Tires...Please help, I know nothing.

[cnc]

Originally Posted by ubernomad

Yes people actually think it is a good idea to put a car tire on a motorcycle for the sake of having a tire capable of running lots of miles. But what they won't tell you is that the tire construction/design of a car tire is in no way made to handle the handling loads and forces encountered on a motorcycle. Just watch videos on youtube of people doing this. It's insane that someone can think this is "safe" and "fine" when the contact patch is a fraction of the motorcycle tire. I know people on here claim they're been doing it for years (or decades per some) without so-called problems but they gloss over the design/engineering part of it and don't want to accept that they are using a product in a application it was never designed or manufacturered for. Is tire mileage and cost really that big of a concern that you're willing to jeperdize your safety and everyone's safety on the road for the sake of running a care tire in lieu of a proper bike tire? It makes zero sense to me. Bike tires are so cheap and easy to replace that it boggles my mind someone would go out of their way to install something that is not made for the application.


I'll get off my darkside soapbox now. Hate away. I'll entertain all comments if they back them up with facts and proof. Justify why you think a car tire on a motorcycle is in anyway a great idea. Prove me wrong.

I have never tried dark side so I have no idea what it feels like and really have no intention of trying it. I prefer good quality bike tires.
Having said that I think your comment about the contact patch being a fraction of the contact patch of a bike tire is wrong. If you really watch a video or follow a bike with a car tire in the rear that is inflated to the sweet spot you will see that because they run them at a lower pressure than a bike tire, the bottom side of the tire is flattened and flexes with the corners creating a far greater contact patch than a bike tire. Does it put added stress on the side wall and heat it up, yup probably but probably no more than a front tire on a car cornering hard through twisties and with far less weight to carry than the car weight it was designed to carry.
You are entitled to your opinion as are those who run dark side but do remember those who embrace dark side have the advantage over you in having experienced running both MC tires and car tires.
Seems a little bit like knocking sex before trying it.

[Yellow Jacket]

ubernomad, you are entirely welcome to your opinion on the use of car tires on motorcycles.

I do want you to understand that I (and perhaps others) don't have any compelling reason to prove anything to you. Nothing that you have said or may say can disprove to me the validity of using a car tire on a motorcycle. You may as well save your breath, you're not the only one that has espoused your dogmatic views.

However, I will point out one thing in your posts that puts a very unfavorable light on you. That is your use of the term "haters." Obviously, you can't engage in a civil debate on a subject. You have to preempt any attempt to disagree with your viewpoint by labeling any opposition as "haters." That is pathetic.

[Charles_T]

Everyone has their own preference. The thing that has stopped me from using car tires is the size of the contact patch. In rainy conditions, the size and shape of a motorcycle tire's contact patch (more like a long canoe than a car tire's square shape) would be less susceptible to aquaplaning. The weight of the vehicle is distributed over a longer and thinner area, plus the rounded shape would push water out of the way more effectively.

Only my opinion, and as I have never run car tires on my bike, it is still just an opinion.

[Deekerman]

So after ordering the tires I wanted to get The Mich commander ll. They called me yesterday to tell me the front tire is out of stock.

So i scrapped the order and got Metzler 880 on the front and 888 on the back. both 150 80 16.

As far as Dark side goes, if you do or don't like it what ever. if you are going to debate about it don't get petty and insult people, improve your argument. At the end of the day if someone does it and you dont like it, who cares it isnt like they are forcing you to do it.

[Cerberus]

As long as we're talking tires I'll throw the Night Dragons out there. I don't see much talk about them, but i think they're a great tire. I ride in allot of rain. Last month i went through a good 8-10ft long puddle in the high speed lane, water over my floorboards, going about 70, with no felt loss of control(not that id suggest doing that). I'll also say these tires don't track nearly as much as others i have used, i don't find myself getting locked into cracks in the road. I've got about 7k+ on on my Nomad and ~8k on my 900 with a good amount of tread left on both. On both bikes handling was a major improvement over oem tires. Best of all they are pretty cheap, I can get a set off bikebandit, shipped for $230. They ship insanely fast as well.

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by Deekerman

As far as Dark side goes, if you do or don't like it what ever. if you are going to debate about it don't get petty and insult people, improve your argument. At the end of the day if someone does it and you dont like it, who cares it isnt like they are forcing you to do it.

WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!

[hammer]

Yup! Should I start another oil thread???

[cnc]

Originally Posted by hammer

Yup! Should I start another oil thread???

Oh go WD 40 your self.

[hammer]