GL1500 Car Tire Impressions

7241 Views 31 Replies 21 Participants Last post by vtxcandyred, Nov 14, 2012

StereoSteveo

Discussion Starter · Oct 20, 2012

Just put 600 miles on my first Car Tire:

GOODYEAR TIRES ASSURANCE FUEL MAX 175/60R16
http://tinyurl.com/9ouou7p

Overall: 9/10

The Good:
Cheaper
Longer Lasting (Fewer tire changes)
Quieter (Not that bike tire was really loud, but this tire is basically silent)
Smoother, very Smooth. (This is a very soft tire)
Higher load capacity (Nice for 2-up and my trailer)
Bike Sits Slightly Lower (Nice for a 1990, I'm 6'1" and now flat footed) Still easy to get on center stand.
Traction: Haven't tried wet or icy, but reported better traction by many.

The Bad:
In summary it feels like a Car Tire! Not sure of a better way to describe it.
Or a "half flat" motorcycle tire to me...
Higher RPM's... I think I'm burning a lot more fuel, but haven't gauged it yet.

Here's the really bad part.
Rear end drifts into any turn, but then plants nicely once on-line..
It really feels like the sidewalls are stretching initially in any lean, a lot!
Again, like a flat tire effect....
Above 75 mph I start getting what feels like a high speed wobble...
Aint had it above 80 yet...for that reason. Bike gets so squirrely...
Rides great, on smooth highway with no wind, up to 70 mph.
Seems both rough road, and/or and windy conditions really increase the "floating" effect..
If there's a groove in the road this tire will find it and ride in it.
Sometimes it feels like the ass-end is gonna swing around to the front on a deep grove..

At any rate I'm not sure what to think of this thing.
I didn't have the tire balanced when I finally got it mounted after 2 tries at the car tire shop.
(The guy aired it up to 95 psi about 10 times before it finally seated)
Maybe that's part of the problem. But I would think being out of balance would cause hopping. Not so much DRIFTING....

Also I've ran this tire at 50 psi, cold, on the center stand. Then 50 psi hot, on the side-stand. (Original 50 cold was reading 65 psi hot on side stand with bike weight.
Let some air out down to 50 psi.) Doesn't seem to matter much. This tire just likes to drift all over the road, and that's about the only thing I don't like about it so far really.
But I'll hang with it if I can get 30k miles or so out of it.

Maybe I need to try some of those balancing beads? Dyna beads? Do they really clog up the air valve stem?

What size do I need?
And how many?

Thx.
-Stv..

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1 - 20 of 32 Posts

exavid

· #2 · Oct 20, 2012

:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:

Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger!
You are criticizing a Darksider fetish!
Hide your women and children, don't go there! There be dragons!
:dighole::dighole::dighole::dighole:

OnaWingAndaPrayer

· #3 · Oct 20, 2012

I run my dunflop ROF at 42psi cold and it heats up to 46 in about 4 miles , perhaps up to 48 two up .
Do you ride daily ? If so within 2 weeks you wont notice anything but it sticks in a curve . Well yes , might still notice it hunt in crevice , but even that feeling you get accustomed to .

Pwhoever

· #4 · Oct 20, 2012

I had the same kinds of experiences with my Formoza. I had started with 3oz of dynabeads and slowly increased from about 36 psi and went all the way up to 44psi. I still got the wobbles over 75-80mph. I would also get a weird oscillation while driving straight for a length of time. I was starting to get concerned. I eventually added 2 more oz for a total of 5oz of dynabeads and increased to 48psi and it is absolutely perfect right now. I have run it up to 85-90 and it feels nice and stable. BTW the max psi on the sidewall is 44 psi so I am 4 psi over max. And I have had absolutely no issues with the dynabeads clooging the valve stem. So if you have not balanced the tire, I would highly suggest using dynabeads...

newday777

· #5 · Oct 20, 2012

First you are running a non ROF tire, yours has 4 ply side walls and not as stiff sidewalls as m/c tires and ROF c/t, so there will be noticeable difference to M/C tire as in your drifting feelings.

Second C/T tread is deeper and more flex first 10,000 miles and thus more of your drifting feelings.

Third air up the tire to max psi cold and play with psi from there. Too low and more drifting feel.

ROF tire will be more sure footed than non ROF tire as sidewalls are stiffer than non ROF. Again, start at max psi.

Austone tire is a 6 ply tire and less drifting feeling after initial breaking in,
6,000-10,000 miles to wear tread down.

newday777

· #6 · Oct 20, 2012

As far as c/t in corners, they want to stand up straight so you have to push just a little in the corners and will get accustomed to it the more you ride it. The more flatter the tread pattern the more you will feel that have to push feeling. M/C tires are way rounder tread so you just have to think lean and they lean.
600 miles is not enough miles to evaluate the differences.
Be sure and update this post with a reply to it here (save it in your favorite bookmark) once you have over 10,000 miles on it and also at it's end of service to give an experienced evaluation. (No offense meant, just the facts of riding a C/T)

ding dong

· #7 · Oct 20, 2012

Just so you don't feel like you're alone, I experienced exactly what you are. I put on an Austone. It was just before going on a 5k trip and there was no way I was going to ride the bike under those conditions. 2 up with trailer. I pulled the tire and went back to an E3. I really wanted to go darkside but there was just no way. 6 to 10k miles to break the tire in? Not. This is not a dig at car tires. I probably will try it another time. Just wanted you to know there are others out here. I know of at least 6 others with the same problems. Most don't get reported.

RandyHut

· #8 · Oct 20, 2012

CT

I don't think it takes 5k to break in. I think it just takes a little time to adjust the air pressure to your specific liking. (I suggest start at higher than you think it should be, both mine are 44-46 psi cold. )
You also will find corners a lot easier if learn to push right to go right, push left to go left on the handlebars. Just a small push and you will turn, push hard you will turn hard.
Give it 1k or so miles, get back to us and let us know what you think

nico

· #9 · Oct 20, 2012

I understand what is being said about model-specifics, but it seems to me the reports of rock-solid handling versus drifting sensations using car tires are diametrically opposed.

My guess is that all car tires wobble but that some riders are more comfortable accepting this feeling than others. Maybe these are the same people who are comfortable with a fulll lean and/or finding traction limits in the first place?

I don't scrape pegs and I haven't lost traction on the rear wheel of my wing in years, so maybe I'm not the best candidate for a car tire.

StereoSteveo

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 20, 2012

OK PWhoever, I'm gonna get the Dynabeads, 5 oz., start with 3.
Air tire back up to max psi of 51 cold.

I just want to re-state that overall I like this tire.
It has tons of grip.
I am getting used to the drift. It's no real bad. Just feels odd.

But I have to get rid of the high speed wobble @75+mph.

A couple months ago @5:00am on a Thursday morning on the loop in Houston, I'm going 85 mph bumper to bumper 6 lanes wide. It felt like NASCAR! No room for error or wobbling in that situation...

rpeters549

· #11 · Oct 20, 2012

Weird. The day I installed/tested my Austone for the first time I was doing figure-8's at nearly the same lean in a parking lot as the E3 prior. And I was going around corners with my coffee cup in one hand with little if any noticeable difference in handle bar pressure the first week. To be honest, I have yet to find a negative related to handling, though I have only been to 80 mph a couple three times.
I am not some 'super rider' or anything close. Perhaps this is an actual tire issue? Maybe it is out of round? Perhaps this is some of the difference between a 4 and a 6 ply tire?
NOT bashing your words-- we all have different experiences. Heck, maybe it's all because I am a little guy/lightweight (5'10"and under 160). Though I felt the same with either daughter on the back also. I hope it works out for you, but if you do not feel safe than do what you feel you have to do because nobody wants anyone to get hurt.

Pwhoever

· #12 · Oct 20, 2012

Just so you know, you will either have to break the bead to put them in or (my preferred way) install them through the valve stem. You will need a valve stem puller to get the beads in. Here is a video that pretty much shows the method I use.

newday777

· #13 · Oct 20, 2012

Have properly greased and torqued the steering bearing nut? Too tight and you will get a wandering big-time.

Also too low pressure in front tire will do the same. 42psi.

Fork and shock oil more than a year old? Leaking?
Fork bushings over 35,000 and not checked for fit
Do a search on stiction tuning of the bushings.

A C/T will stick better than m/c tire and bring to light you have something that needs attention.

4evermetric

· #14 · Oct 20, 2012

I have been running this time on my Valkyrie for 2 years, about 20k miles. (Still in good shape BTW). Anyway, settled on 3 oz of dynabeads, and about 36 PSI. Ity does wander a little more on rutted paved hiways, but that is the only negative. I can live with that with all the positives I get.

Wingsconsin

· #15 · Oct 21, 2012

I am on a Vredstein Comtrac 175-75. It is not available now..but it is almost the same as the Austone ...6 plys, etc...

I have experienced this weird "push" sensation the entire time I have had it...In fact I can show the idea to you as well in this picture from the Dragon tail...Picture # 305
http://xtremesportsphotography.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK0171050291&po=291&pc=306

Notice the lines the front tire and the rear tire are running...?
Not out of shape - but not a true single track..
It is a bit of a push feeling (think race car) when this is like this...

HOWEVER - The tires grip like a dropped cat! When we ran the Dragon IN THE RAIN I was dragging pegs and keeping pce with the group...another 1500 on motorcycle tires, and the CX500 my son was riding in front of me; without a problem...

And that tire now has 19,000 miles on it and it still looks quite new...the best I ever did on 1500 tires before hand was 17,500 with an average closer to 16,000 total miles...

So better grip + longevity = Get used to it...:thumbsup:

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vtxcandyred

· #16 · Oct 21, 2012

This is my second bike with a car tire and I'll never return to the "light side". I have the Dunlop runflat and believe it’s the best "for me". I had a Cooper on my 02 VTX and it was superb. I can drag the pegs and the boards on the wing when I never could before. On grated bridge decks its great. The only caveat is the ruts in the roads approaching an intersection it will drift a tad. I really believe if I had had the car tire on the wing when we went over the side in North Carolina I could have controlled it better and it would not have gotten out of shape.

RoadRogue

· #17 · Oct 21, 2012

I put the Austone on my 1500 this summer, I had issues with it wobbling the tail a bit at higher speeds. I solved this by increasing the pressure a few PSI at a time till I found the sweet spot and the wobble went away. I have run this tire up to 100MPH ,the only handling issue is from the wind acting on the windshield setting up a small ocilation that disappeared when I slowed to 95mph and when I dropped the windshield to its lowest setting it was still stable at 100+. I run 3 oz of dyna beads and 48 psi , not quite max pressure.
I have tried to break the rear tire loose ,both under breaking and acceleration and I have not been able to at any lean angle. I can carry more speed through any given corner than I could on the E3 it replaced, I have even managed to scratch the pegs on both sides despite the fact that the bike sits higher than with the MC tire. I could never get that lean angle with the E3, always felt like it was slipping out on me. I dont have that learing feeling when riding in the rain any more I know the Austone is going to stick, The E3 always slid on me in the rain.
The few trade offs are so minor to me, Darksiding suites my style of riding just fine. Im staying. Next front tire will have me Double Darksiding, and that will be soon.

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AZgl1800

· #18 · Oct 21, 2012

RoadRogue said:
..........

I have tried to break the rear tire loose ,both under breaking and acceleration and I have not been able to at any lean angle. I can carry more speed through any given corner than I could on the E3 it replaced,.............

right there is a very good reason for me to think about going to the Austone or other car tire.

On hard braking, I can lock up the rear E3s real fast.

papasmurf

· #19 · Oct 21, 2012

My Austone

As sidecar nut: My Austone is BEST rear tire I've run on our GL1500 rig in 11 years! Tried Dunlop E3[very noisy and annoying], Metzeler 880[weak sidewalls on rear tire], Avon Venom[rear so wide, it rubbed badly on swingarm right side] . All gave lousy rear tire mileage. Run 42 psi cold. Ride is much better. Rig handles very well [run Avon Venom on front].
Wife always rides 2-up with me[has arthritic knees, which bother her when riding in hack with legs straight out]. My 2 cents.....papasmurf

nico

· #20 · Oct 21, 2012

I don't get this. If you are braking that hard, given that it's a linked braking system aren't you at risk of also losing traction on the front?

AZgl1500 said:
On hard braking, I can lock up the rear E3s real fast.

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