car tire on.

http://stewey.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/ES2009/9700227_FRubM#655750425_GK8hA


Not meaning to change the subject, Waterman - but how is that cruise control unit working out for you?

[waterman]

I don't know about his opinion. But after riding behind a V2000 with a car tire, I am really impressed. He really said that it took a little time to get used to it. But after riding real twistie roads he was even more impressed with the car tire. He claimed that after a curve, he could launch his bike and felt more comfortable with it than a motorcycle tire. Here is a video of another bike with a car tire on.

http://stewey.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/ES2009/9700227_FRubM#655750425_GK8hA


Not meaning to change the subject, Waterman - but how is that cruise control unit working out for you?

Winter project. Wish I would have had it for this trip. Just haven't had time to get it done, but I am collecting parts and getting ready when I put the girl up for the winter.

[Cajunrider]

I applaud him (Zimmerman) for his willingness to at least try it before he shoots his mouth off about it.

More people should be that open-minded.

+1 Scott.

[ringadingh]

Hopefully someone will let him try a cartire, he may even surprise himself and like it. ;)

[schoeney]

The editor of a motorcycle magazine can't spring for a car tire on his own bike? Weird!

[flavor]

I've always wanted to try a Lamborghini. Can anyone help me out?

[dogdoc]

No he wants to BORROW a bike with a CT I think he said. :-)

[Top Cat]

That's right Doc. He wants someone who has a car tire on and lives close to where he lives to switch bikes with him for a ride so he can see for himself if it is as dangerous as he thinks.
He's not real big on the idea so I doubt if he wants to put one on his bike at this time.

[Cajunrider]

I wouldn't loan him my bike, I don't care who he is or what he edits.

[Yellow Jacket]

I would let him ride mine.

But. . .he would have to sign a liability release absolving me from all liability as a result of riding my bike.

And, he would have to agree to be responsible for any damage that may occur.

[dkdixie]

According to messages on "Darkside" forum, this editor has been contacted.
Most of those willing to let him ride their bike are not local.

I initially thought he wanted to follow and then lead a Darkside rider threw some curves.

Don't know if arrangements have been made.

[Top Cat]

This is his response in the mag to people who offered to let him ride their CT equipped bikes.

"First, I appreciate all of your offers, lending someone a motorcycle to ride, particularly when you don't know him, is a leap of faith. Unfortunately, the logistics make accepting the offers so far received next to impossible. However if anyone within an hour or two of Danbury, CT. is willing I'm available. secondly, in the interest of fairness , until I do ride a car tire equipped bike I'm going to withhold any further comment. I think I've made my position clear, and anything more is simply swatting a hornets nest.-MZ

[dogdoc]

sounds like a fair man to me.

[VulcanE]

He does sound like a fair man, and I applaud him for that, BUT.... I don't think that him just getting on a bike with a CT and riding it will give a fair assessment. It does take a little time to get "used to it". He would have to spend 500 miles or so on it before he could at least start to get an idea of what it is capable of. (IMHO)

[Kawhead]

It's been so long ago when I put the CT on my Nomad, but I believe I put it on and lubed the swing arm over the weekend and rode it to work and by the time I got back home I was hooked!

Y'all know I wreck my last Nomad with the CT on it. The one I bought has an almost new Metz on the rear and it took about as much time to get use to the MT again as it did the CT. I cain't wait to wear it out and go back to the CT.

[Cajunrider]

It's been so long ago when I put the CT on my Nomad, but I believe I put it on and lubed the swing arm over the weekend and rode it to work and by the time I got back home I was hooked!

Y'all know I wreck my last Nomad with the CT on it. The one I bought has an almost new Metz on the rear and it took about as much time to get use to the MT again as it did the CT. I cain't wait to wear it out and go back to the CT.

I fully agree. I was very comfortable with my CT after 2 or 3 hundred miles. I noticed that it took a little more pressure on the bars in the curves at first but I don't notice this at all now. I don't know if it's because I quickly got accustomed to it or that the tire broke in really fast or a combination of both. I've settled on 34 psig. I tried 32 but the handling felt a little mushy. This was when the tire had about 300 miles on it. I'll try coming down again after another few hundred miles to see if it will feel better. I've read on the darkside forum where some of the guys running the pressure above 36 have noticed premature wear in the center of the tire. I need to pick up a wear gauge to keep an eye on the wear pattern before I accumulate too much mileage on the tire. I'm sold on the CT and don't plan on going back to the MC tire.

[emu]

If he really wants to investigate ... Let the rag he writes for mount a car tire on a bike for him. Any review will be in the negative anyway because the magazine can not come out supporting tires that are not motorcycle specific. A buddy of mine rides a darksider and has no problems at all. I rode his bike for quite a distance, through some twisties and high speed in the straights. Rode great. If I had not known there was a car tire back there ... I still wouldn't know ...

[Cajunrider]

That's why I said in my earlier post that I wouldn't loan him mine. Seems like a motorcycle magazine editor wouldn't have to ask for a volunteer darksider to loan him a bike to publish an opinion on DS safety.

[wompus]

Getting back to the video ...
He sure likes to ride the center line, doesn't he !??

[caper]

Waterman, watched the video and I am confused? Why hugh the center line ? This guy doesn't know how to corner?? Or another reason? And you guys are right ??? Borrow a bike with a car tire?? They should do the research and tell us their findings. If its true the car tire works as well as a m/c tire than that should scare the m/c tire guys to drop the prices and better the milage with m/c tires. Isn't this the reason to go to the darkside?

[macmac]

Well I am about 5 hours away, and thar's no way i am going to Danbury Ct. He can come here, and stay for all I care.

The thing is he simply must have a bike equal or better than mine, and I get to ride that till I get mine back.

I can chase him on my bike, I can chase him riding his bike. He can take my bike for so long as he leaves his bike with me, and if my bike gets mashed I own his bike out right.

The best thing he can do is buck up and bite the bullet. I damnned well did, and i have no extra play money.

I never heard of the guy so I don't care a whit.. Maybe he can't ride.

[macmac]

Another thing is I rode Flavors bike with Avon's on it ,and I rode Patrick M's bike with I don't remember what tires were on it, and neither bike felt like my own bike.

I was test riding, and no 2 similar bikes will feel just like what you are used too.

Pretty much this means if he wants to test ride a bike with a CT on it he needs one on a bike he rides and rides well.

[ponch]

I probably know Mark better than most here and I can vouch for him. If I still lived in NY, I'd put one on just for him to try.


I wouldn't loan him my bike, I don't care who he is or what he edits.