I am running a stock 21 inch tire with a spoke on the front. Also want to try a 16'' tire in its place to see if I get a little smoother ride and just for a change.

 

Reading your posts on going to the Darkside makes me chuckle a bit, I've been running a car tire for over ten years. I had a 2005 VN2000 Kaw and either I ran a car tire or replaced it every month. Then bought a 2008 new RK and it was more comfortable for longer distance so sold the Kaw. but missed the security of the car tire in the rain and braking. In 2012 bought a Limited and was able to return to the CT, I've put almost 100,000 miles on CT's pulling a trailer in all weather and road conditions and it's funny reading this thread with you guys learning what I've been talking about for years. And it may not be for everyone but if you travel longer distances in all weather and/or pull a trailer there will be no comparison for rain and braking traction. The ride, price and mileage is just an extra bonus along with ease of repair, I can go on but you get the idea. I can scrape boards with the best of them 2up , not even flinch and proved it many times over. We have about 10 bikes in our group running CT's for years now and they will all tell you the same thing. Our two most popular tires are Dunlop SP5000, 195/60/16 and Bridgestone Turanza 195/60/16, 40psi works best for us and 2up riding, The Bridgestone has a little more tread and is slightly larger than stock and will decrease revs better for cruising, the Dunlop is almost spot on same diameter. In rain the rooster tails are almost comical but proving the tire is clean and ready for the next rev , you really notice the security pulling a trailer. Let the tests continue but I know the results and I've heard it all & more of the na-sayers crap, don't let them get to you ! Oh , and a warning on burnouts, they are real hard on clutch baskets but if you use a little lube (WD40) you can win any smoke contest you have the nerve to enter ! http://darkside.nwff.info/?p=tires

 

I plan on doing it again. I had it on my Heritage years ago, but it didn't work as well as I'd hoped being as I had to run the tube with the spokes. Now that it's not an issue, I will go that route. I wouldn't here in Hawaii just because they have very, very strict rules on any kind of modifications.

 

The crash and burn stories are a load of crap.

The reason I first chose to go dark was because between the weight of the Wing, Me, the Wife and all our crap .. we greatly exceeded the capability of the bike ... and all bike tires including he e3 were having separation issues. The cost and very long mileage are truly an added benefit.

If the tires on my 16 ultra dont last a reasonable amount of Mileage ... dark side I go. But Im hoping I can find a dealer to mount it for me.

I would also challenge ANYONE to find a story . article .. post .. etc etc that describes a car time failure on a motorcycle. I can find one in about 1/4 of a second about a bike tire failure. Run flat car tire ... YES !

 

Thats what I've been waiting for.

 

Has anyone gone dark side and not liked it? I'm not one of the naysayers, just wondered if anyone just did not care for it over a motorcycle tire.

 

Very few. Most folks who went back to motorcycle tires had some sort of issue, like a wobble or rubbing. I had no issues on my bike, everything came together slick as dog snot on a door ****. Every now and then you get someone who claims to have ridden their friends Darkside bike and did not like it.

Per my own experience and all the reading I have done, nearly everyone who is willing to try it likes it.

 

Fellas .. who is mounting your car tires ? Are you getting them done at a Harley dealership ?

 

I just had my local Honda shop mount mine, the LOCAL "Indy's" or HD shop would not give me the time of day to mount my CT on a rim. I'm not going to say what their excuses were but I told them "CLICK"

 

the problem is that bike tires are all still bias-ply. Car tires used to be just as bad when they were bias-ply; blow-outs were pretty common. Bias-ply tires lay the cord plies such that they cross each other at a 30°-45° angle which means as the tire rolls down the road the plies try to "scissor" across each other. this creates a lot of internal stress in the sidewalls as the plies try to twist themselves apart- and they eventually do. Even with just my **** on my Switchback (and no luggage) my rear tire gets incredibly hot.

ever since cars went to radials, tires started lasting 30-60,000 miles, and blow-outs almost never happen.