New darkside tire

scooter1600 · 10-14-2018, 10:40 PM

My new Toyo Proxes TR1 tire
195/55/16
lower profile and no more tippy toes!!
win win for me

last one lasted 27000km

Mark

TrapperAH1G · 10-15-2018, 03:04 AM

Interesting....been thinking I'm going darkside soon. This looks good. Be interesting to hear how you like it and how it handles. BTW...the numbers after EJK? Are those your settings?

recumbentbob · 10-15-2018, 05:36 AM

That's a great looking tire. Should be awesome in the rain.

degreaser · 10-15-2018, 09:54 AM

never ever use a car tire on a motorcycle

yoda · 10-15-2018, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooter1600

My new Toyo Proxes TR1 tire
195/55/16
lower profile and no more tippy toes!!
win win for me

last one lasted 27000km

Mark

I would be disappointed in that, as 27,000KM is less than 17,000 miles. I normally get over 18,000 miles on a rear Commander II, so the mileage benefit isn't there. The tire may be less expensive, but for the trade offs in handling it doesn't seem worth it to me. I am not one to tell others what to do or not do, but I have ridden a darksider, and there is no way I felt comfortable enough to take the plunge on my bike. Good luck with it though, as you are the one who it matters to in the end.

scooter1600 · 10-15-2018, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrapperAH1G

Interesting....been thinking I'm going darkside soon. This looks good. Be interesting to hear how you like it and how it handles. BTW...the numbers after EJK? Are those your settings?

yes they are my settings for my setup.

Mark

scooter1600 · 10-15-2018, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoda

I would be disappointed in that, as 27,000KM is less than 17,000 miles. I normally get over 18,000 miles on a rear Commander II, so the mileage benefit isn't there. The tire may be less expensive, but for the trade offs in handling it doesn't seem worth it to me. I am not one to tell others what to do or not do, but I have ridden a darksider, and there is no way I felt comfortable enough to take the plunge on my bike. Good luck with it though, as you are the one who it matters to in the end.

had a comII
lasted 12,000km in Australia towing as we do when we tour.
all my friends were VERY sceptical about the darkside
so I didn't try to tell them otherwise.
12 months later and one by one all five have gone dark.
and we are not talking small bikes.

my bike my way

most bike tires don't last more than 10,000 around here.

Mark

scooter1600 · 10-15-2018, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by degreaser

never ever use a car tire on a motorcycle

I don't tell people what to do.

I'm not the world expert on all things.

Mark

**ringadingh** · 10-16-2018, 08:39 AM

I had a Light truck tire on my bike for 5-6 years, I couldn't wear it out. I finally replaced it because the rubber was getting a little hard.

redjay · 10-16-2018, 08:53 AM

I have a Commander II on my 1300 V Star. The tire has done 25,000 kms and will go at least 5,000 more.

DragonLady58 · 10-16-2018, 02:21 PM

OK, i've been sitting on the fence here, folks wanting or thinking about going darkside.
Back in the 60s and 70s, the Harleys came stock with a smallish rear tire size. Lots of folks were chopping and bobbing their bikes, it was really popular to have bolt on and weld on hardtails....
My dad worked at the Harley shop, he had a chopper/bobber shop behind the house. There where wheel kits that were being bought thru various warehouses that came with a rim/spoke set to lace the 5.00"x15" rim to the stock harley hubs. They got so popular, you could get them for most anything, BSAs, Triumphs, CB750s, Kawa Z1s, etc.
This allowed you to lower your rear tire pressure to cushon the hardtails ride. A added feature, these choppers were designed for long distance rides because the longer wheelbase soaked up the small bumps out on the highway....tires stayed cooler, lasted allot longer....
The bikes looked better, tire stayed cooler, life of tire extended....folks started putting them on the bobbers and dressers so they didn't have to change thier rear tires every year if you rode alot.

Since all the choppers were running 21" fronts with spools, everyone loved the 15" rear kits, they started making a 16" kit also....
Everyone that bought the 15 kits ran the Avon, but after a few years, most everyone started running the beloved stock volkswagon tire. They were plentiful, and cheap. Blew a tire out of town, no problem, every tire place had them both new and used....
I've rode darkside the majority of my life....
Being unfamiliar with the Nomads, when I switched, I asked folks how they rode and handled with the car tire....
What I'm saying is read up on it, ask questions, think, use your head....before you make a informed decision.....

mick56 · 10-17-2018, 05:14 AM

I reckon tyres made for the American market must be a harder compound.That's why they find it easy to do burnouts,and all that tyre squealing on tv.

Much more accelerating,and braking in England.I never got more than 5-6000 miles out of a back tyre.

redjay · 10-17-2018, 08:38 AM

Its all those roundabouts you have over there, and the constant braking for traffic lights

mick56 · 10-17-2018, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

Its all those roundabouts you have over there, and the constant braking for traffic lights

Barely any of them where i live mate.I only go into the city when i really have to.It's the braking & accelerating, in & out of bends that rips them up. (Brake pads too) Not many roads around here, longer than a mile or so without one.Good riding country though.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/...5!4d-1.4531819

redjay · 10-17-2018, 09:14 AM

I just had a look at the street where I grew up in the U.K.

10-15-2018, 05:36 AM	#3
recumbentbob Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newburgh IN Posts: 3,404	That's a great looking tire. Should be awesome in the rain. __________________ VBA #01084 "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
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10-15-2018, 09:54 AM	#4
degreaser Advanced Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 614	never ever use a car tire on a motorcycle __________________ 04 1500 sold, got an 800 now Atlantic Canada
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10-16-2018, 08:39 AM	#9
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	I had a Light truck tire on my bike for 5-6 years, I couldn't wear it out. I finally replaced it because the rubber was getting a little hard. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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10-16-2018, 02:21 PM	#11
DragonLady58 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Somewhere South of Alaska.... Posts: 2,351	OK, i've been sitting on the fence here, folks wanting or thinking about going darkside. Back in the 60s and 70s, the Harleys came stock with a smallish rear tire size. Lots of folks were chopping and bobbing their bikes, it was really popular to have bolt on and weld on hardtails.... My dad worked at the Harley shop, he had a chopper/bobber shop behind the house. There where wheel kits that were being bought thru various warehouses that came with a rim/spoke set to lace the 5.00"x15" rim to the stock harley hubs. They got so popular, you could get them for most anything, BSAs, Triumphs, CB750s, Kawa Z1s, etc. This allowed you to lower your rear tire pressure to cushon the hardtails ride. A added feature, these choppers were designed for long distance rides because the longer wheelbase soaked up the small bumps out on the highway....tires stayed cooler, lasted allot longer.... The bikes looked better, tire stayed cooler, life of tire extended....folks started putting them on the bobbers and dressers so they didn't have to change thier rear tires every year if you rode alot. Since all the choppers were running 21" fronts with spools, everyone loved the 15" rear kits, they started making a 16" kit also.... Everyone that bought the 15 kits ran the Avon, but after a few years, most everyone started running the beloved stock volkswagon tire. They were plentiful, and cheap. Blew a tire out of town, no problem, every tire place had them both new and used.... I've rode darkside the majority of my life.... Being unfamiliar with the Nomads, when I switched, I asked folks how they rode and handled with the car tire.... What I'm saying is read up on it, ask questions, think, use your head....before you make a informed decision..... __________________ --------------------- Don't start no schit, there won't be no schit.... My Sarcasm is directly proportional to the amount of Stupidity involved --------------------- VBA#03239 VROC#37400 VRA --------------------- 2014 Vaquero 2001 Nomad FI 2003 Street Glide (sold) 1500 Meanie, fresh rebuild (sold) 90s BUBF Bobber (sold) 2001 UltraCycle FatPounder (Sold) 1975 HD ElectraGlide (Sold) 1982 Kawasaki Z1 Chopper (Sold) Suck It Up & Ride! Last edited by DragonLady58; 10-16-2018 at 02:24 PM.
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10-15-2018, 03:04 AM	#2
TrapperAH1G Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: West Central Washington Posts: 194	Interesting....been thinking I'm going darkside soon. This looks good. Be interesting to hear how you like it and how it handles. BTW...the numbers after EJK? Are those your settings?
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10-16-2018, 08:53 AM	#10
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,942	I have a Commander II on my 1300 V Star. The tire has done 25,000 kms and will go at least 5,000 more.
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10-17-2018, 08:38 AM	#13
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,942	Its all those roundabouts you have over there, and the constant braking for traffic lights
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10-17-2018, 09:14 AM	#15
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,942	I just had a look at the street where I grew up in the U.K.
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