I have been running car tires on my motorcycles for nearly 20 years. I ride on highways and canyons I am considered a hard rider. Never had a problem, Never heard of anybody having a problem. Great video.
I agree with you Chris... MC tires are designed to be on a motorcycle. Not beating up any one that uses a CT on their bike, that’s they’re right and bike to do as they wish. Now if Honda would make a rim that would accept a car tire I would try it in a heartbeat. But until then I’m staying on a MC tire. Great video sir😎🇺🇸👍🏻🙏🏻
My Husband resourced this subject for 3 years before crossing over. One video that made a determination was on you-tube ( Yellow Wolfe Tail of The Dragon). This is a Darksider ( has car tire on rear of bike). He has gotten 22,000 miles out of a tire. Also Car tire is rated for a lot more weight than a bike tire ( think about that when you load you bike for a trip ).
Chris, I live in Tennessee and run curves a lot. I helped a friend and rode a bike from Memphis to Middle Tn that he just bought. It was a darkside. I have never ridden a CT and after about 200 miles I can say I don't want to any longer. I found that the cornering is too different for me. I am used to the GW being very neutral in the corners but the CT takes much more effort to put it in the corner and takes a lot more effort to keep the bike leaning in the corner. It was even very apparent on the interstate you would actually have to make it lean on a long curve and with the MC tire it is just second nature. I am glad I got to ride it but now I know I don't want to ever have one also. Thanks for the video's, I hope I run into you at Wing Ding.
Once I went to Centramatic Wheel Balancers on previous generation Wings and now on my 2018 “cupping” has not happened. Plus I get more mileage out of a motorcycle set of tires that I ever did before.
Good subject, I would just add that your mileage should be another factor. If you are only doing 6000 or less a year I would just stick with motorcycle tires.
Another reason to run a car tire is weight capacity. The rear E4 is rated for 900lbs. The Bridgestone driveguard run flat car tire is rated to carry 1200lbs. We were riding 2-up at 100F on the highway and saw 180F on the TPMS with the Dunlop E3. We ran the B/S CT this summer, highs in the upper 90's, pulling our Aspen classic and saw 120F. The motorcycle tire handles better, but 180F scared us.
Well cruise Cruise man I run Redstone my last Bridgestone I got rear tire 15,000 miles are I don’t write easy I probably should but I don’t I’m 80 years old I love to ride I love watching your videos keep the rubber side down enjoy
I have darksided my '06 Wing for a couple seasons. I do ride twisties but not like a youngster. The car tire fit like a glove, is better on the interstates, corrected my speedo (slightly taller, 195-60-16) and kept the bike straighter. It's half the price, 3x the mileage and brakes wonderfully. Mine does not leak at the rim. I also used Dyna Beads (only) for balancing with positive results. Finally, I mounted it by hand without much trouble for the sidewalls were more forgiving than a cycle tire and installed it in 4 minutes by laying the bike on it's side. Thinking it's bad is an opinion. So far, my experience has been totally positive. That' all I know.
Run flat technology, alone, is the reason I decided to try a car tire. It is now 50,000 miles since, and I consider performance and asphalt adhesion to be icing on the cake. Mileage and/or purchase price were not an initial consideration, but now I also consider those factors as icing on the cake.
I would not hesitate to run a patched tire. I have a patch kit, compressor, and Fix-A-Flat just in case. I've had to use them twice. Once I had to patch a rear tire in the first 100 miles of a 5k road trip. I decided to keep going as I was nowhere near a place to get a tire (that was open) and I was already late for meeting up with others. They would have waited, no biggie, but I decided to ride forward until I got to a major city and could change the tire. By the time I got to the major city I had ridden a few hundred miles on the repaired tire and I could not honestly feel a difference. In the end I opted to just run it until I got home. I did put a bit of Fix-A-Flat in the tire as it was losing about two pounds an evening. That stopped the slow leak and I made it home without incident. I was heavily loaded and the beginning and the end of the trip were 750 and 1,000 miles respectively. The two ends of the trip I was running hard in high heat. I had the cruise control set at about 84....no issues. I would ride anywhere on a plugged tire, but it just depends on the actual damage and fix. I was ready to change it if needed...but I never needed to do so. YMMV, so to speak. LOL
Thanks for electing to stick with motorcycle tires on a motorcycle. Those that do not just don't understand the engineering in motorcycle tires. They'll work alright. Right up until they fail. Bth, just got 21k miles on my Dunlop elite 3 on my 17 Indian Springfield. Dealer said they were probably good for another 3-5K. Good work.
My experience of using a Dunlop car tire on the rear of a 2010 1300 yamaha Vstar. I went to the dark side site for recommended tire and air presure. I have friends who have run them on GWs. So i tried it. I took the tire and wheel into a Honda dealer . $25 cash no receipt to have it put on.The site said about 27lbs. I started with 35lbs. Had a friend follow me on a curvy road. I could feel the tire coming up on the edge. Pretty squirrelly. I started lowering to tire pressure At 27lbs it handled decent . I rode it from Iowa to Daytona bike week. With back roads thru Kentucky, TN , GA, and back home with no problems. At 13k miles there was enough tread to get to 20k. I did go back to a Michelin MC tire . And it did handle better. One thing that was awesome was in the snow. I went down my alley to get to the street with 5" of snow with no problem. Probably won't try it again. Im sure there is a liability issue if you're involved in a accident.
Yes Dark siding is a mute subject, that will be debated until the end of time or until longer distant motorcycle tire is devolved, As the saying goes "You do you and I'll do me". As for brands...we run with bridgestone for daily riding because they are softer and grip better then Dunlop (in our experience). Whenever we do our long trips, we change to Dunlop because they last longer. We recently had a trip covering over 16,900 miles, with Dunlops and still had to change tires in the middle of the trip. With our Bridgestone, we had to change tires twice on a 14,000 mile trip. So for us it depends on the situation, as to what brand we use.
I followed dark side Facebook and other social media sites for 3 years searching for one incidence of a car tire causing any sort of trouble - wreck, poor performance, poor traction, etc. and found not one incidence of trouble. So, went dark side 6K ago and will never go back. And, contrary to what Cruiseman says, darkside is great in the twisties. They are by no means only for interstate riding.
Thanks for the shout out Cruiseman, I agree with you that tire safety is #1 and motorcycle tires wear out at 10,000 mile before needing replacing. I'm now hearing rumors that some tire manufacters are currently in a race to manufacter a motorcycle tire that can last 50,000 miles eliminating the need for bikers to darkside a Goldwing with a 60k mile runflat car tire that came with road hazard insurance and safely ride the car tire from coast to coast. When the tires manufacturers come out with that 50k motorcycle tire, I plan to switch back to motorcycle tires. This video should help czcams.com/video/ZOgNXxChmHI/video.html
Cruiseman and Chris ... thanks to you both for sharing your knowledge, experience and opinions with all us motorcycle fans! Concerning Darksiding ... yep, I’m one of those crazy car tire enthusiasts. On my 4th Michelin Defender for my 2012 Street Glide. Installed the same 205/55R16 on my CVO Road Glide. I haven’t yet gone Double-Dark, but, I’m considering it. I too would consider a 50K mile motorcycle tire if the manufacturer would produce a quality product for a reasonable price. I’ve read the engineering science and know the concerns about a proper bead for the tire and rim. If there were a “real” problem happening here, wouldn’t there be tons of information, complaints and warnings about tire separation and incidents! I’m sure Darksiders would voice their safety concerns if this was happening. There are a lot of Darksiders out there and I don’t see them writing stories about their tires rolling off the rims! In fact, the writings I’ve read and the videos I’ve watched are overwhelmingly positive toward going Darkside. Initial cost savings, long mileage, larger road contact for improved acceleration, increased braking power and increased dynamic stability at highway speeds are common remarks from experienced Darksiders. I’m an 8-time Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge rider. We live for secondary roads, long construction gravel patches, twisty-turns, switchbacks, freshly mowed grass in tight turns and lots of rain soaked backroads. So far, my Michelin has performed better than expected. Caution! Strap in good before grabbing full rear brakes ... you will decelerate quite rapidly! I have ridden many mountain roads including the Snake and The Tail of The Dragon. No problems when dragging boards and making sparks on both sides. Admittedly, the handling, at slow speeds, is noticeably different, but, easily adapted to. Making a right turn into a gas station parking lot and crossing the concrete rain gutter at a 45° angle will definitely get your attention. The rounded motorcycle tire on the front will navigate through the decline and incline of the rain ditch without a problem. However, the rear tire wants to run flat. This is a great benefit when rolling down the highway at 75 miles an hour, but, not so much when you’re crossing a contour change at a brisk walking speed. The rear tire will follow the contour of the concrete drain surface and toss the front end of the bike right and the left! Approach at a 90° angle or cross the concrete drainage a bit faster than you normally would. Another thing I’ve noticed happens in deep gravel. The rounded motorcycle tire on the front seems to sink through the gravel while the rear tire, a wider and more stable footprint, wants to float on top of the gravel. I actually prefer this handling in gravel vs the rounded rear motorcycle tire always trying to get out from under me. Anywho, that’s my 2¢. Thanks again for keeping us all up to date!
Darksiding is one of those issues which is primarily opinion based as very few people actually understand the science and physics behind the radius profile vs the flat profile of these tire types and how they should react when properly installed. On a trike the CT is basically mandatory much like any none leaning vehicle. There are many untested aspects regarding the dynamics of how a car radial affects the balance of a motorcycle during a leaning turn. If one really understands how a CT should function in this application the RF would definitely not be the proper choice nor would overinflation. There is a tendency to over tighten bolts, overfill oil and over inflate tires as more is always better, it's a human thing. Consequently many darksiders run extreme pressure in their tires which is counter intuitive to the physics. The more grip claim is an example of guess work as none of this has been actually tested or proven I'm not saying this is not true what I am saying is nobody knows for sure. To do this would require a track and controlled conditions which I don't believe any engineer has or would do. A CT however will hydroplane easier due to the larger contact patch, this is physics and has been proven without question. In the end like any other modification the advantages and disadvantages need to be balanced out and possible side effects understood. It's a slippery slope (no I am not trying to start an oil tread)
Just added a remark above but will highlight on your post what I wrote. I disagree with a ct being more prone to hydroplane.......unless the tire is worn out. Ct has more water wicking ability than a mt.....look at the deeper more abundant treads. I personally had a new mt hydroplane on me and I haven't with a ct. I do agree it seems people running rf ct are overinflating the tires and wearing out the center quicker. As for a contact patch I poured water on the ground, marked off a turn then rode through the turn with a mt and a ct on my bike and measured results from each. Ct had more of a contact patch. Ct also is more stable on gravel lots, rain and tar snakes. The ride is smoother and has better longevity. BTW I also do lock and lean precision riding with my ct and love riding the twisties.
Wendell Chenault I have to agree on the tread physics. Much better water evacuation channels on a car tire. Motorcycle tires until the 70s,80s were just smaller bias ply car tires in the States. They are less likely to search in a groved, snaked or gravel road. A GoldWing all trimmed out barely leans anyway. Motorcycle tires are kept purposefully short lived. Most of the offerings are still bias ply, which is ancient tech. Motorcycles are treated in North America as a magnet for your money, like bass boats, golf courses, sailboats, etc... If Americans used them as frugal transportation as we used to, then tire companies would compete for economy not just style and elaborate tread patterns.
I have approx. 200,000 miles on car tires on my 01 & 12 Wings with no problems! When I ran E-III's on both, I got at least 20,000 miles on all tires! Now have a 19 Tour, bought in Feb. 19 with 18,000 miles + and the front looks good so far. Had to change the rear, nail, got it patched at a car tire shop and will put it back on in the future. Friend just changed E-4's with 28,000 miles (05). I cant figure out how someone can get less than 12,000 miles on a Gold Wing!! Just keep checking the pressure!
My best time riding the Goldwing was on a fat car tire and did not even use a symmetrical one. Handled very well and never slipped on the wet tar on the highways/roads. Much better balance as well, especially with a passenger.
Hello Cruiseman, thanks for your input regarding the motorcycle tire subject. I have a 2018 Goldwing tour that I bought new and it had Dunlop tires installed from the factory. I have 10, 500 miles on my set of tires and I always do a "pre ride " walk around visual inspection and make the necessary adjustments of tire pressure if necessary before heading out on the road. I treat my " pre ride " inspection the same as a "pre flight" inspection which I was trained being an airplane pilot. Many accidents have been avoided due to such diligence of this procedure. It appears that my Goldwing is ready for a new rear tire ( I tow a Bushtec trailer on occasion). I am going to install a set of Bridgestone tires instead of the Dunlop tires. I also have friends that ride Goldwings that have installed a run flat car tire on the rear of their Goldwing and that is their choice but not a choice that I would make for my Goldwing. I also have a friend that rides a 2008 Goldwing that runs car tires front and rear. That is his choice. Thanks for all that you do for the CZcams vlog.
My gripe running 41psi is it makes the ride so harsh. That being said, i think i get more life out of my E4’s at that psi. I prefer about 38/36. Max with traction has a good vid about psi as well. I agree about the Dunlop. They do not grip on wet streets as good as I would like. Heck I may try Stones next time. Regarding Darkside...I never say never. I may try sometime. I am just sick of the whole debate on it. Do your homework and ride and decide I say. My buddy Dano rides CT front/rear and honestly I cant keep up with him on the Dragon 😂.
I don’t agree with your “fear” comments, if you fear riding then don’t ride. A rider who is always afraid is going to make bad decisions. Your comments associated with “fear” are valid but instead of “fear” I subscribe to being “situationally aware” at all times while riding. Applying this element during my 40 years of riding experience has saved my butt many times.
Rode a plugged car tire for about 6K across country after a puncture. Plugged it and did not even use the goop (which was dried out). Second time doing that on separate bikes. Worked well and would do it again.
I run Commanders on my Harleys, a Yokohama Avid Touring S, on my Yamaha Stratoliner and would never go back to a MC. I'm on my 3rd CT. Im also 73 years old. The OEM Bridgestone's are 6 to 7K mile tires, thats it. I get 30K on my Yokohama. Run them at 38lbs. I run Dunlop American Elite up front. I am an avid CTer, on my Stratoliner. They require more push steering than a MT but once you get used to it, you dont even think about it. As for cornering, unless I let you, you are not going to stay with me. They never drift. They handle fine with 38lbs and I've plugged 2 nails and used one can of Fix-a-Flat and run the tires out, never worrying about it. I've got the mile equivalent of 16 times around the world. Not to be disrespectful, but If you have not run on a CT, you really don't have standing in the argument.
I have no actual experience darksiding, but I've researched the subject about as much as anyone could, and it's easy to see the pattern. I will preface what I'm about to say with the statement that if you are dead set against darksiding, by all means use whatever tires YOU feel comfortable with. I'm not trying to convince anyone one way or another, I just explaining why I made the decision I made. I have decided to give it a try. Other than Cruiseman's example of what he heard explained by the gentleman who had the bead of the tire separate from the rim, I have not been able to find any tire related failures or crashes due to using CTs. I would chalk this incident up to a one in a million failure that could happen to anyone using any type of tire. I certainly wouldn't let this one incident make my decision. According to everything I've read, incidents like this are the exception, not the rule. In fact, car tires are actually safer than motorcycle tires in several ways; they channel water away better in the rain, so less hydroplaning. They provide a larger contact patch both when riding straight and when leaning. They have much stiffer sidewalls and will therefore carry more weight, which is a problem with Goldwings and MC tires. Run flat tires (which is what I ordered) can be used, which are MUCH safer than MC tires, and of course CTs are less expensive to purchase, and they last much longer. Really the only drawback is they MAY change the handling of the bike. However, most people say this change is very easy to get used to and is in no way dangerous. The other thing that could be a drawback is finding a tire place that will install a CT on a MC rim. I know of a few local places that absolutely would not do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to find some mom and pop tire place that'll do it. I have not seen where anyone who has run a CT has gone back to a MC tire. They all say they are done with MC tires. All of these people can't be wrong. I can't wait to see how the bike rides with the CT, and if I don't like it, I'll replace it with a MC tire....no harm, no foul...
Nice time of the day to be out riding. The Honda manual calls for 36 front, 41 rear, cold. Why exceed the manual by 5 psi up front? I am a little OCD about checking tires - pressure all the time (regardless of TPMS), for nails at every stop... got 150,000 out of a set of Goodyear Wranglers (5 tire rotation helped). My Harleys have all had Dunlops and I got good service out of them. My current Limited has 10,000 on the tires and they look new. Got 18,000 out of Dunlops on my first Harley before trading it and they were still in good shape. My '19 Tour came with Bridgestones - I have no experience with them but time will tell - I hear good things about them. I agree - my motorcycle was designed for motorcycle tires, not car tires. I will not use a car tire to save a hundred bucks on rubber, even if a bike tire gets replaced 2 or 3 times as often.
I've plugged a tire before less than an hour after it was put on. I ran that plugged tire for 10,000 miles with absolutely no problem. I'd do that again. Dropping $400 twice in an hour for a rear tire installed is not my idea of a good time.
Chris Caliente has been giving the darksiding a try, for a while now. He's put cameras on to give a good view of what the car tire is doing under load and turns. Something to look at for sure if you run a ton of miles regularly.
Not all car tires are MC worthy. There is EXCELLENT, GOOD, BAD, and UGLY! There are darksiders who run the twisties a well as the best and better than most who are NOT on car tires because of the increased traction. The Goldwing rear rims do fit the car tires I have run and when it comes time to demount them they are as stubborn to break free. I have a spare rear wheel so I can run both. I also install my own tires, so that is a plus too.
It appears that riding in the States, involves many miles of long straight roads. With this in mind, I can’t see any issues with dark siding myself. Not sure I would choose them riding in the UK however 😬
Like your channel I’m recently SSDI with in the last year but some day I would love to get a Goldwing some day get back on a motorcycle again my wife thinks I’m crazy I had a Harley heritage 2003 white was a beautiful bike but hated the ride and my hands would go numb after just a short time on the bike
I put a plug in my Bridgestone, it was dead center of the tire and rode it another 10,000 miles. If you put that plug in there right, it is NOT coming out. Thank God I went to a car tire though. All those tire worries are gone.
Until i can afford a goldwing..i am running a kaw voyager...normally i would go through 3 rear tires a year and because i have to take the entire rear end apart to change the tire i went to the darkside..now I'm only changing the tire once every year to year and a half because 4 hrs to change a tire is assanine
I don't think safety is an issue with car tires, I just never like the way the bike felt with a car tire on it. I may try it again with a skinnier car tire someday. I do like having TPMS on my older wing, i don't have to keep checking my pressure all the time, I put my wing on the lift to air the tires, I don't crawl under it for anything.
I'm a Bridgestone guy too. Long lasting. Great performance. Low price. I'm coming off Michelin PR4 GT's. Supposedly a long lasting tire but I'm at the rear wear bar at only 4,500 miles... and it's true; this is a very "squirmy" tire; my K1600 breaks it loose whether upright and when leaned over. I'm moving to back to Bridgestone Battlax T31 GT's
Some comments on the recent manic support for or weak equivalents 'middle ground' opinions about putting car tires on motorcycles from someone with over 850,000 miles on a number of bikes, from cruisers to big touring machines: 1. Be sure your insurance company will pay out if you get in an accident and you decided to use non-standard equipment on your bike. NO CURRENT MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURER SUPPORTS USING CAR TIRES ON BIKES. 2. First motorcycle tires were ALL tubed tires, took awhile to get tubeless tires on newer rims with better beads, to deal with catastrophic blowouts and other safety issues inherent only to two wheeled vehicles under usage stress. My '83 Suzuki GS1100E katana had an improved bead on its rims but still used tubes..rim casting was NOT airtight. My KZ1000S before that had terrible Bridgestones at purchase changed to Continental twins with MUCH superior traction in the rain and better bead hold for tubed tires. 3. Specialized motorcycle tires came about by way of manufacturers experience on the race circuit over time..to allow more speed and traction with more rider control. .making rims and tire technology safer for everyone who rides. 3. I also subscribe to Chris Caliente's channel and watch his newer leading video with the mounted car tires on his 2016 Gold Wing literally squirming as he moves his bike side to side..scary, going from flat across to maybe an inch of tire contact on the 'side'. .thank goodness for improving rim and tire bead technology. .a LOT of my earlier machines would have dumped me for sure if I had 'dark sided' then. If you do it now, please understand you ARE taking a risk, even with better and improving motorcycle safety technology. 4. I've had experience with car tires on bikes and no way has it ever felt right..for me..in the early days before motorcycle specific tires were really a thing and more recently. Bikes handle different from cars..do I really need to say that? If you do your riding on a TRIKE these days or sidecar equipped bike, car tires are already in the equation, and even some tire manufacturers offer a FRONT tire specifically for those riders, with the warning NEVER to use it for 2 track motorcycle use.. (they are pretty much high mileage CAR tires with bead edges for bike rims). 4. There is so much more against..go to various manufacturer websites for the explanations based on facts and science. Good luck to those who decide to ignore the experts..it's just love the anecdotal stories about "nothing bad has happened to me"...yet.
Was riding behind a Triumph once that had a car tire on the back. When he would go around turns the contact patch would look like maybe 1/2" or less. That cant be safe. I'd hate to get caught in the rain like that. After seeing that you could never convince me that that's safe.
I did a experiment several yrs ago when I was researching on whether to go dark or not. I had 2 rims, one with a ct one with a mt. I made a turn out of cones, poured water on the ground to ride through tnen made my turn. I measured the contact patch then changed rims and did it again. Results were there was more of a contact patch with the ct than the mt. Now for what you seen, that all depends on the tire he was using and air pressure. I use a YOKOHOMA Avid Ascend NRF and I will never go back to a mt. Ride is smoother, wet/dry grip is better, more stable in gravel lots and on tar snakes not to mention longevity. I have a detailed report on my findings on the dark side website.
My owner's manual for my 2012 says 41 rear 38 front. I believe that's why his TPMS was flashing at the beginning of the video with 37 pounds on the front. I like to put 40 in the front and 42 in the rear.
The tires that come on a NEW M/C are designed largely by the M/C Manuf. The Aftermarket tires are designed by the tire Manuf. As far as car tires, it does not add up. When they build a car that functions like a M/C perhaps. Wonder what the Insurance companies think of it , will they use that as an excuse to deny a claim ?
When I leave my house I make sure my tires are at the recommended air pressure on the OEM tires. Once I start riding regardless of the temperature outside the TMS always indicate that my tires pressure has increased, is that OK or should I adjust the pressure once I get a good reading on the pressure in the tire which seems to increase. Would it be better to start out with less air pressure say 5 lbs less so once the tire heats up it will indicates the right tire pressure. What’s your take on that CM
If you've never used a car tire as you stated, maybe you should leave the subject alone. I don't know Chris Caliente, I have watched and enjoyed his Vlogs, but the Darksiders on the GL1800 forum have MANY miles on car tires (last time I checked over 10 million cumulative miles) and we live to ride the twisties as we often do together on ride in events. Riders like Murgie, Monk, Elrod and countless others are some VERY talented (safe) riders and you failed to mention the real reason. They are a better safer tire. Its certainly not money. The CT is awesome in the rain, it brakes better (more tire contact) and after an hour of riding, you no longer have any bad feelings about the CT. I have close to 180K on car tires and cannot imagine not using one. Anyway you are invited to see for yourself at the next Ride In and see if you can keep up. Check GL 1800 Riders for the dates of the next ride.
Eddie Dial did you say 10 million cumulative mile riding car tires? The naysayers have been saying that it’s unsafe, surely one side is not being honest here, your thoughs Eddie?
I’m been riding for 42+ years. I’ve always used mt and changed them out as a set. I never gave any thought to going to the darkside. Now I just got my second GW for LD. Now I’m thinking about the darkside or running two rear to every front. What are your thoughts about using a new rear with a old front?
I aint rich, but I have no issue changing tires @ 5k or 10K if needed, car tires I'll run them well.. beyond what i should. Tire pressure, on my GL1200, I run the max what is on the bike sticker, I'm very confident with the handling and noticed it's better at highways speeds. I dont want to run 41/42 etc.. but because with it having more air pressure, i feel this reduces it's flexability for varying road surfaces and reduces the contact patch, even 5-10% of what little it has would become more of a concern and feel it increases chances of unhappiness.. running the Shinko 777HD's front and rear, the front had a bump in it.. it's better when up to temp, but still a little bumpy. I dont think running a Car tire as a rear is safe for cornering not only is the shoulders of the tire good for leaning, the sidewall is also weaker. lasting longer means it's a harder compound and there less safe ??? I'd love run flats or ones that have buit-in puncture protection.
At the most I might put 4 to 5 thousand miles a year on my GW. The bike is heavy, and that's why the tires wear out sooner than tires on a lighter bike. I'll stick with motorcycle tires, since I might only need tires every other year.
Hey Chris, when motorcycles came into existence in the early 1900s, were there already motorcycle tires invented or were they just using what was used on a car? If they were using car tires, what has changed that would make them unsafe now? I don’t know. This is just my thinking. So far I am using MC tires but I wouldn’t rule out changing. Alan
My guess is that the first motorcycles probably had bicycle tires, then moved into some form of car tire. However, they only averaged 20-30 MPH, so that has changed. I never claimed that using a car tire was unsafe, all I said was that there are those who make that argument, which is true, there are those who make that argument. I don't feel like I am qualified to claim that Darksiding is "unsafe" or "safe", for that matter. I suspect that the motorcycle would not handle quite as well in the corners with a car tire.
I remember riding AMF FLH’s with car tires frt & rear, now those old dressers didn’t handle well with bike tires and with car tires, OMG ! I’ll stick with m/c tires, I prefer my bikes handle well and go around corners.
I recall the Good Year Speed Grip (5.10 x 16") tires on Harleys back in the 70s-early 80s. Fast forward to 2019, and modern technology in both motorcycle and car tires. Apples and oranges.
Why doesn't someone make a Goldwing wheel to accept a car tire bead or a car tire with a bead to fit a motorcycle wheel? I like to save money as much as the next guy but I want my tires and wheels to be completely compatible.
Really enjoy your videos but question for you are you going to Wing Ding this year. We missed you last year when you were there got to meet Memphis Mike and Chris Caliente but unfortunately missed you Hope you are there and get a chance to meet you.
9:57 For a bike that is supposed to be smooth and plush, you seem to be bouncing around an awful lot.. maybe its those rock hard 41 psi tyres? surely the suspension can't be that bad on the new goldwings, I rode the previous model and the thing soaked up the bumps like a champ, apparently the coin doesn't stand on its edge with the new motors either. I always liked that neat little trick...
If you can afford a Gold Wing then you can afford to buy real motorcycle tires is how I feel. I have 4 bikes including a GW and want the superior grip and handling of a motorcycle tire .
Ride scared. Or with a healthy fear. There is a difference in fear not and no fear. No fear has shown it self to be the one a lot want to practice But it always leads to stupid stuff being done. Ti is choice in all. And no matter what one calls it, There is no justifing wrong or stupid . Dark side or not what is best for you? More rubber contact and less problems on run deflation . Your choice . But doing stupid is still stupid and does not fit the discussions. HR. MALONE SR.
I have been running car tires on my motorcycles for nearly 20 years. I ride on highways and canyons I am considered a hard rider. Never had a problem, Never heard of anybody having a problem. Great video.
I agree with you Chris... MC tires are designed to be on a motorcycle. Not beating up any one that uses a CT on their bike, that’s they’re right and bike to do as they wish. Now if Honda would make a rim that would accept a car tire I would try it in a heartbeat. But until then I’m staying on a MC tire. Great video sir😎🇺🇸👍🏻🙏🏻
My Husband resourced this subject for 3 years before crossing over. One video that made a determination was on you-tube ( Yellow Wolfe Tail of The Dragon). This is a Darksider ( has car tire on rear of bike). He has gotten 22,000 miles out of a tire. Also Car tire is rated for a lot more weight than a bike tire ( think about that when you load you bike for a trip ).
Chris, I live in Tennessee and run curves a lot. I helped a friend and rode a bike from Memphis to Middle Tn that he just bought. It was a darkside. I have never ridden a CT and after about 200 miles I can say I don't want to any longer. I found that the cornering is too different for me. I am used to the GW being very neutral in the corners but the CT takes much more effort to put it in the corner and takes a lot more effort to keep the bike leaning in the corner. It was even very apparent on the interstate you would actually have to make it lean on a long curve and with the MC tire it is just second nature. I am glad I got to ride it but now I know I don't want to ever have one also. Thanks for the video's, I hope I run into you at Wing Ding.
Once I went to Centramatic Wheel Balancers on previous generation Wings and now on my 2018 “cupping” has not happened. Plus I get more mileage out of a motorcycle set of tires that I ever did before.
Good subject, I would just add that your mileage should be another factor. If you are only doing 6000 or less a year I would just stick with motorcycle tires.
You know what they say. Your tires are the only thing that separates your butt from the road.
Another reason to run a car tire is weight capacity. The rear E4 is rated for 900lbs. The Bridgestone driveguard run flat car tire is rated to carry 1200lbs. We were riding 2-up at 100F on the highway and saw 180F on the TPMS with the Dunlop E3. We ran the B/S CT this summer, highs in the upper 90's, pulling our Aspen classic and saw 120F. The motorcycle tire handles better, but 180F scared us.
Well cruise Cruise man I run Redstone my last Bridgestone I got rear tire 15,000 miles are I don’t write easy I probably should but I don’t I’m 80 years old I love to ride I love watching your videos keep the rubber side down enjoy
Cruiseman, thanks for a much more balanced video on dark siding, this time around.
I have darksided my '06 Wing for a couple seasons. I do ride twisties but not like a youngster. The car tire fit like a glove, is better on the interstates, corrected my speedo (slightly taller, 195-60-16) and kept the bike straighter. It's half the price, 3x the mileage and brakes wonderfully. Mine does not leak at the rim. I also used Dyna Beads (only) for balancing with positive results. Finally, I mounted it by hand without much trouble for the sidewalls were more forgiving than a cycle tire and installed it in 4 minutes by laying the bike on it's side. Thinking it's bad is an opinion. So far, my experience has been totally positive. That' all I know.
Run flat technology, alone, is the reason I decided to try a car tire. It is now 50,000 miles since, and I consider performance and asphalt adhesion to be icing on the cake. Mileage and/or purchase price were not an initial consideration, but now I also consider those factors as icing on the cake.
I would not hesitate to run a patched tire.
I have a patch kit, compressor, and Fix-A-Flat just in case. I've had to use them twice. Once I had to patch a rear tire in the first 100 miles of a 5k road trip. I decided to keep going as I was nowhere near a place to get a tire (that was open) and I was already late for meeting up with others. They would have waited, no biggie, but I decided to ride forward until I got to a major city and could change the tire. By the time I got to the major city I had ridden a few hundred miles on the repaired tire and I could not honestly feel a difference. In the end I opted to just run it until I got home. I did put a bit of Fix-A-Flat in the tire as it was losing about two pounds an evening. That stopped the slow leak and I made it home without incident. I was heavily loaded and the beginning and the end of the trip were 750 and 1,000 miles respectively. The two ends of the trip I was running hard in high heat. I had the cruise control set at about 84....no issues. I would ride anywhere on a plugged tire, but it just depends on the actual damage and fix. I was ready to change it if needed...but I never needed to do so.
YMMV, so to speak. LOL
I run Dunlop Elite 4s and got 21,000 miles. I have a 2012 GL1800 with Centramatic wheel balancers. No cupping at all. I can live with that.
I run the same and get 20k+ as well. I have a 2001 Goldwing.
You would think as big as a rear Goldwing tire is, they could put a little more beef in to the tread or come out with a hybridized tire.
Thanks for electing to stick with motorcycle tires on a motorcycle. Those that do not just don't understand the engineering in motorcycle tires. They'll work alright. Right up until they fail. Bth, just got 21k miles on my Dunlop elite 3 on my 17 Indian Springfield. Dealer said they were probably good for another 3-5K. Good work.
That's what I run and I always get 20k+ as well.
I run on Dunlop Elites also and regularly get 20 to 25 thousand miles on them and they haven't even hit the wear bar yet.
My experience of using a Dunlop car tire on the rear of a 2010 1300 yamaha Vstar. I went to the dark side site for recommended tire and air presure. I have friends who have run them on GWs.
So i tried it.
I took the tire and wheel into a Honda dealer . $25 cash no receipt to have it put on.The site said about 27lbs. I started with 35lbs. Had a friend follow me on a curvy road.
I could feel the tire coming up on the edge. Pretty squirrelly.
I started lowering to tire pressure
At 27lbs it handled decent .
I rode it from Iowa to Daytona bike week. With back roads thru Kentucky, TN , GA, and back home with no problems.
At 13k miles there was enough tread to get to 20k.
I did go back to a Michelin MC tire . And it did handle better.
One thing that was awesome was in the snow. I went down my alley to get to the street with 5" of snow with no problem.
Probably won't try it again.
Im sure there is a liability issue if you're involved in a accident.
Yes Dark siding is a mute subject, that will be debated until the end of time or until longer distant motorcycle tire is devolved, As the saying goes "You do you and I'll do me".
As for brands...we run with bridgestone for daily riding because they are softer and grip better then Dunlop (in our experience). Whenever we do our long trips, we change to Dunlop because they last longer. We recently had a trip covering over 16,900 miles, with Dunlops and still had to change tires in the middle of the trip. With our Bridgestone, we had to change tires twice on a 14,000 mile trip. So for us it depends on the situation, as to what brand we use.
moot
@@beardedbiker2647 Correct...thanks
I followed dark side Facebook and other social media sites for 3 years searching for one incidence of a car tire causing any sort of trouble - wreck, poor performance, poor traction, etc. and found not one incidence of trouble. So, went dark side 6K ago and will never go back. And, contrary to what Cruiseman says, darkside is great in the twisties. They are by no means only for interstate riding.
Thanks for the shout out Cruiseman, I agree with you that tire safety is #1 and motorcycle tires wear out at 10,000 mile before needing replacing. I'm now hearing rumors that some tire manufacters are currently in a race to manufacter a motorcycle tire that can last 50,000 miles eliminating the need for bikers to darkside a Goldwing with a 60k mile runflat car tire that came with road hazard insurance and safely ride the car tire from coast to coast. When the tires manufacturers come out with that 50k motorcycle tire, I plan to switch back to motorcycle tires. This video should help czcams.com/video/ZOgNXxChmHI/video.html
I think this rumor is the same as the 100 mpg carburetor of the 60's. it would be nice but I doubt it would ever happen.
Cruiseman and Chris ... thanks to you both for sharing your knowledge, experience and opinions with all us motorcycle fans!
Concerning Darksiding ... yep, I’m one of those crazy car tire enthusiasts.
On my 4th Michelin Defender for my 2012 Street Glide. Installed the same 205/55R16 on my CVO Road Glide. I haven’t yet gone Double-Dark, but, I’m considering it.
I too would consider a 50K mile motorcycle tire if the manufacturer would produce a quality product for a reasonable price.
I’ve read the engineering science and know the concerns about a proper bead for the tire and rim. If there were a “real” problem happening here, wouldn’t there be tons of information, complaints and warnings about tire separation and incidents! I’m sure Darksiders would voice their safety concerns if this was happening. There are a lot of Darksiders out there and I don’t see them writing stories about their tires rolling off the rims! In fact, the writings I’ve read and the videos I’ve watched are overwhelmingly positive toward going Darkside. Initial cost savings, long mileage, larger road contact for improved acceleration, increased braking power and increased dynamic stability at highway speeds are common remarks from experienced Darksiders.
I’m an 8-time Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge rider. We live for secondary roads, long construction gravel patches, twisty-turns, switchbacks, freshly mowed grass in tight turns and lots of rain soaked backroads. So far, my Michelin has performed better than expected. Caution! Strap in good before grabbing full rear brakes ... you will decelerate quite rapidly! I have ridden many mountain roads including the Snake and The Tail of The Dragon. No problems when dragging boards and making sparks on both sides.
Admittedly, the handling, at slow speeds, is noticeably different, but, easily adapted to. Making a right turn into a gas station parking lot and crossing the concrete rain gutter at a 45° angle will definitely get your attention. The rounded motorcycle tire on the front will navigate through the decline and incline of the rain ditch without a problem. However, the rear tire wants to run flat. This is a great benefit when rolling down the highway at 75 miles an hour, but, not so much when you’re crossing a contour change at a brisk walking speed. The rear tire will follow the contour of the concrete drain surface and toss the front end of the bike right and the left! Approach at a 90° angle or cross the concrete drainage a bit faster than you normally would.
Another thing I’ve noticed happens in deep gravel. The rounded motorcycle tire on the front seems to sink through the gravel while the rear tire, a wider and more stable footprint, wants to float on top of the gravel. I actually prefer this handling in gravel vs the rounded rear motorcycle tire always trying to get out from under me.
Anywho, that’s my 2¢. Thanks again for keeping us all up to date!
Darksiding is one of those issues which is primarily opinion based as very few people actually understand the science and physics behind the radius profile vs the flat profile of these tire types and how they should react when properly installed. On a trike the CT is basically mandatory much like any none leaning vehicle. There are many untested aspects regarding the dynamics of how a car radial affects the balance of a motorcycle during a leaning turn. If one really understands how a CT should function in this application the RF would definitely not be the proper choice nor would overinflation. There is a tendency to over tighten bolts, overfill oil and over inflate tires as more is always better, it's a human thing. Consequently many darksiders run extreme pressure in their tires which is counter intuitive to the physics. The more grip claim is an example of guess work as none of this has been actually tested or proven I'm not saying this is not true what I am saying is nobody knows for sure. To do this would require a track and controlled conditions which I don't believe any engineer has or would do. A CT however will hydroplane easier due to the larger contact patch, this is physics and has been proven without question. In the end like any other modification the advantages and disadvantages need to be balanced out and possible side effects understood. It's a slippery slope (no I am not trying to start an oil tread)
Just added a remark above but will highlight on your post what I wrote. I disagree with a ct being more prone to hydroplane.......unless the tire is worn out. Ct has more water wicking ability than a mt.....look at the deeper more abundant treads. I personally had a new mt hydroplane on me and I haven't with a ct. I do agree it seems people running rf ct are overinflating the tires and wearing out the center quicker. As for a contact patch I poured water on the ground, marked off a turn then rode through the turn with a mt and a ct on my bike and measured results from each. Ct had more of a contact patch. Ct also is more stable on gravel lots, rain and tar snakes. The ride is smoother and has better longevity. BTW I also do lock and lean precision riding with my ct and love riding the twisties.
Wendell Chenault I have to agree on the tread physics. Much better water evacuation channels on a car tire. Motorcycle tires until the 70s,80s were just smaller bias ply car tires in the States. They are less likely to search in a groved, snaked or gravel road. A GoldWing all trimmed out barely leans anyway.
Motorcycle tires are kept purposefully short lived. Most of the offerings are still bias ply, which is ancient tech. Motorcycles are treated in North America as a magnet for your money, like bass boats, golf courses, sailboats, etc... If Americans used them as frugal transportation as we used to, then tire companies would compete for economy not just style and elaborate tread patterns.
I have approx. 200,000 miles on car tires on my 01 & 12 Wings with no problems! When I ran E-III's on both, I got at least 20,000 miles on all tires! Now have a 19 Tour, bought in Feb. 19 with 18,000 miles + and the front looks good so far. Had to change the rear, nail, got it patched at a car tire shop and will put it back on in the future. Friend just changed E-4's with 28,000 miles (05). I cant figure out how someone can get less than 12,000 miles on a Gold Wing!! Just keep checking the pressure!
oldie, but goodie !!
My best time riding the Goldwing was on a fat car tire and did not even use a symmetrical one. Handled very well and never slipped on the wet tar on the highways/roads. Much better balance as well, especially with a passenger.
Hello Cruiseman, thanks for your input regarding the motorcycle tire subject. I have a 2018 Goldwing tour that I bought new and it had Dunlop tires installed from the factory. I have 10, 500 miles on my set of tires and I always do a "pre ride " walk around visual inspection and make the necessary adjustments of tire pressure if necessary before heading out on the road. I treat my " pre ride " inspection the same as a "pre flight" inspection which I was trained being an airplane pilot. Many accidents have been avoided due to such diligence of this procedure. It appears that my Goldwing is ready for a new rear tire ( I tow a Bushtec trailer on occasion). I am going to install a set of Bridgestone tires instead of the Dunlop tires. I also have friends that ride Goldwings that have installed a run flat car tire on the rear of their Goldwing and that is their choice but not a choice that I would make for my Goldwing. I also have a friend that rides a 2008 Goldwing that runs car tires front and rear. That is his choice. Thanks for all that you do for the CZcams vlog.
I doubt your 2008 GW owner/friend has a car tire on the front. Much more likely he has a rear MC tire on the front, i.e. a BT45.
My gripe running 41psi is it makes the ride so harsh. That being said, i think i get more life out of my E4’s at that psi. I prefer about 38/36. Max with traction has a good vid about psi as well. I agree about the Dunlop. They do not grip on wet streets as good as I would like. Heck I may try Stones next time. Regarding Darkside...I never say never. I may try sometime. I am just sick of the whole debate on it. Do your homework and ride and decide I say. My buddy Dano rides CT front/rear and honestly I cant keep up with him on the Dragon 😂.
I don’t agree with your “fear” comments, if you fear riding then don’t ride. A rider who is always afraid is going to make bad decisions. Your comments associated with “fear” are valid but instead of “fear” I subscribe to being “situationally aware” at all times while riding. Applying this element during my 40 years of riding experience has saved my butt many times.
Don't put a car tire on your on your Goldwing Mike, because that would be like choosing sides, the middle of the road is safe.
Rode a plugged car tire for about 6K across country after a puncture. Plugged it and did not even use the goop (which was dried out). Second time doing that on separate bikes. Worked well and would do it again.
I run Commanders on my Harleys, a Yokohama Avid Touring S, on my Yamaha Stratoliner and would never go back to a MC. I'm on my 3rd CT. Im also 73 years old. The OEM Bridgestone's are 6 to 7K mile tires, thats it. I get 30K on my Yokohama. Run them at 38lbs. I run Dunlop American Elite up front. I am an avid CTer, on my Stratoliner. They require more push steering than a MT but once you get used to it, you dont even think about it. As for cornering, unless I let you, you are not going to stay with me. They never drift. They handle fine with 38lbs and I've plugged 2 nails and used one can of Fix-a-Flat and run the tires out, never worrying about it. I've got the mile equivalent of 16 times around the world. Not to be disrespectful, but If you have not run on a CT, you really don't have standing in the argument.
I have no actual experience darksiding, but I've researched the subject about as much as anyone could, and it's easy to see the pattern. I will preface what I'm about to say with the statement that if you are dead set against darksiding, by all means use whatever tires YOU feel comfortable with. I'm not trying to convince anyone one way or another, I just explaining why I made the decision I made. I have decided to give it a try. Other than Cruiseman's example of what he heard explained by the gentleman who had the bead of the tire separate from the rim, I have not been able to find any tire related failures or crashes due to using CTs. I would chalk this incident up to a one in a million failure that could happen to anyone using any type of tire. I certainly wouldn't let this one incident make my decision. According to everything I've read, incidents like this are the exception, not the rule. In fact, car tires are actually safer than motorcycle tires in several ways; they channel water away better in the rain, so less hydroplaning. They provide a larger contact patch both when riding straight and when leaning. They have much stiffer sidewalls and will therefore carry more weight, which is a problem with Goldwings and MC tires. Run flat tires (which is what I ordered) can be used, which are MUCH safer than MC tires, and of course CTs are less expensive to purchase, and they last much longer. Really the only drawback is they MAY change the handling of the bike. However, most people say this change is very easy to get used to and is in no way dangerous. The other thing that could be a drawback is finding a tire place that will install a CT on a MC rim. I know of a few local places that absolutely would not do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to find some mom and pop tire place that'll do it. I have not seen where anyone who has run a CT has gone back to a MC tire. They all say they are done with MC tires. All of these people can't be wrong. I can't wait to see how the bike rides with the CT, and if I don't like it, I'll replace it with a MC tire....no harm, no foul...
Nice time of the day to be out riding. The Honda manual calls for 36 front, 41 rear, cold. Why exceed the manual by 5 psi up front? I am a little OCD about checking tires - pressure all the time (regardless of TPMS), for nails at every stop... got 150,000 out of a set of Goodyear Wranglers (5 tire rotation helped). My Harleys have all had Dunlops and I got good service out of them. My current Limited has 10,000 on the tires and they look new. Got 18,000 out of Dunlops on my first Harley before trading it and they were still in good shape. My '19 Tour came with Bridgestones - I have no experience with them but time will tell - I hear good things about them. I agree - my motorcycle was designed for motorcycle tires, not car tires. I will not use a car tire to save a hundred bucks on rubber, even if a bike tire gets replaced 2 or 3 times as often.
I've plugged a tire before less than an hour after it was put on. I ran that plugged tire for 10,000 miles with absolutely no problem. I'd do that again. Dropping $400 twice in an hour for a rear tire installed is not my idea of a good time.
Chris Caliente has been giving the darksiding a try, for a while now. He's put cameras on to give a good view of what the car tire is doing under load and turns. Something to look at for sure if you run a ton of miles regularly.
Not all car tires are MC worthy. There is EXCELLENT, GOOD, BAD, and UGLY! There are darksiders who run the twisties a well as the best and better than most who are NOT on car tires because of the increased traction. The Goldwing rear rims do fit the car tires I have run and when it comes time to demount them they are as stubborn to break free. I have a spare rear wheel so I can run both. I also install my own tires, so that is a plus too.
oops, I meant to say "most on MC tires"
It appears that riding in the States, involves many miles of long straight roads. With this in mind, I can’t see any issues with dark siding myself.
Not sure I would choose them riding in the UK however 😬
Like your channel I’m recently SSDI with in the last year but some day I would love to get a Goldwing some day get back on a motorcycle again my wife thinks I’m crazy I had a Harley heritage 2003 white was a beautiful bike but hated the ride and my hands would go numb after just a short time on the bike
I put a plug in my Bridgestone, it was dead center of the tire and rode it another 10,000 miles. If you put that plug in there right, it is NOT coming out. Thank God I went to a car tire though. All those tire worries are gone.
Plugs work pretty well when the puncture is in the center, or near the center of the tire.
Until i can afford a goldwing..i am running a kaw voyager...normally i would go through 3 rear tires a year and because i have to take the entire rear end apart to change the tire i went to the darkside..now I'm only changing the tire once every year to year and a half because 4 hrs to change a tire is assanine
I don't think safety is an issue with car tires, I just never like the way the bike felt with a car tire on it.
I may try it again with a skinnier car tire someday. I do like having TPMS on my older wing, i don't have to keep checking my pressure all the time, I put my wing on the lift to air the tires, I don't crawl under it for anything.
I'm a Bridgestone guy too. Long lasting. Great performance. Low price.
I'm coming off Michelin PR4 GT's. Supposedly a long lasting tire but I'm at the rear wear bar at only 4,500 miles... and it's true; this is a very "squirmy" tire; my K1600 breaks it loose whether upright and when leaned over. I'm moving to back to Bridgestone Battlax T31 GT's
Some comments on the recent manic support for or weak equivalents 'middle ground' opinions about putting car tires on motorcycles from someone with over 850,000 miles on a number of bikes, from cruisers to big touring machines: 1. Be sure your insurance company will pay out if you get in an accident and you decided to use non-standard equipment on your bike. NO CURRENT MOTORCYCLE MANUFACTURER SUPPORTS USING CAR TIRES ON BIKES.
2. First motorcycle tires were ALL tubed tires, took awhile to get tubeless tires on newer rims with better beads, to deal with catastrophic blowouts and other safety issues inherent only to two wheeled vehicles under usage stress. My '83 Suzuki GS1100E katana had an improved bead on its rims but still used tubes..rim casting was NOT airtight. My KZ1000S before that had terrible Bridgestones at purchase changed to Continental twins with MUCH superior traction in the rain and better bead hold for tubed tires.
3. Specialized motorcycle tires came about by way of manufacturers experience on the race circuit over time..to allow more speed and traction with more rider control. .making rims and tire technology safer for everyone who rides.
3. I also subscribe to Chris Caliente's channel and watch his newer leading video with the mounted car tires on his 2016 Gold Wing literally squirming as he moves his bike side to side..scary, going from flat across to maybe an inch of tire contact on the 'side'. .thank goodness for improving rim and tire bead technology. .a LOT of my earlier machines would have dumped me for sure if I had 'dark sided' then. If you do it now, please understand you ARE taking a risk, even with better and improving motorcycle safety technology.
4. I've had experience with car tires on bikes and no way has it ever felt right..for me..in the early days before motorcycle specific tires were really a thing and more recently. Bikes handle different from cars..do I really need to say that? If you do your riding on a TRIKE these days or sidecar equipped bike, car tires are already in the equation, and even some tire manufacturers offer a FRONT tire specifically for those riders, with the warning NEVER to use it for 2 track motorcycle use.. (they are pretty much high mileage CAR tires with bead edges for bike rims).
4. There is so much more against..go to various manufacturer websites for the explanations based on facts and science. Good luck to those who decide to ignore the experts..it's just love the anecdotal stories about "nothing bad has happened to me"...yet.
Was riding behind a Triumph once that had a car tire on the back. When he would go around turns the contact patch would look like maybe 1/2" or less. That cant be safe. I'd hate to get caught in the rain like that. After seeing that you could never convince me that that's safe.
I did a experiment several yrs ago when I was researching on whether to go dark or not. I had 2 rims, one with a ct one with a mt. I made a turn out of cones, poured water on the ground to ride through tnen made my turn. I measured the contact patch then changed rims and did it again. Results were there was more of a contact patch with the ct than the mt. Now for what you seen, that all depends on the tire he was using and air pressure. I use a YOKOHOMA Avid Ascend NRF and I will never go back to a mt. Ride is smoother, wet/dry grip is better, more stable in gravel lots and on tar snakes not to mention longevity. I have a detailed report on my findings on the dark side website.
@@wendellchenault4031 my experience as well
Ct is very safe especially in the rain .i will never go back to mt.
I think 36/41 is what Honda recommends. Or even possibly 42 on the rear.
41 rear 36 front
My owner's manual for my 2012 says 41 rear 38 front. I believe that's why his TPMS was flashing at the beginning of the video with 37 pounds on the front. I like to put 40 in the front and 42 in the rear.
@@henryhonda8408 ok, 38 front. Thanks for correcting me.
The tires that come on a NEW M/C are designed largely by the M/C Manuf. The Aftermarket tires are designed by the tire Manuf. As far as car tires, it does not add up. When they build a car that functions like a M/C perhaps. Wonder what the Insurance companies think of it , will they use that as an excuse to deny a claim ?
When I leave my house I make sure my tires are at the recommended air pressure on the OEM tires. Once I start riding regardless of the temperature outside the TMS always indicate that my tires pressure has increased, is that OK or should I adjust the pressure once I get a good reading on the pressure in the tire which seems to increase. Would it be better to start out with less air pressure say 5 lbs less so once the tire heats up it will indicates the right tire pressure. What’s your take on that CM
If you've never used a car tire as you stated, maybe you should leave the subject alone. I don't know Chris Caliente, I have watched and enjoyed his Vlogs, but the Darksiders on the GL1800 forum have MANY miles on car tires (last time I checked over 10 million cumulative miles) and we live to ride the twisties as we often do together on ride in events. Riders like Murgie, Monk, Elrod and countless others are some VERY talented (safe) riders and you failed to mention the real reason. They are a better safer tire. Its certainly not money. The CT is awesome in the rain, it brakes better (more tire contact) and after an hour of riding, you no longer have any bad feelings about the CT. I have close to 180K on car tires and cannot imagine not using one. Anyway you are invited to see for yourself at the next Ride In and see if you can keep up. Check GL 1800 Riders for the dates of the next ride.
Eddie Dial did you say 10 million cumulative mile riding car tires? The naysayers have been saying that it’s unsafe, surely one side is not being honest here, your thoughs Eddie?
Awesome channel!
Fear = Respect !!
I’m been riding for 42+ years. I’ve always used mt and changed them out as a set. I never gave any thought to going to the darkside. Now I just got my second GW for LD. Now I’m thinking about the darkside or running two rear to every front. What are your thoughts about using a new rear with a old front?
I aint rich, but I have no issue changing tires @ 5k or 10K if needed, car tires I'll run them well.. beyond what i should.
Tire pressure, on my GL1200, I run the max what is on the bike sticker, I'm very confident with the handling and noticed it's better at highways speeds. I dont want to run 41/42 etc.. but because with it having more air pressure, i feel this reduces it's flexability for varying road surfaces and reduces the contact patch, even 5-10% of what little it has would become more of a concern and feel it increases chances of unhappiness.. running the Shinko 777HD's front and rear, the front had a bump in it.. it's better when up to temp, but still a little bumpy. I dont think running a Car tire as a rear is safe for cornering not only is the shoulders of the tire good for leaning, the sidewall is also weaker. lasting longer means it's a harder compound and there less safe ??? I'd love run flats or ones that have buit-in puncture protection.
Where's the bell ???
At the most I might put 4 to 5 thousand miles a year on my GW. The bike is heavy, and that's why the tires wear out sooner than tires on a lighter bike. I'll stick with motorcycle tires, since I might only need tires every other year.
Hey Chris, when motorcycles came into existence in the early 1900s, were there already motorcycle tires invented or were they just using what was used on a car? If they were using car tires, what has changed that would make them unsafe now? I don’t know. This is just my thinking. So far I am using MC tires but I wouldn’t rule out changing. Alan
My guess is that the first motorcycles probably had bicycle tires, then moved into some form of car tire. However, they only averaged 20-30 MPH, so that has changed. I never claimed that using a car tire was unsafe, all I said was that there are those who make that argument, which is true, there are those who make that argument. I don't feel like I am qualified to claim that Darksiding is "unsafe" or "safe", for that matter. I suspect that the motorcycle would not handle quite as well in the corners with a car tire.
yes all bike tires used to have a flat profile and I'm 75 and have a car tire on my wing best ride ever
Lol put them on your Grandkids , Cruise Man , ole T-Spoon just might try that one
Michelin road pilot 4. My tire of choice. Bridgestone are too slick for my taste.
I remember riding AMF FLH’s with car tires frt & rear, now those old dressers didn’t handle well with bike tires and with car tires, OMG ! I’ll stick with m/c tires, I prefer my bikes handle well and go around corners.
I recall the Good Year Speed Grip (5.10 x 16") tires on Harleys back in the 70s-early 80s. Fast forward to 2019, and modern technology in both motorcycle and car tires. Apples and oranges.
Why doesn't someone make a Goldwing wheel to accept a car tire bead or a car tire with a bead to fit a motorcycle wheel? I like to save money as much as the next guy but I want my tires and wheels to be completely compatible.
Just a guess. Liability.
I agree.
Fear is an essential element, it keeps you alert of dipshit drivers.
Really enjoy your videos but question for you are you going to Wing Ding this year. We missed you last year when you were there got to meet Memphis Mike and Chris Caliente but unfortunately missed you Hope you are there and get a chance to meet you.
Plan to be at the openning ceremony on the 27th and trade show on the 28th
Cruiseman's Garage ok great hope to get a chance to run into you there
I got 30,000 miles on a set of Dunlop’s Elite 4
9:57 For a bike that is supposed to be smooth and plush, you seem to be bouncing around an awful lot.. maybe its those rock hard 41 psi tyres? surely the suspension can't be that bad on the new goldwings,
I rode the previous model and the thing soaked up the bumps like a champ, apparently the coin doesn't stand on its edge with the new motors either. I always liked that neat little trick...
Streets here are that bad
Given that I live in Europe, with roads full of beautiful curves, no way.
You lose your quick response with a car tire. An if your tire are worn flate you will wear calluses your hands.
If you can afford a Gold Wing then you can afford to buy real motorcycle tires is how I feel. I have 4 bikes including a GW and want the superior grip and handling of a motorcycle tire .
You sir,must be very BLISS? (sarcasm inserted)
Ride scared. Or with a healthy fear. There is a difference in fear not and no fear. No fear has shown it self to be the one a lot want to practice But it always leads to stupid stuff being done. Ti is choice in all. And no matter what one calls it, There is no justifing wrong or stupid . Dark side or not what is best for you? More rubber contact and less problems on run deflation . Your choice . But doing stupid is still stupid and does not fit the discussions. HR. MALONE SR.
I fear 4 wheelers
This dude talks too much !
That's what my girlfriend says:)
LOL
1000 bucks for a pair of tires. Ontario canada 🇨🇦