Car tires instead

jaredhodge

jaredhodge

XS650 Enthusiast
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I was looking at some bikes today and really like the look of a car tire. I have a few questions about going to a car tire. How is ride quality effected? How is handling effected? And does it effect how the bike sticks to the road?
 
A car tire? Huh thats new well I can think of a few reasons that wont work. Its flat going to handle like shit in turns and even with light weight wheels there heavy.

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It's been done more than a few times. But think about it. Cars are designed to minimize body lean in the corners. Bikes are designed with body lean as an important component of cornering. Two totally divergent missions. Can it be done? Sure. Should it be? Not on a bike I'd want to ride.

roy
 
I ran "darkside" (ie. car tire) for a couple of years on my 98 Goldwing. You can do it on a big tourer or cruiser, if you select the correct size tire. Many of the high mileage Goldwing riders are using run flat tires. They have gone to the car tires because of the longer tire life, and for many, the run flat feature. There have been (last I knew) no reported instances of accidents caused by using the car tire: indeed several people on the old Darksiders board reported the runflats saved them. Should you do it on an XS 650? I'd say no. DEfinitely NO. The Wing and the big cruisers are a whole different situation.
Mikeyrx
 
cartire.jpg
 
I'm working on a sporty with car tire. I know it looks cool, but rides like shit especially in corners:)

1476216_627013150692133_1027796088_n.jpg
 
Tire pressures are very important on the "dark side". I note Pamco Pete's picture and would comment that the contact patch on that tire is probably about the same size as a bike tire, although it doesn't look it. The Bridgestone website used to show the sizes of both bike and car tires at various lean angles. It was very enlightening. There's not much difference.
Right now the "family ride" is a G'wing trike, but if I ever get another plain wing, it will go over to the dark side again.
Mikeyrx
 
Mikeyrx said:
Tire pressures are very important on the "dark side". I note Pamco Pete's picture and would comment that the contact patch on that tire is probably about the same size as a bike tire, although it doesn't look it. The Bridgestone website used to show the sizes of both bike and car tires at various lean angles. It was very enlightening. There's not much difference.
Right now the "family ride" is a G'wing trike, but if I ever get another plain wing, it will go over to the dark side again.
Mikeyrx
Click to expand...


Are you really suggesting that there is no difference between a car tire and a motorcycle tire and that the "contacts path" is the only thing to be concerned about?
 
As a level II Michelin certified tire technician, (I took my courses for aircraft but they cover everything) I'd never do it. Far too much goes into design of tires for a specific use for me to try to out think the people that design tires. Yes, many people will shell out 20K and up for a big heavy bike and then bitch about the cost of a tire. I have 2 words: fuck em. Let them do what they want. As far as no reported accidents or incidents with car tires, if the darkside web site is your source, there is none, but they exist. I personally know of 3. One dismount of a tire while turning, and 2 with sidewall to tread block seperation. Car tires might be designed for more weight, but no auto tire is designed to stand up on the edge of the tread block like the on in that pic.
I've read where folks say they have asked thier insurance carrier if it was a problem to insure, and they said no. Ask an adjuster or a complaintant's lawyer or investigator in an at fault accident, and you can bet all that money you saved on not buying motorcycle tires better be saved up for the judgement. Every DOT tire has a master list of wheel sizes and design codes it is certified to perform with, and motorcycle and passenger car wheels are NOT nearly the same. Take a 14 ply nose tire off a Boeing that is designed to slam into the ground at 400 feet per minute descent rate and accelerate from zero to 110 in less than a second and try to drive down the road with it on a pickup truck (similar dimensions to a 235/75-15) and it overheats and explodes within 10 miles. Not the job it was designed for. Fuck dark side ignorance. Peer pressure tightwads who believe thier own bullshit. I've ridden 2 bikes with car tires on them and they were both handling pigs.
 
Dark side is dangerous on 15" motorcycle rim. apparently the bead seat is different.
 
pamcopete said:
Are you really suggesting that there is no difference between a car tire and a motorcycle tire and that the "contacts path" is the only thing to be concerned about?
Click to expand...

No, certainly not. I mentioned the tire pressure because varying the tire pressure will make a big difference in how the tire performs on a bike. As far as differences between car tires and motorcycle tires, there certainly are many, and I would not routinely recommend a car tire (note that I discouraged car tire use in the original post.) It can be done on a Goldwing if you choose the correct size tire, and it does provide benefits (longer life and most importantly increased load capacity) However, if you choose to do it you should be aware that your insurance will probably not pay any claims should you have one. Also any warranties are voided with car tire use. As is noted, the rims are different on motorcycle and car wheels.
Lets put this one to bed.
Mikeyrx ( who does have car tires on the trike but aint puttin' em on anything else !)
 
Mikeyrx,

The load capacity on the sidewall was determined by design and testing on the vehicle of intended use. Just because the load capacity on a car tire may be greater than a motorcycle tire doesn't necessarily mean that that load capacity is available on a motorcycle. Because a motorcycle does not require the load capacity of a car, that difference is taken advantage of to provide other tire characteristics that are important to a motorcycle tire.
 
It's done quite a lot on heavy cruisers, and all those negative downsides haven't become reality. At 1/2 the price and 3-5 times the mileage, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Not on a bike like an XS650, tho.
 
Scrambled said:
Hey , while you are at it you could switch over to a foot clutch -hand shift , forward controls , a hard tail frame and eliminate the front brake !
Click to expand...

you forgot to shift the throttle over to the left side with a steel push/pull wire cable like the old Indians
 
Why not just stretch the tire to pull the flat out of it. Vip & Camber yo.
 
My buddy is on his second car tire on his vulcan 2000 + his 285lb ass sitting on it. He got 5K miles on 2 of his motorcycle tires. 28K on his first car tire. His bike is his only transportation and he rides it everyday in any weather. Hardcore. He is fully aware of the limits and it works out for him. I am not saying it is good or smart but it is done by more people than you can imagine and I have not heard of an incident that was blamed on car tires.
 

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