another (new?) darkside tire option- 185/75r16?

[Locomotive]

I'm a soon-to-be-new owner of a well-kept 99 standard, and I am devouring all the info that I can find, here and in lots of other good resources like ValkyrieNorway. When I end up due for a rear tire I am very likely to go darkside, so I have been studying up on that and looking into different options.

I found a tire size that seems to not have been discussed anywhere that I can find, but that, from what I can figure out so far, looks very promising: 185/75r16, which is apparently used on some of the US-make/euro-derived commercial vans like the Ford Transport. Nokian (who in my experience build superb tires) make a tire in this size
https://www.nokiantires.com/summer-tires/nokian-cline-cargo/
I've also seen ones for sale under brand of Cooper's affiliate Hercules, although they do not seem to be a listed size on that manufacturer's current website.

The 185/75r16's diameter is 26.9" (same as the well-regarded Austone Taxi) and width is 7.28- so narrower than the "205-x" variants that I've read sometimes require cutting the nut retaining clips to gain clearance.

Am I possibly 'onto something' for an option, or am I missing the boat on something?

Thanks in advance

[relative to all of the strong opinions and controversy about darkside tires, I chuckle because my dad's older brother had an original Indian, back in the 30s or 40s, that ran car tires, as its stock norm; granted, that bike would be slow by today's standards, but, then again, tires of that era would be considered ghastly by today's standards]

[John Schmidt]

I run a 195/60-16 Kumho Ecsta PA31, paid somewhere around $75-80 two years ago. Handles like a bike tire and less than 10mm smaller contact patch than the 205. I know that doesn't make sense but I measured my take-off which was a 205, did it by running through a patch of oil before removing it, then through some cement dust. Then mounted the 195 and did the same test at the same pressure, track is less than 10mm narrower and with that rounded shoulder it handles beautiful. Here's what it looked like prior to mounting.

[..]

I'm a soon-to-be-new owner of a well-kept 99 standard, and I am devouring all the info that I can find, here and in lots of other good resources like ValkyrieNorway. When I end up due for a rear tire I am very likely to go darkside, so I have been studying up on that and looking into different options.

I found a tire size that seems to not have been discussed anywhere that I can find, but that, from what I can figure out so far, looks very promising: 185/75r16, which is apparently used on some of the US-make/euro-derived commercial vans like the Ford Transport. Nokian (who in my experience build superb tires) make a tire in this size
https://www.nokiantires.com/summer-tires/nokian-cline-cargo/
I've also seen ones for sale under brand of Cooper's affiliate Hercules, although they do not seem to be a listed size on that manufacturer's current website.

The 185/75r16's diameter is 26.9" (same as the well-regarded Austone Taxi) and width is 7.28- so narrower than the "205-x" variants that I've read sometimes require cutting the nut retaining clips to gain clearance.

Am I possibly 'onto something' for an option, or am I missing the boat on something?

Thanks in advance

[relative to all of the strong opinions and controversy about darkside tires, I chuckle because my dad's older brother had an original Indian, back in the 30s or 40s, that ran car tires, as its stock norm; granted, that bike would be slow by today's standards, but, then again, tires of that era would be considered ghastly by today's standards]

Looking at the phot in the link you supplied I would say the tire has too square a shojlder.

Compare to the Champiro VP1. I
I'm very happily using my second one.
Zip, zap, zoom on mountain roads.

13,500 miles just before I removed it



14,000 miles just before I removed it. I ran too high a psi for a couple of thousand miles and prematurely wore the center of the tire otherwise it would have lasted closer to 17,000 miles.



Fat bastid tire pressure is 36psi for me.

[FarmerRick]

I run a 195/60-16 Kumho Ecsta PA31, paid somewhere around $75-80 two years ago. Handles like a bike tire and less than 10mm smaller contact patch than the 205. I know that doesn't make sense but I measured my take-off which was a 205, did it by running through a patch of oil before removing it, then through some cement dust. Then mounted the 195 and did the same test at the same pressure, track is less than 10mm narrower and with that rounded shoulder it handles beautiful. Here's what it looked like prior to mounting.

205-195=10mm 
Not all manufacturers tires of the same size are exactly identical in measurement.

[..]

First one mounted

[..]

7,000 miles

[John Schmidt]

I run a 195/60-16 Kumho Ecsta PA31, paid somewhere around $75-80 two years ago. Handles like a bike tire and less than 10mm smaller contact patch than the 205. I know that doesn't make sense but I measured my take-off which was a 205, did it by running through a patch of oil before removing it, then through some cement dust. Then mounted the 195 and did the same test at the same pressure, track is less than 10mm narrower and with that rounded shoulder it handles beautiful. Here's what it looked like prior to mounting.

205-195=10mm 
Not all manufacturers tires of the same size are exactly identical in measurement.

Rick, I'm well aware there's a 10mm difference in the listed sizing. That's why if you read my content, you'll see where I measured the actual contact patch on the garage floor. The 195 has a substantially wider contact patch than the OEM m/c tire because it's more flat. The OEM m/c tire is only 180 at the widest spot when upright and inflated, but doesn't have an actual 180 contact patch.

[Hook#3287]

My question is , what does "summer tire" mean?

Not good in cool - cold weather?

You live in Vermont, right?

[da prez]

Summer tire is not rated for snow or freezing weather. The wet road contact needs to be checked.
 Tire rack has a full breakdown of terms .

                                                da prez

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

If anybody wants to compare tire sizes, there is a nice calculator online to do it for you. https://www.tacomaworld.com/tirecalc?

Of course, as John pointed out, two of the same size tires may have a significantly different contact patch due to the tire's profile. I think we would all agree that a rounded profile would help it feel more correct on a motorcycle than a tire with sharper, square shoulders. Choose wisely.

A website with lots of tire options, from the super-cheap, never-heard-of imports to the name brands everybody knows is https://simpletire.com/ . Can even get some oddball sizes like 195-65R16, which would be a great size for a valk. Sadly, most are 8 or 12 ply truck tires, which would likely ride like a freight train on a bike.

[pais]

I run a 195/60-16 Kumho Ecsta PA31, paid somewhere around $75-80 two years ago. Handles like a bike tire and less than 10mm smaller contact patch than the 205. I know that doesn't make sense but I measured my take-off which was a 205, did it by running through a patch of oil before removing it, then through some cement dust. Then mounted the 195 and did the same test at the same pressure, track is less than 10mm narrower and with that rounded shoulder it handles beautiful. Here's what it looked like prior to mounting.

John, I know this post is a bit old. Wondering, after all this time. Do you still like the 195/60-16 Kumho Ecsta PA31? I looked at it on Amazon and noticed a lot of motorcyclist run this tire on a variety of bikes. The size you listed as using. Did it require  the nut cage mod?

[MarkT]

FYI this is the tire that "replaced" the Austone Taxi Tire which isn't available anymore.  Measurements and profile almost identical except it's slightly taller which is even better, as far as lowering RPM's at speed for better mileage.  Also is a better price than the ATT and made in Costa Rica, not China.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Transforce%20CV&partnum=975R6TCV&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&fbclid=IwAR2eOBvHQ8iKtWzeBLbQV5Qp42nJaQgi8-Bq1OzLL3E2gk70Y-sb4Di7ihU

[pais]

FYI this is the tire that "replaced" the Austone Taxi Tire which isn't available anymore.  Measurements and profile almost identical except it's slightly taller which is even better, as far as lowering RPM's at speed for better mileage.  Also is a better price than the ATT and made in Costa Rica, not China.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Transforce%20CV&partnum=975R6TCV&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&fbclid=IwAR2eOBvHQ8iKtWzeBLbQV5Qp42nJaQgi8-Bq1OzLL3E2gk70Y-sb4Di7ihU

Outstanding! I have felt like I missed the boat on the ATT. Didn't need a tire at the time.
Reveiws are very good on this tire from other motorcyclist.
MarkT, is the size that is in the link a size I can use with NO mods of any kind?
Thanx for the info!

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

There's another new "replacement" for the Austone available at Universal Tire (where many people purchased the Austone back when it was available here in the US).

https://www.universaltire.com/175r16-maxxis-blackwall.html

[The emperor has no clothes]

I wouldn’t be concerned in the least about nut cage rub. My concern with those 2 tires is height rubbing. When loaded for a trip with my wife I will use up the entire suspension travel. Stock is pretty close to 26”. My current favorite is pretty close to 26”, a 195/65. The Maxxis is 26.9”. The Firestone comes in at 27.5”. I’ve not used an Austone, if I remember they were at 27”. Some guys have bottomed them out and tore out the wiring. I don’t remember if they had stock suspension.

[Valkorado]

I wouldn’t be concerned in the least about nut cage rub. My concern with those 2 tires is height rubbing. When loaded for a trip with my wife I will use up the entire suspension travel. Stock is pretty close to 26”. My current favorite is pretty close to 26”, a 195/65. The Maxxis is 26.9”. The Firestone comes in at 27.5”. I’ve not used an Austone, if I remember they were at 27”. Some guys have bottomed them out and tore out the wiring. I don’t remember if they had stock suspension.

We've rubbed two-up with Austones and heavy duty 13" Progressive 444-4221 shocks, had fresh marks clean thru fender undercoat as evidence.  That's why when they were discontinued and there weren't many known alternatives I was already on the hunt for something different.

EDIT: To be specific, the Austone rubs (yeah plural, ran those on both bikes also) were on the front part of the rear section of the rear fenders (I think that makes sense) not near the rear part of the rear section where the wiring harness is.

[MarkT]

I don't have personal experience with the FT tire; what I have is results of searches for the size like the Austone which works perfectly for me, and reports from others who have the tire.  BTW, size demarcation does not accurately reflect actual specs - check them for what the tire REALLY is.  I am on my second Austone tire which I replaced when I had the wheels powder coated - the orginal ATT tire still has at least half it's mileage left, I don't rack up the miles as fast as I used to since we left the High Country Cruisers (for their mngmnt malfeasance) and they are defunct years ago (for the same reasons we left), and I have a new ATT tire for when I need it.  I expect I may run out of youth to ride with before I run out of ATT rubber.  I'm not concerned with shelf life on this tire as they are built with much more carcass strength than bike tires are, and we are under-loading them in relation to their design capacity.  Also I don't ride at triple digits so I don't care about the Q speed rating (99mph).  And the bike is kept indoors so it doesn't get solar radiation while not being ridden.  Though I'm aware some tire depreciation is from ozone, I'm still unconcerned.

I run Progressive 444-4057 shocks at full preload which have 140/200 springs and full height 13", the wife almost always rides her own Magna; though I pull heavy trailers, with my weight loss I never bottom the shocks and so have no damage to the wiring that I know of.  The lights work as they should.  I can't inspect the wire section of the fender w/o some effort.  The nut cage mod isn't an issue with the width of this tire, though I did that anyway shortly after I got the bike.

[TrapperAH1G]

I have the Vredestan Comtrec on my bike.  It's 185/75R16.  $135.00 delivered.  Really like it.  Also, the Zeetex CT1000 is a great tire, have that on another bike and can't tell much, if any, difference betweenn the two, good traction, good ride, etc.  Would put either one on again, plan to if I outlast the ones I have now.