| Author | Message | ||
     Whisperstealth |
Just heard/learned about this. Putting a car tire on a bike. Anybody out there try it on a buell? Thought's? | ||
| Redbuell_really_gives_you_wings |
Yeah sure, buy one of the best cornering bikes on the market and put a tyre on it designed for a completely different purpose.  | ||
| Rwven |
I've seen a few on cruisers and touring bikes, works quite well from all reports I have seen. There are a fair amount of riders agin' it, but they don't have much hard evidence to back up their disdain for it. The dark siders love the long life, better wet traction and decreased braking distances (remember, these are cruisers and tourers). (Message edited by rwven on July 13, 2010) | ||
| Trevd |
Putting a car tire on a motorcycle is just about the dumbest thing you could do, IMHO. A bike is made to lean. Car tires are not. It's pretty simple. | ||
| Babired |
yeah you will run out of lean angle then depending on how big the tire is you change steering from press to lean to push and pull to turn.........too much work might as well get ape hangers to go with the fat tire  (Message edited by babired on July 13, 2010) | ||
| Rwven |
The bikes that run car tires run out of lean angle from frames and floorboards far earlier than they do from running car tires.....with the possible exception of an 1800 GoldWing, and they still drag pegs running car tires....go figure! Here's a Triumph Rocket III running a car tire hard in the twisties: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYhkCA_JwJM (Message edited by rwven on July 13, 2010) | ||
| Bluzm2 |
It's your butt. Not a good idea at all. Motorcycle tires have a VERY different internal structure compared to a car tire. The loading dynamics are very different. As allude to above, car tires are designed to operate in the vertical plane. Motorcycle tires are designed to operate in the vertical plane as well as everything else down to the edge of the tread. Heat generation and dissapation is also different. A side car rig is mostly vertical, I still wouldn't use a car tire. One additional note, the tire beads are also different. Car tires don't have the same bead profile as a bike tire for the above reasons. Very dumb idea to save a few bucks. Use the right tool for the job. | ||
| Rwven |
The Boss Hoss comes from the factory with an automobile tire mounted on the rear. Now, whether or not the Boss Hoss is a motorcycle is a possible subject for discussion... | ||
| Trevd |
The Boss Hoss doesn't lean. | ||
| Billyo |
There is a lot of ignorance on the subject. "It's stupid", "you'll die a flaming death", "you're balls will fall off", etc. There are a bunch of FJR riders using them now so it's not just for cruisers any more. The only real downside any of them report is that it takes a little more effort to initiate a turn, which you get used to quickly. Doesn't sound any dumber than a nine foot long chopper with a 300 series rear tire. | ||
| Lastcyclone |
Boss Hoss has car tires to go with the car motors. | ||
| Discochris |
I've only seen it on GL1800's and even then, it's usually serious Iron Butt guys who ride 10,000 miles of mostly slab in a very short time. For that kind of mileage, I'd be more inclined to go with a ME880 or a Dunlop 491, depending on the bike. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I do a lot of Arkansas to Kansas, Minnesota, and SoDak. Up and down in a lot of flat land. I'm heavy and pack a lot. I would like something that gets better than 8000, 9,000 miles. I like the comparison one guy makes. The mileage of motorcycle tires has not gone up proportionally with their cost. Car tires may cost double what they used to, but their mileage has doubled or better as well. A $200.00 bike tire does not get 20,000 miles. A $100.00 car tire will get 50,000+ miles. I understand but don't completely buy the apples and oranges argument. Bike tires are over priced given that prices are more than four times what they were in the eighties, but are barely, barely and not even getting twice the mileage in some cases. Read this guy's argument: http://lifeisaroad.com/stories/2004/10/27/theDarkS ide.html Sure he is talking about cruiser tires, but his point is valid. I'm surprised at all the "It's a very dumb idea." talk. I thought buell riders were known for coming up with different idea's, and at lest throwing them out there. I thought the same about the idea until I did a little research and found others doing it successfully. My point is I did the research before I started blasting away. | ||
| Rwven |
Here's one of the guys I ride with on his PC800 on the Dragon. He's running a car tire on the rear and throwing sparks....  | ||
| Od_cleaver |
Look at this web site>> http://mcdarksiders.forumotion.com/forum.htm No Buell postings, it looks to be all metric bikes. I ran into this tire size calculator that maybe useful>> http://www.barretire.com/calculator.htm This Harley site has a car tire discussion going>> http://www.hdforums.com/forum/softail-models/538419-first-heritage-darksider-afaik.html#post6996350 I once had a 05 Goldwing. There was a lot of discussion about car tires at that time. (Message edited by od_cleaver on July 15, 2010) | ||
| Trevd |
From the above mentioned website: "It requires active counter-steering to put the bike in a corner. The Valkyrie has always required a firm hand, and this is not significantly different. The difference is that on the motorcycle tire, once the bike was stable in a corner, driver input on the handlebars is not really needed. The bike will stay in the turn unless power is applied or removed, or the terrain/surface of the road changes. With the car tire, the counter-steering input is required the entire time the bike is in the corner. If it is released, the bike will straighten up on its own. Those of you that push the twisties and know how to drag pegs (really know how to turn) will understand it right away. The other difference is in what I'll call "bump steer" Varying terrain, such as a ridge on the road, a track in a dirt road, or an angle or crown to the road will give much more feedback than they do on a motorcycle tire. The bike will have the tendency to turn downhill. At highway speeds this is not an issue (not felt), at lower speeds, again, it requires a firm hand on the handlebars and the bike remains well behaved. It is just telling you what it feels on the road. You feel the steering inputs, you do not have to accept them." Why you'd want to make a great handling bike handle worse is totally beyond me. His comments about the lifespan of tires is hogwash too - There are enough tire manufacturers, and enough competition, that if they could make a great handling motorcycle tire with the kind of lifespan as a car tire, someone would. Obviously there are compromises to making a long lasting tire that just don't work for the demands of the sportier motorcycle rider. | ||
| Motorbike |
What type of "car tire" are you guys referring to? If you look at the profile of the tread surface on my XT tires, they are very round, especially the front tire, compared to any car tire I have ever seen, which is flatter across the tread. The only advantage I could even imagine is that the tread life of a car tire would far exceed any motorcycle tire. As far as handling goes, in my opinion, car tires would make the bike handle like dog crap. Might just as well drive a Harley. Why doesn't someone who personally knows Erik ask him what he thinks of putting car tires on our bikes? I would love to hear his reply. Thanks. | ||
| Rwven |
Motorbike, Absent data to the contrary I don't expect that running a car tire on an XB would be appropriate to the mission of the motorcycle. For that matter I don't think there is a 17" car tire that would fit an XB. The smallest I could find was a 195 width. The guys running car tires generally don't ride sport bikes, though I did see a ZX 14 with one, usually you see them on cruisers and big tourers. The main reason they are run is because of much increased tire life, reportedly they are better in the rain and on rear weight biased cruisers they stop better. I can't imagine they would handle (stick) any worse than say a TKC 80 does on a Uly...it's a different tire for a different set of circumstances. I could see running one on a long distance highway oriented tour for example....if one were available that is. As for Erik's opinion, in general I would respect it if he tested out the concept first. I've spoken and ridden with several riders who run car tires, their opinions are based on experience. (Message edited by rwven on July 15, 2010) | ||
| Motorbike |
Rwven, I guess I was a little outspoken in my last post. I have never tried a car tire on any of my bikes, not even the two Goldwings I once owned, so I have nothing to back up my claims. I apologize for that. I don't have the opportunity to ride as many miles in a year as some of you people do so it takes more time for me to wear out a tire than those of you who use your bikes for basic transportation, just as I do my car. If I went through tires that quickly, I too would be desperate for a longer lasting tire, even if handling suffered a little. Thanks. | ||
| Redbuell_really_gives_you_wings |
As for Erik's opinion, in general I would respect it if he tested out the concept first. Are you serious that EB would even consider running a car tyre on a Uly? After all the testing and designing of these bikes, i doubt EB would throw all that out the window to get extra miles out of a rear tyre. Bike tyres might cost more these days compared to decades ago, but didnt run dual compound or have the R&D we see for todays tyres. Who wants a pig of a bike that needs wrestling at every corner..not me, and i dont need to fit a car tyre to my bike to realise its a stupid idea for these model bikes. Maybe some people think its good value to drag their baggers up and down the interstate with car tyres but thats about its limit imo. | ||
| Rwven |
RBRGYW, I think I was pretty clear that the design mission of an XB didn't fit well with running a car tire on it. A TKC 80 doesn't quite fit that mission either though, does it? If you want to narrow the focus of the bike for some reason (single track or superslab) either tire might be appropriate. Mr. Buell would probably say...Cool! If that's what you want to do.... | ||
| Redbuell_really_gives_you_wings |
At least the TKC80 was designed for a motorbike  Anyone willing to risk life and limb to run a car tyre on a Buell as per the original question? | ||
| Whisperstealth |
I'm thankful for all the input. Bad idea or not, it's my thought to throw the ideas out there and see what sticks. It usually takes a bunch of not so good ideas to come with one that is. Asking questions is extremely important, I'm one of those that think the worst question is the one not asked. Would I be willing to try the idea out? Yes. If a car tire came along that might work, I would give it a shot. I would be very careful, taking things slowly, but I would look at it as an experiment. If it worked, cool! And if not, cool! I'd now have first hand knowledge I didn't before. Again, I'm not thinking about hitting the twisty's, just going back and forth, up and down Missouri and Iowa. And right now, my bike is my only form of motorized transportation. Besides, you never know when you might be some where, or get to a point where you need to make things work in an emergency. And GI Joe tells me knowing's half the battle  | ||
| Echo15 |
I would do it in a heartbeat.... if I ran a sidecar. |
