Darksiding

[maccecht]

An American term I believe. Relates to fitting a car tyre onto a solo motorcycle on the rear wheel. As I commute on a Burgman 650 I go on the Burgmanusa forum and many on there have fitted car tyres to their Burgmans and enjoyed many thousands of miles with no issues. Reports of 25k from the tyre is not uncommon. Ignoring the UK legalities of this I fitted one and have to admit for commuting on it's perfect and handling wise notice very little difference. By the time my MOT is due I would have gone through 2 x motorcycle rears at £120 each. The fancy Goodyear I just fitted was £60 posted to my house. No brainer really.
This chap fitted one to his DL650.
Anyone else done this

[Taipan]

I don't get how it can handle okay? Completely different profile?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

It's illegal in the UK for a good reason, though I suppose it's similar to using an Avon Squaremaster

[maccecht]

It's illegal in the UK for a good reason, though I suppose it's similar to using an Avon Squaremaster

Its says inappropriate in the MOT I will take my chances

[The Spin Doctor]

Well, I'd certainly agree that bike tyres are now built to wear out, and I don't see them offering vast amounts of extra grip...

20k miles on Mk3 Roadrunners was perfectly possible and they were the first tyre I got my knee down on... the first radials from Michelin were the A59/M59 pairing and I used to get around 18k out of a pair of those. The 89's were worse in the wet and wore out in about 15k, then the 90s got the wet grip back but were down to 12k. The last Michelins I used were Hi-Sports and they were down to 8k a pair.

A buddy insists on putting some sport Michelins on his bikes and gets through them every 5k. I certainly am not slithering around behind him on my longer-lasting Contis.

[maccecht]

I don't get how it can handle okay? Completely different profile?

Its for commuting for me that is straight A roads and 20mph sround London no handling required. In fairness it handles pretty good for a flat profile tyre.

[Skub]

Nah,not for me.

I can see how it might work for you Ballyclare,given your commuting remit,but there is nothing about the idea of a big fucking square car tyre on a bike that fits my bill.

[Taipan]

I don't get how it can handle okay? Completely different profile?

Its for commuting for me that is straight A roads and 20mph sround London no handling required. In fairness it handles pretty good for a flat profile tyre.

Doesn't it fight against you when you try and change direction etc?

[Scootabout]

In fairness it handles pretty good for a flat profile tyre.

That's interesting, as the tyre's presumably being made to ride on its edge some of the time, which it never does on a car.

[Rockburner]

Well, I'd certainly agree that bike tyres are now built to wear out, and I don't see them offering vast amounts of extra grip...

20k miles on Mk3 Roadrunners was perfectly possible and they were the first tyre I got my knee down on... the first radials from Michelin were the A59/M59 pairing and I used to get around 18k out of a pair of those. The 89's were worse in the wet and wore out in about 15k, then the 90s got the wet grip back but were down to 12k. The last Michelins I used were Hi-Sports and they were down to 8k a pair.

A buddy insists on putting some sport Michelins on his bikes and gets through them every 5k. I certainly am not slithering around behind him on my longer-lasting Contis.

I daresay that there's a fair bit more grip in all weathers on the shorter life tyres, even if it's not being used.

I remember the Pirelli radials from the late 80s, (still being sold in the early 90s), they were shit.

[Mr. Dazzle]

In fairness it handles pretty good for a flat profile tyre.

That's interesting, as the tyre's presumably being made to ride on its edge some of the time, which it never does on a car.

Probably also carries alot more weight on a car.

Can you leave the bike stood up without a stand?

[The Spin Doctor]

I daresay that there's a fair bit more grip in all weathers on the shorter life tyres, even if it's not being used.

I remember the Pirelli radials from the late 80s, (still being sold in the early 90s), they were shit.

The radial Pirellis weren't as good as the Michelins at that time from my experience.

I used to ride off the edge of the Mk 3 Roadrunners and the 59 radials. I'm probably a bit less heroic now I'm in my dotage but I certainly can't feel any extra grip on the road from the latest rubber. I used to pull stoppies thirty years ago on the 59s with no problem. That's about as much as you need.

The worst tyre I've used in the last few years was a rear CST that I had fitted in an emergency after a puncture. I binned it after a week, as it slithered around all over the place on damp roads. It was more akin to the Yokohamas that came on my old 400-4 back in 79.

[A_morti]

[DefTrap]

Getting up on that sidewall looks hideous

[Scotsrich]

Not a thing I’d do myself mostly because with the mileage I do a tyre lasts years anyway.

But if it’s your thing then give it a go.

Legality aside you’ll know within a few miles if you can put up with the compromise. Personally I wouldn’t as extra mileage isn’t a priority and I really can’t see another reason.

Maccecht has tried it and he’s okay with it so that’s one up on people just giving their opinion.

[Jody]

In fairness it handles pretty good for a flat profile tyre.

That's interesting, as the tyre's presumably being made to ride on its edge some of the time, which it never does on a car.

Pushed hard on corners and roundabouts a car tyre will run on it's edge, particularly thinner (less than maybe 175) tyres with profiles over 70

[Dodgy69]

Low psi and narrow, worth a go.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Maccecht has tried it and he’s okay with it so that’s one up on people just giving their opinion.

Many years ago I had an acquaintance who had a Yamaha SR250, a truly awful motorcycle, he decided to run a radial car tyre on it, it made an awful bike dangerous, it rode like the tyre was nearly flat. A mate bought it off him and immediately swapped the tyre to a bike tyre, this returned the bike to awful.

[Taipan]

Thanks for that vid. All it did was put me off though, but it did illustrate some interesting points and I'd concede, that if straight line commuting, it may be worth a go - for some...

[maccecht]

Thanks for that vid. All it did was put me off though, but it did illustrate some interesting points and I'd concede, that if straight line commuting, it may be worth a go - for some...

Agreed and 200 miles in no regrets. I have a tracer 900 for fun and would never dream of putting a CT on it but the boring commute is a no brainer. If it gets leant over as much as it would on the sidestand on the commute it would be the equivalent of a track day