Car tire on the rear?

Energy One
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
Car tires don't lean over in the corners and Bigdog motorcycles don't stay vertical. Let us know when your ready to test ride it - AFV needs new entrants each week.

Your rear tire contact patch using a car tire would have to be tiny!!!
 
V

Vegas

Well-Known Member
BigDogBro1 said:
Car tires don't lean over in the corners and Bigdog motorcycles don't stay vertical. Let us know when your ready to test ride it - AFV needs new entrants each week.

Your rear tire contact patch using a car tire would have to be tiny!!!
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:roll: Actually they do lean over in the corner. Your camber changes under hard cornering. But I agree with you. For the drag strip it makes sense.
 
XTREEME

XTREEME

Active Member
Redflames02 said:
It also looks like a piece of crap!:lol:
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Thank you! I couldn't agree more. I have a VTX, and used to hang around that forum. I could never figure out these car tire guys. :loony: Is a person that cheap that they can't spend the proper money on a proper bike tire that looks so much better, and works like it is supposed to?

Now, doing it to a VTX is one thing, but for a $30k BigDog???
 
Slinger2

Slinger2

Active Member
I'm in no way indorsing car tires on bikes.

Just find the topic interesting.

Here is a link about the car tire experiance.
The Dark Side

Here are some QUOTE's.

Critics of the car-tire concept usually start out with talking about how the sidewall is not made for driving on. In that, they are correct. Sidewalls aren't made for driving on. The good news is, that I don't drive on them. I've adressed this and contact patch both in the text above, but here is some proof for those still skeptical...The pic below is of the Nokia tire I pulled off after 23,000 miles. Much of that was in very challenging conditions. Note that there is no wear on the sidewall. The little mold "tits" are still there. Also note that the tire is wearing more in the center than the edges. The reason for this is that even in extreme cornering, the center still is on the ground...with 3/4'ths or so of the tread always in contact. This results in more center wear despite pressures run. Higher pressures will make this worse, and do not improve the handling
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This guy talking to his neighbor........


I had a coversation with my neighbor recently. It went something like this:
Him: "You're running a car tire, aren't you?"
Me: "Yep."
Him: "I've read about that somewhere. It's controversial."
Me: "Not for those of us that are doing it. No controversy at all."
Him: "Well, it can't handle."
Me: "It does."
Him: "It's not safe."
Me: "It is for me."
Him: "It's not tested."
Me: "I've tested it all the way to Alaska and back. A bike tire couldn't have taken the abuse."
Him: "Well, I know it's just not safe. It can't work."

I know better than to argue tires, helmets, or oil with another biker. Put two of us in the same room and ask the question and you'll get 12 different and vehement answers. Still, he did ask...

Me: "I've got a lot of riding experience. It's my bike. I don't have a problem with it. Why should you?"
Him: "I've got a lot of experience too. I just know it can't work."

He's been riding for about 5 years now. He's got a pretty bike. I rarely see it move. We call those "Butt jewelry".

Me: "How many miles do you have on your machine?"
Him: "Almost seven thousand."

Hmmm. I might see the problem here. I've run more miles than that since I changed the oil last time. I've ten times that on this bike alone, and over three times that just on my rear tire...the tire he was telling me "can't work."

I changed the subject and we talked about yards for a while. That's usually a safe topic for neighbors.

Anyway, all that got me to thinking it was time to update this page, as I first put it up when I had only ridden 3000 miles or so on my first car-tire. I've now run over 100,000 or so and so I've added more pictures and information to update my experience.

Okay. This is a rather long-winded treatise on the installation of a car-tire on the rear of a Valkyrie motorcycle. With the size/weight of some motorcycles, as well as a host of new tire sizes and technologies in the car-tire world, there are tires that can fit and perform on the rear of some motorcycles.

I get many questions, lots of curiosity, and even some rather irate email over this subject so I thought I would set down my thoughts, reasoning, and experience with this project so others that may be contemplating it, or wondering why anyone would even try such a thing could know my experience with it.

Note that I have no motivation for justifying what I have done, vindicating myself, or convincing others of the validity of my decisions. All this is my experience and opinion. I assume no liability for my documentation or methods. I will try to be objective in my reporting of this experience, but do note that motorcycle tires are a pet peeve of mine. I will discuss this a bit later.

As of this writing I have put about 42,000 miles (edit 12/5/07...over 100,000 miles now) on car-tires on my Valkyrie in a multitude of extreme conditions. High-speed highway, high-speed rain, wind, dirt/gravel, twisties, congested city, construction, and emergency stops. I'll take some heat for this, but there is NO downside for the experienced rider. The car tire has been superior in every condition. I've found the car-tire to be so far superior to the MC tire for the rear of the Valkyrie that there is no point in my pretending I'll ever go back to the MC tire.

Tires are religion, and in the motorcycle arena and our litigious society are viewed very much as a "dark art" and are seldom discussed rationally. I am not looking to justify my actions or convert anybody. I am seeking to explain what I have tried and why, so those that have an open mind and some experience to go with it can understand. Frankly, like oil choices, I do not feel the emotion and anger often shown over the issue are merited. It's just not that big a deal.
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chacha

chacha

Chaff Your EHC!!
Calendar Participant
Slinger2 wrote;
Tires are religion, and in the motorcycle arena and our litigious society are viewed very much as a "dark art" and are seldom discussed rationally.
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Ain't that the truth! I get grief for running driving lights in my air dam and for mounting a Toll-Transponder directly into my top tree mount. I just say "Not your bike, you don't have to ride it, so you can hate it all day long if you like...":up:
 
stlmikie

stlmikie

I wish I had more money.
What is a toll transponder?

chacha said:
Slinger2 wrote;


Ain't that the truth! I get grief for running driving lights in my air dam and for mounting a Toll-Transponder directly into my top tree mount. I just say "Not your bike, you don't have to ride it, so you can hate it all day long if you like...":up:
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W

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
actually they mis-spelled it. it's supposed to be troll transponder. lets you know when any of the little buggers are about.
 
W

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
automatic payment system (usually with reduced rates) for toll roads so you don't have to pay every time.
 
Moespeeds

Moespeeds

Well-Known Member
Looks like shit, that's my only gripe. I remember back in the day when Bourget was doing it because there were no tires bigger than 180. But again, to each his own, it's your bike. I'm still stickin' with car tires are for cages. Check out Club Chopper for more info though, those guys do all kinds of wild shit. I'm sure there is something there.
 
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