C/T -vs- M/T

As most of you guys know by now, I have spent the last 9 years riding a motorcycle with a c/t. I have also just been released by the Doc. to go back to work full duty with no restrictions and released to ride the Rocket after now on a year. Needless to say I haven't gotten much riding time in since last July. My curiosity got the better of me and I ordered a new 240 avon rear tire. When I first bought my Rocket back in June of 09 it was in need of a rear tire. I had a 225 Rikon Raptor installed and it has been that way ever since.
We have been planning this trip over to Eureka Sprgs, Arkansas for about the last 4 months or so. So I had the new Avon rear tire installed last week before we left on Thursday.
We rode over and spent a couple of days terrorizing the country side and having the best time I have ever spent on a bike. We put about 1030 miles on in the 4 days. The Blues Festival was great, the music was good, the weather was hot and the cycle gods were with us.
Now this is just my take on the difference between a c/t and m/t.
The m/t allows you to pick a line thru a corner and stay with it with out having to hold it there. The motorcycle is a lot heavier to pick up off the stand and to balance will setting at a stop sign. The m/t is 3 times the cost and last about 1/3 of the life of a car tire.
I went into a corner too hot and had to grab a lot of rear brake just to have the tire lock up and jump side ways with me. I let off the brake and repeated the process 2 more times and all 3 times the tire locked up and the rear of the bike jumped out from under me. I was able to scub enough speed off to get thru the corner ok but not with out a good bit of pucker factor going on. I do not beleive that the c/t would have reacted this way. I think it would have scrubed more speed off and it would not have gone side ways on me if it did lock up. I have been able to run the twisties pretty darn hard with a c/t but probably not as hard as with a m/t. With the c/t, I can pick the bike up and not have to balance it while at a stop.
Over all the pro's far out weigh any con's for the c/t. And the pro's for the m/t do not out weigh the con's.
My riding season is going to be a short one this year because of work related comitments so I will more than likely spend the rest of the summer having fun and smoking this avon every chance i get and have a new c/t installed this coming winter for next springs riding.
Just my .02 cents worth.

Big T

Great write-up, good to know info. It's personal experience like that what helps me stay on the fence deciding what my next replacement is going to be. The Riken is top of my list right now, only the size is still in debate.

What are your feelings on size and width, for you is narrower as big a deal for handling vs looking all FAT?

Pretty much sums it up. I like the 225 on my 05 and I don't need to have a ton of rubber on the back to be cool.

I, like atomsplitter, prefer the 225 which is the narrowest of the choices the way I understand it. I understand that a 235 and even a 245 will fit under the fender. But like most will tell you, the 235 is the way to go. It is really hard to tell the difference for normal everyday riding. For hard aggressive riding or racing, the c/t is the only way to go. For the purest who would have nothing but a m/t, there is no amount of talking that will convince them that a c/t has any place on a motorcycle. I seen a new Kawasaki big ol touring bike with all the bags and such last weekend that was running a car tire. The Valkyrie and the Gold Wing riders use c/t's and we all know the Boss Hoss's do also. Like I said, I'm going to have fun ripping up the country side and smokin this avon every chance I get, then back to the Raptor 225 for me.

Big T

Thanks for your thoughts on the issue. I haven't ran a 100 miles on my c/t so this is new territory for me. Good to hear another persons view.

thanks tim, for your real world experiences with both types of tires. based on your observations, my next tire on my new to me, 08 classic will get a car tire. another mod i feel is necessary for me, is making an adapter so i can use a harley jiffy stand. once is enough for my pristine classic to roll off of its side stand. not even a scratch on the bike thankfully, but i broke my back trying to get it back up on the side stand so i'll not be riding for another 5 weeks if all heals well. thanks for your experience on car tires from both perspectives.

T, sounds like it was the great way to spend a weekend it promised to be.
I'm still an MT kind of guy but my conviction wanes and shifts almost daily. Thanks for the write up - I think.

I've noticed the same thing. I am (for now) back on a MT but I think my next one will be a Riken Raptor. I had no problems handling the bike with the goodyear but . . after getting it off the bike, I dont think I'll put another on.

FWIW, I put 17,000 miles on a CT on a Honda VTX I used to have - before I bought my R3T. I liked everything about the CT on the Honda, and will not hesitate to go Darkside on my R3T when my OEM tire needs replacing.

CW