Car Tyres on Bikes... It's a thing?
Discussion
Seen it mentioned several times by Goldwing owners.....I think they call it "Darkside"
https://www.jdpower.com/motorcycles/shopping-guide...
https://www.jdpower.com/motorcycles/shopping-guide...
All sorts of wrong.
But yep, it's a thing. As well as the obvious differences with shape / profile / construction and compound... The bead designs are totally different.
Seems popular in the states on cruisers and tourers. People say they ride OK and the edge grip is OK (and they obviously last lots longer).
I can't get my ahead around how they would feel anything other than horrible. The diff between an older tyre and a new one with a full profile is normally stark enough, never mind a car tyre.
But yep, it's a thing. As well as the obvious differences with shape / profile / construction and compound... The bead designs are totally different.
Seems popular in the states on cruisers and tourers. People say they ride OK and the edge grip is OK (and they obviously last lots longer).
I can't get my ahead around how they would feel anything other than horrible. The diff between an older tyre and a new one with a full profile is normally stark enough, never mind a car tyre.
king idiot to consider doing that for normal road use. I guess it comes from long distance highway touring in the US, but once you get to any sort of corner it's going to be awful...Pretty much the same profile as the old Avon SM (Safety Mileage or Speed Master) motorcycle tyres of the late '70s
I'm not sure I'd want to do it, but, like not using the rear brake, there will be enough people who will tell you they've been doing it without incident long enough to show that the physics is mistaken!
I'm not sure I'd want to do it, but, like not using the rear brake, there will be enough people who will tell you they've been doing it without incident long enough to show that the physics is mistaken!
black-k1 said:
Pretty much the same profile as the old Avon SM (Safety Mileage or Speed Master) motorcycle tyres of the late '70s
We always knew them as Speed Masters. I had a set on a Honda 250 in the early 70s - complete with ‘matched’ front which was ribbed and a round profile. Even then I was curious over the logic of a manufacturer making a tyre ‘pair’ with one rectangular profile and one rounded. I’d say they were crap in the wet…but they were actually crap in all conditions.Next bike (Commando) had TT100s with the famed triangular ‘Trigonic’ profile, and the same front and back. Still got them on the Hurricane (was the standard figment), but the current TT100s seem much less triangular than the ones of old…but I digress.
Car tyres on a bike? No
tvrolet said:
black-k1 said:
Pretty much the same profile as the old Avon SM (Safety Mileage or Speed Master) motorcycle tyres of the late '70s
We always knew them as Speed Masters. I had a set on a Honda 250 in the early 70s - complete with ‘matched’ front which was ribbed and a round profile. Even then I was curious over the logic of a manufacturer making a tyre ‘pair’ with one rectangular profile and one rounded. I’d say they were crap in the wet…but they were actually crap in all conditions.Next bike (Commando) had TT100s with the famed triangular ‘Trigonic’ profile, and the same front and back. Still got them on the Hurricane (was the standard figment), but the current TT100s seem much less triangular than the ones of old…but I digress.
Car tyres on a bike? No
Those Avon SM's were popular with sidecar users.
Using a car radial on the back of a chopper was indeed a thing in the late 70s or early 80s.
Something like a 165-13 could be run at quite low pressure on a lightish bike like a Triumph twin.
The tyre probably had enough flexibility to give a sensible contact patch up to a reasonable lean angle.
I can recall meeting a rider who had such a bike, I recall the tyres were the same size as my car, but my car could have been on cross plys at the time.
We're not talking low profile tyres and it was in the days when many bike had truly dire cheap chinese and east european tyres, and terrible brakes.
With optional oil leaks too!
Using a car radial on the back of a chopper was indeed a thing in the late 70s or early 80s.
Something like a 165-13 could be run at quite low pressure on a lightish bike like a Triumph twin.
The tyre probably had enough flexibility to give a sensible contact patch up to a reasonable lean angle.
I can recall meeting a rider who had such a bike, I recall the tyres were the same size as my car, but my car could have been on cross plys at the time.
We're not talking low profile tyres and it was in the days when many bike had truly dire cheap chinese and east european tyres, and terrible brakes.
With optional oil leaks too!
I've seen pictures before. Seems not totally uncommon in the US full size tourer scene.
Makes sense in certain scenarios IMO. You could ride your Goldwing or GTL1600 for 3000 miles without leaning it more than 3 degrees, £100 for a tyre that might wear 10% over that distance or £300 for a tyre that will wear 50% in that journey.
Makes sense in certain scenarios IMO. You could ride your Goldwing or GTL1600 for 3000 miles without leaning it more than 3 degrees, £100 for a tyre that might wear 10% over that distance or £300 for a tyre that will wear 50% in that journey.
SteveKTMer said:
I've seen it done in the US but not here, I suspect plod would take a dim view and if you're unlucky, give the bike a prohibition notice. Pretty stupid thing to do if you're not attached to a side car.
Seen one on a triumph rocket oxford way quite a few years back , foolishness.As others have said, it's been done for decades. Mainly for looks, in my experience. You want to try matching a car tyre rear and a skinny 21" front, with a set of twenty four inch overs raked out at 45 degrees... interesting... Amazingly, the Scandinavians, who seem to be the most partial to this type of thing, manage to cover thousands of miles on less than straight roads... each to their own.
But, nowadays, when you can buy a 330 section bike tyre, there seems little need for using a car tyre. Except, of course, when running a sidecar outfit or drag racing. Even old Harley tyres can rack up thousands of miles on old tourers and, whilst not being the best, can still be leant over with some degree of normality.
Incidentally, the worst handling bike I have ever ridden was a BMW R60 that had just had a sidecar removed and was fitted with square section tyres. It wouldn't even push where I wanted it to go, let alone ride well - no idea how Judge Dredd managed.
But, nowadays, when you can buy a 330 section bike tyre, there seems little need for using a car tyre. Except, of course, when running a sidecar outfit or drag racing. Even old Harley tyres can rack up thousands of miles on old tourers and, whilst not being the best, can still be leant over with some degree of normality.
Incidentally, the worst handling bike I have ever ridden was a BMW R60 that had just had a sidecar removed and was fitted with square section tyres. It wouldn't even push where I wanted it to go, let alone ride well - no idea how Judge Dredd managed.
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