Laufenn G FIT tire, My first DarkSide, Ride Update

[Ken Tarver]

Bump steer....look at it this way, as an opportunity to be more observant of the road conditions. You will quickly learn to swerve around the potholes and patches, and uneven pavement overlays. It's fun, just keep rolling...
36-38 psi here on the Valks, 38 on the Wing.

Ken

[Harryc]

Hit a bump and go in another direction. Wow, that sounds like good times...can't wait. Lol
Luckily we don't have many potholes on our area roads.

[Jess from VA]

One thing the CT does somewhat worse than a bike tire (they also do it) is when you run over half an elevated manhole cover (or any like elevation changes, up or down (like potholes)).  The big contact patch is really better than a bike tire in every way, except this way.  Half an elevated manhole cover tends to lurch/jerk/tip the (rear of the) bike sideways, then as you pass over, back to flat again.  You aren't going to fall over, but it is disconcerting, until you are used to it.  Do not look behind you wondering what happened (it's already over), keep your eyes on the road.  It doesn't really change the bike's direction.  Just keep it pointed where you want and ignore the few extra bumps and shakes and jerks.  And try not to ride over half a manhole cover (or other like elevation change), miss it entirely, or hit it entirely.  Good tight shocks in the rear probably make it worse than worn out sloppy shocks.

When experimenting with your new CT, go find an elevated manhole cover and run over half of it.  You'll get it. It's also probably worse at slow speed than fast (when slow, the tip lasts longer).

[The emperor has no clothes]

One thing the CT does somewhat worse than a bike tire (they also do it) is when you run over half an elevated manhole cover (or any like elevation changes, up or down (like potholes)).  The big contact patch is really better than a bike tire in every way, except this way.  Half an elevated manhole cover tends to lurch/jerk/tip the (rear of the) bike sideways, then as you pass over, back to flat again.  You aren't going to fall over, but it is disconcerting, until you are used to it.  Do not look behind you wondering what happened (it's already over), keep your eyes on the road.  It doesn't really change the bike's direction.  Just keep it pointed where you want and ignore the few extra bumps and shakes and jerks.  And try not to ride over half a manhole cover (or other like elevation change), miss it entirely, or hit it entirely.  Good tight shocks in the rear probably make it worse than worn out sloppy shocks.

When experimenting with your new CT, go find an elevated manhole cover and run over half of it.  You'll get it. It's also probably worse at slow speed than fast (when slow, the tip lasts longer).

After installing my first car tire I did just such a thing. I was coming back to work from lunch and someone had parked in my regular spot. I went over the corner of a rain gutter grate that was about 4" below the road grade. Man that scared the crap out of me, I thought I was going down. And yes it's much worse the slower you are going. I later went over it again a few times to get the feel of what was happening. Anything over 10 mph was no big deal. After getting used to it, doing it at 2 or 3 mph was fine also. That first time was unexpected for sure.

[Harryc]

Good information and ideas guys. I guess it's time to practice.

[98valk]

Mileage Update,

tread started at 10/32",  after 6k miles at 8/32".  Looks like will be good for 27-30k miles before replacement.
  After break-in have settled on 40 psi which is providing constant equal wear across the tread.

[Harryc]

Mileage Update,

tread started at 10/32",  after 6k miles at 8/32".  Looks like will be good for 27-30k miles before replacement.
  After break-in have settled on 40 psi which is providing constant equal wear across the tread.

Thanks for the update. I am running 38PSI. Any reason to up it to 40? I'll do it if you say it wears better ...

[98valk]

Mileage Update,

tread started at 10/32",  after 6k miles at 8/32".  Looks like will be good for 27-30k miles before replacement.
  After break-in have settled on 40 psi which is providing constant equal wear across the tread.

Thanks for the update. I am running 38PSI. Any reason to up it to 40? I'll do it if you say it wears better ...

it would depend on total weight of bike/rider. I was at 42psi and the center was wearing faster. down to present 40psi 2-3k miles later same across the tread. I use a tire tread depth tool, or whatever the tech term is.   
I can say the overall handling for me has been best at 40psi. same bump steer cold or hot that the E3 had which the G Fit replaced.
another test I use sometimes after a good hwy ride 15-20 minutes is tire tread surface temp, should be even all the way across. This is what track car racers use.

[Harryc]

Mileage Update,

tread started at 10/32",  after 6k miles at 8/32".  Looks like will be good for 27-30k miles before replacement.
  After break-in have settled on 40 psi which is providing constant equal wear across the tread.

Thanks for the update. I am running 38PSI. Any reason to up it to 40? I'll do it if you say it wears better ...

it would depend on total weight of bike/rider. I was at 42psi and the center was wearing faster. down to present 40psi 2-3k miles later same across the tread. I use a tire tread depth tool, or whatever the tech term is.   
I can say the overall handling for me has been best at 40psi. same bump steer cold or hot that the E3 had which the G Fit replaced.
another test I use sometimes after a good hwy ride 15-20 minutes is tire tread surface temp, should be even all the way across. This is what track car racers use.

Well looking at your sig I see you have a Tourer...same here. I weigh in at 280 lbs and rarely ride 2-up. I'd guess if you weigh less than me, you'd want to ride less psi. Maybe I need to run 42psi? Yeah I like pie. Lol

[98valk]

Mileage Update,

tread started at 10/32",  after 6k miles at 8/32".  Looks like will be good for 27-30k miles before replacement.
  After break-in have settled on 40 psi which is providing constant equal wear across the tread.

Thanks for the update. I am running 38PSI. Any reason to up it to 40? I'll do it if you say it wears better ...

it would depend on total weight of bike/rider. I was at 42psi and the center was wearing faster. down to present 40psi 2-3k miles later same across the tread. I use a tire tread depth tool, or whatever the tech term is.   
I can say the overall handling for me has been best at 40psi. same bump steer cold or hot that the E3 had which the G Fit replaced.
another test I use sometimes after a good hwy ride 15-20 minutes is tire tread surface temp, should be even all the way across. This is what track car racers use.

Well looking at your sig I see you have a Tourer...same here. I weigh in at 280 lbs and rarely ride 2-up. I'd guess if you weigh less than me, you'd want to ride less psi. Maybe I need to run 42psi? Yeah I like pie. Lol

w/ I/S tank and various weight reduction mods done. about 10lbs lighter right now than stock.
 I'm about 215-220 full agatt gear.

only way to know right psi is to do the testing.

[Valker]

I have a Tourer with my 280# rear on it plus another 50# of gear on trips. This is a pic of my last Michelin HydroEdge that I always run at 26psi. Handles best at that IMHO. This pic was taken when the tire had 49,000 miles on it.

[Gabriel]

Bump steer has always meant (to me) that anytime half or less of the tire width strikes an elevated object it will bump the steering in opposite direction of the rise. A motorcycle tire will also do this but to a far lesser degree. (The M/C tire is not as wide and it tapers up the side).
==============================================================
Tire balance;
 Anytime a tire is balanced by a fixed mechanical method the tire is only balanced at that speed, deviation from that speed changes the balance requirements of the tire.
Using beads or some other similar method of compensation balances the tire at all speeds from now on.
Important;
Using both beads and weights is a really bad idea, because we know that a tire using weights that the tire needs to be re-balanced from time to time.
 I used to add just add one once of beads to compensate for this UNTIL I experienced a violent shake at 85MPH after adding the beads, it was so violent that that it almost ejected me from the bike. It felt almost like a bad head shake but it was coming from the rear, I thought the tire came off the rim.
I contacted Dyna Beads and asked if adding beads ever caused something like this and the guy instantly asked me if I had removed all the wheel weights, I said no, he said that's your problem.
He was absolutely correct, after removing the wheel weights the problems was solved.
I have added one once to at least half a dozen tires without issue, the last time could have killed me.
I am not exaggerating about the violence of this shake and I was so apprehensive to try 85MPH again that I ran the bike up to high speed on the motorcycle lift before actually trying it again.
The tire is a Avon cobra Radial, it's still on the rear of my bike now.
 

[98valk]

Mileage Update.

per tread wear should get 30k miles to the wear bars.  have to run 37 PSI to have even wear across the tread width.

Next tire I will be looking for a Two Ply sidewall, the G Fit is only One Ply. Under certain rare conditions I get some very minor wobble at 37 psi that I rather not have. I ride solo all of the time. Riding two up and with more pressure it there would be no problems. Having more pressure which I tried, eliminates the wobble but then the center tread was wearing out faster than the rest of the tire.

[Valkorado]

Mileage Update.

per tread wear should get 30k miles to the wear bars.  have to run 37 PSI to have even wear across the tread width.

Next tire I will be looking for a Two Ply sidewall, the G Fit is only One Ply. Under certain rare conditions I get some very minor wobble at 37 psi that I rather not have. I ride solo all of the time. Riding two up and with more pressure it there would be no problems. Having more pressure which I tried, eliminates the wobble but then the center tread was wearing out faster than the rest of the tire.

Love the two-ply walls on the Zeetex CT-1000 LTT.  I just plain love the tire.   

[98valk]

Mileage Update.

per tread wear should get 30k miles to the wear bars.  have to run 37 PSI to have even wear across the tread width.

Next tire I will be looking for a Two Ply sidewall, the G Fit is only One Ply. Under certain rare conditions I get some very minor wobble at 37 psi that I rather not have. I ride solo all of the time. Riding two up and with more pressure it there would be no problems. Having more pressure which I tried, eliminates the wobble but then the center tread was wearing out faster than the rest of the tire.

Love the two-ply walls on the Zeetex CT-1000 LTT.  I just plain love the tire.   

thanks I will add that to my list.