Bt-46

[Frye]

I've been running the BT-46 in front, reversed, with a Kumho Ecsta PA31 in 195/60R16 89V in back for several months and several thousand miles now and I have to say I'm really impressed with the improvement in handling over the OEM tires and even over my old Avons. The front tire inparticular made a huge improvement in how the bike handles on gravel roads because the wider contact patch and less steeply angled shoulders don't plow into thick gravel like the Avon and OEM did. I had worried the less steeply angled shoulders might run out of tread before I ran out of cornering clearance but that hasn't been the case. Even with the occasional peg dragging I still have 1/2" chicken strips on the edges of that front tire so, at least for me it has more than adequate cornering ability. All in all a great tire and the depth of rubber on it is comforting.

[maxrider]

Hello Frye, thanks for sharing the info on the tires, and yes you confirmed my observation on the front tire not digging in due to the wider contact area.

Although I did not ride in gravel, my comparison was on a stretch of road with cuts in asphalt and concrete road surface where my old OEM tire would ride in the grove, and I had to force it out, the BT46 eliminated this getting into the grove so to speak.

[bob109]

IMHO there is no better combination of DDing than a BT-45/B-T46 mounted front and Radial CT rear. My experience was on the infamous pothole roads of NE Pa. which provided riding on numerous road surfaces with literally tons of anti-skid material come spring. I recall posting my experience with the BT-45 early on, as turning my F6B into a "Corner Carver" and after 50+K miles my view of the BT has not changed. If you want sure footed traction, Double Dark Side is the route to go.

Ride Safe Folks

bob109

[tenxxx]

I just ordered a bt46 from Dennis Kirk. I have 600 foot of loose stone driveway with 2 turns.
This will be my first dc tire on the front.
I am pleased to know about the handling in stone.
Thanks

[tenxxx]

Just got my BT46 yesterday and man, it looks big and wide! I know it'll fit in there but its got to be close to the plastic fender.
Anybody have a picture of their setup with this tire. Gonna be a week or so before I can get it mounted.

[maxrider]

No picture, but rest assured that it fits well, has no issues, and carves the canyons well, the best front tire ever, have now 600+ miles on it.

[willtill]

I WOULD like to see a picture, if someone could post it. I've always been a proponent/user/fan of the F6B Darkside, but have never contemplated DD until this thread. My interest is piqued.

[maxrider]

Will I take one tomorrow, and send it to you, not sure how to post it on this board, send me your email, but for those who sweat the clearance, the most narrow point, the front of the fender and the tire sidewall, you have 5/8 clearance on each side. The top is no issue.

The height is the same as the stock.

[willtill]

Check yer PM's Thanks!

[maxrider]

Pics send Will.

Thanks for posting.

[willtill]

Here are Max's pictures of his mounted BT-46 on the front wheel

https://i.postimg.cc/nhnTLtPx/IMG-1166.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/N056yG83/IMG-1167.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/28rnQ7FF/IMG-1168.jpg

[willtill]

https://i.postimg.cc/7YKJg8Lw/IMG-1169.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/7YZfPsnc/IMG-1165.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/FH2RZ9X5/IMG-1170.jpg

[willtill]

So the only thing I am curious about, is going to be the center tread wear. There does not appear to be a hard compound in the center of the BT-46; unlike traditional motorcycle tires manufactured for front wheel use. So will the BT-46's center tread wear be shorter than a traditional hard center tread compound M/C tire?

[tenxxx]

I think I read somewhere here that it gets more milage and that it is a bias not radial. Much deeper thread than the OEM.
Thank you all for the info and pictures. It looks really good mounted.
I called the tire store here in Salem ,Oh and they use balancing beads on all the MC tires they mound instead of weights.
With a $2 charge for shop supplies and $2 for tire disposal, $25 to mount it plus tax. Just over $31.

[maxrider]

Will I send you a picture at 10K miles, have as of today around 500 something on it, planned a 5000 mile trip in Oct, and so around Feb, I should have 10K.

I'm ecstatic if I get 10K and everything else is icing on the cake :).

[bob109]

Will I send you a picture at 10K miles, have as of today around 500 something on it, planned a 5000 mile trip in Oct, and so around Feb, I should have 10K.

I'm ecstatic if I get 10K and everything else is icing on the cake :).

You may be pleasantly surprised when you achieve 23/25K miles service from the BT. You will experience "off center cupping" 16/18K miles. Nothing major as the tire will talk to you like any other with "off center wear"!

Ride Safe

bob109

[maxrider]

Look forward to it Bob109:yes:

[tenxxx]

Well, I had the bt46 mounted a couple weeks ago but didn't have time to ride it till today.
The tire has a bounce between 30 and 45 mph. And a vibration in the handle bars at 20 mph.
The tire store put 2 oz of beads in when they mounted it.
I added another ounce of beads but that didn't help anything.
I just got off the phone with the Denis Kirk customer service.
Im not one to lie about things like this so I told her the truth. Its a back tire I put on the front. She was surprised to hear that.
I also told her it was balanced with beads. She said they don't warrantee tires balanced with beads.
Im sending it back and we'll see what they do.
I have bought tires from them several times, and told her I would just purchase a set of OEM to go on it and they could do what ever they saw fit.
I will be surprised to get a refund after talking to her.
So now the bike will be laid up for the rest of the season getting this fixed.
Will keep you all updated when I hear back from them.

[tenxxx]

A quick update on the bt46 with a bounce.
The tire is not seating the same all the way around.
Its about 1.5mm deeper half way around. Both sides of the rim.
When I spin it on my tire balancer its out by at least 2mm in the middle of the thread.
Gonna have it remounted tomorrow, before I send it back.

[willtill]

A quick update on the bt46 with a bounce.
The tire is not seating the same all the way around.
Its about 1.5mm deeper half way around. Both sides of the rim.
When I spin it on my tire balancer its out by at least 2mm in the middle of the thread.
Gonna have it remounted tomorrow, before I send it back.

Yep, that would make it out of round. For sure.

[maxrider]

tenxxx what happened with your BT46?

Did you get it replaced?

[tenxxx]

Still waiting for them to tell me what their gonna do. The tire got there Friday.
I told them to just send me another tire in the note I sent with the tire.
The B is sitting there waiting.

[tenxxx]

Got the new BT46 replacement tire today. Will have it mounted tomorrow.
I put the wheel on my balancer to find the heavy spot with no tire.
The tire store that mounted the last one, replaced the stem with a straight one after I told them not to.
That put the heavy spot 90 degrees opposite of the stem at 3/4oz.
The wheels are designed to use the 90 degree stem that mounts with rubber washers and nuts. According to the Honda mechanic I talked to today.
This makes the heavy spot at the stem. So they always put the yellow spot on the tire at the stem.
With the right stem on my particular wheel, the heavy spot is still opposite the stem by 1/8oz.
I marked it so we'll see what he does with it tomorrow.
As long as he can balance it, its all good. He has a nice automatic spin balancer.
If later on it needs more balancing, I'll add some beads.

[tenxxx]

Update on the replacement BT46. It is worse than the first one!
It is a bias ply tire so its not gonna ride that good.
In my personal opinion, Its JUNK.
Even if it was on the back of the right bike, the right application, You would still feel the bounce.
The stealer dealer charged me $66 to mount and balance it.
It has 2oz of weights on it and still needed another half oz when I checked it at home on my balancer. But I didnt add any weight to it.
I wanted to ride it as is.
Im gonna call Denis Kirk tomorrow and beg for mercy and hope they give me a refund and buy a set of OEM tires.
Im done......

[maxrider]

Wow, you got some bad results, although I'm not sure if your reference to Bias-ply tire is all that accurate, because there is a lot of folks riding them in that fashion, and you are the first person I have seen posted that is having issues and pointing at Bias potentially being the issue?


But each his own, DD for me without ANY bounce, beats OEM any day, and glad to not have the issues you had/have.
Good luck with your future travels.

[Frye]

Update on the replacement BT46. It is worse than the first one!
It is a bias ply tire so its not gonna ride that good.
In my personal opinion, Its JUNK.
Even if it was on the back of the right bike, the right application, You would still feel the bounce.
The stealer dealer charged me $66 to mount and balance it.
It has 2oz of weights on it and still needed another half oz when I checked it at home on my balancer. But I didnt add any weight to it.
I wanted to ride it as is.
Im gonna call Denis Kirk tomorrow and beg for mercy and hope they give me a refund and buy a set of OEM tires.
Im done......

Man I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck with this tire. Zero problems with mine thankfully. The shop that installed mine balanced it, then I added "Ride On" for puncture resistance and balancing.
It seems like manufacturing and shipping are both falling apart right now. I'm told tires for Bushtec trailers are unavailable and may stay that way for quite some time. No one seems to have enough workers and there are/were shortages of some basic items necessary to industry. I don't know that this has anything to do your problems with these tires but it might. I've certainly seen a drop in quality and timely arrival of many items needed in industry.

[tenxxx]

I shipped the second bad tire back and ordered an OEM for the front. Should have it done by this weekend.
The second one like the first had a flat spot about 4" long.
Ive spent at least $150 mounting and unmounting. Still have to pay to have the next one mounted.
I asked them if they were having problems with this tire and got no real answer.
By the way, Denis Kirk is owned by Drag Specialties.
Will be selling it this spring. I think its a little late this year. But if any of you are serious I will give you the details.