I got me a new Darkside Tire & I'm not to happy about it.

[DarkSideR]

The Vredestein Sportrac 3 is at the end of it's life   Don't need to report mileage because they don't make them anymore. This however was a great handling tire, and looked awesome with it's 3-D Tread.

It was a no brain'r buying the Vredestein, but this time around it wasn't so easy. I couldn't find a high performance, good looking, rounded shoulder tire. Daily for the better part of a week I would search, and look, and compare tires until I was seeing tread patterns everywhere I looked.

I finally settled on the extremely boring Hankook Optimo H426, only because it was the most symmetrical, rounded profile C/T I could find. It looks like a wider Austone Taxi but at half the price. I also changed sizes this go around. I travel for my job and often take the Valk rather than do the whole Airline ordeal. The Vredestein was a 205/60, and this go around the Hankook is a 205/65. Since I am always (and I mean always) looking for 6th gear, I went with a 65 series tire to lower the RPM's at highway speeds.

I'm going to replace the rear shock bushing while replacing the tire. Looking forward to a great handling, long lasting tire.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I haven't used that tire. But don't expect too much difference out of the 65 series. In my experience it was about 200 rpm lower at 75 mph. Not bad but not a huge difference. You will notice a little more lean on the side stand. Again not a big deal, but try to avoid additional sloping. 

[98valk]

JCK,
that tire is on my list after my E3 wears out.
  tirerack has tread width as 6.1"  can u confirm?
rounded corners?
Austone has tread width of 5.5" so pretty close.

thanks for the feedback

[DarkSideR]

JCK,
that tire is on my list after my E3 wears out.
  tirerack has tread width as 6.1"  can u confirm?
rounded corners?
Austone has tread width of 5.5" so pretty close.

thanks for the feedback

The good news is the Hankook Optima's shoulder is so rounded that it's difficult to get a tread width measurement. I will get it mounted tomorrow and report on the fit.

[DarkSideR]

I got the new Hankook Optimo installed today.  Had a small custom motorcycle shop put it on the rim.  It took 5oz to balance,  and he said there was no drama with the installation.  This 65 series fit great with more clearance at the swing arm than the previous tire did.  Only took a 20 minute ride which was uneventful. Handling was good.  At 75mph the speedo read 3500. I'm a happy camper.

[NewValker]

I ran that tire on my VTX, 20k loved it.
When I sold it, there was still 20k left on it.
Craig

[DarkSideR]

I did 281 miles riding interstate, twisty mountain roads, and did a couple of good stints in the rain.  I am pleased with the handling of the Hankook Optimo. I can't recall any memory of bump steer either.  

I also recently put the Metzler on the front, I am happy with it as well.