Terry Coombs wrote:
Steve W. wrote:

I switched to the "dark side" (car tire instead of bike tire)long ago.
Fully loaded 1800 'wing with my fat ass on it and I get closer to 50K
on the rear tire, for less than half the price of the bike tire it
calls for. No flats, no abnormal wear and MUCH improved ride and
braking. A lot of the big bikes can be fitted the same way.

This sounds interesting - and I've heard before about using car tires on
bikes . What size do you use ? Are you running a radial ? My front is a bias
ply , Dunlop EIII , so I assume I need bias ply on the rear too ... My bike
runs 16's (130/90's FWIW) on both ends , are car tires sized the same as
bike tires ? Do they handle like the bike tires in the twisties ? We got a
lot of really windy roads around here ...

'06 GL1800
Rear - 195/55R -16 Kumho Ecsta PA31 from Tire Rack
Front - 130/70ZR-18 Bridgestone Excedra G851 from Amazon

Radials on both ends.
You can run a radial on the rear and bias on the front. BTDT.
BUT it does make it handle different.

Never had an issue with the tires when I drag the pegs but I don't get
to do that often these days. More distance rides these days.
I do know a few folks who ride darkside, who go through foot boards
yearly from grinding them down though.

Think about the technology of tires today. How many flats have you had
on your vehicles from crap tires or rough roads versus the bike? How
about the tire wear? When you put a set on a car you figure that 30K is
poor wear but accept 10K on the bike. The current rear has around 22K on
it and it's maybe 1/3 gone.

Usually the issue is side clearance. What bike do you run? Maybe it's on
the list http://darkside.nwff.info/?p=tires

--
Steve W.