Going to the Dark Side

[RiderX]

Patience grasshopper. I will use this label wisely.

DS#69

 

[SkooterG]

Jenny M--may have to start watching The View!
Thank you for breaking this ground. Perhaps i am the first clutch lever-less darksider. I have just over 5k on the Exalto at 31 PSI. I love the following:

Slow speed heavy traffic, bike stays very upright. Yes, but if the road is uneven the FJR will be tossed around worse than the Edmund Fitzgerald just before its unfortunate demise.

Dirt and gravel: much improved

Rain (especially standing water common in Mojave with flash flooding): much improved Not sure about this. Because the tire is flat instead of curved it will be much more likely to hydroplane in standing water at speed.

Mountain Twisties: handles wonderfully

Longevity/cost: expecting great things

I did notice on the 32 hour ITU when going to medium lean to heavy lean it takes a lot of grip input with increased resistance. This is a non factor for a day ride, but after many hours in the saddle, it is possibly fatiguing--hard to say after one rally. My observation is that at medium to higher lean angles it takes less effort. Its the lesser lean angles that takes more effort and can get a little bit more fatiguing for me.

I believe MPG is reduced if you are a deliberate or aggressive rider, especially if in mountains. May be negligible if you are slabbing down the interstate with a bigger tire. In my short experiment, riding aggressively I saw a drop in mpg. This makes sense to me. I'm not sure mpg is reduced. Perhaps just a bit, but I am not convinced. What I do know is that the larger circumference of the Exalto leads to an approximate 3% odometer correction of showing less miles than actually travelled which can have a small impact on mpg calculations. And the the slightly higher final gear ratio it provides should also help offset the extra mass and rolling resistance.

I am very impressed. Me too.

I agree with all the above. And, for me, there is no noticeable difference in mileage. And, I am still mad you got #69

Well, I don't quite agree with everything. (See red above) Funny how different folks get different impressions. Even with the same tire.

I had an interesting observation lately. After riding 30k miles on moto tires, I went back to the car tire FJR. Took me 200 miles or so to adjust again, and I wasn't liking the increased effort at initial turn in. Checked the pressure and it was low at about 26 psi. Pumped it up to 34 psi for the heck of it and initial turning effort was greatly reduced. Opposite of the way I thought it would have worked. Go figure. Sure liked that easier initial turning input requirement.

27k miles on my Exalto so far. Figure I have 5-10k left to go.

 

[SkooterG]

Well here it is. Proof *POSITIVE* that Hot Chicks absolutely DIG Retards who ride car tires! :wub: There was no lovin going on for my moto-tire cousins I'm a telling you.......

Yes boys and girls, it was another tough day at the office.........

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Uh Skooter? Just in case no one told you yet today, YOU SUCK!

The damned Yamaha shirt was just icing on the cake.

I am kind of glad to see you smiling and posting here though. Just a little bit anyway.

 

[101stpathfinder]

You stinking dog!

It is amazing what PITY will make a woman do!

Good to see Hula Girl in action!

 

[Fairlaner]

what about the pics u sent me last night?????

R

 

[SkooterG]

what about the pics u sent me last night?????
R

This is a *cough-cough* family oriented forum. Adult themed images are reserved for private.........

 

[dougc]

Rain (especially standing water common in Mojave with flash flooding): much improved Not sure about this. Because the tire is flat instead of curved it will be much more likely to hydroplane in standing water at speed.

Well, I don't quite agree with everything. (See red above) Funny how different folks get different impressions. Even with the same tire.

SG, this was my initial feeling as well but my first long ride on the exalto was a rainy one. I found my confidence in the wet to be much higher with the ct (at 31-32psi) and loaded for bear. My guess is that the tire evacuates/displaces water more effectively.

Totally agree on the effort, more effort to initiate, but less once heeled over, and the rest of your points.

Impressions, all in perspective. To add the proper perspective, I've only got about 3K miles on my tire.

 

[Bugnatr]

Scooter=bastard!

Uh Skooter? Just in case no one told you yet today, YOU SUCK!
The damned Yamaha shirt was just icing on the cake.

I am kind of glad to see you smiling and posting here though. Just a little bit anyway.

+1 you really suck, bastard!

 

[exskibum]

Well, for once, xx xxx'x xxxx your xxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxx xx xxx xxxxxxx, xx lucky bastage.

But yeah -- I'm going to a CT xx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxxxx.

(Edited to reflect Smitty's disclosure of the real story, below.)

 

[Niehart]

From Tonyducks blog:

https://www.intothebl...ain.com/page/21

"Before leaving I decided to change my rear tire with a car tire. I got the idea from Eric, a generous man who helped me bleed my clutch fluid at his place when I was in Utah, He was a journeyman as he was the first put the car tire on the FJR 1300. I found him on the FJR help list which was provided on the forum I belong to. It was fairly easy to machine the single sided brake tensioner arm necessary to make the clearance in the well, but more challenging finding the shop to mount and balance the tire. Finally I found a service manager at a Honda shop who had a rear tire on his Gold Wing and was willing to help out."

And there is even a picture of this Eric [OCfjr] fellow.

 

[user 213]

Tonyducks blog is an interesting read. Decided to drop into a different reality and live life on the edge of a shoestring budget, learning from those around him and seeing where that would take him. With camera. The blog skips and jumps at times, and sometimes he's too far out of my realm for me to see his perspective, but I hope he finds the meaning he was looking for.

 

[RiderX]

Couple additional comments:

Yes the water thing: on good pavement, I believe it is a displacement issue. I've gone through a lot of standing "road is flooded" two weeks ago (CA62) and it was a different machine.

Also very nice in couple decent thunderstorms on Idaho last week.

The lean thing. I agree with what I've read regarding the initial turn in. This gets the CT in the flex zone. Now if you really get the tire "on edge" I found added force was again needed, but this was one 32 hour perception so who knows??

Thanks for all the info here and well done with the Yammie Gurlz.

 

[RiderX]

Oh shoot forgot mpg, diameter, got it. I said "if" riding aggressively, perhaps I should of said when well loaded too. I think the standard sport touring would be negligible, I had to make her work very hard in third gear to get around RVs and such on lonely mountain roads. Felt very revved up.

Now I have the heaviest FJR (AE, California) plus 30 lbs tools, 30 lbs pelican, aux tank, etc.

Perhaps with elevation and/or uphill this also factors. What is a CT, 30 pounds?. I found cruising in the same config, nothing noticed (at steady 80 mph).

I'm gonna go back to m/c (to use it up) next month and solidify opinions

 

[RadioHowie]

Just flipped over 37,000 on my Michelin A/S Plus. Honest to goodness, I don't think this thing will EVER wear out! It's got MORE tread-depth on it at 37,000 than my PR2 front had brand new, 6 months ago. I'm guessing it's easily a 60,000 mile tire.

I have had NO issues with it, other than a little rear-end wiggle around 125 mph, which could probably be factored out with tire pressure adjustments, but hell...I don't spend a whole lot of time at that speed, so it's not a serious issue.

BTW, Skooter.....https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/****.gif

 

[smitty141]

To bad Skooter, you almost pulled it off.. Hey everyone, thats Skooters daughter.... And your a sick bastard....

Smitty

 

[smitty141]

XOXO Skooter...

 

[RiderX]

37,000? Damn

 

[exskibum]

Hey everyone, thats Skooters daughter.... And your a sick bastard....
Smitty

No shit?!? I don't see the same ears, an she's a whole lot better looking than our hero, but on your word, I got some editing to do above!!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

To bad Skooter, you almost pulled it off.. Hey everyone, thats Skooters daughter.... And your a sick bastard....

Smitty

I call BullShit. There is no way that any woman who looked good enough to produce a daughter like that would ever mate with SkooterG.

Plus, as has been noted, she does not have those ears...