Darkside, anyone had a problem?

[B]

Just went over 1 week before my trip west ... 6000+ miles later, I have no desire to ever go back to a MT.

[Tropic traveler]

Wow...a sane discussion about Car Tires...how refreshing.  All I will add is-

ALL CAR TIRES ARE NOT EQUAL...PLEASE DON'T LUMP THEM TOGETHER.

It's like saying, "I tried a carrot and didn't like it, so I won't be eating vegetables any more".

I'm sure that is true. One reason I'm going back to a MC tire is I don't have time to experiment with different CTs on this bike. It is kind of perpetually "for sale" & I think it {the CT} has run off potential buyers in the past. Plus a MT is a known quantity, it will handle just like I like.
I have noticed the Michelin HydroEdge I have is VERY squared off, more so than most CTs Ive seen on other Valks. I still say if a 195/70/16, 195/75/16 or maybe a 185/75/16 CT was available it would be perfect for the Valk. A bit more width, probably no rubbing issues, maybe a little help with the hiway RPM & all the good parts of a CT.  I think the extra 1" width of a 205 CT over a 180 MC tire is pinched to much by the Valk rim making the "squared off" factor worse.
Anybody found a 195/70/16 car tire available?? I'd try one of those!

[¿spoom]

Wow...a sane discussion about Car Tires...how refreshing.  All I will add is-

ALL CAR TIRES ARE NOT EQUAL...PLEASE DON'T LUMP THEM TOGETHER.

It's like saying, "I tried a carrot and didn't like it, so I won't be eating vegetables any more".

I'm sure that is true. One reason I'm going back to a MC tire is I don't have time to experiment with different CTs on this bike. It is kind of perpetually "for sale" & I think it {the CT} has run off potential buyers in the past. Plus a MT is a known quantity, it will handle just like I like.
I have noticed the Michelin HydroEdge I have is VERY squared off, more so than most CTs Ive seen on other Valks. I still say if a 195/70/16, 195/75/16 or maybe a 185/75/16 CT was available it would be perfect for the Valk. A bit more width, probably no rubbing issues, maybe a little help with the hiway RPM & all the good parts of a CT.  I think the extra 1" width of a 205 CT over a 180 MC tire is pinched to much by the Valk rim making the "squared off" factor worse.
Anybody found a 195/70/16 car tire available?? I'd try one of those!

Tire Rack supposedly has 'em.

http://tires.tirerack.com/tires/195%2070%2015

[Duffy]

$91 for a rear tire!  Maybe I should reconsider this tire thing.

[HayHauler]

Wow...a sane discussion about Car Tires...how refreshing.  All I will add is-

ALL CAR TIRES ARE NOT EQUAL...PLEASE DON'T LUMP THEM TOGETHER.

It's like saying, "I tried a carrot and didn't like it, so I won't be eating vegetables any more".

I'm sure that is true. One reason I'm going back to a MC tire is I don't have time to experiment with different CTs on this bike. It is kind of perpetually "for sale" & I think it {the CT} has run off potential buyers in the past. Plus a MT is a known quantity, it will handle just like I like.
I have noticed the Michelin HydroEdge I have is VERY squared off, more so than most CTs Ive seen on other Valks. I still say if a 195/70/16, 195/75/16 or maybe a 185/75/16 CT was available it would be perfect for the Valk. A bit more width, probably no rubbing issues, maybe a little help with the hiway RPM & all the good parts of a CT.  I think the extra 1" width of a 205 CT over a 180 MC tire is pinched to much by the Valk rim making the "squared off" factor worse.
Anybody found a 195/70/16 car tire available?? I'd try one of those!

Tire Rack supposedly has 'em.

http://tires.tirerack.com/tires/195%2070%2015

Sorry Spoom, gots to be a 16" rear tire.

Hay   
Jimmyt

[olddog1946]

I recently started riding again after 18 years of not riding..bought a 94 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, added a windshield, homemade back rest, high way pegs and went riding everyday (100-200 miles) putting 3000 miles on in just under 3 weeks...my next door neighbor has a 97 Valk, and I'd had always like the looks of it..SO, I got the chance to trade my 84 Vette straight across for a 2001 Valk, std..added windshield, backrest, highway pegs, etc..and started riding it everyday, til I had a rear flat...It burns my butt to buy a MC tire for $245 plus mounting, and poor longevity....well, I bought my first CT, played with the pressures a bit and got back to riding...only have about 500 miles on the tire now (-19 degrees and a lot of snow)... It is different, follows every crack in the road below 25, takes a bit more effort in a  sweeping curve, but doesn't seem much different in a quick curve, and seems to "pop" up quicker in the transition in an S curve..
So far, I am happy with it and early this spring will head to Az to visit family..and I"m ready to go...

Federal 205/55/16 SS535

[MarkT]

On this CT vs MT issue I've been clear I gave it a fair try and the darkside wasn't for me.  Wrote up my findings on my tech tips pages and I won't beat that horse here.  My point on this thread is, I've found great results running the 200 Cobra with ride-on in it.  I could feel almost no difference at all, going from a completely worn out 200 Cobra, to a brand new one.  IOW, there was no effect felt going from the flat profile to the new round one.  And I believe that's because the 200 is so wide, the center of "lift" in a turn of a new one, is about the same position as it is on a worn one.  That was refreshing to me.  For the handling not to change throughout the life of the tire.  Secondly, the dynamic balancing of ride-on really smooths out any slight errors in balance, if you static balance your tires.  I had also noticed, at certain speeds, a bit of "hop" out of the front end, on both the wing and the Valk.  From just over 20 to about 30mph.  Seems to be like a harmonic caused by any slight irregularity in roundness or balance on both bikes.  Doesn't happen with ride-on in the tires.  Just a new observation - thought I'd share it, but still too new for me to draw any conclusions yet.  I added the ride-on recently on both tires on the Valk, now collecting observations of the effects.

[Rocketman]

Tire Rack supposedly has 'em.

http://tires.tirerack.com/tires/195%2070%2015

Sorry Spoom, gots to be a 16" rear tire.

Hay   
Jimmyt

Wait a minute!  You want to try a car tire, and people say that wasn't intended for your motorcycle.  You say you want to do it anyway.  So, who are you to say he can't use a 15" tire just because it wasn't intended for his 16" rim???
Hypocrite.

[ducks and runs]
I'M JOKING, PEOPLE!!!