Question for Darksiders

[reddog]

This is something that I've been pondering for a few days now, and decided I need an answer ;)
I've had as much interest as the next guy in switching to the darkside, but considering the riding season this year, I'll probably make it through next year before I need a tire, so it hasn't been urgent . Anyway, in my reading about guys with a car tire, I keep hearing about how you can scrape your floorboards around curves and corners. Maybe this has been answered somewhere before- but my question is- how long did you guys ride on MT!? I've only had my Nad for 2k miles (oh you trip killing thunderclouds!), and I'm still on the garbage stock tires- but I've dragged my floorboards on multiple occasions (and it still scares me ). I came from a much smaller, easy to maneuver, stick around tight curves kinda bike, and I was really impressed at how well it seemed to stick to the road in a tight lean.
So, my question is, what's the point of mentioning dragging the boards. Is it really that much easier? Does it feel like it sticks better? ??? I kept my old bike because of the handling in twisties, figuring I'd take it out once in awhile, but the Nomad has really took up the slack, and I haven't touched it. What difference would I actually feel in a CT?
Any insight would be appreciated!
Thanks!

[Cajunrider]

I don't really care to drag my boards and don't ever try to. I mentioned it only for those who feel that in hard leans the CT will begin to ride on the side wall know that it won't happen. You can't lean the Nomad past the boards and if it doesn't lose the contact patch when the boards drag, it never will. That was one of my concerns before I crossed over. Just keep researching Ryan and by the time your tire is worn you will know what to do. Good luck.

[Jared]

I went through two mt before I switch to a ct. I now have 9.5K on my donlup sp5000. At first, I noticed that it came out of turns easier and that it took a little more effort to lean it over but nothing serious. It felt similar to how it might feel if you rode a friends bike. Not bad but slightly different. I have let two other people ride my bike and neither one of them even noticed it.

After a couple 100 miles, you wont even notice it. I too drag my boards on a regular bases. The tire grips all the way to the point where parts drag (45sh degrees) and all the way back up. There is no point where I feel like it's not gripping the ground.

[lonewolf]

i also think that we are affirming that we can do it ! the tire is not square, and it can handle "scraping" just fine! as much as i personally dont give a rats a$$ to what the naysayers say, i continue to re-affirm that i made the right choice. i will not die and go to hell if i take twisties with my ct!!! that being said, i dont go out and try to scrape my boards, every chance i get, but do know that i can if i need to get that hard into a curve !!!

[cactusjack]

I don't try to scrape my boards, I try to avoid scraping my boards whenever possible. I've scraped them maybe a half dozen times in 32,000 miles. Of those 32k, 29000 were in a motorcycle tire.

I think the point they are trying to make is that after switching to a car tire, they can still lean enough to scrape their floorboards.

[macmac]

The scraping scares me too, so I can't hold the bike over that hard long.. The sound gets me is why.

My why is costs of rear tires.. Last night it occured to me I would be at nearing a dead brick AGAIN with 4,500 on it... I killed mine at 7,000 mi and rode it out to 9,000 since it was getting to be late season... That limited any riding in rain where a slick is a bad idea.

A glance at the ct tells me it is going to pass that 7,000 easy, and pass right by that 9,000 too!

Later today I will take a tread depth reading and post it.

I simply didn't want to be forced to buy a new rear eack 7,000 mi and I really don't like bad rubber on the ground in rain. Once I was nearly killed in a crash, which had nothig to dth bad brakes or bad rubber on the ground, but still I got this otherr habit from that crash and refuse to rise with bad brakes and bad rubber.

I like the deck of cards stacked in my favor.

The rest came as a surprize. The way my CT makes the bike handle better, stop better, eat painted lines better, cross wood decked covered bridges better, cross cheese grader wire bridges better, and eat the high way grind better was a shock.

The first time I touched boards down I needed new Depends!

I had 15,000 mi on a 1500 before it was stolen and never touched the boards down once, expect for 1 crash, and 1 drop.

I had 9,000 mi on my 1600 and never touched them down once either, untill I got the CT and then it was by mistake.

The where, was close to home on a road with a tight curve I ride almost any day I go south east or west, so I began to check this out each time I was in that place. I got lower and lower, faster and faster there.

In these past 4,500 mi I became accustomed to this new rear CT and like it very well.

I like it that I need to add and hold a little more input to keep it down in a lean. I find that helps me steady the bike, as it wants to stand up and I can just hold it down easy.

I didn't like the mushy feeling of the mc tire not caring which way it went in a lean at all. It seemed every little divot in the road made the MC tire want to take it's own head, and would go anywhere, sometime places i didn't want to go at all.

There is nothing I liked about the brick period... I see these as flower pots and that's it.

The 01 1500 got a set of metz, fore and aft and was much better than any bricks, but I lost that bike with 6,000 mi on both tires to theft..

Then I was stuck with bricks AGAIN on the new to me used 06 1600. I hated them with predujiced at that point, but I am not a walking wallet, so I did my best to get by.

When the rear was dead i was ready for anything, as nothing could be worse. At that time Metz wasn't a good option because they were being made in Brazil. They are not as good as German made and I didn't want more problems.

I almost went with Cobra, but in NH USA there is dirt roads and i don't like the idea of cleaning snake skin sidewalls. Just seems stuipd for a dirt bike rider to have snake skin side walls, and I am a dirt bike rider simply for the fact of where i live.

from the barn to the street is 1/2 mile.. Then there is a town stretch even worse.. I can never ride my bike after I clean it and get it to a paved road clean ever...

Snake Skin side walls?? Not on a bet...

[reddog]

Thanks boys, think I got clear on everything through all those answers.
Getting drawn closer to the Darkside every day!
Like the idea of better mileage out of a tire, and better handling and comfort can't hurt!
'Sides, that little sticker looks so cool!

[macmac]

Only stickers I got are moose, on the tank like WW-2 pilots did... I'ld like the rest of set too but am in no hurry.

[blowndodge]

Reddog: Go for it!

The #1 question from the naysayer or "doubters" is "how does the CT handle the curves?". El Numero Uno question. It's gets answered over and over and over........

Hears what puts a grin on my face. Many who've put a car tire on answer the "how does it handle the curves" with "I can easily drag my floorboards."

Believie it or not, this answer doesn't register with some. I always thought that if the bike can drag its floorboards then the cornering question is being answered? But some will still ask how does it handle corners or a CT is not made to handle curves on a motorcycle!!!!

I have to really ask myself if I'm doing a dis-service by continuing to answering that question. If "easily can drag my floorboards" doesn't enlighten anyone that that statement can be translated into, "it corners fine" then the not unstanding crowd should just forget about mounting a car tire. They will probably just get hurt....

"You can lead them to water but ya can't make them drink"

GO DARKSIDERS!!!!

[macmac]

BD That just might be right. maybe the answer should be go roll a car tire and see what happens as t slows down.

Now I have no idea where that tire will go, but I know it will roll out a few circles before it falls over sideways.

So do 5 cent pieces.. and they have square corners too. And yes i know both may not fall over 100%.