Going Darkside for the first time

[f6john]

Going with a Pirelli P1 in 195-55-16, for my Wing. Seems to be a popular choice with longtime Wing riders and I snagged a deal on one for $152.00 delivered to the local Walmart store. Next issue is I wanted a second rear wheel for the change and there are plenty out there a good prices but as usual none really near me.

So, Saturday I'm in Campbellsville visiting my mother, and I find a deal that would only take me about 30 miles out of my way for the trip home, so I set up a meet at the sellers house.

This is what I came away with,










Not bad for $200.00?

[John Schmidt]

And I'll bet you carried the driveshaft laying across your lap. Looks like a good buy, or as my granddad used to say; looks like you fell in an outhouse and came up with a piano. 

[Jersey mike]

The Pirelli, did you go with a run flat version?

What year Wing are you riding?

[Hook#3287]

I ran a Pirelli p1 RF on my 18 Wing with good results, can't remember what I got for mileage on it.

I installed it myself and it was a bear to get on.

I also bought a trike off rear wheel with a new Dunlop on it for the cost of the tire and that is on my bike now.

Bought a new p1 and had a tire shop swap it out. The installer said he had a heck of a time getting the old one off and almost had to cut it. 

It's sitting in my cellar waiting for me to run through the Dunlop.

Good score on the rear parts, but in reality, only the wheel and rotor will probably be any use to you.

[f6john]

The Pirelli, did you go with a run flat version?

What year Wing are you riding?

Yes, it's a run flat which is counterintuitive to me as in the Corvette world, even though the car carries no spare, almost no one keeps the run flats. My Wing is an 08 I bought a few years ago with 20k miles. Budget keeps me from owning the newer Wings.

I ran a Pirelli p1 RF on my 18 Wing with good results, can't remember what I got for mileage on it.

I installed it myself and it was a bear to get on.

I also bought a trike off rear wheel with a new Dunlop on it for the cost of the tire and that is on my bike now.

Bought a new p1 and had a tire shop swap it out. The installer said he had a heck of a time getting the old one off and almost had to cut it. 

It's sitting in my cellar waiting for me to run through the Dunlop.

Good score on the rear parts, but in reality, only the wheel and rotor will probably be any use to you.

I've still got a few miles left on the Bridgestones on the bike now and I plan to mount the P1 on the original back wheel when the time comes. I like the Bridgestones well enough I might go ahead and do as you speak of and run this zero mile wheel and tire for a while too. Your right about the other parts I bought, I don't expect to ever need them, but I do remember Serk having a driveshaft failure this past season, so at least I'll be prepared for that.

[Jersey mike]

That's a great looking bike, great color choice 

Is it my imagination or do the rims have a similar style to the Valkyrie? I think the Valkyrie has 6 spokes(?...are they still called spokes).

[Serk]

Nice find on the spare parts! A floppy drive shaft led to a 1000 mile round trip rescue mission from a friend with a trailer a few months ago for my '08, good to have around... Although a bit too large to carry as a spare on trips.

I'm on my second 195/55RF-16 Yokohama AVID ENVigor ZPS Run Flat SL on my Wing. Loving it so far. I over inflated it on the first tire (40 PSI cold) and only got 18,000 miles out of the first one. Running a little lower, 32-35ish on this one will see how it goes...

[f6john]

That's a great looking bike, great color choice 

Is it my imagination or do the rims have a similar style to the Valkyrie? I think the Valkyrie has 6 spokes(?...are they still called spokes).

Thanks on the color, it's what caught my eye first. The design is similar but the center hub part of the wheels are smaller than the Valkyrie both front and back . As with the Valkyrie the majority of the rim is hidden from view by the bags and exhaust.

Nice find on the spare parts! A floppy drive shaft led to a 1000 mile round trip rescue mission from a friend with a trailer a few months ago for my '08, good to have around... Although a bit too large to carry as a spare on trips.

I'm on my second 195/55RF-16 Yokohama AVID ENVigor ZPS Run Flat SL on my Wing. Loving it so far. I over inflated it on the first tire (40 PSI cold) and only got 18,000 miles out of the first one. Running a little lower, 32-35ish on this one will see how it goes...

I could probably make room for the drive shaft as I don't yet have a crew of possible passengers to take with me! But I doubt it will make many trips either. I have a new universal joint for my Valkyrie that I carried around with me for years and never needed.

The 32-35 ish range was what has been recommended to me for the P1 also. I currently have 14,000 miles on the Bridgestone MC tire on now and I'm sure it has a few thousand miles left in it but I wouldn't want to venture too far from home with it.

[Hook#3287]

The Pirelli, did you go with a run flat version?

What year Wing are you riding?

Yes, it's a run flat which is counterintuitive to me as in the Corvette world, even though the car carries no spare, almost no one keeps the run flats. My Wing is an 08 I bought a few years ago with 20k miles. Budget keeps me from owning the newer Wings.

I ran a Pirelli p1 RF on my 18 Wing with good results, can't remember what I got for mileage on it.

I installed it myself and it was a bear to get on.

I also bought a trike off rear wheel with a new Dunlop on it for the cost of the tire and that is on my bike now.

Bought a new p1 and had a tire shop swap it out. The installer said he had a heck of a time getting the old one off and almost had to cut it. 

It's sitting in my cellar waiting for me to run through the Dunlop.

Good score on the rear parts, but in reality, only the wheel and rotor will probably be any use to you.

I've still got a few miles left on the Bridgestones on the bike now and I plan to mount the P1 on the original back wheel when the time comes. I like the Bridgestones well enough I might go ahead and do as you speak of and run this zero mile wheel and tire for a while too. Your right about the other parts I bought, I don't expect to ever need them, but I do remember Serk having a driveshaft failure this past season, so at least I'll be prepared for that.

That's a nice looking Wing    I understand the 5th gen has several attributes that are superior to the 6th.  Overall comfort and 2 up cruising comes to mind.

[f6john]

Lots of differences between 5th and 6th gen's but I can't comment on them as I have never even threw a leg over one. They have had there share of growing pain problems too. I think the clutcheless shifting was a big draw for many.

Boy, that wheel cleaned up like a new penny with just soap and water!



Anyone ever seen of you seen a tire valve like this?

[Jersey mike]

Wow, just some soap and water, that's a great result, looks fantastic. 

No, that doesn't look like any valve stem I've ever seen. It actually looks more like a grease fitting.

[Serk]

Heh, I had to go to the garage and make sure I wasn't imagining things...

Definitely not clean, but... this is the valve stem on my '08 'Wing...



I can't recall exactly where I got it, but the T-Valve Stem wouldn't fit on that rim so went to a lower profile one...

[f6john]

I got an answer on the gl1800 board. That's a stem for bikes that came from Honda with TPMS! So, Serk you got tpms?

[Serk]

I got an answer on the gl1800 board. That's a stem for bikes that came from Honda with TPMS! So, Serk you got tpms?

Not OEM, I added TPMS myself (The big knob thing on the end of the valve).

I'm 99% I changed the valve stem myself at some point.