Trying something new... General G-Max AS-03

[CajunRider]

This is for a Wing... don't know if they make a size that will fit the Valk.

Gonna try out the General G-Max AS-03 tire in 195/55R16.  It should come in next week. 

Will let y'all know how it works once I get it mounted.  Wish me luck!!!   

[Stanc770]

Be anxious to hear your results. Tried having a new rear wheel custom made and knew it would be costly but, didn't know I would have to come out of retirement to pay for it! I'm certain I can find another source with a more realistic price schedule.

So many space constraints on the wheel clearances.

[goldstar903]

Just to clarify, you're mounting a 16" wheel on the rear?

[AdrianR]

That's a freakin' car time man... how the hell are you going to get any decent cornering performance with that profile???

[bradrcfii]

I was going to ask the same thing. 

[goldstar903]

It's the "DARK SIDE" syndrome. I have friends that are pushing me to join the dark side. Their argument is that they get ~40,000 miles on a car tire. Great contact patch going straight, a lot less in corners. I like doing corners.

[CajunRider]

It's the "DARK SIDE" syndrome. I have friends that are pushing me to join the dark side. Their argument is that they get ~40,000 miles on a car tire. Great contact patch going straight, a lot less in corners. I like doing corners.

Correct... but my argument is slightly different.  I don't care about the mileage. 

For me, it's a smoother ride and a massive grip increase when vertical.  Add to that the fact that the closest curvy road to me is a couple hours of slab away, I'm not worried about the reduction in lean angle due to the VERY limited time I spend leaned over. 

My last attempt was a Yokohama on the Valk.  20K miles and it was toast.  I'm hoping to get 20K out of this one.

[_Sheffjs_]

Having two 1500 Interstates at the same time both Darkside, one with the Austone taxi tire ----- not happy with it, the other a Michy P 205/60r 16 that I loved!  It does well on the 1500s and if you pay attention to pictures of Smoken Joe and the 1500 riders that hang with him you can clearly see they can corner and corner very well. I like the stopping power a CT gives you. With 2 up at 55 no gear down no front brake just stand on the rear brake only and she would stop on a dime and straight as an arrow. Having said that, I would like to try a CT on the new Valk but feel that it is just not for this bike.  The full on wings 1500 Valks and F6B all have the 16" rear wheel and have a plethora of CTs to choose from. Not sure what will fit the 17" rear wheel.  Again it was about the braking for me.  

[JamminJohn1]

I run one on my Stratoliner !
I like it.

                 JJ

[CajunRider]

I was hoping to mount it this past weekend... ran out of time due to the front tire on the Triumph giving me fits.    

This weekend looks like rain all weekend and I don't have much of a shop to work in, so it's questionable if I'll get to it again. 

Though on the TPMS... since I don't have a tool to reverse register and I'm doing both front and rear at the same time... can the pressure sensors be detached from the rims and swapped while I have both tires off??? 

Would this even work to make up for the lower pressures in the rear CT??

Should I be more worried about possibly damaging the sensors while changing the tires by hand??   

[TallRider]

Aren't motor cycles lighter than cars there for the bike tires are softer and gummier to allow better traction. Cars are heavier much heavier. Therefore tire rubber is harder. The heavy weight facilitates better traction on hard rubber. Thus they were better than bike tires. Would think car tire would be slicker that fresh cat crap on a tin roof on a wet or rainy road. Just thinking? So far OEM tires have posed no problem for me. I go over bridges here with a grate surface and bike tracks straight does not snake. My VTX with OEM tires did snake and sidestep over the same bridges.

[Robert]

I was hoping to mount it this past weekend... ran out of time due to the front tire on the Triumph giving me fits.    

This weekend looks like rain all weekend and I don't have much of a shop to work in, so it's questionable if I'll get to it again. 

Though on the TPMS... since I don't have a tool to reverse register and I'm doing both front and rear at the same time... can the pressure sensors be detached from the rims and swapped while I have both tires off??? 

Would this even work to make up for the lower pressures in the rear CT??

Should I be more worried about possibly damaging the sensors while changing the tires by hand??   

You can switch the tp sensors without a problem just make sure they go back in the same position otherwise you will have to relearn them. They only monitor pressure so as long as pressure is the same as factory recommended you should not have a problem. Just also make sure there are no design differences in the rims with and without TPMS sensors. Most sensors have a relearn that even if you do switch them driving a bit should take care of it.

Good Luck on your experiment, not for me but you had to be the first one. 

[CajunRider]

Aren't motor cycles lighter than cars there for the bike tires are softer and gummier to allow better traction. Cars are heavier much heavier. Therefore tire rubber is harder. The heavy weight facilitates better traction on hard rubber. Thus they were better than bike tires. Would think car tire would be slicker that fresh cat crap on a tin roof on a wet or rainy road. Just thinking? So far OEM tires have posed no problem for me. I go over bridges here with a grate surface and bike tracks straight does not snake. My VTX with OEM tires did snake and sidestep over the same bridges.

I was wondering that the first time I tried a car tire (Yokohama H2S on a Valkyrie standard).  I was pleasantly surprised by how much more grip it had than the Avon Venoms I had on there previously... dry or wet.  And the Avons have impressive grip already.

This time around (on a Wing) I have a Dunlop Elite 3 on the back.  I dislike the E3 enough to remove it when only half worn.  I really TRIED to like it... but it just plain scares me on wet roads to the point that I no longer enjoy the ride.  It's only on there due to having no other alternative when I ruined the OEM rear tire while 1500 miles from home. 

No complaints with the OEM tires.  Good grip and 16K miles on the original front.  I bought an OEM front replacement along with the G-Max. 

Good Luck on your experiment, not for me but you had to be the first one. 

Thanks!      I figure the worst case scenario would be having disconnecting the TPMS light on the dash due to it being in constant flash mode.    

[CajunRider]

Well, I was able to beat the rain to get the tire mounted.  Only put about 150 miles so far... just enough to get a feel for it. 

Thus far, MASSIVE grip!  More so than the Yokohama Avid (replaced by Envigor) that I had on the Valk. 

Handles great for a CT... Bump steer isn't bad at all and the ride is cursed smooth compared to the MT.   

So far, the only part I'm not completely satisfied with is that the side walls are rather thin, so the tire goes from overly bouncy at 38 psi to having just a tad bit of sway at 36 psi. 

Bonus... I was able to swap the tire pressure sensors while I had both wheels off.  Worked just like "reverse registering" the sensors (and cheaper than buying the registering tool!).