...since the forum was reorganized and we were shoved back here in the corner.

There isn't much to report once we've gone darkside, I suppose. It's a tire and it does tire things. On my second Quatrac now and I'm loving how sticky they are. The last one had a good 15,000 miles left on the tread but I hit a 3" ledge where the road was being resurfaced (no warning / signs) and blew a cord. I didn't know until I was cleaning the bike and saw the bulge. $115 and an hour or so wrenching, back on the road. I even reused most of the Ride-on balancer liquid.

Anyone have any darkside stories to tell?

 

Only one side of the coin is allowed here. SO not much room for "discussion". Funny thing is that most of the darkside groups, webpages, and forums, that I have seen, prohibit anything but positive remarks about car tires on a motorcycle.


LOL

 

Yep, that’s why many folks have left this site.

 

Yea it sucks that it's one sided. I will say, however, that the DS FB groups I'm in contain about 80% people who have never ridden darkside and have no idea what they are talking about 'mansplaining' how this can't work to the 20% who've done it for years. That gets old also.

 

You ask.
I have run car tire on the rear many times on 2 wheels Worked out ok. On both sidecars I run car tire on the rear and find it as close to a prefect answer as it gets.
I also run car tires on the sidecar. The 750 required so home engineering to get it to work right. Well worth the cost and labor.

With the post 2009 frame the 180 motorcycle tire seems to give pretty dam good mileage and has IMO rendered messing with it not worth the effort.
But that is a personal choice.

Over the years we have had many post on the subject and a wide range of view points. They way I see it is simple each must read and then decided for them self. How they wish to do it and if it is right for them.

The 18 inch rear wheel will not take a car tire and fit on the bikes. But swapping to a 16 inch wheel and a 195/65 16 comes out the same in height as the 180/55 18. Have a 16 inch wheel complete and mount up right now.

My experience was the RDRS worked just as it should.

My Hannigan Transformer Trike will be done the 21st it will have two car tires in the rear and a 18 inch front with motorcycle tire. Pretty sure it will make the
580 mile ride home.
Once I decide witch of the two ways to go. The trike will have a 180 rear motorcycle tire in front. I am leaning towards the wide Triple tree.

The RG that will be purchased to put sidecar back on will have a Car tire on the rear day 1.

 

Please educate me on why a car tire won’t fit our 18” rims. I’m thinking about going dark, and found a tire that’s pretty dang close, the 195/55 18. Is it just too large? A little education without bashing please. Also, how much difference can we be in tire sizes before the RDRS starts throwing a fit? Thank you

 

If I may ask, What brand of tire did you use, and what 16" wheel did you use? You stated it didn't mess with the RDRS, I take it it didn't mess with the TPMS either? I have thought about going this route, but not sure which 16" wheel would fit (2020 Ultra)

 

Not sure I believe that. As long as you come up on new posts, people will see. The forums that don't come up on new posts, are forgotten about. Doesn't look like it was all that active before if you look at the back pages.

I suspect not that many people do it, so not that many people talking about it.

I can see it on trike, maybe side car too.. But never considered for two wheeler. The lifespan of bike tires do suck.

 

RDRS does not care TPMS willwork you need to buy or make an adapter for valve stem hole. When tire is broke down write down the serial number of your sensor . It May need to be reentered most often not a same bike swap.

16 inch wheel off an RGU or Ultra will directly replace the factory 180/55-18. Picture show one on the left that has been used on 3 different sidecar rigs as the rear bike tire.. 195/65R16 comes out to almost exact same height and width in no problem.

Car tire on rear on two wheels is up to you many do. it goes south some times.

 

Thank you for the reply. I had an '09 Ultra that I had a 195/60R16 Pirelli Run flat on, and I loved it. I Had no issues at all. Couple questions: what do you mean by adapter? Where does someone get one, and why is it needed? Hole smaller on the 18"? That wheel looks like it came off an "09-era bike. What brand of tire did you use successfully?