Going to the Darkside - Question

kpmhspirit · 10-06-2009, 11:16 PM

I bit the bullet tonight and ordered a Dunlop SP 5000 195/60/16 Symmetrical tire from Tirerack. It appeared one of the more popular tires but the the question I have is the tire directional like the MC tires? Hopefully it will last more than the 8600 miles I got out the Metzeler 880 rear.

Thanks,

Pete

cactusjack · 10-06-2009, 11:34 PM

There was no indication of direction on the tire. I trusted the guy that mounted my tire for me to get it right.

**goose** · 10-06-2009, 11:34 PM

Good luck with your choice Pete, you will love the ride. its alot more smoother than any MC tire I have ever tried! I have almost 8k on my Faulken Zeix 512 205/65 and it still looks new? Don't know about the Dunlop if it is directional, but mine was, it should say on the sidewall of the tire.

bigdave · 10-07-2009, 01:15 AM

I dont remember the dunlop being directional. I love the ride much smoother and in my opinion better handling. Welcome to the Darkside

emu · 10-07-2009, 07:27 AM

Anyone know if the new 1700 Nomad and Voyager will take a darkside without any problems?

**Cajunrider** · 10-07-2009, 08:17 AM

I'm riding the same tire. Not directional. You will love the tire. I settled at 34 psig.

caper · 10-07-2009, 09:16 AM

What would insurance companies think of the car tire on a motorcycle. ( in case of an Accident ). You know they use any excuse to not pay!!

Yellow Jacket · 10-07-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

What would insurance companies think of the car tire on a motorcycle. ( in case of an Accident ). You know they use any excuse to not pay!!

This has been discussed before. The bulk of opinion suggests that the insurance company would have to prove that the car tire was the cause of the accident.

My opinion is that most adjusters wouldn't know or notice the difference between a motorcycle tire and a car tire.

chainsaw · 10-07-2009, 04:07 PM

I agree with Bob.

cactusjack · 10-07-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

What would insurance companies think of the car tire on a motorcycle. ( in case of an Accident ). You know they use any excuse to not pay!!

I've read that most (I can't say all) insurance companies only require that tires are DOT approved. They do not specify that a motorcycle tire is required on a motorcycle.

caper · 10-07-2009, 06:05 PM

Well with the price of motorcycle tires and their lifespan, no wounder people are puting car tires on. I just MAY join ya :)

kpmhspirit · 10-07-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

There was no indication of direction on the tire. I trusted the guy that mounted my tire for me to get it right.

Good luck with your choice Pete, you will love the ride. its alot more smoother than any MC tire I have ever tried! I have almost 8k on my Faulken Zeix 512 205/65 and it still looks new? Don't know about the Dunlop if it is directional, but mine was, it should say on the sidewall of the tire.

I dont remember the dunlop being directional. I love the ride much smoother and in my opinion better handling. Welcome to the Darkside

I'm riding the same tire. Not directional. You will love the tire. I settled at 34 psig.

Thanks for the info. I was going to start around 35 psi and see how it rides. Hopefully, I'll get it on this weekend.

Pete

kpmhspirit · 10-08-2009, 06:58 PM

Got another question. I got the tire today and there is a red dot and a yellow dot not quite at 180 degrees to the red. Dunlop's web site

http://www.dunloptires.com/care/tech.html

says the red dot should be aligned with the heavy/low point of the wheel. But what's the yellow dot for? I found this:

http://www.gl1800riders.com/forums/s...d.php?t=205996

which says the red dot rules but don't follow the explanation of the yellow. So I guess I'll align the red dot with the valve stem, assuming it's the lowest. I've got a balancer so I can check.

Just curious if anyone has any insight?

Pete

alangoff · 10-08-2009, 10:46 PM

back in the good old days..............

tires were not completely round and neither were the steel wheels. So the valve stem hole was drilled on the low spot of the wheel (ok maybe the high spot, too old to remember) and the tire manufacturer marked the tire with a dot to match.

so by mounting the dot at the valve stem hole, you had the best chance of having a round tire assy.

with the newer technology the manufacture of the tires is more accurate and the wheels are almost perfect (alloy wheels are almost zero).

so gone are the days when you had to worry about it right?

now with newer tire balancers (at least automotive) you can measure the road force of the tire assy and match mount for the most perfect roundness at road speed with weight applied.......

so right back to matching the dot with the valve stem, unless you use a balancer that can measure the road force of the assy, then measure the wheel and move the tire to match the wheel.

hope this makes this more cloudy................

Alan

AlabamaNomadRider · 10-09-2009, 12:29 AM

Sounds logical to me. Some car tires show which direction and other tire manufacturers don't. Good luck on your CT.

10-06-2009, 11:16 PM	#1
kpmhspirit Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 496	Going to the Darkside - Question I bit the bullet tonight and ordered a Dunlop SP 5000 195/60/16 Symmetrical tire from Tirerack. It appeared one of the more popular tires but the the question I have is the tire directional like the MC tires? Hopefully it will last more than the 8600 miles I got out the Metzeler 880 rear. Thanks, Pete Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

10-06-2009, 11:34 PM	#2
cactusjack Mega-Contributor Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Where it doesn't snow...ever! Posts: 21,926	Going to the Darkside - Question There was no indication of direction on the tire. I trusted the guy that mounted my tire for me to get it right. __________________ Scott "Cactusjack" Hanks VBA #00105 H.O.G. #4250060 2011 H-D Ultra Limited 103ci :: 2011 HD Electra Glide Ultra Limited w/Stage 1 :: Rallies: Mesquite '08\|Custer '09\|Cortez '10\|Crescent City '11\|Kanab '12\|Antlers '12\|Estes Park '13\|Antlers '13\|Orofino '14\|The Dalles '17
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10-06-2009, 11:34 PM	#3
goose Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cleveland, Tennessee Posts: 1,206	Going to the Darkside - Question Good luck with your choice Pete, you will love the ride. its alot more smoother than any MC tire I have ever tried! I have almost 8k on my Faulken Zeix 512 205/65 and it still looks new? Don't know about the Dunlop if it is directional, but mine was, it should say on the sidewall of the tire. __________________ 2014 Nomad 1700(Satin Black&White) 2007 Nomad 1600(Black Beauty) 2008 Versys 650 2003 Bandit 1200 CMA GateKeepers, Southern Cruisers#034, Patriot Guard Rider
	0

10-07-2009, 01:15 AM	#4
bigdave Sr. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Burnsville, NC Posts: 1,589	Going to the Darkside - Question I dont remember the dunlop being directional. I love the ride much smoother and in my opinion better handling. Welcome to the Darkside __________________ David "BigDave" Hall Burnsville NC VBA #477 2007 Red and Silver Nomad (traded 4/10/2014) 2013 Blue and Black Voyager
	0

10-07-2009, 07:27 AM	#5
emu Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 127	Going to the Darkside - Question Anyone know if the new 1700 Nomad and Voyager will take a darkside without any problems? Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

10-07-2009, 08:17 AM	#6
Cajunrider Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: (SE Louisiana) Posts: 8,340	Going to the Darkside - Question I'm riding the same tire. Not directional. You will love the tire. I settled at 34 psig. __________________ 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482
	0

10-07-2009, 09:16 AM	#7
caper Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 1,137	Going to the Darkside - Question What would insurance companies think of the car tire on a motorcycle. ( in case of an Accident ). You know they use any excuse to not pay!! __________________ Live in the NOW !
	0

10-07-2009, 04:07 PM	#9
chainsaw Sr. Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,732	Going to the Darkside - Question I agree with Bob.
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10-07-2009, 06:05 PM	#11
caper Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 1,137	Going to the Darkside - Question Well with the price of motorcycle tires and their lifespan, no wounder people are puting car tires on. I just MAY join ya :) __________________ Live in the NOW !
	0

10-08-2009, 06:58 PM	#13
kpmhspirit Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 496	Going to the Darkside - Question Got another question. I got the tire today and there is a red dot and a yellow dot not quite at 180 degrees to the red. Dunlop's web site http://www.dunloptires.com/care/tech.html says the red dot should be aligned with the heavy/low point of the wheel. But what's the yellow dot for? I found this: http://www.gl1800riders.com/forums/s...d.php?t=205996 which says the red dot rules but don't follow the explanation of the yellow. So I guess I'll align the red dot with the valve stem, assuming it's the lowest. I've got a balancer so I can check. Just curious if anyone has any insight? Pete
	0

10-08-2009, 10:46 PM	#14
alangoff Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: sparta, wi Posts: 82	Going to the Darkside - Question back in the good old days.............. tires were not completely round and neither were the steel wheels. So the valve stem hole was drilled on the low spot of the wheel (ok maybe the high spot, too old to remember) and the tire manufacturer marked the tire with a dot to match. so by mounting the dot at the valve stem hole, you had the best chance of having a round tire assy. with the newer technology the manufacture of the tires is more accurate and the wheels are almost perfect (alloy wheels are almost zero). so gone are the days when you had to worry about it right? now with newer tire balancers (at least automotive) you can measure the road force of the tire assy and match mount for the most perfect roundness at road speed with weight applied....... so right back to matching the dot with the valve stem, unless you use a balancer that can measure the road force of the assy, then measure the wheel and move the tire to match the wheel. hope this makes this more cloudy................ Alan
	0

10-09-2009, 12:29 AM	#15
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Going to the Darkside - Question Sounds logical to me. Some car tires show which direction and other tire manufacturers don't. Good luck on your CT. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

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