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View Full Version : Time for a new CT.



valkmc
03-18-2021, 08:54 AM
My Pirelli Snow Control is about done. Can't tell how much mileage I have on it. I have two rims and go back and forth between the bike and car tire. My question is has anyone found a new CT they are happy with. I had a Michelin Alpin before this one and wish I could get another, sadly they are not available anymore. Anyway, I will only put a run-flat on. This will be my fourth CT on three bikes. Any suggestions?

willtill
03-18-2021, 06:17 PM
I'm still running my Michelin Alpine. It will be a sad day when it wears out (if it ever wears out) for the reason you stated - not made anymore.

tenxxx
03-18-2021, 06:40 PM
I run a Yokohama that is very close to the same diameter as the oem. Just a bit bigger which which brings the speedo into sink with the GPS. With #40 psi it handles very good.
Soft side walls which give in corners and put a good patch of rubber on the road.

willtill
03-18-2021, 08:46 PM
I run a Yokohama that is very close to the same diameter as the oem. Just a bit bigger which which brings the speedo into sink with the GPS. With #40 psi it handles very good.
Soft side walls which give in corners and put a good patch of rubber on the road.

I assume your Yokohama is not a run flat?
I run 26psi in my Michelin Alpine which is a run flat. Higher pressures don't seem to work well in my run flat car tire...

tenxxx
03-20-2021, 10:52 AM
No, not a run flat. I only know what you guys say about them. They sound like good insurance against blowouts. I ran lower pressures in the Yokohama,but anything below 38psi was squishy. Even at 40psi on the side stand the side wall gives enough to put a 2" patch on the ground.
Ive been on it now for 2 seasons and feel confident with it. Like any car tire it takes a bit more to get it started in turns but once there its planted.
Will probably move to a motorhome now that the wife is retired.
So the B will be up for sale in a few months.

valkmc
03-20-2021, 03:44 PM
No, not a run flat. I only know what you guys say about them. They sound like good insurance against blowouts. I ran lower pressures in the Yokohama,but anything below 38psi was squishy. Even at 40psi on the side stand the side wall gives enough to put a 2" patch on the ground.
Ive been on it now for 2 seasons and feel confident with it. Like any car tire it takes a bit more to get it started in turns but once there its planted.
Will probably move to a motorhome now that the wife is retired.
So the B will be up for sale in a few months.

Thanks for the info. I have a MC tire mounted on the spare rim and will put it back on for now. I have had great luck with the CT's I have used but I'm finding it more difficult to get them mounted. Not sure what CT to try next. Good luck with the motorhome and enjoy the travels.

willtill
03-20-2021, 08:13 PM
Thanks for the info. I have a MC tire mounted on the spare rim and will put it back on for now. I have had great luck with the CT's I have used but I'm finding it more difficult to get them mounted. Not sure what CT to try next. Good luck with the motorhome and enjoy the travels.

What are you finding difficult? To mount them yourself or finding a tire shop to do it?

valkmc
03-20-2021, 09:12 PM
What are you finding difficult? To mount them yourself or finding a tire shop to do it?

To find a shop to do it. I use to do it myself, not into that anymore. I use to have two shops that would do it, one closed down and the other won't do it anymore.

RSTD
03-21-2021, 07:29 PM
To find a shop to do it. I use to do it myself, not into that anymore. I use to have two shops that would do it, one closed down and the other won't do it anymore.

I just mounted a Pirelli Cinturato PI, which is a RF. My first darkside tire, have a BT-45 on the front (second one). 150 miles on today, as others have said after about 30 miles I did not notice any difference. Curves were fine after the first one or two. Maybe not quite as flickable, but no issues. I am fine with it. Ran it with 34psi to start with, next ride will reduce, likely end up at the 28psi others have seemed to end up at.

valkmc
06-02-2021, 12:14 PM
Finally got around to putting a new CT on the bike. I went with the Yokohama Avid Envigor Run Flat. I bought it on line for $140 shipped for free. I had put it off because I did not want to mount it myself. I found a place called All Cycle here in Ocala and they mounted it for $25. I couldn't believe it. Great guys and we had some nice conversation about pulling a trailer behind a bike.

I decided the Pirelli Snow Control II tire I had prior to this tire was no better handling and did not seem to last as long so I went back to a Run Flat summer tire.

7971 7972

It's strange that the 2nd picture is side ways in the post but when you open it up it is rotated to where it should be!

willtill
06-02-2021, 02:59 PM
Finally got around to putting a new CT on the bike. I went with the Yokohama Avid Envigor Run Flat. I bought it on line for $140 shipped for free. I had put it off because I did not want to mount it myself. I found a place called All Cycle here in Ocala and they mounted it for $25. I couldn't believe it. Great guys and we had some nice conversation about pulling a trailer behind a bike.

I decided the Pirelli Snow Control II tire I had prior to this tire was no better handling and did not seem to last as long so I went back to a Run Flat summer tire.

7971 7972

It's strange that the 2nd picture is side ways in the post but when you open it up it is rotated to where it should be!

That's a good looking tire. Look at all of that wonderful rubber!

Frye
06-03-2021, 11:20 PM
I installed a 195/60R16 89V Kumho Ecsta PA31 three months and a few thousand miles ago and I'm really liking it so far. On my first morning riding to work with it I nearly forgot I'd went back to the darkside in the first 10 minutes of the ride. The handling is much closer to a bike tire than any CT I ran on my Valk in the 123,000 I put on her. I think it maybe just a tad taller than stock since it goes on the centerstand easier but the speedometer is still right with my GPS so it's not much taller.

Traction seems equal to the old Avon Chrome and I've noticed no difference in the rain. 79787979

valkmc
06-04-2021, 01:03 PM
I installed a 195/60R16 89V Kumho Ecsta PA31 three months and a few thousand miles ago and I'm really liking it so far. On my first morning riding to work with it I nearly forgot I'd went back to the darkside in the first 10 minutes of the ride. The handling is much closer to a bike tire than any CT I ran on my Valk in the 123,000 I put on her. I think it maybe just a tad taller than stock since it goes on the centerstand easier but the speedometer is still right with my GPS so it's not much taller.

Traction seems equal to the old Avon Chrome and I've noticed no difference in the rain. 79787979

I owned a 98 Valk for 12 years and was just about to go over 100k when I sold it. It was my first try at the Darkside. I ran a Goodyear TT and when I think back to it it did not handle all that great compared to the Darkside tire I have had on my Wings.
I rode about 100 miles between rain storms yesterday and today on the Yokohama and it compares favorably to all the CTs I have tried. It was very good in the rain yesterday! I will be leaving Ocala Fl sometime later this month to ride to upstate NY. I'm glad I got a new tire on and I also replaced the front tire with the OEM Bridgestone.

Frye
06-04-2021, 02:49 PM
I owned a 98 Valk for 12 years and was just about to go over 100k when I sold it. It was my first try at the Darkside. I ran a Goodyear TT and when I think back to it it did not handle all that great compared to the Darkside tire I have had on my Wings.
I rode about 100 miles between rain storms yesterday and today on the Yokohama and it compares favorably to all the CTs I have tried. It was very good in the rain yesterday! I will be leaving Ocala Fl sometime later this month to ride to upstate NY. I'm glad I got a new tire on and I also replaced the front tire with the OEM Bridgestone.

I ran a TT for quite a while on my Valk too and agree with you about the handling.

tenxxx
06-04-2021, 07:17 PM
What air pressure do you run in the Yokohama?
Mine feels good at 40psi. I tried it down to 36 psi and it felt mushy.
Haven't gone any higher yet.

valkmc
06-09-2021, 01:42 PM
What air pressure do you run in the Yokohama?
Mine feels good at 40psi. I tried it down to 36 psi and it felt mushy.
Haven't gone any higher yet.

Is yours a run-flat, I think they make both in the model I got. I have 30 psi in mine and it feels right. I did run my non-run flat tires at a higher psi.

tenxxx
06-09-2021, 02:03 PM
Mine is not run flat. The sidewalls are nice and soft so it gives a good patch of rubber in corners.
I guessing the run flat would be a harder tire.
Mine is very close to the size of the MC tire. Maybe 3/4" taller.
Made the speedo read the same as the GPS.

willtill
06-09-2021, 07:16 PM
Mine is not run flat. The sidewalls are nice and soft so it gives a good patch of rubber in corners.
I guessing the run flat would be a harder tire.
Mine is very close to the size of the MC tire. Maybe 3/4" taller.
Made the speedo read the same as the GPS.

You are correct.

valkmc
06-10-2021, 07:50 AM
Mine is not run flat. The sidewalls are nice and soft so it gives a good patch of rubber in corners.
I guessing the run flat would be a harder tire.
Mine is very close to the size of the MC tire. Maybe 3/4" taller.
Made the speedo read the same as the GPS.

I also agree, I switched to a run-flat because I travel around the country every summer on the bike. This year I will be returning to Upstate NY from Ocala Fl. Flat tires on a road trip are a "B". A few years ago I came out of work to get on my 12 Wing and had a flat. I was able to ride home on zero pressure. I like the security while on a trip. I thought the tire would be hot after 10 miles on zero pressure but it seemed normal. My tire had a valve stem failure. I installed a new metal one and the tire performed normally for many miles after.

valkmc
06-25-2021, 12:43 PM
8004 I have about 700 miles on this tire now. I am very pleased. It handles great, it is good in the rain and it is rock solid from 0-100mph. I really liked my Michelin and so far this tire is just as good. I have tried other DS tires and this one is much better than all except the Michelin. Running 30PSI and it feels good. About to head for upstate NY from Ocala. Should have around 3k additional miles when I return. It is a Yokohama Avid Envigor Run Flat.

willtill
06-26-2021, 08:20 AM
8004 I have about 700 miles on this tire now. I am very pleased. It handles great, it is good in the rain and it is rock solid from 0-100mph. I really liked my Michelin and so far this tire is just as good. I have tried other DS tires and this one is much better than all except the Michelin. Running 30PSI and it feels good. About to head for upstate NY from Ocala. Should have around 3k additional miles when I return. It is a Yokohama Avid Envigor Run Flat.

:thumb:

Frye
06-26-2021, 09:08 AM
8004 I have about 700 miles on this tire now. I am very pleased. It handles great, it is good in the rain and it is rock solid from 0-100mph. I really liked my Michelin and so far this tire is just as good. I have tried other DS tires and this one is much better than all except the Michelin. Running 30PSI and it feels good. About to head for upstate NY from Ocala. Should have around 3k additional miles when I return. It is a Yokohama Avid Envigor Run Flat.

I apologize if I missed it but is it a 60 series, 55 or something else?

valkmc
06-27-2021, 10:10 PM
I apologize if I missed it but is it a 60 series, 55 or something else?

195/55

Alvarez
06-30-2021, 05:27 PM
I went with the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus II. It didn't look as square as some of the other tires. Although the speedo and tach are a little off from OEM, the handling is really good.
https://static.tirerack.com/content/dam/tires/pirelli/pi_cinturato_p7_all_season_plus_ii_full.jpg?imwidt h=440&impolicy=tow-pdp-main

maxrider
07-03-2021, 07:47 PM
Hello Alvarez

Going with the same tire on Monday, what pressure did you end up, curious at what PSI I should start.

TIA

Max

BuzzzPhotos
07-04-2021, 10:50 AM
I also have 2 wheels with a Michelin Alpine on one & an OEM on the other. The Michelin stays on most of the time. So, it's almost worn out in the middle. On other's recommendations I kept it inflated to 40psi. Handles fine in rain & damp surfaces & stops on a dime in dry. I had a number of flats on the first OEM tire. That influenced my purchase on the run flat. Sure is nice to have the added safety & the STRONG sidewall of the run flat. I ordered my MC tire on the Sams Club site. When it comes in I have them mount it. They don't know the difference. NOW, that I have 2 F6Bs it's really interesting to experience the different way they're set up. Another story!