[Tooth]

I have said this before in the short time I have written on this forum. I truly believe GWers are the greatest group of riders. non judgmental and just plain nice people.....I feel very happy to be a part of such a group.
So now the bottom drops out ......the controversy......THE DARKSIDE....always heard about running car tires....seen many on BMW older K bikes with side cars. The great schism in Gwers..... I am really looking forward into reading about this practice. In the years I have ridden motorcycles the things I have always been concerned over were tires, chains and brakes......I thought you will not walk away without the help of God if any of those fail on a bike. I would always have only someone I trusted do such service. Not so much for me but my wife.
I tend to be a very trusting person in the R&D of large companies like Honda, Goodyear, bridgestone, etc. I figure solid scientific research far out weighs anecdotal conclusions like ,"my cousins friend uses that oil and it has worked for him"
I hope you all find me a respectful openminded person who will listen to almost anyone for a finite period of time as they express their opinion. This tire thing has really sparked some interest in me. I have to stick with motorcycle tires till I can prove other wise, most of that comes to protect my wife.
Iam sure this is a well discussed and "old" topic to many of you and opening new discussion is not desired. Forgive me for being new and interested. If anyone has an opinion please let me know.....

 

[joe in calif]

This a is a hot topic on many boards, and was not approved by many motorcycle people IN THE KNOW, probably because of liability issues. But there are hundreds of Gold Wing riders all over running car tires, most use run flat tires, some of these guys ride their Wings like sport bikes bragging pegs and floor boards in the twisties and love the car tire. If you decide to try one ask your insurance company if your covered in case of an accident with a non motorcycle tire on the bike. Check out all the posts on the following link about car tires, If you don't mount your own tire than you will have to find a shop tha dies, most dealers will not mount a car tire on a motorcycle rim
http://gl1800riders.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31

 

[aimhigh46]

Welcome

Welcome to the site...yes, you will read a bit regarding car tires. I'm with you...when Honda has a car tire as an option, then I might (probably not, anyway) consider trying one.

 

[5260]

I can't see the benefit to putting a car tire onto a motorcycle. The bike tires such as the Dunlop and so forth are engineered for bikes. They take the side forces, the traction issues and other critical characteristics into consideration when designing a bike tire. A car tire is not designed to hold traction in a crash bar dragging right hand turn or many other maneuvers that a bike can accomplish, which a car could never ask of a tire.

I suppose that when riding straight up on a freeway, a car tire might feel better, but what other benefit(s) do the car tire crowd claim to gain?

 

[chrisgl1800]

Ah....let's see price?? Ah....they might carry a much higher load rating than a MT?? Ah...lasts like twice as many miles??
I too am researching the CT in lieu of a MT...a lot has to do with what one feels comfortable with.
Now I am going to sit back and have another box of popcorn....

 

[Chopin]

Your not alone Tooth. I have a Goldwing neighbor who recently went Dark. I'm begining to meet car tire riders now. I'm in.

 

[fossil92]

Well I can play along. My prespective is this, CT increased mileage, lower cost, higher load rating etc etc. MT better handling, sidewall engineering, made for motorcycles etc etc.

So I guess as others said it comes down to what you're comfortable with. My comments would be. If you're doing it to save money on tires, How much are you really going to save? Most of us will only go through 1-2 tires a riding season. If you put that into dollars your talking less than $200 a tire. Most guys will spend way over that putting Chrome stuff on. It's a tad ironic that there is discussion on going to CT to (excuse the expression) "Get them cheap". Yet purchases are made for $100 exhaust extensions, $60 cup holders & $140 chrome vent covers. Now if your doing it to be "A Rebel" that's a totally different story.

I really have no dog in the fight & one of my riding buddies is hearing the sirens calling (he is a Rebel) so to each his own. MT for me. This as always is just One Ole Fossil's opinion.

 

[Chopin]

Well I can play along. My prespective is this, CT increased mileage, lower cost, higher load rating etc etc. MT better handling, sidewall engineering, made for motorcycles etc etc.

So I guess as others said it comes down to what you're comfortable with. My comments would be. If you're doing it to save money on tires, How much are you really going to save? Most of us will only go through 1-2 tires a riding season. If you put that into dollars your talking less than $200 a tire. Most guys will spend way over that putting Chrome stuff on. It's a tad ironic that there is discussion on going to CT to (excuse the expression) "Get them cheap". Yet purchases are made for $100 exhaust extensions, $60 cup holders & $140 chrome vent covers. Now if your doing it to be "A Rebel" that's a totally different story.

I really have no dog in the fight & one of my riding buddies is hearing the sirens calling (he is a Rebel) so to each his own. MT for me. This as always is just One Ole Fossil's opinion.

Cough! Cough! Ahem....! Total cost for both my tire last year was $520 something dollars. My " chrome stuff " I only bought once.

 

[Badrider]

First of all I don't know if you can put a ct onto a GL1500. The only way I would only concider going to the dark side is if I would try a bike for a bit with a ct on it.

 

[aimhigh46]

Car Tire

I have a friend with a 2010 Wing. Because it is relatively easy to change the rear tire, his plan is to put the CT on for the trip to Cody WY this summer...just for the trip up there. Then, upon arrival will change out the tire (bringing it as a spare) he will put the MC tire back on the bike for the local trips. I can see the logic in this, I guess...in taking advantage of the wear of a CT and the increased weight capability for the highway. I don't know...I'm torn about trying it. I guess until I talk with him (I value his judgement) to see how it goes, I will continue to hold off.

 

[fossil92]

Cough! Cough! Ahem....! Total cost for both my tire last year was $520 something dollars. My " chrome stuff " I only bought once.

You better watch some of that Fox channel with Mz Vickie tonight. You are about to enter the "No Spin Zone".

1) Not talking about 2 tires only 1
2) Not talking about total cost because If I was you would also have to include mounting your runflat as well.
3) The problem with you guys who buy that chrome is you can't just get 1 piece you buy multiples. Stick to the facts.

& that's a memo.

 

[Chopin]

I have a friend with a 2010 Wing. Because it is relatively easy to change the rear tire, his plan is to put the CT on for the trip to Cody WY this summer...just for the trip up there. Then, upon arrival will change out the tire (bringing it as a spare) he will put the MC tire back on the bike for the local trips. I can see the logic in this, I guess...in taking advantage of the wear of a CT and the increased weight capability for the highway. I don't know...I'm torn about trying it. I guess until I talk with him (I value his judgement) to see how it goes, I will continue to hold off.

Gentleman's bet he keeps the car tire on throughout the trip. I also value the judgment of my neighbor. He's an older- than- me retired policeman.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

When I was a little boy I had a red wagon that had solid tires. They lasted forever and never had to be replaced. But it seems that that technology never made it to the automobile. You wonder why, since they would never go flat and last for 100k's of miles... Maybe the answer is not all things are made for all things....

When I bought my motorcycle I knew ther was a cost associated with safely maintaining it. It's kind of like the "cost of doing business". Like the old saying, "in for a penny, in for a pound".. Just my $.02

 

[Tooth]

I guess what I would like to see are some facts about plys, side wall strenght, compound mixtures.....an then someone to place different tires on whatever kind of test dyno they use to see when and how these things fly apart under load.
Again I am no trying to tell anyone anything...to each their own just be safe. I like the idea, especially for flat slabbing cross country, I just want to see a car tire 30-40 degrees off center(cornering) with 1000lbs GVW going 80 miles an hour. something has to give unless ply design is considerate of this? Thats what me brain tells me.
Just interested.....thats all....Ride safe...thanks for discussion

 

[Chopin]

I guess what I would like to see are some facts about plys, side wall strenght, compound mixtures.....an then someone to place different tires on whatever kind of test dyno they use to see when and how these things fly apart under load.
Again I am no trying to tell anyone anything...to each their own just be safe. I like the idea, especially for flat slabbing cross country, I just want to see a car tire 30-40 degrees off center(cornering) with 1000lbs GVW going 80 miles an hour. something has to give unless ply design is considerate of this? Thats what me brain tells me.
Just interested.....thats all....Ride safe...thanks for discussion

Your bike is still new enough that new tires should not be an issue until the end of the year. By that time some of us here may have some personal stories to tell.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Woldn't it be interesting if instead of jumping on each other over this matter, if we all just wrote a letter to the tire manufacturers and asked or demanded that they make a tire for us. One that would give good mileage, corner good and not cost an arm and a leg. Geeze, Goodyear builds a new tire for NASCAR almost every race. Dunlop does the same for the GP races. Why won't they do it? Simple...They have us over the barrel and love it. I take no sides in this cause I see the advantages of both sides. Rave on...Isaac

 

[DonaldLL]

Hey wait a minute... are you telling me that all the money I have spent on chrome has no additional value other than its ability to reflect light??? I BEG to differ. I noticed a significant improvement in my gas mileage, performance, and handling after as little as $1000 worth of bling. I just assumed that I HAD to be getting longer life out of my original MC tires... I'll let you know but I think y'all are wrong on this one.

wax on-wax off....wax on-wax off....wax on-wax off...........................................

 

[snuffcityrider]

I had a car tire on my Triumph Rocket III. The main problem that I had with it was that on crowned roads ( which is mainly what we have around here) I was always leaning just a bit to go in a straight line. It handled fine in the twisties, just took a little more effort. And if I ever needed to swirve the transition was not as quick as a m/c tire. None of this might not apply to a Wing since the Rocket had a much wider (240) tire. I rode the "Pigs Tail" in AR. which is several miles of twisties and it did fine, and I did not go easy on it. I personally don't have a problem with them. It just wasn't for me.
I tried it out for 4,000 miles.

 

[Red Ron]

Ah....let's see price?? Ah....they might carry a much higher load rating than a MT?? Ah...lasts like twice as many miles??
I too am researching the CT in lieu of a MT...a lot has to do with what one feels comfortable with.
Now I am going to sit back and have another box of popcorn....

Also better preformance on wet or dirt roads, much, much, smoother ride on the "slab" which is what the wing is built for anyway, are a few more reasons. Also the tire I use does not need balancing. I am going to quit taking to the local honda dealer for balancing when I put a new one on. Also they definately carry a heavier load. Usually about 1200 to 1400 lbs. as compared to 800 or 900 for the MT. This becomes more important if you pull a trailer. Finally if is difficult and probably impossible to find a runflat motorcycle tire.

I was talking with an oldtimer the other day who said when he was a boy everybody ran car tires and MT's were hard to find.

 

[Tooth]

Thanks Ron

Hey Ron

You are definitely getting my attention with these points...

So if you put a CT on a TP monitor value will it still work or can you deactive the system without seeing the light go on.

THanks
Mark