I've been running on the "Darkside" for a couple years now and don't seeing me going back to a bike tire any time soon. I run a Kuhmo Solus 205/15 on my 100 Shadow and it sticks like glue, even in the rain. I feel a lot safer compared to a Dunlop (stock brand) or the Metzler it replaced. After 20,000 miles there is little wear also. For $78 it's well worth it.
Went to the dark side on my v2k. Took in out on southern Ohio twist and turn roads and put it through the paces right away. (can't live forever right) my bud and i were laying into it scraping the floor boards. he was skeptical before we started but now even he is a believer. Does it handle different? yes but different doesn't mean worse it just means different and i'm talking a slight difference. back in the seventies we would lace 15 inch rims and run vw tires and i know today's tires are better engineered than what we ran back then. Im never going back. tired of going through three back tires a year.
all of you that keep wondering about ct vs mt, we've been doin this since the 60's. started by running ct's when we mounted side hacks on the bikes back when all the mt's were bias ply pieces of garbage rags. the ct's just performed a whole lot better. they still do. every bike i have owned (and that's more than you've dreamd about)that i could get a ct to fit, i put them on and throw the mt's away as soon as possible.
205/60R16 stock tire is a 200/60/R16 so it is a little taller than stock. When you get the air pressure right and after a few hundred miles you wont remember what is was like to ride on a MC tire. I put on over 400 miles the past few days and never even thought about what was on the back and it performed great. This is not for everyone and I have over 4,000 miles on the tire now.
Nikki, no worries it is not for everyone. I can do the speed limit on any road in the US and not have a problem and even exceed it by 10 and drag the floorboards and never have a problem. What is crazy is people doing a stoppie, wheelies or just going so fast they can't make the corner. I have ridden 40K miles on a CT and the only close call was a pickup truck locking up his brakes in front of me, I was able to stop without a problem.
All that torque, yeah it’s been ripping up my motorcycle tires- this proves why I’m going dark side next tire change- just so much confusion on which tire to choose for my vn2000…. I wish there was clarity as to which tire was best to help me make my decision…
@TurbinePower69 I'm running the normal MC tire on the front, I get about 14K miles on the front. Some riders use a rear tire and revers the direction to get more miles out of the front.
~35psi I did another video at 31psi and it is just too soft for me. When I give it gas coming out of the corner I can feel the tire twist. Maybe less on the gas would be better but I like the power so I'm going back up to ~35 range.
@IAMTQMC I have the 205/60/16 and for me 35psi but if I'm riding 2up I go for 36. Max preload on the spring and set the shock to hard. Like a stiff ride but is nice when loaded down with gear for long trips.
Man that looks sweet from the underside. I want to see it from the topside! I'm interested in how it feels when you get it up on the corners of the tire. Thanks for giving me something to watch, work is slow.
Motorcycle tires have a harder rubber compound. Next spring I'm going to try the ME880 XXL to see how they feel, might even get talked into doing a video. Bike just went over 60,000 miles on my way to the 72nd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally so now I have 36,000+ on CT vs 24,000 with MC tire so it is time to see what I'm missing. It is not for everyone and I don't want anyone to go to a CT. After being at Sturgis there are a lot of bike I wouldn’t ride because I don’t they are even road worth.
Mike, I've recently picked up an 04 V2K LT and did alot of research on a CT to use. The GY TT that you have on seems to be the best, wondering how much mileage you got off of it in the end as it is rated for 115 000 km on a car.
@RESET1776 A little drop but I had some other factors so it is hard to say for sure but I still get 40+ per gal. Have almost 21,000 mile on the tire, should make it to 24K then I will change it out.
Huge contact patch in a strait line but when he leans there is not much rubber left on the ground. More concerning is the very hard rubber compound of most car tires does not grip as well as the much faster wearing soft rubber used in motorcycle tires.
Thank you for posting this! I have an 02 MeanStreak " Walk around in my videos" Thats going to the darkside this week. Have you noticed a huge drop in mileage? Just wondering with that much rubber in the contact patch if the miles per tank was big change or not?
Been thinking about putting one on my 2009 VULCAN 2000 what size tire did you use and what brand. For the kind of riding I do will save me some money in a tire do a lot of cross country riding that kind of tire will work well with the kind of riding I do and what kind of front tire.
I am not sure why this matters to most people. The vast majority of riders today put dozens of miles on their HOGS each year, so I am not sure why they need a car tire on the rear. That tire will most likely succumb to dry rot well before wear bars see the light of day. Seriously, aside from a hand full of bikers most motorcyclists put less miles on there HD’s than the average 50cc “scooter pooter”
what size is the tire you used and does it make it hard to lean it into a turn. i had a bike that just did not want to lean when the center was worn ei flat center with sholdered sides cond of like a car tire. thanks for response
@rrkr3298 If you haven't looked at the web site please take a look before going over to the DarkSide they have good info and it is not for everyone; Can't post a URL so look on Delphiforums and you should be able to find it.
@sw0ggd0gg Have 20,000 miles on the tire now and no cupping, come to Colorado and I will take you for a ride in the mountains with a lot of turns. Not telling you should do it but it has no negative impact on my riding.
are you crazy man you risk your life with that tire!brakew turns worth the risk of gas capasity and the more miles you get with tire!and again sorry man but you are crazy!
I've been running on the "Darkside" for a couple years now and don't seeing me going back to a bike tire any time soon. I run a Kuhmo Solus 205/15 on my 100 Shadow and it sticks like glue, even in the rain. I feel a lot safer compared to a Dunlop (stock brand) or the Metzler it replaced. After 20,000 miles there is little wear also. For $78 it's well worth it.
Went to the dark side on my v2k. Took in out on southern Ohio twist and turn roads and put it through the paces right away. (can't live forever right) my bud and i were laying into it scraping the floor boards. he was skeptical before we started but now even he is a believer. Does it handle different? yes but different doesn't mean worse it just means different and i'm talking a slight difference. back in the seventies we would lace 15 inch rims and run vw tires and i know today's tires are better engineered than what we ran back then. Im never going back. tired of going through three back tires a year.
all of you that keep wondering about ct vs mt, we've been doin this since the 60's. started by running ct's when we mounted side hacks on the bikes back when all the mt's were bias ply pieces of garbage rags. the ct's just performed a whole lot better. they still do. every bike i have owned (and that's more than you've dreamd about)that i could get a ct to fit, i put them on and throw the mt's away as soon as possible.
205/60R16 stock tire is a 200/60/R16 so it is a little taller than stock. When you get the air pressure right and after a few hundred miles you wont remember what is was like to ride on a MC tire. I put on over 400 miles the past few days and never even thought about what was on the back and it performed great. This is not for everyone and I have over 4,000 miles on the tire now.
Nikki, no worries it is not for everyone. I can do the speed limit on any road in the US and not have a problem and even exceed it by 10 and drag the floorboards and never have a problem. What is crazy is people doing a stoppie, wheelies or just going so fast they can't make the corner. I have ridden 40K miles on a CT and the only close call was a pickup truck locking up his brakes in front of me, I was able to stop without a problem.
A logical choice for a Vulcan, get it!
All that torque, yeah it’s been ripping up my motorcycle tires- this proves why I’m going dark side next tire change- just so much confusion on which tire to choose for my vn2000…. I wish there was clarity as to which tire was best to help me make my decision…
@TurbinePower69
I'm running the normal MC tire on the front, I get about 14K miles on the front. Some riders use a rear tire and revers the direction to get more miles out of the front.
~35psi I did another video at 31psi and it is just too soft for me. When I give it gas coming out of the corner I can feel the tire twist. Maybe less on the gas would be better but I like the power so I'm going back up to ~35 range.
@sw0ggd0gg
Not scheduled to replace the tire until later this year, I will see if I can get a picture of it. I have the local shop mount the tire.
I live in Colorado so a lot of turns and highway, normal front tire get about 10-12K, it is bald and it has only been just over nine months.
@IAMTQMC I have the 205/60/16 and for me 35psi but if I'm riding 2up I go for 36. Max preload on the spring and set the shock to hard. Like a stiff ride but is nice when loaded down with gear for long trips.
great camera angle!!!
Man that looks sweet from the underside. I want to see it from the topside! I'm interested in how it feels when you get it up on the corners of the tire. Thanks for giving me something to watch, work is slow.
Motorcycle tires have a harder rubber compound. Next spring I'm going to try the ME880 XXL to see how they feel, might even get talked into doing a video.
Bike just went over 60,000 miles on my way to the 72nd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally so now I have 36,000+ on CT vs 24,000 with MC tire so it is time to see what I'm missing. It is not for everyone and I don't want anyone to go to a CT. After being at Sturgis there are a lot of bike I wouldn’t ride because I don’t they are even road worth.
Mike, I've recently picked up an 04 V2K LT and did alot of research on a CT to use. The GY TT that you have on seems to be the best, wondering how much mileage you got off of it in the end as it is rated for 115 000 km on a car.
hi thanks for the info i might get me another rim and try it out. i know it will last a lot longer.
@RESET1776
A little drop but I had some other factors so it is hard to say for sure but I still get 40+ per gal. Have almost 21,000 mile on the tire, should make it to 24K then I will change it out.
Just got ME880's front and back, anyone want to see what a MC tire looks like on my bike?
Huge contact patch in a strait line but when he leans there is not much rubber left on the ground. More concerning is the very hard rubber compound of most car tires does not grip as well as the much faster wearing soft rubber used in motorcycle tires.
A lot depend on riding conditions. "Not much rubber left" ... under all conditions and angle more than a bike tire.
Thank you for posting this! I have an 02 MeanStreak " Walk around in my videos" Thats going to the darkside this week. Have you noticed a huge drop in mileage? Just wondering with that much rubber in the contact patch if the miles per tank was big change or not?
What pressure are you running in that tire? It seems a bit high to me. Doesn't seem to flex in corners as much as I've seen other darkside setups.
Tried it, didn’t like it. I’ll stick with round tires
Been thinking about putting one on my 2009 VULCAN 2000 what size tire did you use and what brand.
For the kind of riding I do will save me some money in a tire do a lot of cross country riding that kind of tire will work well with the kind of riding I do and what kind of front tire.
I am not sure why this matters to most people.
The vast majority of riders today put dozens of miles on their HOGS each year, so I am not sure why they need a car tire on the rear.
That tire will most likely succumb to dry rot well before wear bars see the light of day.
Seriously, aside from a hand full of bikers most motorcyclists put less miles on there HD’s than the average 50cc “scooter pooter”
You're right, I believe if you don't go through 2 tires a year stick with a MC tire.
what size is the tire you used and does it make it hard to lean it into a turn. i had a bike that just did not want to lean when the center was worn ei
flat center with sholdered sides cond of like a car tire.
thanks for response
thanks for the info. i will give it a try.
Hi, I have a 98 kaw vulcan and I was wondering where I would find out what tire i would need for it?? thanks.
I am having a 215/60-16 TT mounted on my V2K today. What is the size tire on your bike and the sweet spot You arrived at?
@rrkr3298 Hey I got a Vulcan. Do you know how I could find out what tire to put on it? Its a 1500. thanks.
Adam,
I got 24K+ miles out of the first one, that would give you almost 39K km.
@rrkr3298
If you haven't looked at the web site please take a look before going over to the DarkSide they have good info and it is not for everyone;
Can't post a URL so look on Delphiforums and you should be able to find it.
Something is rubbing.... .
Nothing is rubbing, it is a 205 and I know others have put on 235. Stock is a 200 so not what you are hearing 🤷♂️
@sw0ggd0gg
Have 20,000 miles on the tire now and no cupping, come to Colorado and I will take you for a ride in the mountains with a lot of turns. Not telling you should do it but it has no negative impact on my riding.
The bike runs like crap
are you crazy man you risk your life with that tire!brakew turns worth the risk of gas capasity and the more miles you get with tire!and again
sorry man but you are crazy!