F6B Dark Side Riders

[Big Dawg]

I offer you a simple challenge to prove that the contact patch is much larger on a car tire than it is a M/C. If you can find someone who has a C/T on their bike, then it is easy to make a foot print of the tire. Here's an easy method.

1st cut about a dozen strips of paper about 4 inches long and an inch wide. With the bike on the side stand, slip the pieces of paper under the tire as if they were a feeler gauge, place them side by side, in a fan pattern around the contact patch. Once you have them in place, just tape them all together. Roll the bike away and now you have a view of the size of the contact patch. Repeat the same process with a like model motorcycle with a M/C tire and you will be able to compare the difference. Be prepared to be shocked! the C/T patch is 2 or 3 times bigger! Not to mention when the bike is straight up, the patch is 10 times bigger. You have the whole width of the C/T on the ground and with the bike tire, you have a 50 cent sized patch on the road. Ask yourself, which one will stop the quickest? Not to mention, there is a taller sidewall on the car tire which equates to a little more sidewall flex that produces a softer ride, I can go on and on but that is several reasons why I like them. Better dry and wet grip, longer tire life, smoother ride, shorter stopping distance, and cheaper.

[Deer Slayer]

Welcome 1506 Hornblower. Glad to help ya.. Enjoy. I am now on my third Gl1800 with a Mean Ass Motorcycle Tire (Car Tire) and over 80 K on them.

[Scotrod]

I offer you a simple challenge to prove that the contact patch is much larger on a car tire than it is a M/C. .

Easier still to just ride through a very shallow puddle and compare the tracks, both straight line and cornering.

Even so, the contact patch on my MT does everything I need it to do.

I'm tickled, you're tickled, we're all tickled!!

[1951vbs]

Be prepared to be shocked! the C/T patch is 2 or 3 times bigger! Not to mention when the bike is straight up, the patch is 10 times bigger. You have the whole width of the C/T on the ground and with the bike tire, you have a 50 cent sized patch on the road. Ask yourself, which one will stop the quickest? Not to mention, there is a taller sidewall on the car tire which equates to a little more sidewall flex that produces a softer ride, I can go on and on but that is several reasons why I like them. Better dry and wet grip, longer tire life, smoother ride, shorter stopping distance, and cheaper.

Even though I interact with Tire Engineers every day (Don't ask them what they think) I am interested in running a car tire but have not been able to get this question answered. Could this increased contact patch contribute to hydroplaning? I ask because on the final night of the IBA Rally one rider using a CT went down with this report:

"The rider is going to be fine with only a broken right collar bone to show for a low-side crash and tumble on I-95 south of Fredericksburg, VA early this morning. His recollection is that the storm passed through ahead of him and the pavement was excessively wet. He remembers cruising at highway speed with the intention of returning to rally HQ with all of his booty collected for the leg. He had plenty of time and had stopped for an hour rest at a rest area before the accident, and had time for more stops when needed (I talked to him on the phone when he woke up in the rest area and he sounded good and ready to finish his ride). He said, “the back end of the bike started to come around from a loss of traction”. He does not know what caused the loss of traction, but he and the bike came to rest on the highway."

I have tried to get additional information but have not been successful. It could have been caused by many factors.
I found this contact patch comparison on another forum. It looks to me that the CT contact patch is asymmetric and would not have as smooth of a transition but you probably just have to get used to it. Big Dawg I really appreciate your input and can't wait for the report from the car tire virgin, Miles.

[Scotrod]

I've got a copy of that same chart and a buncha other stuff that came with it. Believe it was from a Japanese tire MFG,,,

I don't necessarily agree with the way they portray the CT sidewall making contact, at least not in conditions the GL would experience.

Miles = Virgin with certain motorcycle things,,, CT's on MC's have been around quite a while now.

Heh heh heh! If he's never tried one before,,, ever,,,,,,,,,,,Hell, even I have FAR MORE miles of CT EXPERIENCE than Miles has!!!



Dang rookie!!

LOL!!!

[Hambly434]

Just finished this emblem for a member of the Dark Side.
Fits in the 2-1/2 square pocket in front of the riders right knee.
I can put this engraving any of the badges or lic. plate frames.
It could also be reduced a little to add in a Dark Side Rider Member #.
$35 shipped

If interested send me a pm.

[Phantom]

Even though I interact with Tire Engineers every day (Don't ask them what they think) I am interested in running a car tire but have not been able to get this question answered. Could this increased contact patch contribute to hydroplaning?

In some cases YES !

I discovered a few years ago that a wider tire on the rear was NOT better than the stock tire on a 3 wheel vehicle.

The vehicle came stock with a GoodYear 315/35/17 rear tire (12" wide), I replaced it with a Michelin 335/35/17 rear tire (13.25" wide) for the steamroller look. The Michelin rubber compound was softer and tackier yet broke loose much quicker than the smaller Goodyear tire, I did not like the fact that I would loose the rear end way more often than when I had the Goodyear tire. After TWO instances of spinning out of control in the rain with the Michelin I replaced that new Michelin with a New 315 Goodyear and all was fine with the occasional (on purpose) burn out.

The following year the vehicle manufacturer started replacing the rear tire with a SMALLER tire, a GoodYear 285/40/17 (10" wide) because it supposedly gave better traction. The way it was explained to me was this way.....

Imagine 500 pounds pushing down on your 2" contact patch, the small contact patch is the focus point of the weight, so for figures sake that relates to 250 pounds per inch pushing down on the rubber, the larger contact patch has more surface area to distribute this weight. So for figures sake lets take a 4" contact patch from a Car Tire and divide the 500 pounds by 4" that relates to 125 pounds per inch pushing down on the rubber, the larger the contact patch has more surface area to distribute the weight. Yes you have more rubber for contact but not as much down pressure per square inch because the pressure is being distributed on a wider patch. You will probably notice it more on a wet surface than any other surface. A smaller contact patch supposedly makes the tire grab better. That's how it was explained to me and I am not an engineer to say otherwise. However I would still place a CT on my Wing if I rode the amount of miles that some of you do but with caution in the rain.

Food for thought