Darkside

[Ramjet]

I noticed on Goldwing boards, they use runflat tires.  Here, I don't hear that.  I don't have a runflat on my Valk, just a regular car tire.  Has anyone used a runflat?  What differences did you notice and why did you use a runflat?

[Jess from VA]

The deal is, running a car tire on a bike works best without a very stiff sidewall, and runflat is very stiff, obviously to keep going when out of air.  A softer sidewall allows the tire to stay flat on the ground thru light and medium turns (only in the hardest of turns does half the tred come off the ground).  I also bet the straight and level ride on a runflat is less friendly than the ordinary all season radials most of us run.  And even those ordinary all season radial sidewalls are rated for cars weighing a ton more than our bikes, so they're not exactly flimsy.

Now if I was going up the Alcan to AK thru long distances with no easy repairs anywhere along the road, I might be interested.  JMHO

I also have found it noteworthy that with all the darksiders we have (an ever increasing minority), you don't read about that many people getting flats..... and you'd think the numbers would be higher simply because the car tires obviously have a lot more flat surface on the ground to catch sharp things. 

[Gear Jammer]

I know one Darksider who had unknowingly gotten a flat, and kept riding with apparently little effect on handling going down the superslab.  They are more stable than an MC, I guess due to their width and flat tread surface.

[Paxton]

DARKSIDE WARNING

When parked with a two X 4 under the kickstand, handlebars turned fully right, a "gentle motivation" will cause her to stand up straight and
slowly proceed to lay on her side.  

First time I freaked out. Second time, when I entered the garage in the morning she had been laying on her side, I guess overnight.  ???

Now, I make sure there is no obstruction to her right side and that there is a fully spread-out sleeping bag on the flat garage floor.  

While she's slooowly in motion to her side, She looks majestic! Now, I let her do it, especially when I have admiring on lookers visiting.

Laying over, unless obstructed, does not harm her at all. It's like "stupid Pet Tricks." She likes to be the center of attention!  

[HayHauler]

The main reason no Valks use run flats is the size limitations.  There aren't many, if any, 205/60/16 RF tires out there to buy. 
My Goldwing is perfectly happy with its Kuhmo RF in 195/55/16 size.  The shorter tire has a little higher rpms on the highway, but it's not as noticeable as when I tried one on the Valk. 
Runnin the Fallen 512 in 205/65/16 on the Valk now. 
YMMV. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[Jess from VA]

Which reminds me, a runflat's thicker sidewall would probably rub the swingarm; maybe a 195 wouldn't.

[TJ]

I really hate to get in to this but if you haven't tried something why are you such an expert
on the subject ???...
I have been running C/T's for about 12 years now... I have run the non RFT and the RFT on both the
Valk & the Wing... You have no idea of what your missing by not running the R/F... I run a
205 /55 on both and have clearence on both bikes...
If I have a flat , I not straned on the side of the road somewhere ... Most R/F have a rounder
profile, and can carry a heavier load all so ( since most valk riders are pushing the weight limit anyway)
I run a Kumho Ecsta SPT XRP and the only non r/f tire I have run that was close was the
Yokohama A063 but it doesn't last long.... Not telling you what to run, just the other side of the coin
that has used both...

[BonS]

I also have found it noteworthy that with all the darksiders we have (an ever increasing minority), you don't read about that many people getting flats..... and you'd think the numbers would be higher simply because the car tires obviously have a lot more flat surface on the ground to catch sharp things. 

Due to the larger footprint of a CT there is less force to drive an object into the tire so they can't penetrate as easily when compared to a MT. (For the mathematically inclined F = P*A so P = F/A; so as area (i.e., footprint) is increased the pressure exerted by the object is reduced. Or another way to look at it is that the sharp object must be sharper, less area, to penetrate than with a MT.)

[Jess from VA]

TJ, I never claimed to be an expert.  Just my thoughts, and things I've read elsewhere.  I haven't read about many here running runflats, and assumed it was because they were not favored.  My mistake. (The motorcycle tire runflats I've seen on cop bikes have the sidewall sticking out clear over the rim)

So having run both, are you saying the runflats ride as nice or about the same as a nonRF? Does the stiffer sidewall affect turning/handling any differently?  Did you only do the nut cage?

Is this the tire you are referring to (in a 60)?
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+SPT+XRP&partnum=055VR6KU31XRP

($200 seems steep, how many miles are you getting?)

[Jess from VA]

I also have found it noteworthy that with all the darksiders we have (an ever increasing minority), you don't read about that many people getting flats..... and you'd think the numbers would be higher simply because the car tires obviously have a lot more flat surface on the ground to catch sharp things. 

Due to the larger footprint of a CT there is less force to drive an object into the tire so they can't penetrate as easily when compared to a MT. (For the mathematically inclined F = P*A so P = F/A; so as area (i.e., footprint) is increased the pressure exerted by the object is reduced. Or another way to look at it is that the sharp object must be sharper, less area, to penetrate than with a MT.)

Makes perfect sense.  Thanks.  One more good reason to run a car tire.

[TJ]

TJ, I never claimed to be an expert.  Just my thoughts, and things I've read elsewhere.  I haven't read about many here running runflats, and assumed it was because they were not favored.  My mistake. (The motorcycle tire runflats I've seen on cop bikes have the sidewall sticking out clear over the rim)

So having run both, are you saying the runflats ride as nice or about the same as a nonRF? Does the stiffer sidewall affect turning/handling any differently?  Did you only do the nut cage?

Is this the tire you are referring to (in a 60)?
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+SPT+XRP&partnum=055VR6KU31XRP

($200 seems steep, how many miles are you getting?)

Yes, thats the tire I run, plus about 3 or 4 hundred that run goldwings...  I just bought a new tire
for my I/S  and its cheaper then most bike tires...  I have tried about 7 car tires and gave away
4 of them... ( two of them were tires that were raved about here)...
The kumho I run out performs any of the  C/T on this board ... I run 28-30 lbs in it...
Mileage will vary with right wrist action....  They go any where between 8 k to 38k...
Has less affect  then other NRF tires... Just did the nut cages , only because I had the fender off....
Kumho--$162. RF
Cobra --$209.  MT
Brigstone $175.  MT
Dunlop -- $231. MT

TJ

[Jess from VA]

Thanks for the information.  I have CT rubber on hand for 30K or so on both bikes (ISs), but after those I will be looking at yours. 

[BonS]

The limitations on a run flat is 50 mph and 50 miles. Plus if you get a flat you're not supposed to patch it but instead discard it. How do you know you have a flat? What does it feel like? Cars that have run flats have pressure sensors that warn you because it can be hard to tell otherwise in a car. One of my cars came with run flats and the common wisdom is to get rid of them if you want comfort - and it works. In my car they were awful, but they were 45 profile sidewall. You may not be able to sense this on a cycle with 55+ profile sidewall, I don't know.

[HayHauler]

I couldn't find a 205/60/16 kuhmo RF when I needed a tire for the Valk.  I still can't find one online anywhere. 
The 205/55/16 Goodyear I ran at first rubbed bad even with the nut cage mod and using a grade 8 bolt with a shaved head inserted from the inside.  I ruined the sidewall on that 55 profile tire so I went with a Goodyear in 205/60/16 size.  No problems at all.
I decided to go with a Falken 512 in 205/65/16 size to get slightly lower rpms on the highway.  2 up riding is great with it. 
While I am no expert, I am totally happy with both bikes' handling.

BonS, I have a Doran TPMS that keeps me abreast of the tire pressures, both front and back.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[BonS]

BonS, I have a Doran TPMS that keeps me abreast of the tire pressures, both front and back.

Hay 
Jimmyt

Nice, I see this in my future; near future.