THINKING OF GOING DS ON VICTORY VISION, WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A TIRE

I've read of one occurrence of someone running a 195/55-16 Bridgestone Potenza G019 on a Vision and I may follow suit yet after looking at tires I like the looks of a General G-MAX AS-03 and the General Altimax HP. Has anyone run either of these tires on any type of bike and could share some info?

What are some of the know things to look at when thinking of using a CT on a bike? I'm just assuming you would want symmetry of the tread pattern as you see some CT's with a bit different tread design for the inside and outside of the tire Any info will be valuable as I'm brand new to this ideal and seriously thinking about it and currently in need of a tire

Some of us run the non-directional or non-symmetric tires with 100% success. I have been on the same non-directional tire for over 4 years now. You cannot tell the difference turning left or right and either hangs with the directional's or out does them. I have not one complaint on mine and it's a Douglas Rain and Snow tire from Walmart.


....................bobby

I cannot testify to either of the General models, but I have ridden on three Potenzas. I had two on a Honda Valkyrie and the one I have on my VV now. The reason I chose this brand is that most of the guys on the Valkyre Riders site were running them with excellent results. You can expect at least 25k miles, terrific handling, and superior rear braking. I've not regretted my decision on either bike.

twin1300 wrote:Some of us run the non-directional or non-symmetric tires with 100% success. I have been on the same non-directional tire for over 4 years now. You cannot tell the difference turning left or right and either hangs with the directional's or out does them. I have not one complaint on mine and it's a Douglas Rain and Snow tire from Walmart.


....................bobby

I'm not real sure of what makes a tire directional or not but are you saying you run a tire that isn't symetrical on the right vs left side? I see some tires that have a totally different type tread cut on either side, just an example, something like a Dunlop SP Sport 01 DSST RunOnFlat that I see on Tire Rack.

The tread pattern is what makes a ct directional,gives it its grip,dispurses water ect.

Gray Rider wrote:I cannot testify to either of the General models, but I have ridden on three Potenzas. I had two on a Honda Valkyrie and the one I have on my VV now. The reason I chose this brand is that most of the guys on the Valkyre Riders site were running them with excellent results. You can expect at least 25k miles, terrific handling, and superior rear braking. I've not regretted my decision on either bike.

What Potenza are you running or have run? G019 or another style?

Back to my original question, are there any things to look for in a tire to put on a bike and things to avoid? Large or small tread blocks on the edges? Wide grooves, narrow? Mud\snow rated or not? I'm very inexperienced in this Dark side and just wanting to know what the tires you all have used so far with success have in common as I may want to try something different but with similar known working features.

The gytt and mitchelin hydroedge come to mind for me.I recomend large grooved tires,not so apt to hydroplane.That is proubably just a hold over as I do the same on my cars and truck.

Had a Kumho and a Dunlop. I agree with larry and also advise to a tire with large grooves.
Check some of the topics and you'll get a pretty good idea of the tires which are used.
Good luck and enjoy the better and safer rides.
Robert.

Went ahead and ordered a Potenza G019 so I'll be going darkside soon. I may could have benefitted from a CT last week in Michigan's upper peninsula where I rode about 15 miles of dirt road. The black top ended and it was a long ways to back track

http://darkside.nwff.info/

quadancer wrote:http://darkside.nwff.info/

Looked at this link and see where tires are blowing up on install, one at 110psi? How much pressure is needed to seat a CT on a motorcycle rim? I've installed my own tires for the past 10 years and usually the M\C tires seat before even reaching 40psi which is what I normally run in a rear M\C tire. That's having the bead soaped up to seat it.

Plenty of info on beading tires in all the DS forums - the CT's take more pressure as a rule, often heating (like in the sun) and various
slippery forms of snot on the beads, sometimes leaving pressurized overnight...stories of a bang in the garage at 3 am when it pops
in...many are a silent slide.

Picking a tire, keep in mind that we don't ride on the sidewalls; the tire flexes, so sidewall blocks and such don't matter.

I used a little KY gelly on my dunlop RF and it seated at 30psi. I thought it was only good for making mr willey more slippery but works great as a tire install lube too. OOPs

Finally got around to installing the Potenza. It did take 110psi to seat the bead and with using several different lubricants. Was a PITA but she's on. First thing noticed is more resistance to lean at high speeds, didn't really notice much difference at low speeds. The best improvement noticed was that it soaked up the little ripple or washboard type bumps you see in the asphalt some times. It was much smoother over those bumps than the M/C tire that just come off. I am running 35psi in the CT vs 40 in M/C tire which probably makes a little difference but not as much as I'm noticing. The worst part so far is in town on very uneven asphalt the bike gets tossed back and forth a little when one side or the other hits a high spot. This isn't scarry or concerning but just very noticable vs the M/C tire. It feels good in the corners, no concerns of it not bitting or rolling out from under me, just takes more steering input but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon to where I'll pay it no attention. Just my observation of the first ride this morning, gone dark

The more you ride the more you will like it, Keep your pressure low too. Try 32psi stay above 30psi. You wont go back the CT is better in every way