I've been riding car tire mounted on different 2-wheel vehicles since 2013. 60k mi. on 1 car tire and 12k+ mi. on my second. ZERO accidents, ZERO problems.
Darkside Tires - The History. Back in the day when motorcycles were just becoming popular and people started riding across the US riders would have blow outs, tires would get shredded, catch a major flat that destroyed the tire, etc. Now there were not many Motorcycle Shops or Motorcycle Tires around these small towns. So these riders would take their bike to the Auto Mechanic and he would take a look and say, "I haven't got any Motorcycle Tires but I do have a tire that will fit to get you to the next town. It is a Car Tire." And so the Darkside started. Riders have been using them for more than 60 years. Of recent since Motorcycle Tires last only a fraction of the time of a Car Tire and some are even more expensive than Car Tires. Heavy Cruisers have taken to them. Rocket 3's, Goldwings, Big Harleys, Power Cruisers like my Yamaha Warrior or a V-Rod... Why get 3000 miles on a tire when you can get... 20K miles on a tire? Why not use a tire that is built to support over a ton of weight on a 600/700/800 pound motorcycle? Now it may not be legal in the UK or Europe because they are rather up tight and stodgy in their laws... and those over regulated countries should avoid taking the risk. In the US and other places in the World riding a motorcycle is taking a risk every day. You balance risk to benefit. If there was thousands of accidents and deaths this would be on the news constantly until all Darkside practices were BANNED over here. Most US States have helmet laws because of all the Head Injuries caused by Motorcycle Accidents but do not have laws on the books for Darkside. Some shops will refuse to put them on. Some will make you swear an Oath not to tell they did put them on for you. Some shops don't care and are experts in this arena. Most cruisers will scrape pegs before reaching the limits of a Car Tire on a bike. Some say CT's on a bike are better in the rain. Some say they stick to the road better. I currently run Continental Super Sport MC tires on my Warrior and you can see the "Chicken Strip" in the center as the bike does not lean that much even with MC tires and I lean as far as my pegs will allow in curves and turns. Sparks do fly.
Just Darksided my 2006 Burgman 400. Initial impression are GREAT. Was highly disappointed in my rear Shinko 130/70-13 (OE size) going mostly bald in 5000 miles. All reports are Darksiders get 20,000 miles + more stable reliable ride. Cornering about the same. Sounds GREAT to me !
I'm going to the dark side on my bike. 30k miles on a car vs 20k tops on a motorcycle tire... No Brainer. I ride a Honda Shadow 1100.. So I cruise. Now on my busa... I'm sticking to motorcycle tires.
After 2 years on darkside, I changed back to motorcycle tire. I forgot what I missed on Motorcycle tires. I won't go back to darkside again. The dirt road I live on is a piece of cake now.
Why don’t the tire manufacturers make a hybrid tire for this purpose. A car rated tire made for a motorcycle. Fits the rim, has some rounded shape with a larger contact patch and most importantly longevity on mileage. I guess this is a follow the money thing like most things. What is interesting is that you would think they would do so to help protect “this dangerous practice” that they are sooo concerned about.
Tried it on my 1700 Kawsaski. Uneven road surfaces were the deal killer. I don't like a 900 lb motorcycle handling like that. Smooth flat roads were great and sweeping turns were ok also. But slow speed on bad roads...very uncomfortable.
I watched this video several times and there is one reason I went to darksiding my Honda Goldwing besides your videos… simply because I want to… enough said… lol over 3 years later ur video is still relevant thanks …
How do Insurance companies feel about using a tyre not designed for m/c use? Seems such a change will invalidate any claims in the event of an accident.
My bike has a non leaning sidecar, so going darkside is a good idea for me. I did have to get a tire changing tool similar to what shops have because none of the shops and garages would do it for me.
I darksided my 14 DL1000. I didn't see a milage decrease, but I get a wobble in the bars if I hit a bump at 90+mph. I have 2 rims, and only use the car tire for long trips so I dont wear out bike tires all the time. They do carve twisties "almost" as well. I ride hard, and can nearly best my bike tire speeds, but not quite on curvy roads.
What is the air pressure that you are using for the car tire? I think your video is great because you are being honest , speaking with clarity about the pros and cons , greetings ¡
Let me check. I usually run 35psi, but some people put 40 in there. Thanks for watching, ill put more darkside videos soon. Going to put a darkside tire on my honda shadow after the moto tire wears out.
I'm going darkside when my current tire needs changing. The advantages far out way what people perceive as a negative. Possibly in the next two months. I'l keep you posted bro.
Update. I bought the Achilles ATR K 175/55/17. $46. Mounted it myself. 10,000 miles on it so far. It handles just like a regular tire. Great in the rain. I have no complaints. Mounted it on my 2015 Honda NC 7oox.
Actually, the size of the contact patch of the tyre on the ground depends on the pressure of the tyre, like Isaac Newton explained : action reaction : air pressure pushing the inside of the tyre, ground pushing the outside of the tyre. For example, you on your V-Strom 650, let's say 300 kgs, 150 on each wheel. Tyre pressure : 2,5 kg/cm². Size of the contact patch = 150/2,5= 60 cm². But THE SHAPE of the contact patch is different between tyres. A motorbike tyre will give you a shape like an oval in the length, while a car tyre will give you a rectangle in the width.
I don’t have any concerns with darksiding if someone wants to do it. That’s a personal choice. I personally wouldn’t do it for liability and insurance reasons.
The circumference of the tire has more to do with mileage than anything else measure distance around tire and get one that has same or slightly more inches. My gl 1500 goldwing 195/65/16 works great!
I don't agree, you can't change your circumference in a way that it makes a huge difference. Riding style, compound, brake style, bike weight, ... are much bigger factors. When you go for a higher sidewall, you get more flex and your stability becomes less.
What would be another tire I can look for other than BF Goodrich Comp2? I am average rider, NOT agressive, ride safely, touring and not much twisties. I ride for leisure fun and ride safe. You mentioned Comp2 is sticky and more for agressive riders. Hoping to find a tire that will be reliable and last longer. Thank you. I ride a Vstrom 650 2015.
You will be fine with the comp 2, that is all that i ran on the bike and had the tire on there for 30k and sold the bikew ith it and it is still on the bike.
Hello sir...thank u for the great information shared ...i have a dl650 2008 , so what size did u use for the back tyre ? Would love to give it a try since roads in my county are full of holes and the asphalt is old , so not much grip on the tyres I use . It would be great if u would help me with this information asap . Thank u.
@@motardsquid thank u for the quick reply ..did u shave it with your hand(how did u do it, tools) or did it touch the chain and got shaved as u ride it?Sorry to ask more questions but I have a feeling that the dl650 will ride better with a car tyre since my country(lebanon) has horrible roads and sudden water encounter on the roads where I possibly have to break . Very tricky roads (mountains and hills also)..thank u
Don’t fall into the ‘they don’t care’ mistake - they’re a business and are after making a profit, so any possibility of denying a claim will be taken. I have said on multiple occasions (and got flamed for it) to get *WRITTEN* confirmation from your insurance company that they have no problems with using a car tire on a motorcycle.
So I actually bought one because I wanted to have more load carrying capacity for my motorcycle cuz I realized sometimes I put four or 500 lb of gear on my motorcycle yeah you know that quite a bit I was what I was thinking for a motorcycle
I HAD MY OWN TIRE MACHINE AND HAVE THEM ON 3 BIKES THESE TIRES ARE GREAT I THINK THEY HANDLE BETTER THAN BIKE TIRES ..ON A LONG TRIP I FEEL SAFER TOO.....
Now that u have more time with no work Park your bike at the entry to a motorcycle tire shop and do a reaction video of them dissing your darkside tire. Here's another camping video: th-cam.com/video/YmbGcFqVSvQ/w-d-xo.html
Just my opinion been riding many years I think we are being ripped off by MC car companies high prices mega low miles I have never gone car tire as of yet but will give it a try love people talking against it I feel just like sex if you hadn't tried it don't knock it
And with the weight of the bike and a lot of people think what the heck would you be putting on a motorcycle that weighs that much I carry a little bit of everything and I kind of use my bike for work and moving my stuff
One thing I enjoy about running a car tire (and I have been doing so since the '90's) is listening to the chin music from the ignorant souls that tell me how dangerous it is and how I'm going to kill myself. 200,000+ miles later still aint happened. Funny that.
The article with the pencil eraser convinced me too
3 ปีที่แล้ว +1
A seemingly fair and honest commentary, but zero empirical data. Zero facts. All personal opinions. This comment is intended for "all the people on line with too much time on their hands" watching YT videos and not actually riding (7:00) -- just like this self proclaimed expert. He admonishes you, the viewer, for languishing online and not riding, and then lectures you while doing the very same thing. Motard, we call that hypocrisy. Google it.
I think you might be reading a bit too much into it. Since then i rode the bike cross country, and bought 7 more motorcycles and have been riding daily.
![[TH] Esports World Cup : Knockout Stage Day 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ES-vr-FarFg/mqdefault.jpg)
Is it just me, or does this guy look like yammie noob???
It is not just you. He does.
Josh Nabours gotta agree!
I've been riding car tire mounted on different 2-wheel vehicles since 2013. 60k mi. on 1 car tire and 12k+ mi. on my second. ZERO accidents, ZERO problems.
Darkside Tires - The History. Back in the day when motorcycles were just becoming popular and people started riding across the US riders would have blow outs, tires would get shredded, catch a major flat that destroyed the tire, etc. Now there were not many Motorcycle Shops or Motorcycle Tires around these small towns. So these riders would take their bike to the Auto Mechanic and he would take a look and say, "I haven't got any Motorcycle Tires but I do have a tire that will fit to get you to the next town. It is a Car Tire." And so the Darkside started. Riders have been using them for more than 60 years.
Of recent since Motorcycle Tires last only a fraction of the time of a Car Tire and some are even more expensive than Car Tires. Heavy Cruisers have taken to them. Rocket 3's, Goldwings, Big Harleys, Power Cruisers like my Yamaha Warrior or a V-Rod... Why get 3000 miles on a tire when you can get... 20K miles on a tire? Why not use a tire that is built to support over a ton of weight on a 600/700/800 pound motorcycle?
Now it may not be legal in the UK or Europe because they are rather up tight and stodgy in their laws... and those over regulated countries should avoid taking the risk.
In the US and other places in the World riding a motorcycle is taking a risk every day. You balance risk to benefit.
If there was thousands of accidents and deaths this would be on the news constantly until all Darkside practices were BANNED over here. Most US States have helmet laws because of all the Head Injuries caused by Motorcycle Accidents but do not have laws on the books for Darkside.
Some shops will refuse to put them on. Some will make you swear an Oath not to tell they did put them on for you. Some shops don't care and are experts in this arena.
Most cruisers will scrape pegs before reaching the limits of a Car Tire on a bike. Some say CT's on a bike are better in the rain. Some say they stick to the road better.
I currently run Continental Super Sport MC tires on my Warrior and you can see the "Chicken Strip" in the center as the bike does not lean that much even with MC tires and I lean as far as my pegs will allow in curves and turns. Sparks do fly.
Nice comment 👍. Still don't understand why it's called Darkside tho
Just Darksided my 2006 Burgman 400.
Initial impression are GREAT.
Was highly disappointed in my rear Shinko 130/70-13 (OE size) going mostly bald in 5000 miles.
All reports are Darksiders get 20,000 miles + more stable reliable ride.
Cornering about the same.
Sounds GREAT to me !
I'm going to the dark side on my bike.
30k miles on a car vs 20k tops on a motorcycle tire... No Brainer.
I ride a Honda Shadow 1100.. So I cruise.
Now on my busa... I'm sticking to motorcycle tires.
After 2 years on darkside, I changed back to motorcycle tire. I forgot what I missed on Motorcycle tires. I won't go back to darkside again. The dirt road I live on is a piece of cake now.
I say..whatever blows your hair back man...😂go for it
Nice information and well stated. Thanks.
Why don’t the tire manufacturers make a hybrid tire for this purpose. A car rated tire made for a motorcycle. Fits the rim, has some rounded shape with a larger contact patch and most importantly longevity on mileage. I guess this is a follow the money thing like most things. What is interesting is that you would think they would do so to help protect “this dangerous practice” that they are sooo concerned about.
That's what I'm talking about keep up the good work brother
Tried it on my 1700 Kawsaski. Uneven road surfaces were the deal killer. I don't like a 900 lb motorcycle handling like that. Smooth flat roads were great and sweeping turns were ok also. But slow speed on bad roads...very uncomfortable.
Motorcycle tires are approaching $400 cdn and for the small advantage they have I think a $100 car tire will do me just fine
I watched this video several times and there is one reason I went to darksiding my Honda Goldwing besides your videos… simply because I want to… enough said… lol over 3 years later ur video is still relevant thanks …
I'm about to darkside my honda st1300. Thats the 3rd bike i've done it too.
Good info, thanks
Winter/snow/ice car tires would likely offer better pavement cornering traction vs sport car tire.
Love it
How do Insurance companies feel about using a tyre not designed for m/c use? Seems such a change will invalidate any claims in the event of an accident.
Depends on location. Technically it’s a dot rated tire. I’ve had one on for inspection and it passed with it.
My bike has a non leaning sidecar, so going darkside is a good idea for me. I did have to get a tire changing tool similar to what shops have because none of the shops and garages would do it for me.
I darksided my 14 DL1000. I didn't see a milage decrease, but I get a wobble in the bars if I hit a bump at 90+mph. I have 2 rims, and only use the car tire for long trips so I dont wear out bike tires all the time. They do carve twisties "almost" as well. I ride hard, and can nearly best my bike tire speeds, but not quite on curvy roads.
What is the air pressure that you are using for the car tire? I think your video is great because you are being honest , speaking with clarity about the pros and cons , greetings ¡
Let me check. I usually run 35psi, but some people put 40 in there. Thanks for watching, ill put more darkside videos soon. Going to put a darkside tire on my honda shadow after the moto tire wears out.
I'm going darkside when my current tire needs changing. The advantages far out way what people perceive as a negative. Possibly in the next two months. I'l keep you posted bro.
well?
@Jim Gordon, what tire did you buy and how do you like it?
Any update? What did tire did you buy ? Ride safe
Update. I bought the Achilles ATR K 175/55/17. $46. Mounted it myself. 10,000 miles on it so far. It handles just like a regular tire. Great in the rain. I have no complaints. Mounted it on my 2015 Honda NC 7oox.
@@jimgordon3468 Thanks for the reply & happy to know The Darkside is working out for you. Ride safe now!
Actually, the size of the contact patch of the tyre on the ground depends on the pressure of the tyre, like Isaac Newton explained : action reaction : air pressure pushing the inside of the tyre, ground pushing the outside of the tyre. For example, you on your V-Strom 650, let's say 300 kgs, 150 on each wheel. Tyre pressure : 2,5 kg/cm². Size of the contact patch = 150/2,5= 60 cm². But THE SHAPE of the contact patch is different between tyres. A motorbike tyre will give you a shape like an oval in the length, while a car tyre will give you a rectangle in the width.
That sounds complex.
@@motardsquid It's French high school level, as long as you follow a scientific option
Got a like just for not giving a shit about the thoughts of others.
i am surprised someone hasnt made a bike rim that lines up with car tires properly. especially since darksiding is so popular
I read somewhere the R18 reverse trike kit for Goldwing includes a rear wheel made for a CT.
@@jimmcgowin8780 now that's Interesting. Thanks for the Info
I don’t have any concerns with darksiding if someone wants to do it. That’s a personal choice. I personally wouldn’t do it for liability and insurance reasons.
a lot of words here but i'm not sure how much sense. @ 5:30 wondering what kind of riders this guy's friends are
The circumference of the tire has more to do with mileage than anything else measure distance around tire and get one that has same or slightly more inches. My gl 1500 goldwing 195/65/16 works great!
I don't agree, you can't change your circumference in a way that it makes a huge difference. Riding style, compound, brake style, bike weight, ... are much bigger factors. When you go for a higher sidewall, you get more flex and your stability becomes less.
They take the piss, because it's a fecking stupid thing to do.
Thanks 😊
i rode a police mc years ago the tire had a flat profile like a car tire
What would be another tire I can look for other than BF Goodrich Comp2? I am average rider, NOT agressive, ride safely, touring and not much twisties. I ride for leisure fun and ride safe. You mentioned Comp2 is sticky and more for agressive riders. Hoping to find a tire that will be reliable and last longer. Thank you. I ride a Vstrom 650 2015.
You will be fine with the comp 2, that is all that i ran on the bike and had the tire on there for 30k and sold the bikew ith it and it is still on the bike.
Hello sir...thank u for the great information shared ...i have a dl650 2008 , so what size did u use for the back tyre ? Would love to give it a try since roads in my county are full of holes and the asphalt is old , so not much grip on the tyres I use . It would be great if u would help me with this information asap . Thank u.
I used a 205 bf goodrich comp 2 sport. WOrked great, i did shave a bit of the chain guard off but that was the only mod.
@@motardsquid thank u for the quick reply ..did u shave it with your hand(how did u do it, tools) or did it touch the chain and got shaved as u ride it?Sorry to ask more questions but I have a feeling that the dl650 will ride better with a car tyre since my country(lebanon) has horrible roads and sudden water encounter on the roads where I possibly have to break . Very tricky roads (mountains and hills also)..thank u
@@motardsquid and what suggestion do u have for the front tyre?
@@motardsquid hello sir . A 205/?/? . Ur help is appreciated. Thank u
@@fred.gram67gram32 205 50 17
What do insurance companies think about using a non-recommended tire on a bike in the event of an accident claim?
It's a common question.
As long as the tire is DOT approved, they likely won't care
Don’t fall into the ‘they don’t care’ mistake - they’re a business and are after making a profit, so any possibility of denying a claim will be taken.
I have said on multiple occasions (and got flamed for it) to get *WRITTEN* confirmation from your insurance company that they have no problems with using a car tire on a motorcycle.
Any darkside tires recommendation for xsr 900?
Don’t
So I actually bought one because I wanted to have more load carrying capacity for my motorcycle cuz I realized sometimes I put four or 500 lb of gear on my motorcycle yeah you know that quite a bit I was what I was thinking for a motorcycle
I mean people ride 280 and 300 tires those are probably wider than that tire
I HAD MY OWN TIRE MACHINE AND HAVE THEM ON 3 BIKES THESE TIRES ARE GREAT I THINK THEY HANDLE BETTER THAN BIKE TIRES ..ON A LONG TRIP I FEEL SAFER TOO.....
But why are you yelling?
LOUD NOISESSSS!!!
The increase in mpg over 30K miles...
Now that u have more time with no work Park your bike at the entry to a motorcycle tire shop and do a reaction video of them dissing your darkside tire.
Here's another camping video:
th-cam.com/video/YmbGcFqVSvQ/w-d-xo.html
Exactly...all well said😒
Can you over inflate the CT to get a rounder profile?
what ever works.....FOR ME.....works.........I could give a shit less what every one else thinks
Your car tire is to wide... like mine, 205! 😂😂😂😂
😅
Just my opinion been riding many years I think we are being ripped off by MC car companies high prices mega low miles I have never gone car tire as of yet but will give it a try love people talking against it I feel just like sex if you hadn't tried it don't knock it
And with the weight of the bike and a lot of people think what the heck would you be putting on a motorcycle that weighs that much I carry a little bit of everything and I kind of use my bike for work and moving my stuff
One thing I enjoy about running a car tire (and I have been doing so since the '90's) is listening to the chin music from the ignorant souls that tell me how dangerous it is and how I'm going to kill myself. 200,000+ miles later still aint happened. Funny that.
Car tire never seats well on the rim. It's very dangerous in turns etc
The article with the pencil eraser convinced me too
A seemingly fair and honest commentary, but zero empirical data. Zero facts. All personal opinions. This comment is intended for "all the people on line with too much time on their hands" watching YT videos and not actually riding (7:00) -- just like this self proclaimed expert. He admonishes you, the viewer, for languishing online and not riding, and then lectures you while doing the very same thing. Motard, we call that hypocrisy. Google it.
I think you might be reading a bit too much into it. Since then i rode the bike cross country, and bought 7 more motorcycles and have been riding daily.
@ Just look at the videos, i have been riding daily.
@ You got me, i dont ride. Well done.
@@motardsquid I did not get you. Your pathetic number of subscribers did. There are women stuffing dolls on YT with more viewers than you. LMAO