Going to the Dark Side

[myrwon]

removed OEM rear tire and install CT (Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S - 205/50R17) and Rear Brake Bar - do I get a cookie now

What PSI are you guys running....28-30

 

[SkooterG]

Again........ where did you get the Exalto?

 

[juniorfjr]

Yes, yes . we need to know. Where did you get the exalto? And are there three more?

 

[rbentnail]

removed OEM rear tire and install CT (Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S - 205/50R17) and Rear Brake Bar - do I get a cookie now
What PSI are you guys running....28-30

I prefer the pressure up around 34, 28-30 was too squishy for me. But I'm running the GMax. Maybe do what I did- pump it up to 36 and ride. Let some air out and ride. Repeat until you find what you like.

 

[bikerbuddha]

When can I get my Darksider no# I should be 85 or 86. I would prefer 86?

 

[user 213]

When can I get my Darksider no# I should be 85 or 86. I would prefer 86?

Taken care of. You are number 86 as requested since I've been a bit busy and haven't added the last few Darksiders until today.

Welcome to the Darkside myrwon, (#85), bikerbuddha, (#86), & DaJuice, (#87), you have been added to the Darksider FAX as Darksiders #85, 86 & 87. I hope you enjoy the benefits of the car tire and adapt to it's oddities w/o issues. Greater traction in nearly all conditions and the extended tire life outweigh the different feel in transitions and tendency to follow ruts for most people.

You will be notified when the next initiation meeting occurs. It will probably be a while though. You may have heard about the big brawl at a TX Twin Peaks restaurant recently. While I was successful in blaming a couple of biker gangs on all the shooting, it was really just a Darksider event. Unfortunately the women from the Jenny McCarthy School of Chrome Removal, (JMSCR) came in and found the women from the Nevada House of Hoes, (NHOH), partying with us and all hell broke loose. Jealousy is not a pretty sight!

 

[Pterodactyl]

Don't believe his stories about wild celebration parties. He waits until he finds out there is a kid's birthday party at the local Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant and then crashes that. You have to bring your own water or soda.

 

[user 213]

Don't believe his stories about wild celebration parties. He waits until he finds out there is a kid's birthday party at the local Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant and then crashes that. You have to bring your own water or soda.

Have you been to a Twin Peaks? Pretty much the same crowd as Chuck E. Cheese's.

 

[rbentnail]

At least we got cookies over on a Kawasaki forum. I got a box of Barnum's Animals.

 

[CaDirtRider]

I just put a General Gmax on my 05 FJR A. Heading to SWFOG on Thursday. How do I get a darkside number??

Thanks!!

 

[user 213]

I just put a General Gmax on my 05 FJR A. Heading to SWFOG on Thursday. How do I get a darkside number??
Thanks!!

Post a pic of your bike with the CT on. www.tinypic.com if you don't have a hosting site already. Free and easy, just cut and paste the IMG code strait into your post, don't need to use the 'buttons' above the text block here.

 

[RiderX]

Scooter & Junior:

I got an Exalto from an Amazon guy (would post a link but it appears I got the last one) delivered 3 weeks ago.

History:

I ran about 25k on an Exalto and switched last year to a Yokohama that was recommended to me (was having trouble finding the Michelin). I ran the BL7 and BTR80 rallies with it (15k) and decided I preferred the Exalto.

Some other observations. I found a car tire for continuous 1000 mile day rally miles is more fatiguing. Especially with the arms and hands. More pressure is needed to both initiate turns and keep a stable constant lean angle. This has been written about before.

Having said that I will run the Exalto in IBR for longevity, traction, weather, gravel/dirt reasons. Handling is fine, just a little more fatiguing (for multi-day rally purposes).

Darksider #69

 

[user 213]

Some other observations. I found a car tire for continuous 1000 mile day rally miles is more fatiguing. Especially with the arms and hands. More pressure is needed to both initiate turns and keep a stable constant lean angle. This has been written about before.

I found that to be true initially, especially if I was riding twisty bits a lot, (shoulders too), but for me it diminished with more riding time and I didn't notice it when doing 24-36 hour rallies after a couple of years of just riding the Darkside. Fwiw, I didn't have any other bikes, so all of my riding was on the same Darkside FJR at the time.

I'm sure it's different for everyone. I would think that over time, we would build up those muscles and the fatigue issue would be less noticeable, to some degree.

 

[Twigg]

I'm sure it's different for everyone. I would think that over time, we would build up those muscles and the fatigue issue would be less noticeable, to some degree.

I'm sure it is. Didn't bother me at all during two back-to-back 20 hour days in horrible weather and some twisty roads.

 

[karstenp]

I made the switch to the darkside this Spring as I wanted the mileage from a CT for the IBR. I chose the Gmax base on the feedback and local availability. After a few 100 miles, I forgot about the CT. I expected more of a compromise in handling and I was surprised how fast you can adjust to the differences. Picture below.

Can I get my Darksider #?

 

[user 213]

I made the switch to the darkside this Spring as I wanted the mileage from a CT for the IBR. I chose the Gmax base on the feedback and local availability. After a few 100 miles, I forgot about the CT. I expected more of a compromise in handling and I was surprised how fast you can adjust to the differences. Picture below.
Can I get my Darksider #?

Sure! You have been added to the Darkside FAQ as Darksider #88. Welcome to the Darkside. I hope it works out well for you during the IBR.

You won't be the only FJR Darksider there and I'll try to swing by with cookies before the start. Cletha and I will both be in ABQ for the start and finish, and in TN for checkpoint #2, as well as back in ABQ for the finish. She will be scoring, I'll be helping out where ever, possibly tech at the start.

 

[RiderX]

I wouldn't expect it to be bothersome! I think Darkside tire handles quite well, that isn't the point. It was to bring something to light that isn't talked about too much. I rode for 20 months (45,000 mi) including 13 days of rally competition on DS tire (as far as getting used to it goes). Do most people ride 30 hours straight in the twisties of Montana and Idaho? Or 7,000 miles up and down mountains in six days? Probably not. But you will feel more fatigue in a full day of spirited riding than a MotoOnly tire. Fred W does a nice job of explaining the stable lean angle issue (constant pressure is applied, vice stable in a lean angle) so I won't regurgitate. I was not aware of this until doing several spirited 20+ hr days consecutively.

Again I think for long mileage trip with the possibility of dirt, gravel, or heavy downpour, for me the DS tire benefits outweigh.

 

[Twigg]

I was not aware of this until doing several spirited 20+ hr days consecutively.

I wonder how many riders actually ever do this in practice. Even among LD Riders this is not normal behaviour, we just happen to know most of those who are equally mental

I did two 20-hour days consecutively, on mixed Texas roads and in some truly appalling weather. I didn't notice any extra fatigue ... even my shoulders and back felt like they normally do after a ride like that.

I don't suggest there is no effect, but at least for me it was so marginal as to be barely worth mentioning.

 

[DaJuice]

Everyone always talks about days 7-10 in the IBR being the hardest. I've done Butt Lite, the IB5K and the IBR, things change as the rallys get longer. Butt lite and the IB5K were 6 and 5 days respectively, I had no major problems. In the IBR towards the end of leg 2, day 7 is when I noticed things bothering me that never had before.

My ear canals were killing me from having ear plugs in constantly for that long. When I'd pull them out they felt like they were pulling off the skin. Putting some neosporin on them and changed to a different model of ear plug helped. I'm very grateful to the forum member that brought me the variety pack of earplugs at the checkpoint in Jacksonville, but I don't remember who that was!!

Also the edges of my ears were slightly touching my helmet and they felt like they were on fire. I pulled the extra padding out of the helmet so the ears would not touch anything and they were back to normal in a day.

I'm very concerned what day 7-10 is going to be like with a car tire for these reasons. I'm still considering shipping my spare wheel with an MC tire to ABQ and I don't ride nearly as hard as nutjob

 

[HotRodZilla]

Dajuice...I already have Tony's tire in my garage. If you want send me yours also. I have a changer, balancer and tools. Won't take long to knock it out if you need.

Send me a PM for address if you want to do that.

Oh Hell, just realized you have it.on a wheel. That's even easier. Offer still stands.