Going to the Dark Side

[Roy Epperson]

At the risk and adding some serious discussion to this thread......

With the previous 4 PR2 front tires, I have gotten 13K to 16K miles. The 13K was taken off because I was leaving on 5K trip and didn't wanta deal with it en route. With the current front tire, I have (within a couple 100 miles) the same miles with a M/T and C/T - 11K total. The center wear bars show about 2-3K miles left and the tread at the first outer wear bars. The wear in this area is "flatter" than I remember it looking with a PR2 rear.

The roads and my riding style has not changed with the C/T verses M/T. The suspension settings have been set up and maintained by Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tuning and myself and similar. Perhaps, it is a manufacturing difference or because of the additional counter steering?

 

[Udjeni]

Talking about a data point. Here's a Yokohama AVS Db after only 21096 km and just before I replaced it. Oh well.

 

[user 213]

At the risk and adding some serious discussion to this thread......

With the previous 4 PR2 front tires, I have gotten 13K to 16K miles. The 13K was taken off because I was leaving on 5K trip and didn't wanta deal with it en route. With the current front tire, I have (within a couple 100 miles) the same miles with a M/T and C/T - 11K total. The center wear bars show about 2-3K miles left and the tread at the first outer wear bars. The wear in this area is "flatter" than I remember it looking with a PR2 rear.

The roads and my riding style has not changed with the C/T verses M/T. The suspension settings have been set up and maintained by Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tuning and myself and similar. Perhaps, it is a manufacturing difference or because of the additional counter steering?

It's possible. I got 19k out of my last PR2 and the current one has about 7k, IIRC and isn't as smooth as I'd like it to be. Part of my problem may be that I lost a wheel bearing while using this tire, so it got badly cupped on the right side, (the side the bearing failed on). I suspect there are simply variations in our riding, and in the batches of tires that impact how they wear. Wind, speed, heat, etc. also play a part in tire wear.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Granted that this Darkside stuff ain't an exact science, but why do I get the feeling that running an ASsymetrical tire on a motorcycle just seems like a bad idea?

Like Darksiding, it just looks wrong. :rofl: I originally choose to look for symetrical tires, but this thread is about trying new stuff and seeing what happens. The way the tread stays almost entirely on the ground until you start getting into a good lean, the tread design shouldn't make much difference. It might be real interesting on a steel grate bridge deck to do some good S turn weaves and see how it feels.

Maybe not...time will tell...but Bust, you need to report frequently on any weirdness in directionality with that rear skin, okay??

Information is good. I look forward to Bust's reports. :thumbsupsmiley:

Update or rather observations that went unreported due to the rim issue here..

I did exactly that metal bridge grate thing Eric.

Jason and I were caught in a monsoon on the way to la Crosse.. Raining like hell and windy. Lightning and the whole nine yards

Anyway when we get to the Mackinaw bridge they have the right(paved)lane closed.. We were forced to ride about a mile, mile and a half on the wet grate..

Low speed, as even the cagers didn't care for the feel. Wind was pretty stiff as it always is on that bridge.. Didn't do a whole lot of intentional weaving but the wind did keep it interesting.

Wasn't a lot of fun but I would do it again as everything felt under control.No excessive fighting the bars just let her go where she wanted with a gentle reminder now and then..

Now the sand logging track that Jasons GPS sent us on a 10 mile journey in North East Wisconsin's unspoilt(as yet) woodlands was another story. Started out half assed gravel.

I'm still in love with this tire. Now if only work would leave me alone to add more miles

 

[beemerdons]

I'm still in love with these sheep. Now if only work would leave me alone so I can have more "quality" time with my girls!

RadioHowie was supposed to fix this shit, since it is his specified Friday to stay on top of these items. But the lazy bastard didn't do his job, so once again Papa Chuy had to fix it instead. You are welcome, no need to thank me!

 

[RadioHowie]

So Sorry.....

We closed up "shop" early for the holiday weekend and I've been busy.....learning to hold my breath longer!

 

[Bustanut joker]

I'm still in love with these sheep. Now if only work would leave me alone so I can have more "quality" time with my girls!

RadioHowie was supposed to fix this shit, since it is his specified Friday to stay on top of these items. But the lazy bastard didn't do his job, so once again Papa Chuy had to fix it instead. You are welcome, no need to thank me!

Great!! Now ya got ol' fleshpickle all riled up

 

[sully]

Bot a Yokohama AVID for $126.00 and made my own brake bar. YUP, I did it.

I put a friggin car tire on the back of my motorbike. I took off a 200 size

that I had left over from my Busa, that was worn out by 5500 miles in two months.

I hope I dont have to change the back tire until 2013!

The handling was definetly not sportbike-like, but I have done 250 + miles and

now I am much better with it.

air pressure is 30-32 lbs in the back, 39? in the front. sound ok?

Also replaced the rear brake pads; they were paper thin! EBC HH were from my YAMA dealer.

I will be joining the Darkside- pic posted thurs or friday when downloaded from camera.

I love my wife, I enjoy my FJR. Three of us are happy together.

Sully

 

[mattster31]

Talking about a data point. Here's a Yokohama AVS Db after only 21096 km and just before I replaced it. Oh well.

What were you doing?? Burnouts at every stoplight?? I almost have the same mileage on my exalto and it still looks new!

Although, the temps in your neck of the woods is probably much higher than here, so I'm sure that contributed to your accelerated wear

 

[Bustanut joker]

I wanna know how he's doing burnouts. I get busted in the applesack everytime I try that stunt.. :blink:

 

[user 213]

The Yokahama dB is a softer tire. It had a much lower tread wear rating than is preferred, but there are very limited choices in the 205/50-17 size in SA. Good experiment, but no better wear than the moto tires available there.

 

[garyahouse]

Bot a Yokohama AVID for $126.00 and made my own brake bar. YUP, I did it.

I put a friggin car tire on the back of my motorbike.

air pressure is 30-32 lbs in the back, 39? in the front. sound ok?

I will be joining the Darkside- pic posted thurs or friday when downloaded from camera.

Sully

Congratulations Sully. Welcome to the darkside. Based on the forum consensus, your pressures are pretty close. You mentioned that your FJR didn't handle like a sportbike. I just returned from a 4k journey and had the chance to ride the Blueridge Mountain Parkway and the nearby Tail of the Dragon with my Exalto. I had no issues with the handling, but I did note that the tire did really well on the many curves that were powdered with grass clippings. At the speeds I was traveling and the lack of visibility going around many of the corners, grass clippings on the road were a constant danger. In addition, I drove through perhaps 800 miles of rain and was very pleased with my wet weather traction. With those two things in mind, I'm glad it didn't "handle like a sportbike" as you said. It handled everything the journey threw at it, including a drywall screw and the subsequent plug it's been wearing for 2k miles. I did discover something on those days that I spent 12 hours + on my Corbin. There are 4 distinctly different ways to sit on an FJR...
Gary

darksider #44

 

[Spook]

stil loving it and still no issues about 10 k on it now I can hit the corners with no issues

 

[LowAndSilent]

Did Lolo pass twice at speed and a ton of other fun roads out in Idaho and.Montana during the GBU Rally this weekend. Absolutely no issues and she handled fine. I even managed to slip it by Warchild during tech inspection without too much grief. :lol:

 

[SouthernCruizer]

check out this dark sider!!

 

[Fred W]

Good one! There are so many things going on in that picture:

1) CT on back (obviously) on a cruzer.

2) Rider chick's got some well developed arm muscles! Nice riding gear. Would like to see the frontal shot.

3) Chick's flexing #2 like she's hangin on for dear life. Must get tiring...

4) Majorly dragging the floor boards.

5) She looks like she's using the back brake pedal (can't tell from the aftermarket LED brake lights), but she's not touching the front one, and the guy she's chasing is definitely braking late into the corner. Definitely not riding "The Pace".

6) Why is her left turn signal on?

 

[RadioHowie]

Scary thing is.....

.....assuming it's a chick! :lol:

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Scary thing is.....

.....assuming it's a chick! :lol:

That rear tire is gentle enough for a woman, but made for a man! :drinks:

 

[Bustanut joker]

Scary thing is.....

.....assuming it's a chick! :lol:

Chicks with Dicks?

 

[wfooshee]

For example, seen at a local cruiser rally. Check out the nail polish!