3ngin33r1

Agreed. Although I've got almost 8k on my rear and it's still looking fine.

snuffcityrider

Even though I've read several 1st impression's, it would be interesting still to hear another one. Hey Darkside guy's, how do they handle in the rain soaked twisties? I'm tempted...

3ngin33r1

Can't imagine it handles much worse than the Metz does on a wet twisty.

Hmmm, I wonder if I could use the same as the rears on my S2000, they are 225/50-16 Potenza S-02s or maybe use a Potenza RE760 Sport. Anyone use a Firehawk or a g-force SSAS?

Paul Hyland

I just hope a side wall doesn’t split on one of you dark siders while your going threw the twisties. Car tires are not made to hold the pressure the old girl puts on the side wall while cornering. I have been behind Goodfellow on his darkside tire and have seen the compression and you can not convince me to go that way.
I know a bunch of you have them and like them that’s great but I hope none of you have a serious problem caused buy the car tire.
The car tire is designed to have the hole foot print on the road at all times, that’s were the strength is not in the side wall. when you are cornering on a bike the force transfers from the bottom of tire to the side wall.

But if it works for you and you like that’s all that matters just be safe.

boogerdave

I do believe that is the whole idea behind the "Radial Tire" design. It DOES have the strength. Old bias ply would have been another story. My Goodyear is rated to 185 mph, I really dont think that a Rocket at even 90-100mph is going to peel the tread off or cause the sidewall to fail. The sidewalls actually flex more on a car than a bike. The bike just rolls up on the edge.

bigern2300

Americanmototire.com...

Metz.. $155.66 for the front.
$206.72 for the rear

Avon $151.32 for the front
$231.14 for the rear

As far as the sidewall discussion about the Darkside. I've asked friends behind me to watch how the sidewall reacts in curves and they all told me there was no sidewall flex at all. They said it just rolled up on the edge. I doubt a motorcycle could not put any where near the side load force on a sidewall that a car could in a curve due to differences in weight transfer. When a car corners hard, say to the right, the right side rims are being force inward to the left and the left side is being forced outward to the left due to weight transfer. Just imagine the lateral forces being applied to the sidewalls! A motorcycle simply just rolls up on the edge of the tire. Bigern

nightrocket

i think the sidewall is fully capable of handling the lateral force of the rocket it just concerns me that there is no tread on the sidewall

tdragger

Gotcha Britman!! With your license plate already out of the way, that fat bottom is really gonna show.

On the sidewall issue: oh contraire, my friend. You'll never run out of tread before other hard parts lift the rear end off the ground. Plenty, Plenty of tread on the edge.

TO rocket

I have a Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R mounted and going on as soon as I've had my morning cuppa. This thing is so sticky it feels like one of those clothes lint rollers. My only concern is that it is a 225/50/16 and I would have liked a taller tire. I'm going to start at 30 psi based on what I've read and go from there.

TxRIIIRider

That Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R looks really nice. Bridgestone also makes a front tire for the Valkyrie that will fit the Rocket. Have to keep this in mind for the next tire buy..