Anyone Darksided their cruiser?

[Scouse]

Our big Kawasaki V2k is ready for yet another tyre after another mere 5.5k Km's, it's shot. Being this monster runs on 200/60-R16 typically running to around $450 pluse fit bal etc, I typically don't get change out of $500. We typically ride our behemouth two up so the bike is usually punting around 580Kgs down the road. Typically the front tyre gets it's side regions of tread worn out first before wearing out the (usual) centre of treadand usually get 10k Km's at the most. Rear tyre is usually well and truely thrashed, bashed and trashed side to side evenly across the tyre usually by 5.5k Km.

Been reading the the good ole 'US of A' forums on people fitting car tyres (typically referred to as 'dark Siding') to their rides. Has anyone done this mod here??? Heck, is it even allowed or WOF-able here??? I'd be keen to give it a go if it didn't compromise safety, law etc if it ment we could go longer than three-four months on a rear tyre.

Any comments would be great. Cheers all

Not typically or usually so not typical or usual so typically and usually no

[willytheekid]

Bridgestone make a tyre specifically for Goldwings:-

http://www.canadasmotorcycle.ca/brid...rear-tire.html

They sure do!...with a LI (load index) rating of a whole 77!...which equals 412kg max load (or 910 pounds!)

Once again:

Goldwing weight- Aprox 800lbs (with out rider an passenger)
The RECOMMENDED tyre has a max load weight of....992 lbs!
-now add a rider...a passenger....and there gear! (Goldwing has HUGE storage ability remember)

...and now you can see why there are so many reports by owners of blow-outs on the super heavy cruiser's such as the Goldwings etc running factory rubber...there tyre destroying whales!

Ride safe mate

[jonbuoy]

They sure do!...with a LI (load index) rating of a whole 77!...which equals 412kg max load (or 910 pounds!)

Once again:

Goldwing weight- Aprox 800lbs (with out rider an passenger)
The RECOMMENDED tyre has a max load weight of....992 lbs!
-now add a rider...a passenger....and there gear! (Goldwing has HUGE storage ability remember)

...and now you can see why there are so many reports by owners of blow-outs on the super heavy cruiser's such as the Goldwings etc running factory rubber...there tyre destroying whales!

Ride safe mate

Erm isn't that load rating per tyre? Unless your pulling long wheelies your spreading the load over two tyres.

[bogan]

Erm isn't that load rating per tyre? Unless your pulling long wheelies your spreading the load over two tyres.

Excellent point. Aren't goldwings shaft drive anyway?

[jonbuoy]

Silly me - we all know shaft drives can't wheelie... Look I don't ride a big cruiser but the idea of fitting hard compound flat profile car tyres on a bike gives me the shits. Good tyres can make the difference between just needing a change of undies and a trip to hospital or the morgue.

[willytheekid]

Erm isn't that load rating per tyre? Unless your pulling long wheelies your spreading the load over two tyres.

...your right, thats the rating per tyre.

But each tyre must be capable of handling the bikes entire weight due to weight transference under certain conditions...such as braking or accelerating to name but two. (and due to speed + mass and all the physic's stuff happening...the actual transferred weight-or "pressure" on the individual tyres, can be higher than the bikes free standing weight)

so no...two tyres with 910 pound max load weight does not mean they are good to go on a 1820 pound bike.

[Mo NZ]

B-Stone and Metz make GW specific tyres.
The main difference is they have thicker and more robust sidewalls to deal with the weight.

All that shit you read tyre failures is the result of some fuckwit fitting a tyre of the correct size but not the right application.
Then then bitch when it fails. No shit Sherlock get a life.

This has been lost on many of you. I will write it again.
If you fit a radial 195x55 it must be a zero pressure, run flat design, as they have the sidewall that can handle the weight.

[bogan]

This has been lost on many of you. I will write it again.
If you fit a radial 195x55 it must be a zero pressure, run flat design, as they have the sidewall that can handle the weight.

But any car tyre has to be overinflated to work on a cruiser, so it is the pressure that handles the weight (as with normal tyres), not the sidewall. So why is run-flat so important?

[Crasherfromwayback]

But any car tyre has to be overinflated to work on a cruiser, so it is the pressure that handles the weight (as with normal tyres), not the sidewall. So why is run-flat so important?

I'm wondering if he's saying run 'em with no air? So the sidewall flexes more to allow a better footprint?

[Madness]

Not typically or usually so not typical or usual so typically and usually no

Typical response is typical. Usually.

[bogan]

I'm wondering if he's saying run 'em with no air? So the sidewall flexes more to allow a better footprint?

But to get any semblance of turning feel, you gotta inflate em enough to get a bit bulgy in the center, surely?

[Crasherfromwayback]

But to get any semblance of turning feel, you gotta inflate em enough to get a bit bulgy in the center, surely?

One we had here was square as a square thing.

[imdying]

Ah fucking ghey... I thought it was going to be a thread filled with sweet murdered out cruisers

[Mo NZ]

B-Stone and Metz make GW specific tyres.
The main difference is they have thicker and more robust sidewalls to deal with the weight.

All that shit you read tyre failures is the result of some fuckwit fitting a tyre of the correct size but not the right application.
Then then bitch when it fails. No shit Sherlock get a life.

This has been lost on many of you. I will write it again.
If you fit a radial 195x55 it must be a zero pressure, run flat design, as they have the sidewall that can handle the weight.

But any car tyre has to be overinflated to work on a cruiser, so it is the pressure that handles the weight (as with normal tyres), not the sidewall. So why is run-flat so important?

The sidewall will not handle it for long. It will fail. See above
Similar to the LT tyres.

I'm wondering if he's saying run 'em with no air? So the sidewall flexes more to allow a better footprint?

Nah you run em around 30psi or so.

But to get any semblance of turning feel, you gotta inflate em enough to get a bit bulgy in the center, surely?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Nah you run em around 30psi or so.

Ok. I'll go back to bugger that then regardless!