Going to the Dark Side

[Fred W]

Again I am trying this specifically because finding and replacing 4 rears on the road in next 2 months is going to be a major pain, there are not lot of m/c dealers or UPS stores to mail to north of Yellowknife.

North of Yellowknife? Maybe you should have used a snow tire!

 

[RadioHowie]

The CT at 13k miles.

[SIZE=18pt]SOLD!!![/SIZE]

Eric, you call that tire "less than half worn"? At 13k, your CT looks like it just got pulled off the rack. At 13K, I'm two-thirds the way through my 3rd Avon.

Are you sure you haven't died in a horrible, flaming explosion of plastic and aluminum yet?

 

[sonicspeed]

hmmmmm i do believe i'm gonna drink the kool aid on this one. :twitchsmile:

 

[BugR]

Again I am trying this specifically because finding and replacing 4 rears on the road in next 2 months is going to be a major pain, there are not lot of m/c dealers or UPS stores to mail to north of Yellowknife.

North of Yellowknife? Maybe you should have used a snow tire!

That was an option so was studs.

I am so glad you guys have no idea what I'm planning for the front .........

Darth

Damm wrong account LOL

Chris

 

[Catfish]

I'd have a CT mounted already if I could find a 15k mile front.

Hit me, what are you doing.

You can PM me if ya have to.

 

[BugR]

I'd have a CT mounted already if I could find a 15k mile front.Hit me, what are you doing.

You can PM me if ya have to.

Sorry I don't think it's a high mileage option, more for unpaved road since we are looking at doing the Dempster on this trip.

I'll be carying one spare front since both bikes front wheels are the same size. Carrying rears is not an option.

Chris

 

[Bellerophon]

And that's just fine too. There just isn't much point in crying doom at this stage. Now go kill a chimera and come back and we'll discuss it some more.

Yeah I thought about naming my FJ Pegasus. :lol:

I was just expressing my opinion like everyone else.

Now where did I put that block of lead.

 

[user 213]

What's that I see on that tire? A chicken strip? Holy cow, Eric. You're not even using all the tread that is available to you...

Color me surprised.

I know, it's shocking, isn't it? Just do realize, the chicken strip isn't that whiter line, that's just some garage dust, the chicken strip is way over on the side there, that last 1/4" or so. And if you look at the tire closely, you will note that there are only a few small rubber tits still remaining on the sides, that's because I've actually gotten over all the way too, just not nearly that often. Mostly in the rain during the recent Spank rally in AR.

Frankly, my chicken strips are smaller than those on a lot of FJRs I've seen with moto tires.

@Bellerophon - naming a bike after something that flies through the air is never a good thing!

@Catfish - 15k front? I got that from a Conti Road Attack. Going to try their new Conti- Motion next on the front.

 

[user 213]

Eric, you call that tire "less than half worn"? At 13k, your CT looks like it just got pulled off the rack. At 13K, I'm two-thirds the way through my 3rd Avon.
Are you sure you haven't died in a horrible, flaming explosion of plastic and aluminum yet?

I haven't so much as dropped it in the parking lot with the CT, <knock on wood>.

At 30 psi for the bulk of the riding, the wear is surprisingly even across the tire. I had been wondering if the middle or sides would show wear first, but it's just even across the tread. I'm liking the even wear, so will probably stick with 30 psi on this tire.

Tire preference is an individual thing, as is obvious on any tire thread. If you go stiffer sidewalls, I believe you can use less pressure. If you go softer sidewalls, the pressure needs to be a bit higher, but not quite into the range of what a car would use. Again, simply my opinion and observations so far.

 

[user 213]

Please keep us informed as your testing continues. It'll be interesting to see how many miles the tire might last and if traction deteriorates as it does with some motorcycle tires.

Will do Mike. At this point, I have noticed no changes in traction levels. If anything, turn in is easier than when the tire was new, but this is difficult to judge. It might be more the results of my lowering the pressure, and getting used to the tire.

 

[v65]

I haven't so much as dropped it in the parking lot with the CT.

That's still possible? :lol:

20 pages, I have gone from no way to maybe. Keep writing.

 

[RadioHowie]

20 pages, I have gone from no way to maybe. Keep writing.

 

[Bustanut joker]

20 pages, I have gone from no way to maybe. Keep writing.

Hey H.R.Puffinstuff ? Anybody ever tell ya yer a dork?

:blum:

:jester:

 

[RadioHowie]

20 pages, I have gone from no way to maybe. Keep writing.

Hey H.R.Puffinstuff ? Anybody ever tell ya yer a dork?

:blum:

:jester:

:headbonk:

I was kinda, sorta on topic. BE GOOD!!!

 

[user 213]

Another PM question -

Why not use a 185 or 195 sized car tire, rather than a 205. It was suggested that the smaller car tire would be less expensive, easier to mount, and have less rolling resistance and be closer to the original 180 tire size.

The main reasons for this are pretty strait forward. There are no 185 width tires in 17", at least beyond temp spares. 17" tires tend to be in a performance or grand touring class. They often have squarer profiles, in part to maximize tread life, an in part to improve cornering stability with stiff side walls.

Even in 195 widths, there is only one that I can find on Tire Rack's site - 195/45-17

Other than being a ultra performance summer tire, it's not a bad looking tire. I suspect the sidewalls are stiffer than I would prefer, but again, tire choices are a very personal thing.

Yes, it's narrower & slightly lighter and would fit, clearance wise w/o modifications. However, it's rated for a 6" minimum width rim, and it's a 45 series, which means a shorter sidewall and smaller diameter than the stock moto tire, (speedo will read faster than with the stock tire). Getting that mounted to the FJR wheel might be problematic due to the shorter sidewalls.

Another reason I prefer the 205/50-17 size is that it's a very common size tire. You can probably find one in stock at most tire dealers if you need one on the road.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Another PM question -

Why not use a 185 or 195 sized car tire, rather than a 205. It was suggested that the smaller car tire would be less expensive, easier to mount, and have less rolling resistance and be closer to the original 180 tire size.

The main reasons for this are pretty strait forward. There are no 185 width tires in 17",

Even in 195 widths, there is only one that I can find on Tire Rack's site - 195/45-17

Yes, it's narrower & slightly lighter and would fit, clearance wise w/o modifications. However, ....

Here are some other 'specs' gleaned from that (linked) TireRack site:

A few other differences:

OEM FJR rear ('Stone 021) v/s (generic) 205/50/17 CT

• Overall diameter: 24.8"(moto) v/s 25.1"(ct)
• Tread depth: 7/32"(moto) v/s 10/32"(ct)
• Weight: 13.7 lbs(moto) v/s 24 lbs(ct)

That last comparison -- weight -- is/can be somewhat critical. 10 lbs. more un-sprung weight can add considerably to the work the rear shock has to do (controlling the rear wheel). May affect handling (especially on rough roads)? May reduce rear suspension unit longevity?

Not damning CT fitment on FJR -- just illuminating..... :blink:

 

[user 213]

Here are some other 'specs' gleaned from that (linked) TireRack site:A few other differences:

OEM FJR rear ('Stone 021) v/s (generic) 205/50/17 CT

• Overall diameter: 24.8"(moto) v/s 25.1"(ct)
• Tread depth: 7/32"(moto) v/s 10/32"(ct)
• Weight: 13.7 lbs(moto) v/s 24 lbs(ct)

That last comparison -- weight -- is/can be somewhat critical. 10 lbs. more un-sprung weight can add considerably to the work the rear shock has to do (controlling the rear wheel). May affect handling (especially on rough roads)? May reduce rear suspension unit longevity?

Not damning CT fitment on FJR -- just illuminating..... :blink:

Valid points. The 25.1 Dia. actually improved my speedo/odo readings, making them dead on, verified by GPS.

Yes, the CT is heavier. Yes, more unsprung weight could lead to shorter rear shock life. Could. FWIW, I have a Wilbers shock with an 800 lb spring that's been rebuilt by GP Suspension. Getting rebuilds a little sooner doesn't really bother me, IF it comes to that.

 

[user 213]

Earlier I mentioned I was thinking about the Bridgestone Potenza RE92 as an alternative tire choice for darksiding. In reviewing the specs some more I have found something that concerns me about that tire. The tread wear rating is 260, whereas the treadwear rating for the 019 Grid is 460. Also reviews for the RE92 are all over the place, some hating it, others liking it.

Treadwear ratings are given by the manufacturer during a 7600 mile test on a fixed course. So it's not a true example of full tire life, but their guesstimate after 7600 miles. It strikes me as odd that the tire with the 40k warranty has a much lower rating than the tire with no warranty that I was told to expect 20-25k out of on a car. From the rating and the reviews, it seems that the RE92 is prone to uneven wear or early wear, more so than the 019 Grid. Not sure if this will directly relate to use on the FJR or not, but for the extra $100 for the RE92, I'm inclined to not find out for myself.

Do understand that treadwear ratings are sort of useful comparing the same brand, but since they give them out themselves, not quite as useful comparing different brands. It's sort of a scale to compare to in the same brand and can help you figure out another brand's comparable rating, which may be in the same range, or significantly different numbers.

Additional searching discovered a Yokohama tire, the Advan S4 with good specs and it's slightly narrower than the 019 at 8.2" section width. It may fit w/o modifying the brake tension arm. The diameter is slighter larger, 25.2 Vs 25.1 for the 019, but that should only change the speedo by 1 mph slower than actual. Not really enough on it's own to worry me.Linky

 

[jekirby]

Ran in to this Venture while at Myrtle Beack Bike Week, thought I would share......

 

[Patriot]

OK, I've heard this is a common problem for some Dark Siders without tire changing machines or out on the road needing a tire...

What about us who don't have tire changing machines or skills to mount the CT on the Feejer rim ???

Any comment about the problem or lack of to get somebody to mount a said CT on a motorcycle rim...

TIA,

Mike in Nawlins'