Motorcycle Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

The Darkside - Car Tires on Bikes

55K views 134 replies 15 participants last post by  Weebel 
#1 ·
Per request, this is a sticky thread to talk about putting car tires on bikes. Suggestions for conversation:

Have you done it and why?

Do you think you would like to do it at some point?

Is it safe?

Does it add or detract from the bike's appearance?

Keep it civil. If the mods decide that this causes more harm than good, the thread will be locked. Healthy, meaningful conversation is the point of argumentative threads, not to just have a huge flame war.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Posts from original thread

Now before all you guys tell me I will crash and burn a fiery death if I do this I've heard it all before. so don't bother wasting your time trying to convince me otherwise there is hundred and hundreds of people doing this on many different bikes and they have put on millions of miles all combined and one guy even has over 226,000 miles on a GL1800 if you ride your bike 10,000 miles or more in a year, not go bar to bar you may want to look into this you can get 20,000 to 30,000 miles out of one tire and if you chose the run flat tire you can ride up to 50 miles or more to get your self out of trouble. If your open minded do a search on riding the darkside. If not click the back button NOW! I will post this in the Touring forum also


darkside.nwff.info/database.php <----A very small list
.

I've now got 12,500 (apx) miles on my Goodyear Eagle F1. Still looks brand new.

Lemme see now,...(about your thread title) is it, you are curious about running a car tire, or you are looking for "Other" people who are curious about it. :smiley_drinkcoffee:
.

Well both I don't have one yet but I have read everything that I can find about this and I don't understand why people are so close minded about this it seems to be a great way to go until the tire company's get there head out of there butt's and make a touring tire that will last longer then 10,000 miles. I hate to change tire 2 to 3 time a year. I'm going to go what is called double dark on my GL1800 for those who don't know what this is you run a car tire on the rear and put a MC rear tire on the front why? because it has twice the tread of the normal front tire. The front tire AKA rear tire is on the way and I'm soon going to order the run flat rear tire. When my tires wear out I'm going to change them if I can wait that long. greyboyfan what bike do you have yours on??
What is your opinion of the CT compared to the MC tire?
.
 
#3 ·
I'm interested in the discussion, although I don't ride thousands and thousands of miles a year.

Still, is there any reason that somebody like me couldn't do this on, say, a Yamaha V-Star 1100? I haven't gone through the first set that came on my used bike yet, but if there's a product available next change that will last much longer without breaking the bank, I'm interested in knowing about it.

I'm going to be lazy and ask this question in the thread of those who already know - what does running a car tire in the back do to stability?

Thanks in advance for the info.
 
#4 ·
First question is, How does your bike with a car tire handle large lean angle turns? Without tread on the sidewall I see problems in an extreme situation. Yes normally you would have to worry about it but I am just saying.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Mine in particular (Gol will confirm this, he has seen me ride, lol). I don't lean much, I take curves slow (when I see them). ;]

But I can see where a problem might arise in some situations, thanks Rex.

Do the wheels have to be changed for this, or are we just getting smaller car tires? I looked at the chart linked above but couldn't decode it instantly. Under the column for rims, some were marked stock, some OEM, some other stuff.
 
#7 ·
since you have the aluminum rims Rofl, you would just get a car tire that would fit, which for your bike...it has a 4.5" wheel, so a 195/65/15..and I also saw one that said 185/95/15....(I saw more f the 195's though) so I think that would be the size you would need....
 
#8 ·
Not all bikes can run a car tire or should run one harley's can't run them unless they are modified I think, it depends on the width of the rim and clearance on the bike. About the lean well on the goldwing GL1800 the most popular tire for the rear is the Kumho Ecsta SPT XRP 195/55/16 Run Flat this bike can lean very hard without a problem of riding on the side walls most cruise bikes can't lean that far ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoNDo7o1d6Q ) ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwSSXHanpv0&feature=related )this guy is hauling but! you will see that the tire rolls to the side but is still riding on the tread, the first thing you will think is look at the tread off the ground but it still has more tread on the ground than a typical motorcycle tire. Overall a car tire has more tread on the ground then a motorcycle tire obliviously making it safer. (lots of argument there but it has been proven many times I'll see if I can find a link to it) The average car tie is also designed to handle the weight of a cruiser better then a motorcycle tire again making it safer. This picture shows the the pegs very close to the ground.
 
#12 ·
There are surely differences. They're not bad, but you can't ignore them either. Both my scoots are heavy cruisers, and putting CT's on them won't make them do stuff that cruisers aren't meant to do. Ya can't go faster or anything, (unless you know how to ride fast) BUT they still do the stuff they ARE meant to do, ...just differently. You have to purposefully and intentionally hold your "countersteering manuver for the duration of a curve, and relax your grip only when you want to srtighten up. Thats IT. No mystery.
Theres not a road in the western hemisphere I can't ride on' with a confidence, that my bike will take me securely, while riding in the manner ,and in the places,that was intended by the mfg. And, with a certain confidence that in a lot of the situations that I would be in, My CT equipped bike laughs at the performance or simillar bikes with regular round profile tires.

Let me add, I notice one or two other "feelings" that may be different, that with a little time, will go un-noticed. They are on heavily crowned paved roads, you have to contiously hold a slight pressure towards the "high" side, as the flat tire wants to "run" or lean toward the "low" side,(or off the road) and at heavly crowned intersections, I have noticed, I have to lean my bike toward the high side, 'cause, the bike, as the rear tire wants to sit flat on the pavement, so in order to balance it I have to tip it to the high side a little more. Do you understand what I mean? It's not a big thing, You have to balance your bike at stops anyway, but in this case, If the pavements not flat, it's still up to the rider to do what one has to do to be balanced. Personally, I do it with hardly thinking about it anymore. And on dirt or gravel roads with ruts, well, ride ANY heavy cruiser at your own risk, on gravel. It can be done, but I never did like it. :eek:

So, there ya go. If you have a high powered 750 + lb. cruiser style motorcycle, and you can ride it, and I mean "Ride" it, then equipping it with a beter, stronger, tougher, longer lasting better traction back tire is mearly a matter of personal preferance. not a question of safety, or fool hardyness, or anything else.
 
#13 ·
Taking a look at my bike, the tire on it already rather fills the fender quite well and I am not sure how much wider a car tire could get for me.

I know what a difference these wider tires felt compared to the Honda Shadow 600, and certainly there would be further stability with a car tire but likely not enough difference with the way I ride to make the switch really necessary on this particular bike at this time.

I will still watch this dialogue for any future bikes. Thanks for starting the thread, davezncd. :]
 
#19 ·
I get a kick out of how people keep calling these car tires better when they are not....

Running a car tire on a bike is not "better" than running a tire designed for
the bike.... It will not support the weight of a bike better
than a tire that is meant to be on a bike.... Nor will the bike
lean or handle better with one.... you would have to be mildly retarded to think that...

If you want to do it than fine... its your bike do
what you want.... but dont tell people that dont know anything about bikes that its a good idea.... because it really isnt...
Bad idea? well that really depends... but I defiantly wouldnt call it a good one.... there really is no reason to do it and
negatively effects the bike if even a little..

I dont know why I still have this picture on my computer....
but these are the tires I have on my "cruiser style" bike right now... I took a pic of them when they showed up at my door.....
thats only $180 worth of rubber in that box



The rear tire (the one in question) is obviously the more expensive one.... but the one I have costs $102 and thats not
really a whole lot more than a car tire.... and the tread lasts forever on these things.... about as long as a car tire....
and you go through about 3 rear tires for every front tire so you cant figure in the cost of replacing both of them every time...
I've had these on the bike for over a year now and the tread
still looks like new... and I put a hell of a lot of miles on the thing.

Its a ridiculously sticky dual compound sport touring tire that grabs the road like its covered in glue..... and it works great in the rain also....

You can get tires like this for almost any bike.... you just have to look.

As dangerous as bike already are... do you really want to screw with probably the most important part of the thing?
Nothing effects the handling and safety on a bike as much as the tires do.

And for the love of god.... please stop saying your bike will corner better with them.... it wont.....
I would be willing to bet serious cash that I would be able to severely outrun your cruiser in the corners with these tires on my bike
if you had stock tires let alone a car tire on the back..




A lot of members here are new to motorcycles.... and dont have a clue about a lot of things....
while some of us here (like me) have been riding for years..... I've been riding half my life now.... and it doesn't help when you tell someone
thats new to motorcycles that something like this is a good idea... because they will believe you...... its not really a good idea....

Yes you can get away with it on some bikes with ought significantly sacrificing a whole lot...
but you are still sacrificing and your not going to save as much money as you think doing this...
if it all.

I've seen old choppers with car tires on the back.... and the people that own them just learned to adapt... they did it to be different and it works...
and I dont fault them for that.... but they dont go around recommending it to people because they know what the tire does to the bike.....
and having a bike tire on the back actually is a better idea...

Theres another thing you need to think of.... Insurance companies will do **** near anything to find a reason to deny a claim....
if you get into a wreck with a car tire on your bike (wich is actually a little more likely)... and your unlucky enough for them to realize that you have a car tire on your bike.... your most likely going to be screwed....
They'll most likely pull some "Improper equipment" card out of a book... blame it for the reck and deny your claim right then and there....
and a judge will most likely agree with them...... its just something to think about...

Yes you can put a car tire on a heavier bike and not NOTICE a huge difference.... so I can understand why some
people think its not a big deal.... but the difference is still there.....
and you will see it come out if you ever need the bike to react like a bike should (like trying to avoid something)

I just know from being around bikes for soo long that its not the best idea to do this and a really bad idea on some bikes....
let alone all of the physics that prove it will negatively effect things..
even if its not noticeable to some riders during regular riding...

Im not a noob to bikes.... I've been around them longer than the majority of the people on this site...
and I know what im talking about on this....

Yes you can usually get away with it...
and maybee not "notice" a difference.... but you are always going to be better off putting a good motorcycle tire on a motorcycle....
its just soo much safer than doing what some of you are talking about..

Im not really trying to flame anyone....
its that I know my stuff when it comes to this.... and I cant make myself just sit back and watch some people tell new riders that its a GOOD idea to put a car tire on a bike....

btw excuse the weird formatting of the text... I did that so you wouldnt have to scroll left and right while readin... (due to the bigger pic)
 
#20 ·
Weebel well 12,000 miles out of a set of metzlers just isn't enough for me and they seem to be one of the best mileage tires for a cruiser about 300.00 to 400.00 mounted for both depending on where you get them (05 goldwing GL 1800) very heavy bike. if you know of a better less expensive tire PLEASE let me know where I can get them! I also have been riding for well over half my life 25 years + including dirt and street. I will agree that the car tire does not handle like what we are used to but that does not mean that they are bad. What is a hell of alot of miles to you? The battle axe tire is the tire I just ordered for the front of my bike I'm hoping it is better. how many miles do you get from it? 20,000 to 25,000 miles is what I'm hoping for. I got that one on sale for 95.00 shipped hell of a deal if I could buy at this price I would be very happy and probably never consider a car tire but I to put on a hell of a lot of miles.
 
#21 ·
Yeah Weeble,...I'd like to know what you're calling "a hell of alot of miles" too.
And, It's already been agreed upon by all the posters I've seen on this forum, that Its Not For Everybody. Ok?

As for the claim that C/T are Better,....Well, Yes they are. My daily testing and evidence gathering study has proved it,(for me, anyway) Might not be better on your 750, but on a real 1500 + cruiser (ridden like a cruiser rides) Yeah! It's a Fact. They're better.

OH! and as for challenging you on the twisties" with your little round bottom tires, ...I already told you, C/T's can do "Twisties" but , Yes, you'll go faster, but,...I'll tell ya what. Lets race from your house to Alaska and back. I'll bet I pass you when you're stopping in Bum Fruck Canada to get your tires changed,(if they've got any for you) while my C/T will still has 30,000 miles of tread wear left on it. ;)
 
#22 ·
Actually.... I've lived in Alaska... and ridden this bike up there LOL

I think I have pics of it there on my other PC... (ide hard drive :( )

Round trip to Anchorage and back from my house is about 6800 miles.... I know **** well I'de have tread left after that.

Like I said... I'm not really trying to bash anyone... im just saying... to me... its not worth putting something on there that in all honesty isnt supposed to be there just to save a little money..

Ya goldwings weigh a lot more.... I think my bike only weighs about 600 lbs so my tread life will be a bit longer than yours.

Im just saying that it has to be safer to find a MC tire with the longest life you can find instead of putting a car tire on it... If it's working out for you fine.... but Its still something I would never even think of doing because frankly.... the cons outweigh the positives... (unless your a real cheap ass)

As for a hell of a lot of miles..... I personally have no freaking clue (I dint keep track) and my bike doesnt even have a speedo right now.... but I ride so **** much that my car tires have a tendency to last over a decade...

And greyboy... while they might serve the purpose on your bike... and may even last longer if you manage not to tear up the side walls.... they are not "better" lol...... theres all kinds of things that make them cause the bike to not handle as well...

If last longer = better too you... than fine I ques... but for me.... its about the way they perform....wich bike tires are better suited for on a bike...

If a car tire was better... they would come with one.... or are all of these physicists and mathematicians that designed the type of tire your bike came with wrong?
 
#23 ·
Everything else aside in both of these threads, the first problem I saw with the idea of using car tires was insurance. We're all talking about benefits of car tires in performance, but you KNOW if you go down with a car tire the insurance company will nail you to the f****** wall. It's their job to find some reason, any reason, not to pay. Remember the firestone tire incident?
 
#26 ·
That's funny, I asked my insurance company and got written approval for using the P rated radial on my bike. Not because I thought it was neccessary to do so, but so many people make that unfounded claim I decided to check it out for myself. I'm not aware of any instance of any claim being denied for anyone because of the style of tire on their bike. So, I KNOW insurance is no issue for me. But of course, anyone can get the same assurance from their insurance company if they are concerned.

So like so many other things you hear about how bad an idea this is, simply checking the facts for yourself allows you to make intelligent decisions.
 
#24 ·
in the other darkside thread, two other people have already said (one quoted his Insurance companies response) that as long as the frame had not been modified, there was nothing wrong with using a car tire, it would not affect the insurance....so if he started using a car tire (which I think he already has one on his bike, don't remember if he said or not) if something happened, and the insurance denied the claim due to a car tire, all he has to do is take that e-mail, sent from them, and they wouldn't be able to deny it...
 
#25 ·
If the very *very* best materials and components were put on a unit, those units would requre less replacement or repair. That would put a lot of businesses out of, um, business.

Each side presents its opinion based on its own experience. I appreciate hearing both sides so I can make my own decision now and in the future (even noobs have brains, thanks).

Thanks for sharing. :]
 
#27 ·
Never EVER trust what the insurance company tells you. They will find a way that the car tire is not acceptable. The approval was not run through the appropriate channels, so it doesn't count. The car tire was not exactly the type of tire that the agent believed it to be. The tire itself failed due to misuse on the bike.

You can do everything right, and they will still find a way to make it your fault. Will you win the court case? Of course. But that will be 10 years down the road, and they have unlimited money and lawyers to make SURE that you give up first.
 
#28 · (Edited)
I never mentioned what "channels" I "ran" this through, but I ran it through Progressive's corporate web site and received a written reply from their corperate representative, not an agent.

You apparently have had a bad experience with an insurance company, that's too bad but it doesn't change anything for me. I KNOW I'm covered by my insurance because I got it in writing from their corporate office. I took the time to learn the facts and ask the right questions of the right people, so I don't have to worry about needless issues no matter what any forum experts tell me.

I never, EVER trust what anyone on the internet claims, without confirming it for myself.
 
#30 ·
I wasn't saying you ran it through the wrong channels. I'm saying you can do everything right and they will still find a way to take you in to court. They aren't just going to hand over a ton of money without a fight, that's how they make money. You could have a stock bike and be driving 5 under the limit, if you get hurt they aren't going to give you a bunch of money without dragging it out for a few years first. If they spend 20k on court costs that's a lot less than the half million on your policy (or whatever you have). A different tire will just be something they'll try to use, so you are giving them just a shade more ammunition. It all comes down to whether the jury believes them or not.
 
#34 ·
Originally Posted by black27696
Never EVER trust what the insurance company tells you. They will find a way that the car tire is not acceptable. The approval was not run through the appropriate channels, so it doesn't count. The car tire was not exactly the type of tire that the agent believed it to be. The tire itself failed due to misuse on the bike.

Sorry, I must have misunderstood when you wrote above that my approval was not run through the appropriate channels, so it doesn't count. Also, your statement that "The car tire was not exactly the type of tire that the agent believed it to be." led me to believe you were claiming that I misrepresented exactly what type of tire I was inquiring about to some "agent", but once again that was not the case. In addition, your claim that "The tire itself failed due to misuse on the bike" might lead someone to believe that there is some record of where a P rated radial has "failed" on a motorcycle, but there has never been even one report of such a failure that I can find.
And since a P rated radial is engineered to exceed all the performance and safety ratings of any M\C specific tire made, someone would need to explain how it could possible be "misused" when it is on the back of a motorcycle.

I could get hit by a meteorite the next time I'm on my bike, regardless of which style of tire I use. If my insurance policy has an exclusion for acts of God, they could legally deny my claim. So I have more reason to worry about getting hit by a meteorite than to worry about using a DOT approved tire that my insurance company has confirmed, in writing from their corporate office, is fully covered. Being a realistic person, I don't worry about either one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top