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Bob E.
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« on: August 17, 2009, 08:12:51 AM » |
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I just ordered my 1st Darkside tire this weekend and hope to have it by Wednesday and on the bike by the weekend. I chose the General Altimax HP, 205-60-16. I'll post a report on how much I like it later. So I guess I'll need my DS number and a cookie!!  |
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junior
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« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2009, 10:28:17 AM » |
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Bob E.
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« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2009, 08:30:24 AM » |
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My wife just called and said there is a new tire waiting for me on the front porch. I ordered it Sunday afternoon and it is here already Tuesday morning. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!
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Bob E.
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« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2009, 05:32:20 AM » |
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Ok...got the tire mounted and the bike all back together last night. I'm going to have to keep a watch on it for awhile. It is so close to the swingarm on the right side (driveshaft side) that the rubber letters just barely touch. It's not a hard rub, but when you spin the tire, you can definitely hear it even though there is no real drag. A piece of paper can be pulled through the gap without tearing. But there is definitely some drag. I've heard some say they have a credit card thickness gap. There is no way you could get a credit card in mine. With so many others running this tire without rubbing, I don't know why mine would be different, but it is. But I might need to take it all back apart and hit that spot on the drive-shaft tube with a grinder to open up a little more gap. But for now, it is back together and I'm riding...but keeping an eye on it. I may tear it back down this weekend and hit it just so I'm not paranoid about it. It's supposed to rain, anyways.
So after I got it back together last night, I took a quick 5-mile ride just to feel it out and right away I could feel the difference in the handling. It's not bad, just different. Daniel Meyer's website put it best in that it just feels like you are going to a different motorcycle. It definitely takes a more deliberate action to turn, and I can feel the added pressure on the bars to stay in a turn. But it's not something I can't get used to. In fact, after riding to work today, I wasn't even thinking about it by the time I reached the office. I checked the right sidewall for rub marks and I do not see any, so I'm guessing it's ok. But I'll still be watching it, especially if my wife joins me and we have the added load from 2-up riding. Like I said, I may still just tear it back down this weekend and fix it so I don't have to worry about it.
The bottom line is, I only have 13 miles on this tire. So it is still too early to say for sure. But I think I'll be liking this tire and not switching it out any time soon. My main goal was/is to increase the tire life over what I was getting from the bike tires (7500-10,000 miles). But even if I get the same mileage, at $97 delivered, I've still succeeded in cutting my rear tire bill in half.
Right now, I started with 38psi and it felt pretty good. But I'll probably play with the pressures a bit just to see the differences in handling and then settle in on a pressure I like best. So what tire pressure are you all running in your tires?
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Sharkey
Member
Posts: 567
GOT CURVES??
VRCCDS0184
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« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2009, 02:34:13 PM » |
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Just a thought , but I wonder if the thickness of the thrust washer would move the tire over some ? Is the thrust washer new? Mine is not nearly as tight as yours.
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Bob E.
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« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2009, 05:32:25 AM » |
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Just a thought , but I wonder if the thickness of the thrust washer would move the tire over some ? Is the thrust washer new? Mine is not nearly as tight as yours.
Good thought. My thrust washer is the original with 37,500 miles on it. |
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Beast03
Member
Posts: 59
Beast
Casper, Wyoming
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« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2009, 06:53:50 PM » |
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You're going to love that tire. I have put 2,000 miles on mine so far this summer and I love it. I will never go back to a motorcycle tire on my Valkyrie ever again.
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Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
Member
Posts: 13833
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Beautiful east Tennessee ( GOD'S Country )
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« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2009, 06:58:33 PM » |
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Doc Moose has the DarkSide numbers...Don't forget about the splines while running that million miler  |
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 I've seen alot of people that thought they were cool , but then again Lord I've seen alot of fools. |
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Sharkey
Member
Posts: 567
GOT CURVES??
VRCCDS0184
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« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2009, 07:08:20 PM » |
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Where can one get the Darkside stickers??
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Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
Member
Posts: 13833
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Beautiful east Tennessee ( GOD'S Country )
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« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2009, 07:25:56 PM » |
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Where can one get the Darkside stickers??
TJ has them in black or silver ...E-mail him and he'll hook you up . tjranch@embarqmail.com |
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I've seen alot of people that thought they were cool , but then again Lord I've seen alot of fools. |
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Sharkey
Member
Posts: 567
GOT CURVES??
VRCCDS0184
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« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2009, 07:30:33 PM » |
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Where can one get the Darkside stickers??
TJ has them in black or silver ...E-mail him and he'll hook you up . tjranch@embarqmail.com Thanks |
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Black Pearl's Captain
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« Reply #12 on: August 28, 2009, 09:14:13 AM » |
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Just a thought , but I wonder if the thickness of the thrust washer would move the tire over some ? Is the thrust washer new? Mine is not nearly as tight as yours.
Good thought. My thrust washer is the original with 37,500 miles on it. The thrust washer will not change the tire-wheel location. It only spaces over the splined drive hub which floats on the splined rear end. The distance of all the bearings, spacers, and the rear end set where the wheel is located in the swingarm. Raymond |
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