Best Darkside Tire

[B P]

I want to go with 195/60/16 Bridgestone Turanza and Dynobeads. Having problems with who will mount it. I do NOT want to do it myself and am trying to find an independent bike shop to do it.
I just put on a Dunlop K555 on the rear about 3500 miles ago and it's wearing horribly. Time to go Darkside!

[1mackdog]

Just a picture of my motor with the new tire rides great...

[1mackdog]

Sorry here it is... 195-60/16 Achillies

[crazygene49]

Where's the picture?

[1mackdog]

Im sorry here is the pictures.....

[Jllm02199]

I had to take the 205 60 16 off of my 02 Nomad. The rim is too narrow for that tire.
I put on a 180 65 16 Michelin Commander II yesterday and the good feeling is back.
I almost lost my bike at 70 in a turn. The road had some grooves and the rear end start fishtailing. The tire had too much side to side roll because of the narrow rim.

I have a Nexen 205 60 16 if any one is interested.

This same tire is on my buddies 1800 Goldwing and he loves it. Others run this size on the 1600 rim with great success. When I get through this commander I may get a 1600 rim and try it again.

If I get the mileage that others are getting on the Michelin I may never switch. I know it sure rides good and handle the turn well. After one afternoon of testing it I think it is great. Wish I could hit the dragon easily for a good test. Maybe when I get back from Florida next month I can.

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by macmac

Yeah,, that zerk on the swing arm is one of my pet peeves. It won't grease the driveshaft splines, and could lead to a bunch of problems if that is the way the rear wheel splineS and u joint will be checked.

Now like i said it will be a very very long time before you go back in there once a ct has been installed, and I know that for a fact, because I am basicly lazy, ande I have not been back in mine since the day I installed a Dunlop Sp 5000.

I expect the next time I go there iot will be for swing arm seals, which are wrongly used as thrust washers. Besides the driveshaft boot wearing out in apx 4 years time, which I consider fast, the swing arm seals will wear out in less that 9,000 miles, but no one including me changes these on time.

When swing arm slop exceeds apx 0.138 these seals should be changed. I can feel the difference in handling as the swing arm sort of clunks over to one side and then clunks back to the other in twisties.

Mine had very minimal end play after 100,000 miles. Just checked all of these things when I installed a 1600 swing arm and drive shaft.

1 the rear wheel is a compound wheel and the metal disk there should not be blue, since that blue comes from heat as high as apx 600F degrees!

2 the spline mating to the wheel hub should be cleaned of moly and get new molly.

3 the driveshaft should get moly on both ends and on the slip joint.

4 the U Joint should be handled with care and inspected for any stiffness on either plane. If it is stiff one one plane it should be replaced.

None of that happens with the zerk install.

5 the swing arm seals should be replaced any time you are in there just because they are used as thrust washers!

6 the boot should be replaced each 3 years since on year 4 it will be cracking up, and allow sand into the driveshaft tube.

My boot is still great. Just checked. No cracks


7 the long bolt of the swing arm should be greased each 8,000 miles. The zerk is ok for that I guess, so long as 'clean' grease is observed passing both swing arm seals, and it then wiped clean, and the seals slipped back into place.

8 Just Call Me Mac. It's easier for the both of us.....

Some good points but I haven't experienced any of them in over 100,000 with Grease Zerk. I use Amsoil Multi grease. It is water proof. No Spline wear on rear end or wheel.

[macmac]

Are you still running a 02, 1500 rear wheel on the 1600 swing arm? There is about 1 inch difference in rim widths at the tire bead.

[Jllm02199]

Originally Posted by macmac

Are you still running a 02, 1500 rear wheel on the 1600 swing arm? There is about 1 inch difference in rim widths at the tire bead.

Thats why I had the problem with the car tires. It's off and a Michelin commander II is on.

[Pitchinguy]

Ordered an Altimax 205/60-16 & Dynabeads for my Nomad. Should be here Th/Fr. The bride leaves Fr for the weekend so it's me & the scoot. I'll get the tire mounted between Fr nite & Sat AM & spend the day Sat breaking it in. Looks like a good weekend coming up!!

[garydup]

Has anyone ever tried a Yokohama Envigo tire ?