Why NOT to use a Car Tire!

[asp125]

I know a couple of "wingers" who've gone to the dark side and done this. Their main advantage is much better comfort and longer tire life. BUT these guys are putting a ton of miles at a time, and regularly ride 1000 miles a weekend. Between them they have collected a few iron butt society plaques. Plus they don't ride their bikes like sportbikes, either.

 

[ARtraveler]

Goody, goody, a Monday morning hot button issue. I will sit back and watch. :roflblack::roflblack:

 

[Bob Denman]

Why is he a "LOSER"?? He appears to be riding what he wants to and enjoying it.

Cruzr Joe

:shocked:

 

[BajaRon]

When you put a car tire on a "Leaner"...
As you lay them over into a turn; it seems that the rear tire's contact patch has to shift suddenly to the outside edge, while the front tire's patch transfers over in a more gradual fashion.
Does this cause any transient instability? :dontknow:

If you get the right kind of car tire the contact patch isn't all that different between the motorcycle tire and the car tire. It is the transition that is the bigger difference. But usually, on a Goldwing, you are not able to get far enough over to get all the way up on the edge of the car tire. On my Valkyrie I was able to get quite a ways over before hard parts started to drag. But really, once you get used to the transition it's not a big deal.

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Ron,
Thanks! I always ran m/c tires on my 'Wing; so I never even peeked at what was possible on the :shocked: "Dark Side"...

 

[HayRog]

it seems that the rear tire's contact patch has to shift suddenly to the outside edge, while the front tire's patch transfers over in a more gradual fashion.
Does this cause any transient instability? :dontknow:

According to my friends who ride car tires on the rear of their Goldwings and FJR's -- "no"

 

[BajaRon]

Hi Ron,
Thanks! I always ran m/c tires on my 'Wing; so I never even peeked at what was possible on the :shocked: "Dark Side"...

There are advantages and disadvantages to just about everything. My experience was that the advantages to a car tire offset the disadvantages. One thing I liked was that as you leaned it actually raised the rear of the bike somewhat because of the square design. This gave you a bit more ground clearance when cornering hard than with a motorcycle tire.

As I said, there was a bit of a transaction. But it wasn't difficult or squirrely at all. And I think the contact patch was probably about the same.

The car tire always got a lot of bad press. Mostly from speculators that never tried it. But car tires get bad press here when our application IS ALREADY a car tire from the factory!

 

[JimVonBaden]

There are advantages and disadvantages to just about everything. My experience was that the advantages to a car tire offset the disadvantages. One thing I liked was that as you leaned it actually raised the rear of the bike somewhat because of the square design. This gave you a bit more ground clearance when cornering hard than with a motorcycle tire.

As I said, there was a bit of a transaction. But it wasn't difficult or squirrely at all. And I think the contact patch was probably about the same.

The car tire always got a lot of bad press. Mostly from speculators that never tried it. But car tires get bad press here when our application IS ALREADY a car tire from the factory!

Well said! :thumbup: