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Austone Taxi Tire for the 1500

30K views 107 replies 37 participants last post by  haroldaugustine 
#1 ·
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There are other references to the Austone Taxi Tire (175R16) on the Forum but no thread devoted to it as there is for the Federal/Formoza that some of you are using. Thought I’d make it easier for those doing a search. I know that Saibeer and mwhit 1500 installed them and will hopefully give their opinions as well, though I know they have weighed in on other threads/forums.



I did my due diligence and decided to try an Austone Taxi Tire on my ‘97SE. Radial. 175R16 that equates to about 175/80-16 I’m told. Only Q-rated (99 mph). 6 ply rating but sidewalls still feel softer than my Pilot GT. Tread width -5.5”, height – 26.9”. Running 45 lbs, though it calls for 55 lbs and 1650 lb load capacity (The website says 36 but the sidewall says 55).


https://www.universaltire.com/175r16-austone-taxi-black.html


Why the Austone?

a) Increases the height of the seat by about an inch. My 34” inseam legs are long enough that I can still flat-foot on both sides with the shocks @ 60lbs. Feels comfortable to me.
b) (a) gives me about 200 rpm at speeds above 60 mph. I’m now running 2600 @ 60, 2750 @ 65, 3000 @ 70, 3250 @ 75. And to me it makes a difference. Never tried to shift to ‘6[sup]th[/sup]’ once today.
c) The tire is more ‘rounded’ on the edges (shallower radius) than the others that will fit on the 1500s. While reports of other CTs indicate a positive counter-steer is required through corners, this tire does not. See below for more on that.
d) This tire is rated for over 100,000 miles. The only reason I may ever change it is due to damage or age. Price is cheaper than an E3 by a few bucks but I hope to only have to buy one in my lifetime, not one a year.


Let me begin by describing my riding style. For those of you downhill skiers in the crowd I’d be categorized as a mostly Blue rider that delves into the Black Diamond runs from time to time. I can and will scrap ‘em if I’m so moved but am happy scooting through twisties with a bit of leash. Rarely will I see anything above 75 mph on the ‘Wing riding down the slabs. Don’t see the need. See my signature. I have a Valk for days when I need to clear the cobwebs.


Initial Impression: Popped on like a slipper. A good dose of detergent on the beads and it snapped into place at 40 lbs. No problem installing and the slight mod at the front flap to avoid rubbing took 30 seconds prior to tire installation. Good clearance on both sides, front and top (pics to come). But this is one tall tire. The bike goes onto the center stand about as easily as the side stand goes down. I may have to carry a piece of 1 X 4 to put under the stand because I have only about 1 inch of clearance between the tire and the floor in the garage. Put this thing on the center stand in a vulnerable place and it could just walk off the stand on its own. It’s a shade narrower than the Pilot GT I just took off but its round enough on the edges that most people won’t even recognize it as a CT unless I tell them.


Riding the Slabs – Wow! Quiet, smooth, solid, predictable. At anything over 60 mph this tire just cruises along and within 50 miles you’ve forgotten you’re riding a CT and start enjoying the scenery. And I looked for trouble. Cracks between lanes, tar snakes (85 out today so they were soft), ruts carved into the blacktop by 18-wheelers. By comparison this tire dwarfs the performance of the GT. And I was as disappointed as anyone when they discontinued the GTs. They were great tires. Very little wander in the ruts or grooved pavement. Seems like the front (Pilot GT) is more responsible for any shimmy I do feel. Not that there is much. As I said, I was looking for trouble.


Back Roads – This tire seems to smooth the road out a good bit. Very little jumping around compared to the Pilot. Patches of rough or repaired blacktop pose no problem or wandering. Railroad tracks, even angled crossings present no surprises. And I even stopped and adjusted the suspension down to 25 lbs and did them again to see if I’d bottom out. Nope. No rubbing at any point. After about 100 miles I got comfortable enough to do the 60 mph sweepers hands-free. No counter-steer required. Just lean into it and then lean back.


Gravel – I have an apples-to-apples comparison for this one. One of my local rides involves a 10 mile jaunt over gravel. Tried to ride it last week right after a maintainer had spread loose gravel all over the road. Didn’t even make it a mile on the Pilot before I turned my tail and headed for home. Today I rode that same road and its still in about the same shape it was last week. Swore I would do the whole thing and see what happened. Started out pretty timid but it took next to no time and I was whizzing along at 55 mph. I grew up on dirt bikes but I rarely would ever have tried 55 on a ‘Wing on gravel before. Felt rock solid and had room to do more. But I have no need or desire to ride gravel. I will say that construction zones will no longer cause the sweat to form on my brow.


Crosswinds – had a 25 mph crosswind for about 75 miles and was curious how the tire would react. The Pilot always just did a lean into the wind but held a good line. Same is true for the Austone with less lean. The flat footprint of the Austone holds the line very well. Look forward to heading out in one of our Praire gales to see how it really handles.


Twisties and wet roads – Jury is out. We, a) have no twisties within 700 miles and, b) are going through a drought with no hope of rain for some time. But from reports from others using this tire I doubt I’ll be disappointed.


Pulling a Trailer – Again, the jury is out and I will post an update once I’ve pulled the Leisurelite a few miles with it.


The Very Good – Stopping power. I should have done a test to see what the stopping distance from 60 was with the Pilot. I’m positive this tire shortens it by at least a few feet. That is major for a bike that pulls a trailer a good bit of the time. Like my father used to say, “Anything can go fast but not just anything can stop on a dime. Always know how you’ll do the second before you try the first.” The ‘second’ improved dramatically today.


The Bad – The Austone does not like slow speeds. It handles extremely well in the parking lot doing figure 8s but out on the street traveling at 30-45 mph it seems to want to jump all over the place finding a line. Not enough to scare me. Just enough to make me pay attention. Am interested to see how that will feel on a wet road. Had to tell myself to relax a few times until I got used to the feeling. Don’t know if that’s a reflection of our pitiful roads or of the tire. It’s worth noting so that you’re not surprised if you decide to try one.


I hate driving in the city as it is so the slow driving thing is a non-issue for me. 90% of my miles are out on the open road.


Though I have only ridden the tire for 400 miles I am quite impressed by it. And I’m told it gets better as it wears in. If that’s true then I will not be going back to a MT.


Remember, this is just my opinion. Your experience may be different. I’m only putting it out there for your information. File where you feel appropriate. I will not take offense.


Here's some pics ( if the pics are too big could one of the mods drop me a PM and I'll resize them):
 
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#27 ·
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I'd like to be able to read this BUT it goes WAY past the end of the monitor and then some. It is quite a ways over and I have to slide the screen back and forth so much I lose what line I'm on.
 
#29 ·
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I am seriously considering the Austone for my Valkyrie this fall. It is a 99 MPH tire but I don't run those speeds anyway; 80 to 85 is where I like to be on the super slabs.

Dubs
 
#30 ·
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Dubswing wrote:
I am seriously considering the Austone for my Valkyrie this fall. It is a 99 MPH tire but I don't run those speeds anyway; 80 to 85 is where I like to be on the super slabs.

Dubs
If you go ahead with that I'd sure appreciate updates on how it works out. My Valk is still about 7K from a change but I'm already keeping my ears open. The Austone is narrower than the Pilot by about 1" so my son is complaining it doesn't look as cool as the wider CTs they're putting on the Valks, but I've also read that the wider tires adversely affect handling in the twisties.
 
#31 ·
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I have a friend that runs a 205 on his Valk and he is an absolute madman with his in the twisties. He can run The Dragon faster than most with it. I think the wider tires get pulled around more by deformities in the road. As hard as he runs, if there were any problems with a CT, he would have found them by now; and he hasn't.

But I still want a more narrow car tire like the Austone or the 170 series tires.

Dubs
 
#33 ·
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Just looked up the specs on Dunlop E3 is 26.1" dia. and 6.1 overall width- Doesn't say what the tread with is.... the Austone is 26.9" dia. and 5.5" TREAD width. I couldn't find the dia. on Metzler 880. So, only about .8" dia. difference and only about .4" height difference. With the Metzler my RPM is 2450 at 55mph. I am always looking for a 6th gear.
I have 18500 mi ,which is respectable on the rear,It is worn out, noisy and badly cupped and always 41psi. Now i wish i wouldn't have a new Metzler sitting here waiting to get installed.
Did anyone's fuel mpg go up?
 
#34 ·
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I suspect that with the wide vagaries of MPG because of throttle, wind, terrain, rider's style, that you will never ever be able to discern that the extra 0.8" of height, or 2.4" of extra circumference will be noticeable.

There is less than 1% difference between the two. No way you are ever going to be that accurate figuring MPG.

I have a little spreadsheet showing all of the fuel that I have put into my '98. The MPG figures between tanks are all over the block with lows of 24 mpg and highs of 40 mpg.

I just do not ride the same way on each and every trip. And neither will anyone else.
 
#35 ·
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Dun Did Da Deed[/i][/b]

Double Darkside, Dyna-bead[/i][/b]

Cure Cancer? Cause Convulsions?[/i][/b]

Can’t Complain[/i][/b]

Cuz Chocolate Cookies Compliment Champagne[/i][/b]



I installed an Austone Taxi tire with 3oz. Dynabeads and a Bridgestone Battleax rear on the front with lead weights. Read everything I could find, and all I can say is……





Ho hum.

:sleepy:

My Michelin Pilots had exactly 13,000 miles. I tried to keep them at 41 psig using my cheap pencil gage. Suspension set at 28. Granted I’ve only been about 50 miles since the change, but they feel like new tires – nothing more, nothing less. Have 41 psig front, 51 psig rear and 50 in the suspension based on your recommendations. Yes, I’ve noticed it sits a little higher (ticked one antenna exiting the garage) and it seems to steer quicker than before (??) but both of these could have happened with new M/C tires and jacked up rear shock. I went over new pavement, rough old roads, steered for holes and cracks I normally would steer around, open runs up to 80mph, curvy back roads and even a steel deck bridge. If you had told me it had new Dunlops, I wouldn’t have argued with you. Generally under-whelming; satisfied but not worth all the hype. Cost about the same as Elite 3 or Venom. Hopefully it will live up to the longevity expectations. But I do like cookies.

:cheers:

By the way, I did the up and over method. See details here: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/forum1/123105-1.html

 
#36 ·
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"only been about 50 miles since the change,"

How are they doing you now? More miles yet?

I took off perfectly good E3, mounted my Taxi, and first ride I could tell a world of difference for the better.

I've ran local around home some before and after the trip, and took a 3K trip on the Taxi now.
I have not found anything to complain about for the Taxi tire and I ran lots of odd strange roads and some very low speeds up mountains behind coal trucks doing 20mph riding their ruts in the road LOL

There was quite a few times riding on the good E3 that I was not happy with it and did not like the feel of the bike on the road. I have not experienced that yet with the Taxi!

I don't do twisties well so I don't normally grind the pegs any. With the E3 I took off I never ground the pegs but the handling of the 1500 got a bit spookey in some turns.
I have actually ground the pegs now using the taller Taxi tire in tight turns. Not that I wanted to but the turn was not properly marked and I hit it too fast. No spooky feeling, just a tight grip on the road and grinding pegs!

I hate those road signs for suggested 30mph speed for the next 4-5 curves! You take the 1st 35mph fine, 2nd 40mph, then find the 3rd should have been marked about 25mph and your doing 45mph! LOL
Taxi tire held that white line fine! NO SLIP!
Anymore lean and it'd been the crash bars grinding instead of the pegs I think.
 
#37 ·
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My Austone Taxi Tire is a dream to ride on the Valk. It did raise the seat height a little but still am able to put my feet comfortably on the ground. Scraping the pegs is a non-issue too. So far, I haven't scraped a peg. I'm running 36 pounds of pressure and am considering lowering it to 34 pounds. I will be taking a weekend trip on it starting on Veteran's Day and should put several hundred miles on it then. I liked the fact there really wasn't anything different to get used to versus the E3. It handles and performs just like the E3 did. I am very pleased so far!

Dubs
 
#38 ·
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Well, I'm around 800 miles so far (we did get some snow afterall!) and I've played a little with pressures. So far, I don't see that much variation. Dragging the left board about half as often as I used to (recall I boosted the shock up as well) and I really don't drive hard. Mostly keeping up with the cages and short twisty runs if there's good light and no deer. Satisfied so far but really want to see the longevity.



BTW, I think the Battleax is noisy!
 
#39 ·
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Dubswing wrote:
My Austone Taxi Tire is a dream to ride on the Valk.  It did raise the seat height a little but still am able to put my feet comfortably on the ground.  Scraping the pegs is a non-issue too.  So far, I haven't scraped a peg.  I'm running 36 pounds of pressure and am considering lowering it to 34 pounds.  I will be taking a weekend trip on it starting on Veteran's Day and should put several hundred miles on it then.  I liked the fact there really wasn't anything different to get used to versus the E3.  It handles and performs just like the E3 did.  I am very pleased so far!

Dubs
Just PMed you, but can you tell us what size you choose for the valk and any mods you might have had to do?
Thanks
D.
 
#41 ·
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gumbyred wrote:
How is the swing arm clearance with the Austone Taxi tire? Sounds like mounting is easy. How does it fit going on the bike? Harder or about the same as stock?
gumbyred
I know on the 1500 rim you will have 1/4" less width than the E3 so no clearance problems and goes on easier too.
 
#42 ·
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SaiBeer wrote:
All;
I am just under 4,000 miles on this Austone - but:
Been on a lot of different roads, mostly city driving though with quick jaunts out on the weekend. Even at 122°F this tire tracks true, "[suP]no searching at 47psi and 55psi shocks"[/suP]

I've just received one of these tyres this morning. It states on the side wall not to exceed 40 psi. Is it OK to have it at 47/48? Also I notice the tyre seems quite wide, of the rim it measure 171mm, whereas the original K177 I've just taken off is only 146mm and there was very little room with this on either side of the swing arm. Does it fit OK?



Many thanks for your comments.



Regards





Jim
 
#43 ·
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Jim_C wrote:
SaiBeer wrote:
All;
I am just under 4,000 miles on this Austone - but:
Been on a lot of different roads, mostly city driving though with quick jaunts out on the weekend. Even at 122°F this tire tracks true, "[sup]no searching at 47psi and 55psi shocks"[/sup]

I've just received one of these tyres this morning. It states on the side wall not to exceed 40 psi. Is it OK to have it at 47/48? Also I notice the tyre seems quite wide, of the rim it measure 171mm, whereas the original K177 I've just taken off is only 146mm and there was very little room with this on either side of the swing arm. Does it fit OK?



Many thanks for your comments.



Regards





Jim
Jim,
As you've already noticed, the 'Never Exceed 40 lbs' is a reference to seating the tyre. Which seated very nicely for me. And, yes, you've got the right tire and it fits in there like a glove (see the last 2 pics in post #1). You'll also notice in the first few pics in Post #1 that the tyre has a much rounder profile on the outer edges than one might suspect when one hears someone say "Car tire". You may push this tyre around corners as hard as you wish without any worries of that 'falling over' feeling. I've tried.
 
#44 ·
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Jim
Once mounted on our narrow rims, the tire will be narrower then the stock m/c tires, so it will fit.
 
#45 ·
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I have been running the Austone on my Valkyrie for several months now.. It is a 750 pound or more bike and I am running 34 pounds air pressure in it. It performs almost identically to the E-3 that it replaced. I have to admit that I have ridden this tire as aggressively as I possibly can on some very tight twisty roads. There has never been an occassion that I felt the least bit uncomfortable with the tire. It just performs flawlessly under any condition I place it in.

Dubs
 
#46 ·
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When I was in my teens used to mount tires on my old truck. Since getting older have
not tried it except for some tires on my 9n ford tractor and gave up. Sidewalls just to
stiff. Did you folks have someone mount them or do it yourself? I would do a car tire on my 1500 but have no tools to do it and certainly not inclined to buy any to do so. Will a shop mount them for you?
Thanks
David
 
#47 ·
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I've mounted all my own tires for the past 2 years.

i mounted both my car tires. The 1st Formoza I did on my tire changer at home. Rudy and I dismounted it and installed another one he brought with him over to the Kettle Campground in AR and we changed them out by hand there in the campground, on a picnic table. Then when I dropped inat Rudy's home a while later, I had ordered a new rear and front tire and we replaced/installed those by hand(s) with just some HE tire irons, like we did at the campground. They certainly are no harder to mount than a MC tire.

No idea if a shop will change them out for you, but I'm sure there are some independents around that would.
 
#48 ·
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David
A lot of shops will mount them if you ask them to, maybe not a dealer(stealer) as they want you to buy from them at inflated price or say insurance reasons which is bunk, go back to first reason. Some tire shops like Discount tire will do it too.
 
#49 ·
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Thanks Dusty, for no more than I would use the tools they become garage floor ornaments around my place and Heaven knows I do not need any more of those.
Newday: I will check around. I had the e3 and pilot mounted by a local Honda dealer that has done right by me in the past. Does not bother him to work on the older stuff either. In fact one of his mechanics has a Gl1000 that has over 300k on the clock and still looks new. It is not a garage queen but could pass for one. I just took pics of my tires a min ago and in the midst of posting pics here but will start a different thread on it. I have 25k on the front E3 and 19.4k on the rear pilot gt. Got the bike with 82k on the clock in 2007 and it will turn over 107k sometime this month. Yes there still tread on both tires. Will post for all to see
 
#50 ·
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I am amazed when some get as many miles out of the E3s. Good for you.
Maybe it's me in the twisties?:action:
 
#51 ·
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Andy Cote wrote:
...all I can say is……


Ho hum.

:sleepy:

I love this answer. I've been following darksiding and have been planning on doing it, but I don't ride as much as I used to, so I've still got plenty of tire left to wear out first.



But the primary thought in my mind has been: What will I be giving up?



It sounds like it will be sosimilar that it's really not a big deal at all.



Andthe way I see it, that is good news.
 
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