Going to the Dark Side?
- Thread starter scgorazd
- Start date
BadDawg Bill
Well-Known Member
It's not a dumb question. Putting one on would be dumb. Car tires are flat so corning would almost be impossible with a fat tire. I put a VW tire on my 1951 panhead once and almost killed myself.
grizfish
Active Member
Back in 1977 when Performance Machine was just a small machine shop in Paramount, CA, their first bike wheels were American Mags made from sand castings and finished on a lathe. They were too wide for any bike tires available at the time and we used VW radial ply tires that were rounder than any others we could find. I had a Paugho copy of the HD '57 straight leg frame with my '72 shovel head motor. It took a bit to get used to and you couldn't grab a handful of gas in a turn or it would jump out from under you, but it worked. Drove it all over for at least 10 years, until they came out with some 15" bike tires that were wide enough to fit. Even took it across the rockies on a 2 week camping trip.
No way would I try to use a car tire on a scoot with a rear suspension.
Also, that was before PM started making their own brakes. They sold me a Hurst-Airheart dual disc setup for the front 18" American Mag that I could at least find bike tires to fit.
Still have those wheels.
Keep them just to remind me of the stupid things I've done.:lol::loony:
No way would I try to use a car tire on a scoot with a rear suspension.
Also, that was before PM started making their own brakes. They sold me a Hurst-Airheart dual disc setup for the front 18" American Mag that I could at least find bike tires to fit.
Still have those wheels.
Keep them just to remind me of the stupid things I've done.:lol::loony:
rasdes
Active Member
Running car tires on the rear of a Gold Wing is very common, had one on mine, Michelin run flat, no issues what so ever, ride was smoother, no issues corning and loved the run flat capability. Steve must be an old Goldwinger, guys that run car tires on Goldwings are referred to "Darksiders". There are many debates concerning the safety issue as the tire lip and motorcycle wheel lip are somewhat different and do not completely seat together when mounted.
krkostecki
Active Member
I know of a few guys that have them on their Suzuki C109's (240 rear) and think highly of them...plus they're less expensive and likely last longer. But, I would agree that it would make turning even more difficult on these beasts.
more to read; http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/general/8611-car-tire-rear.html
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ_d5IIdRZI"]Riding on the Darkside - car tire on a motorcycle - contact patch - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ_d5IIdRZI"]Riding on the Darkside - car tire on a motorcycle - contact patch - YouTube[/ame]
liferider
Looking forward to retirement
Tires are very different! put a car tire on a trailer and you will have one hell of a blowout, usually in the first 200 miles. car tires ride flat, trailer tires ride on the inside tread. Put a trailer tire on a automobile and it will handle very weird! Putting a automotive tire on a motorcycle? I see two problems! (A) the tire is flat and would cause difficulty in corners, (B) Motorcycle tires are very soft. This helps grabbing in corners and keeping our ass planted in the seat instead of flying in the air. Car tires are harder rubber. Automotive tires get between 30,000 -50,000 miles in there life span, with a 3000 pound load on top. Motorcycles get between 3000 -5000 depending on make and model, with a 800 pound load on them. So to put a automotive tire on a motorcycle would truly be stupid!
Micketwo am I correct?
Micketwo am I correct?
pknowles
RETIRED
Well put Jonathan. :up:
Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
4 tires, 3000lb car does not mean each tire has a 3000lb load.
Same for Bike
The issue I think would be if we tried running the same extreme low profile tire. All the examples you see of guys doing this have real sidewalls and a decent profile. a 300r35 would scare me if it were car tire put on a bike.
I say this because just changing between brands of tires even with my old 180/55 AOne brand felt like in a real tight turn that it was going to collapse/fall over. When I went to a tire that had a better curved surface, the bike handled so much better i was stunned nad no longer feel like its goping to go oput from under me abruptly in some of teh doglegs I do.
Same for Bike
The issue I think would be if we tried running the same extreme low profile tire. All the examples you see of guys doing this have real sidewalls and a decent profile. a 300r35 would scare me if it were car tire put on a bike.
I say this because just changing between brands of tires even with my old 180/55 AOne brand felt like in a real tight turn that it was going to collapse/fall over. When I went to a tire that had a better curved surface, the bike handled so much better i was stunned nad no longer feel like its goping to go oput from under me abruptly in some of teh doglegs I do.
boomer4444
Active Member
something that really surprised me at sturgis was all the boss hoss's running a square car looking tire? cant imagine trying to corner on one
JeffM
Active Member
Many years ago, well 32 to be xact, just after the road between Adalaide (South Australia) and Perth (Western Australia) was just bitumaned a group of us road our Honda 750/4 and Kawaka 900s accross the Nullabor Plain.
Almost dead flat and very few corners.
You could buy a car tyre for $20 and it would last 30,000klm fit them to our bikes before we left and rode the 3000 klm, we carried our bike tyres with us as well as spare fuel, food, water and some parts and changed the tyre when we got to the other end, stash them somewher for the return journey as our Avon Road Runners would wear out at 5000 klm and cost $50.
Would i put one on the K9.......................not a fucken chance.
Almost dead flat and very few corners.
You could buy a car tyre for $20 and it would last 30,000klm fit them to our bikes before we left and rode the 3000 klm, we carried our bike tyres with us as well as spare fuel, food, water and some parts and changed the tyre when we got to the other end, stash them somewher for the return journey as our Avon Road Runners would wear out at 5000 klm and cost $50.
Would i put one on the K9.......................not a fucken chance.
Yeah, that's what I thought, just curious to see what the general thoughts on this idea were. The boss hogs at sturgis is what got me thinking, I saw a few of them with car tires on.
I'm glad I asked before I got the bright idea to try something radical.
The avon venoms lasted 7500 miles, the cobras 6500, and I'm now running metzler marathon 880s. If I were to order online, are most bike shops capable of putting a 300 wide on a rim?
I've noticed the metzler seems to run more contact on the road, judging by the wear pattern on the tire. How many miles have you guys put on your metzlers?
I'm glad I asked before I got the bright idea to try something radical.
The avon venoms lasted 7500 miles, the cobras 6500, and I'm now running metzler marathon 880s. If I were to order online, are most bike shops capable of putting a 300 wide on a rim?
I've noticed the metzler seems to run more contact on the road, judging by the wear pattern on the tire. How many miles have you guys put on your metzlers?
how is the belt clearance?????
Tdubb
Active Member
I have a friend who rides his rune on a car tire. He's been doing it for years. Claims it's no issue handling. From what I can tell from riding behind him is that the tire flexes because the weaker sidewall. He never rolls that tire towards the edge even during extreme leaning.
I did ride his Valkyrie which also has a car tire. It handled like shit, but it's a Valkyrie... Like riding a cheap couch with worn out springs.:lol:
I did ride his Valkyrie which also has a car tire. It handled like shit, but it's a Valkyrie... Like riding a cheap couch with worn out springs.:lol:
Rasdes,
Perhaps it is my lack of experience which caused me to ask the question. I wasn't even born until the late 80s .:up:
Just thought I would see what some of the "seasoned" veterans would say. I don't care what anyone says, there is no replacement for experience.
Thanks to all for keeping me in check.
Perhaps it is my lack of experience which caused me to ask the question. I wasn't even born until the late 80s .:up:
Just thought I would see what some of the "seasoned" veterans would say. I don't care what anyone says, there is no replacement for experience.
Thanks to all for keeping me in check.
kickstart
Well-Known Member
when i did all my research, avon's 300 was actually 304 and metzeler's 300 was actually 314. never did see anything about them revamping their mold to make it narrower. actually read one place where they said they wouldn't. all comes down to whether you go with the rock or with the hard place. i made my decision, now i got to live with it. now it's up to you, kick. 
good luck.
good luck.