darkside / car tire ????

[sallydog]

anyone ever try a Achilles ATR-K Economist 175/55R17XL 88V BSW on a tenere yet?

https://www.tires-easy.com/175-55-17/achilles-tires/atr-k-economist/tirecode/MAN175517

 

[EricV]

First time I've seen a CT narrower than 205 in a 17" diameter. eBay has them for cheaper, $53.57, which makes it more interesting to experiment with.

I'm Darksider #1 on the FJR forum, btw.

Still, I just got nearly 18k from a Mitas EO7 Dakar, so not really worried about tire life at the moment. Get one and find a auto tire shop to mount it on your "side car wheel". They won't be able to balance it, but the moto shop can, if you want to do the two trips thing, (and are not doing it yourself).

You may need to fabricate a brake caliper tension bar out of flat stock to avoid rubbing at the sidewall. No big deal, just remember to radius the ends so you have free movement when the swingarm moves up and down. Other than that, use the same hole spacing as the original. I prefer 3/16" thickness bar stock. Stainless is nice, but paint on mild steel is easier.

There are some people on the Darkside forum running them on BMWs and Harleys so far. I don't play there, but it might be worth signing up if you wanted to ping them. On the face of it, it meets my basic criteria for a DS tire. A little square in the shoulder perhaps, but I wonder why it's available here. I see only the Opel Speedster as listed fitment.

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

I'm running the above pictured Economist tire on my S10 with the sidecar. It clears the brake torque arm by a millimeter or so, no modification needed. Tire wear is better than motorcycle tires but still not great. Sidecar was down for repairs a couple weeks back so I rode 600 miles "darkside" without the sidecar with no problems. Only problems I noted were understeer on gravel (probably because the car tire has so much more traction than the rounded front) and it feels a little weird when leaning way over at times.

 

[sallydog]

sounds like i may give it a try..i dont think i ever got over 12k on an e07 but i do like them. ever since white rim trail and canyonlands my dog doesnt like off road anymore. ive had so many broken bones i have finally slowed down so most of my big bike riding isnt worse than dirt and gravel roads. and i travel alot so for the $50 WTF... Im a risk taker ::013::

 

[EricV]

I was pleased with the riding character of the CT in gravel and limited traction conditions. It tends to want to follow ruts due to being square and more the size of what made the ruts.

Transitions can take a little caution at first as you get used to how it reacts. Tire pressure for the CT, not for a moto tire. You'll have to see what feels good to you, but I'd start around 30psi. Or look up Opel Speedster tire pressures and start with what the OEM is using.

I'm tempted to order one too, but have a couple other sets of rubber to wear out already. That may take me a while at my current rate.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I'm Darksider #1 on the FJR forum, btw.

Bragging old fart.
::025::

 

[EricV]

Bragging old fart.
::025::

Darn right! After all the crap I took over there, I earned the right to brag. It may still be the longest single thread there.

 

[Cycledude]

My next set of tires on the Tenere will most likely be the Mitas E07’s that so many folks are claiming are great, I just wish they were available in radial.

 

[RCinNC]

Is there a reason you want them to be radials? The ones I have are the E07 (non-Dakar), and about the only thing i've noticed about them that's different than the radials I always used previously is that the ride feels slightly stiffer. Could be my imagination, or could be the stiffer sidewalls; either way, I don't miss the Bridgestone or Shinko radials.

 

[EricV]

FWIW, I just looked up the Opel Speedster tire pressures and it runs 29F/30R, so my WAG is pretty spot on. This is the only car to my knowledge running the 175/55R17 size tire in stock configuration.

 

[sallydog]

$48 free ship..... ill be the test subject

https://www.ebay.com/itm/263395678122

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

The most common users of this size tire are the Asian market microcars. Mine have been wearing out in the center first despite dropping pressure to around 28 PSI which is the lowest I dare. Currently have 6000 miles on one at these pressures with a sidecar and still not down to the wear bars, the OEM Bridgestone or a Shinko would have been bald in the center at 4000 miles. If you're not running a sidecar you'll probably get twice the mileage I am.

 

[Cycledude]

Is there a reason you want them to be radials? The ones I have are the E07 (non-Dakar), and about the only thing i've noticed about them that's different than the radials I always used previously is that the ride feels slightly stiffer. Could be my imagination, or could be the stiffer sidewalls; either way, I don't miss the Bridgestone or Shinko radials.

Smoother ride and the fact that Yamaha supposedly designed the Tenere with radials. I sent an email to Mitas over a week ago asking about radials but so far they have not replied.

 

[EricV]

Considering its a 50/50 tire, you will hopefully be riding some unpaved roads... No point in worrying about smooth there. ;D

 

[Don in Lodi]

Are there actually any 50/50 mc tires out there that are radials?

 

[EricV]

Are there actually any 50/50 mc tires out there that are radials?

Yes. Michelin Anakee Wild is a radial.

Mitas E-10 is a hybrid radial/bias ply. Vee Rubber VRM-401 is a 40/60 on/off tire with kevlar belts, but it doesn't really say if it's bias ply or radial so I'm not sure where that falls. Claimed to be much lighter than comparable tires in the same size.

Some of the Metzeler Karoo 3 sizes are radial. (60/40 tire) As are some of the Continental TKC70s, again a 60/40 tire.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Yes. Michelin Anakee Wild is a radial.

Mitas E-10 is a hybrid radial/bias ply. Vee Rubber VRM-401 is a 40/60 on/off tire with kevlar belts, but it doesn't really say if it's bias ply or radial so I'm not sure where that falls. Claimed to be much lighter than comparable tires in the same size.

Some of the Metzeler Karoo 3 sizes are radial. (60/40 tire) As are some of the Continental TKC70s, again a 60/40 tire.

Mmm, I wanna try an 09 or 10 on the front next...

 

[sallydog]

real weights or dynabeads?

 

[Tombstone]

I used dynabeads when I ran DS tires on my Strom.
I'm looking forward to hearing how it works out for you. My only complaint on the Strom is that caused my ABS to default to regular brakes.

 

[sallydog]

its official.... a little odd in the beginning, like the first time you ride k60.. speedo says 65, gps says 62