Pros & Cons Motorcycle Tire VS Car Tire
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7,105 Posts
+1 Car Tire here
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15,508 Posts
well bleve it or not i put motorcycle tires on my wing last year 
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694 Posts
Everybody has their own opnion on this as there are many post on the subject. As an avid rider for 40+ years all I can tell you is you really need to experiance it for yourself. Some like it, some do not. Most with car tires get a LOT more miles out of their rubber but it does take a little more effort to roll the bike into a turn. As for myself after a FEW miles I got used to the roll over and LOVE my car tire! Most of my customers have switched over to the DARKSIDE (the term used for running a car tire on you're motorcycle) and really seem to like the ride. I spent a lot of time debaiting on this and finally had to try it. I removed my tire from my wing after 3500 miles and did a roll test in my shop. As to tread on the pavement you acutally have more rubber contacting the pavement with the car tire even on the roll piont! All I can tell you is as to the cost of a good car tire and instalation you should try it yourself to see if you like it. There are some that will tell you that you're insurance will not cover you're motorcycle if it has a car tire on it. All I can say is call yours but mine told me that as long as the tire was weight and speed rated for my motorcycle they did not care what I put on it. Although I try not to ride in the rain it sure is nice when I get caught in a shower to know that there is 7.5 inches of bubber below me touching the ground! Hope this helps.
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631 Posts
I'm on my third CT (car tire) and do not see myself going back to a MT. I have one mounted on a rim that I use for comparison, but I now prefer the CT. The main drawback from using a CT is the associated yaw of the motorcycle when encountering uneven pavement. The lean of the bike is much more pronounced with a flatter profile tire. I only notice this on slow speed maneuvers and pretty much am ready to deal with the counter balancing it requires. A good friend of mine just switched back to MT because he didn't like having his Wing becoming unsettled momentarily while splitting lanes in stop and go traffic. I ride right behind him and suppose I deal with it better. Now the reasons for going Darkside are much more compelling. First, they last much longer. I average slightly less than double the mileage when using CT's. Second, CT's are much less expensive than their MT counterparts. I just paid less than $100 for a Falken ZE912 205/60/16. My last Kuhmo RF was about $160 delivered to my door. I just paid almost $200 for an E3 front tire! Second, CT's have much higher load ratings. The average Dunlop or Bridgestone MT is rated only for about 950 lbs whereas the average CT is rated for over 1200 lbs. This means a much cooler running tire under load (remember, the Wing is a very heavy bike) and also when running hard on the twisties. Third, CT's last much longer than their MT counterparts. I'm experience almost double the wear before replacement. Fourth, the available traction with a CT is undeniable. Look at all the biting edges as compared to a MT. Even the most die hard MT propoents won't dispute that a CT puts more rubber on the ground and more biting edges for wet and inclement conditions. Fifth, there are so many choices when running a CT. You only have Dunlop, Bridgestone, Avon, and Metzler for most of your MT choices. You can have many times more than that with a CT. Sixth, you have the option of running run flat RF or non run flat NRF. A RF definitely give you peace of mind, especially when two up to get you where you are going safely. However, I am now a NRF proponent as the compliant sidewall offers a much better ride, both for the pillion and for traction. Let's face it, the Wing is in a class by itself. It does not have the lean angle of the average motorcycle and it weights more than most. A CT is a very logical consideration for those who are open minded about their riding experience. If you end up not liking the ride, it is better to have expernienced it that to keep from understanding the benefits of a CT.
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15,508 Posts
if i could find a ct that was the same height as the e3 i am using now i would try one buti don't want an increase in rpm's from using a shorter tire. don't know if the 1800 guys have this issue or not
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13,363 Posts
Exactly the reason I won't switch. I'd like to drop the RPMs, not raise them.
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24,040 Posts
There's wisdom in the reports from c/t owners that really make sense. My biggest issue is getting one mounted, there are few around that will do it. I'm also unsure what the TPMS would react like with a c/t on the back. I'm really happy with the ride and handling of my 704/709 combo but I have to admit I hove more than a passing curiosity with the darkside. Yoda...are you out there master? Yoda?
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694 Posts
TPMS should not be effected. A GOOD car tire runs the same pressure as a motorcycle tire so it should not make any difference.
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631 Posts
The issue does not exist for GL1800 owners. Most use. 195/55/16 which is the same size as a stock tire. Many like me us a larger diameter CT for different reasons. Where's Larry? He would probably know the answer to this one.
The OEM 180/60/16 Dunlop D250 on my 2010 Wing was 24.8 inches in diameter. The 195/55/16 car tire is 24.4 inches as a rule so it's just a tad smaller--hence just a few more rpms at comparable speed. Not much in the scheme of things as I think as DooKoo said most 180/60 MC tires--like the E3--run exactly the same as the 195/55 car tire--24.4 inches.
I've been running a 195/60/16 car tire that is 25.2 inches in diameter so I'm geared up just a tad. The 195/60 limits your tire choices quite a bit. I'm not aware of any run-flats in a 195/60 so if you want a run-flat you'll need to go with a 195/55.
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15,508 Posts
i had spoken to him about this before and he said that using the kumo he had about a 300rpm increase. i don't want a 300rpm increase and i cdid a web search for a ct the same size as my e3 and cannot find any manufacture making one
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9,631 Posts
Like Mark, Lee and DooKoo I love my car tire and will never go back and all of the reasons that they have all ready talked about I love this thing. I use the Micheln winter alpin and will use it again if I can find 1.
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24,810 Posts
The original poster never specified what model bike a car tire was of interest for. As far as I can remember, Larry and DanB were the only two here running one on a 1500. You 1500 riders don't seem to complain as much about your serviceable tire mileage as the 1800 riders do.
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438 Posts
I run a Kumho 195/55R16 ZP on my GL1800 and have zero complaints. The tire out lasts E3's 2-1 and cost less.
I also personally tested the run-flat feature by draining all the air and riding my motorcycle on a flat tire. two miles, it did not separate from the rim.
I also personally tested the run-flat feature by draining all the air and riding my motorcycle on a flat tire. two miles, it did not separate from the rim.
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