DS tire size

[Fathertime]

Time for a new rear tire.
What size tire would I be looking for that gives me more than just a credit card thickness clearance between the tire and the swingarm?  Nut cage mod not an issue, just concerned about the tire rubbing on the arm.
Considering a triple tread.
Any other suggestions?

[olddog1946]

I can tell you it ISN'T a 205/55/16. though it doesn't need the nut cage mod.

[John Schmidt]

I know a numbe of riders have the tripel tread, but keep in mind it has a more squared off shoulder. That causes it to try and stand the bike up on you, and some have said it's more sensitive to tar snakes and other irregularities, especially at slow speeds. I'd suggest looking for something with as round a shoulder as possible, there are many out there.

[TJ]

Be brave,   Try a Kumho Ecsta SPT XRP... You won't regreat it... I've run a 205/55/16
no problems at all...

TJ

[Grumpy]

Austone taxi tire, narrow profile.

[GOOSE]

i run a general altimax 205-60-16, and do like it very much, but listen to OLE' GRUMPY, and Dubsvalk....both of them are running the Austone taxi cab tire with obvious good results.  going darkside is definately not for everybody, and only you can decide if it's for you AFTER RIDDING ONE for a few hundred miles.  but if you look at the stats on the austone tire, they do look pretty good, plus these two guys have been riding them with good results.  my next tire might just be the taxi tire.

[X Ring]

I've DarkSided both my Valks.  On my Tourer I'm running a Toyo Proxes TPT in 205/65HR-16 and on my I/S is a Falken 512 in 205/60HR-16.  I made good decisions on each tire.  Both of them have an 8-10mm clearance between the sidewall and the swingarm.

Marty

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I have ran several different  car tires in the pass. I like the 205/60/16 v rated or better tires. I've never had a problem rubbing the swingarm even 2up and loaded to the max. I have done the nut cage mod on both bikes. Right now I'm running a bridgestone potenza G-019 and it is my second one of these. Just helped a buddy install a general altimax of the same size on his interstate yesterday. JMHO  hope  this helps.

[MP]

No difference between credit card clearance, and 2" clearance.  NEITHER will rub.

MP

[R J]

You might have credit card clearance setting, but in motion the space gets larger as the tire starts standing up in shape.

Watch a dragster on a run, big ole fat slick tire setting, with about 12" of rubber, jumps on the throttle and it gets very skinny.    That car tire does the same thing only not to the same degree as a dragster tire.

If it no touch now, and wheel is straight, not bent, it is not going to rub.

[Big Ed]

Here is a good related post

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,35341.0.html

[Fathertime]

Ok
205   would be tire width
65 tire height
16 rim size
Toyo I know from the cage, alway liked those.  Kinda hung up on the clearance thing.  Do all three models have the same swing arm?

[CASABROKER]

I'm running a dunlop sp500 195/60/16 no mods plenty of clearance a good 1/2 inch.  At 75mph it will tach 200 more rpms.  Handles awesome can hardly tell the difference from the MC tire

[Willow]

Do all three models have the same swing arm?

Yes.

I have a 205/60 on mine.  I'm told a 195/60 more closely matches the Avon Cobra for width.

I've no problems with the 205.

[art]

I have a kenda 150-70-17 on the front reversed $115 mounted and balanced.on the rear is a general g-max 195-55-16 Delevered to my shop $97 .I usually get 12000 mi.on the front and 25000 mi. on the rear. the smaller rear tire gives less bump steer and more clearance in the swing arm

[mrprez]

I have a kenda 150-70-17 on the front reversed $115 mounted and balanced.on the rear is a general g-max 195-55-16 Delevered to my shop $97 .I usually get 12000 mi.on the front and 25000 mi. on the rear. the smaller rear tire gives less bump steer and more clearance in the swing arm

150?  You have pictures of that tire?

[X Ring]

Do all three models have the same swing arm?

Punisher and I had a discussion on this and think at the beginning the workers assembling and welding the swingarms were pretty meticulous about sticking to the jigs.  Overtime they got faster and sloppier with their welding resulting in variances in the swingarms.

Marty

[art]

I have a kenda 150-70-17 on the front reversed $115 mounted and balanced.on the rear is a general g-max 195-55-16 Delevered to my shop $97 .I usually get 12000 mi.on the front and 25000 mi. on the rear. the smaller rear tire gives less bump steer and more clearance in the swing arm

150?  You have pictures of that tire?

Sorry I don't but there is nothing special about it.It is a rear tire mounted backwards.It handles great,I ride a lot with sport bike riders and they are fast.They gave me many compliments about keeping up with them in the mountain curves and with a c/t on the back

[Farther]

I ride a lot with sport bike riders and they are fast.They gave me many compliments about keeping up with them in the mountain curves and with a c/t on the back.

They are just patronizing an old dude!

[JaysGone]

if ou have alot of patience and arent in a hurry.
Try to find and the only place at the moment is from Europe a Light truck tire 195-65-16.
Im  running a Sunny<Chinese> on the Valk and a Conti Vanco2 on my RoadStar.
Dead on to the stock size super strong side walls and great handeling tires in the rain both of them.
The Vanco2 is twice the tire as is the Sunny at 39lbs for the Vanco and 21lbs for the Sunny.
I have 12K on the Vanco and 1+K on the Sunny.

Fronts a Kedra 150-70-16 rear on both bikes.
With the R* being a 140-90-16.
Heres a pic for whoever it was that wanted one of the front.

First is on the Valk 1K+ miles so its new reversed arrow so it sheads water rearward.

2nd is on the R* 12K miles currently NOT reversed.
I flip my fronts evey 4K so the wear evenly.
As I use very low pressure then most 28-30psi cold.
They are rears after all and on the front dont have anywhere near the load or stress as they would when used as rears.
Some may disagree with me on this but I dont care.
Ive been darksiding for over 35 years and have had no problems with any tires Ive used period.
Im in it for comfort and ridiing in the rain.
No speeding rarely over 80 mph and no twisties so for me its 98% straight line riding commuting to work daily.
It works for me.
Might not for you ................so there PPPPPPP.............





By the way for reasons I wont go into here.
Do yourself a favor and stay off a 195-60 anything.
Just my 2 cents on that for now.

[art]

I ride a lot with sport bike riders and they are fast.They gave me many compliments about keeping up with them in the mountain curves and with a c/t on the back.

They are just patronizing an old dude!

Who's Old?.I'll take you on anytime in the mountains

[keepinon]

By the way for reasons I wont go into here.
Do yourself a favor and stay off a 195-60 anything.
Just my 2 cents on that for now.

Why this? Been running a Touranza for many thousands miles with no problems...

[JaysGone]

Not  always true with all brands but.
Most sports tires randomly tried over the years have been H rated.
With some of course V or Z.
195-60s with an H rating have some pretty soft side walls.
The V and Z are alot stiffer.
This has ben a topic of alot of discusion over the years on a Darkside forum Im on.
The soft side walls causes some high speed wobbles<due to side to side occilations> with alot of brands of bikes.
Mostly bikes that have rear wheel rims of 5 inches diameter or less.
The Valk riders over there have been border line with their results with these tires too over time.
With the Kuhmo and Falkens in 195-55 lately being the most widely used with the least amout of issues on Valks over there.
205-60s, 195-55 have been fine.
This is another reason why Im a very strong proponet of using a light truck tire regardless of size if its available.

But since most LT tires in 195,185,175 are for the most part European.
They have been very hard to get here.
Therfore thats when the Austone popped up.
Being a cab tire and built like a brick.
Its worked and worked well on almost every brand of bike its been used on.

[keepinon]

Ok, I can understand your reasoning. My fix is to run the tire at 40 psi, since it's rated for up to 45 psi, I doubt I'll have any problems. I certainly have no problems with wobble or squirm.

I like this tire for it's "sticky-ness" Rated at only 280 tread wear, it is soft, but it really bites in the rain & hard stops. Looks like I'll only get about 18K miles out of it, but thats double the MT's.

[JaysGone]

40 psi will help but it also hurts the ride quality and as you have already seen.
Its a dead issue at 20K.
If you tend to ride in twisties going to a 195-55 in a V or Z rated tire you can run at lower psi and should get 20K to 25K out of it.

Next tire. Maybe try to find something in the 330-400 range.
It would be as sticky if not more so in the turns.
It will get you up there in the mileage, if longevity is a concern running less psi and not rounding out the center of the tread.
Just my opinion here for all its worth.
Back in the early 90s I had a Micheiin that was U rated and I got dang near 30K out of it.
It was an OEM tire on the Chevy Z34 for 92,93 only.
I havent seen a U rated tire since then.
My deals alot different.
I commute daily with my bikes.
My concerns are wet and comfort only.
Im never over 80 mph unless pushed.
LT tires are great for straight line riding.
Probably no where near as good in twisties but it does ok.
Considering I only have 1 road with about a half mile worth of double s turns down here where I can hit a wopping 45-50 mph..........speed limits 35 on that road.
Ill get over 25K no sweat.