Darkside Review ride

[HeR3tic]

I am going to revisit the light immediately in my future. The Darkside has meant an uneven front tire wear, as a result of the camber offset. Darkside has been good to me! Awesome capabilities including a Pop-Eye right fore-arm.

A Bridgestone DTC offering would make me anxious for another tire change. I wil try-out the Avon Cobra and another Dunlop E3 in the interim.

The Metz M880 are very good but they dont last long. It really is a matter of frequency of change that gripes me. A good mileage tire at an equitable price will be enough. I got 13k from a Dunlop vs 8k from a Metzler 880 front and 16k from a DS, versus 5k from a M880 rear. I was putting 5k on the HeR3tik Rocket every 6 months. A big PITA!

 

[HansO]

I am going to revisit the light immediately in my future. The Darkside has meant an uneven front tire wear, as a result of the camber offset. Darkside has been good to me! Awesome capabilities including a Pop-Eye right fore-arm.

A Bridgestone DTC offering would make me anxious for another tire change. I wil try-out the Avon Cobra and another Dunlop E3 in the interim.

The Metz M880 are very good but they dont last long. It really is a matter of frequency of change that gripes me. A good mileage tire at an equitable price will be enough. I got 13k from a Dunlop vs 8k from a Metzler 880 front and 16k from a DS, versus 5k from a M880 rear. I was putting 5k on the HeR3tik Rocket every 6 months. A big PITA!

before you give up on the darkside tyre try changing your front I have found an amazing difference since changing to the Shinko 757 150/80/17 front tyre Less counter steer faster change of direction and awesome grip wet or dry just my opinion but my first metz front while running rear metz 6400 km's second metz while running darkside almost 7000km's no real difference. Since changing to Shinko low speed manovering has also improved metzler will never grace the front of my bike again

 

[Gothlander]

before you give up on the darkside tyre try changing your front I have found an amazing difference since changing to the Shinko 757 150/80/17 front tyre Less counter steer faster change of direction and awesome grip wet or dry just my opinion but my first metz front while running rear metz 6400 km's second metz while running darkside almost 7000km's no real difference. Since changing to Shinko low speed manovering has also improved metzler will never grace the front of my bike again

Hanso, this tire sounds like a good alternative to the front Metz, how many Klm's do you expect to get from it? Does the Shinko have the same load and speed rating as the Metz? and where can you get them. There does not seem to be a web site in Australia for them.

 

[HansO]

Hanso, this tire sounds like a good alternative to the front Metz, how many Klm's do you expect to get from it? Does the Shinko have the same load and speed rating as the Metz? and where can you get them. There does not seem to be a web site in Australia for them.

Goth the Shinko has done 2,000km's with no noticeable wear and absolutely no cuping, Shinko formerally known as Yokohama are by reputation known as a reasonably good wearing tyre I have used them before some years ago and was impressed with them. I am at work on my break using my I phone but will give the more details Monday evening as when I knock of in the morning Ruzz and I are going up the Clyde over to Goulburn and down the Fitzroy Fall and thru the Kangaroo Valley on to Nowra to drop my bike to get the valve clearances checked around 400km's, I do remember that speed rating was one less than the Metz(270km/h) but that was still 240km/h and it does not start to weave at speed like the
Metz did, not mention I don't go that fast..... but if I did the Shinko is more stabile.
As for the weight the Shinko 757 was developed for the Honda 1500/1800 Lardwing and they are heaps heavier than the Rocket
Also an added bonus is that the Shinko is 2/3 of the price at only $234.00 as opposed to the last Metz cost me $320.00

 

[deanmichele]

Fellow Aussies greeting from Brisvegas

Hey Guys, my mate has been running a Firestone Firehawk wide oval 215/60 16 CT for a year now. He finally convinced me to ride his bike and I have just last week adopted the same tyre on my Rocket III. I initially had the tyre Nitrogened to 36psi and took it for a cautious ride around suburbs and then out on the highway.... I noticed it required a reasonable amount of counter steering and concentration to get it off the flat centre and into corners particularly on wide sweepers at 100kph on the highway. Cornering around town was not as bad but I got a lot of feedback over undulations... I returned to the tyre place and had them put in 42psi... I can tell you all that the difference was very noticeable in a positive way. Much easier to get off the centre without as much rider input... corners at any speed are in my opinion superior to the Metz and the Avon Cobra it replaces... I went the 60 profile to correct the speedo differential and my GPS actually confirms the speedo as correct now. I am going for a 600klm ride this weekend and will post my findings. The Avon was 3 sided after 11k and cost $420 fitted.. This CT is $142 and I expect according to my mate around 30klm.
Cheers Dean

 

[TriumPhil]

Ahh, another happy customer, though I suppose folks (including myself) are going to recommend that you try tire pressures between 28-32 lbs.

Welcome to the site and please go to the New Members board so as to introduce yourself properly!

 

[HansO]

Hey guys just got word the artical should be in the June edition of Road Rider Cruiser and Trike, sister magaine to Australian Road Rider
Hans

 

[nolton]

Rode the twisties at RAA 6 on the darkside and I have not one negative thing to say about it. Scraped my pegs for the first time and the tire held up perfectly, even on wet roads.

 

[mexican]

Same here, there are some nasty curves there my front tire is gone, the dragon had it for lunch the rear dark tire on the other hand is begging for more
Glad you made it home safe Nolton

 

[nolton]

I didnt know you were going to iron butt it home. Proud of ya !!
How many miles are on your front tire?