Time for new tires

[Jimmytee]

Not sure what you are talking about. I haven't lost any handling since installing the Michellin Alpine PA3 run flat car tire on my F6B.

Maybe you just don't know how to ride?

I put a car tire on my Valkyrie and I'm luke warm about it at best. DOn't care for the way the tire want to stand the bike up in the corners. People get used to this, but there is no doubt the tire handles differently than the Avon Cobra that is usually on the rear. To each their own, but it was enough to convince me that I didn't want one on my F6B.

Oh, and I do think I know how to ride. I ride pretty aggressively.

The one positive thing I do like on the Valk, is that the car tire does offer a nice plush ride especially 2 up.

After 3 sets of Bridgestones, I switched to the new ELite 4s. Hoping for a littel better mileage. What I can say so far, is they do stick very well. Have had the bike down to the engine guards in the corners and no slip noticed.

[F6Dave]

I thought of trying a car tire on one of my old Valkyries, but for a few reasons I never did. On Valks you usually need to make a mod for clearance under the fender. And, if you don't like it, a lot of work is required to switch back.

Unlike the GL1500s, the F6B rear wheel change is a breeze. Since I bought a spare rear rim from a trike dealer, I could try the darkside and easily switch back if I didn't like the handling. Even if I didn't like it, I might still use the CT for long trips on the slab, and the MC tire when I'm home in Colorado riding the twisties.

I know a CT can be ridden aggressively. I've seen some impressive photos of guys riding darkside Wings and Valkyries on the ragged edge on roads like the Tail of the Dragon. But most of the darkside riders I personally know don't ride very hard. When riding behind one friend on mountain roads I noticed an awkward transition as his CT would enter a corner.

Like Jimmytee, I like to ride hard. I scrape my pegs a lot. So I'm curious, how many of you guys with CTs really push the F6B hard in the corners on a regular basis? And what's it like in those situations?

[lake_carl]

Was not trying to start the debate again as I had read about 2 hours of great information and thoughts on here already and was thanking all for the great information

[zeus661]

I have the Michellin Alpine PA3 run flat car tire on my F6B and love it. I feel more secure and all aspects of riding. I did not even feel a difference when first installed. You can't compare how well it performs on wet road. Far superior to a MC tire.

[willtill]

Was not trying to start the debate again as I had read about 2 hours of great information and thoughts on here already and was thanking all for the great information

No worries. We debate on almost everything lake_carl.

[willtill]

I thought of trying a car tire on one of my old Valkyries, but for a few reasons I never did. On Valks you usually need to make a mod for clearance under the fender. And, if you don't like it, a lot of work is required to switch back.

Unlike the GL1500s, the F6B rear wheel change is a breeze. Since I bought a spare rear rim from a trike dealer, I could try the darkside and easily switch back if I didn't like the handling. Even if I didn't like it, I might still use the CT for long trips on the slab, and the MC tire when I'm home in Colorado riding the twisties.

I know a CT can be ridden aggressively. I've seen some impressive photos of guys riding darkside Wings and Valkyries on the ragged edge on roads like the Tail of the Dragon. But most of the darkside riders I personally know don't ride very hard. When riding behind one friend on mountain roads I noticed an awkward transition as his CT would enter a corner.

Like Jimmytee, I like to ride hard. I scrape my pegs a lot. So I'm curious, how many of you guys with CTs really push the F6B hard in the corners on a regular basis? And what's it like in those situations?

I did exactly that. In preparation for going Darkside; I bought a brand new Goldwing takeoff wheel and brand new Bridgestone tire mounted on it. In case I decided I didn't like the car tire.

Now... I am stuck with... a brand new Goldwing takeoff wheel and brand new Bridgestone tire already mounted on it. That I never will use.

[stroguy]

No worries. We debate on almost everything lake_carl.

It's more like bickering.

I prefer the positivity of the Dunlop reviews. I am on second set of Bridgestones and will look forward to trying the Dunlops. Thanks for the help.

[Jimmytee]

I thought of trying a car tire on one of my old Valkyries, but for a few reasons I never did. On Valks you usually need to make a mod for clearance under the fender. And, if you don't like it, a lot of work is required to switch back.

Unlike the GL1500s, the F6B rear wheel change is a breeze. Since I bought a spare rear rim from a trike dealer, I could try the darkside and easily switch back if I didn't like the handling. Even if I didn't like it, I might still use the CT for long trips on the slab, and the MC tire when I'm home in Colorado riding the twisties.

I know a CT can be ridden aggressively. I've seen some impressive photos of guys riding darkside Wings and Valkyries on the ragged edge on roads like the Tail of the Dragon. But most of the darkside riders I personally know don't ride very hard. When riding behind one friend on mountain roads I noticed an awkward transition as his CT would enter a corner.

Like Jimmytee, I like to ride hard. I scrape my pegs a lot. So I'm curious, how many of you guys with CTs really push the F6B hard in the corners on a regular basis? And what's it like in those situations?

I ride with lot of guys on car tires, either on Valkyries or Gold WIngs. These guys ride hard I can assure of that. However, one thing I did notice on a couple of rides. We were pushing it pretty hard with triple digit speeds in the twisties. Coming into some corners that abruptly decreased in radius, a couple of the guys, on Wings with car tires, were pushing to the outside of the turns to the point of running off the road nearly. In those same turns, I found it fairly easily just to sink the bike harder into the corner and maintained my line. Now these guys are goofs, and we were also playing around a lot so some of that might explain it too. However, my car tire experience on the Valk, kind of coorelates to what I observed.

[seadog]

No worries. We debate on almost everything lake_carl.

As a matter of fact good information comes out of these debates over items. Good information is always worth it weight in gold. We all know opinions vary and the good and bad information we mull over and usually come out with acceptable things that a lot of us didn't know. Willtill has his opinions on car tire and I have mine on motorcycle tire but you still have to respect a mans opinion to have what he thinks is right. No problem with a good debate as good info comes out of it.

[edgeman55]

Problem with a car tire is that you have to mount one and see if you like it or not.I was lucky to have a friend with a Wing that has had a car tire mounted on it.We are close in size so I felt it would give me a realistic feel as to how it handled for him.I rode it for a good two hours one day and it just was not for me-felt stand upish as if I had to manhandle it in the turns.My friend on the other hand loves it as he has mounted many over the years to that bike.I am a what ever floats your boat type of person,if it works for you great.That all being said I was not unhappy with the Bridgestones that came with the bike and I did get around 11K out of the rear and the front could have gone many more miles but when I do a rear I tend to get a new front too.My latest set are the Metzler 888's and I could not be more happy with them.They stick well wet or dry.Don't seem too get slippery on tar snakes like the Bridgestones did and they are quiet.About 5K on them so far and wear looks great.Who knows might try the new Dunlops next as many here are happy with them and time will tell the mileage they will get.