Darkside Size?????

[recondoc]

I always threated to put a car tire on the rear of my Honda Valkyrie, but alas, an argument with a deer a 60 miles an hour ended my relationship with my beloved Valk.
Now, I have a 2006 Rocket. The **** rear tire picked up a nail and now the tire has a slow leak, so I am considering getting the car tire for the Rocket.
Reading the posts I am so confused.....tire sizes, everything between 205-245, widths from 50-60. I understand that I want a Z rated tire. I understand high temperature rating. I understand a softer componded tire. I do not understand the tire sizes. I want the size which mimics the handling of the Metzler as close as possible. I want the tire that will approximate the closest the speedometer calibration and hopefully improve gas mileage a tad. I would like the biggest footprint (actual contact with asphalt) possible. I hate riding in the rain and this would be a big confidence booster. Car has 150,000 miles on it and the bike may one day turn into my only means of transportation.
Anyone got the final word as the best size to get?
Price does not matter. This is my first time doing this and I want to give myself every opprutunity for success.
I consider myself to be a fairly experienced rider, but, pretty conservative. I get after it every now and then but I am no peg dragger and value my life too much to ride like an idiot. Except for the occassional deer.....I have a history with those four legged monsters.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Recondoc

 

[tdragger]

The key thing you said was that you are not a peg-dragger which makes a move to the darkside a no-brainer.

I run a 225/55ZR16 Riken Raptor for many of the reasons you mentioned. It is the closest size to the stock 240/50 without being any smaller. The standards books say it is 1.2% larger in circumference. It corrects the speedo error just a bit and I believe that it helps a tad on the gas mileage. You said that you want it to approximate the feel of the Metz, but I sorry to say, you are not going to get that. You will adjust very quickly to the new feel.

 

[tdragger]

I just noticed that you are from Austin. Hell, if you hit a deer down there it couldn't have been much larger than an overgrown jack-rabbit!

Austin is a great place. Lived there for 18 years and did a lot of scoot'n out in the hill country. You'll find that running on the darkside is still a hoot out on 1431 (what they haven't straightened out so far) and Volente Rd. I was down in Cedar Park two weekends ago and couldn't believe how much it's grown out there. I remember when 620 and 183 was considered waaaaay out in the country. Not that way anymore.

 

[Baggage1]

I don't know how the wider 225 on up ride but I know I wanted to mimic the original used width. I went with a 205 by 60. Riken Raptor as well but not the z rating as I don't go fast anymore and indicated speed to actual increased considerably. Handles like a dream especially 2up. I had lots of trouble with rear rubber on these things but that almost stopped with the car tire and has since I put, "Ride-on" in it. Like your name recondoc, hope it's not what it says tho, and S/F if it is.

 

[triroketman]

I have been investigating tires for Darkside usage. The one I am thinking about going with is a Cooper Zeon 2XS it comes in a 245/50ZR16 which I believe will fit on the rocket rim.
Check out the link.
Cooper Tires. Don't Give Up A Thing. Ultra-High Performance, Passenger, Light Truck, SUV, Motorsport, Motorcycle and Commercial Tires

 

[Sidecar Flip]

It isn't a problem with the tire, you could put any on there it's the rim. The rear wheel on the Rocket (and I presume the front as well) isn't 'drop center', that is, on normal automotive and 99% of motorcycle rims and wheels, the center portion of the wheels' diameter (the part you can't see between the beads) is a smaller diameter that the outer diameter where the bead sits.

Normally, when you mount and dismount a tire, you break the bead seat and the bead moves into the drop center and then it can be levered off the rim. That don't happen with an R3 rim so it's a ***** to get the bead unseated and levered over the outer lip of the wheel. That's why it's actually easier to physically cut the Metz off (with a cutoff abrasive wheel)(wear a dust-particle mask) and why it's so hard to get a new tire on. Tire machines are all designed for drop center rims as are hand tire irons. You need that space to get under the bead to lever it on and off.

For the life of me, I can't understand why Triumph (or should I say Triumph's supplier) designed a bastard wheel. I'd hate to be the guy at the factory that's mounting those tires.......I'd be going home and beating the wife every night.

 

[Paul Hyland]

No car tire can mimic a bike tire. Don't do it Don't do it don't let these ya ho's turn you they are deranged and confused they think couse they have a car engine they canuse a car tire, have you ever see these guy's up close I'm still scared. Oh well there goes another one good luck you will get all kinds of good info on it here.
stay round it's more sound, hey I can ryhm

 

[goodfellow]

recondoc,
it's like paul says...... don't do it, those car tire guys are crazy !!!!!!!!!!

but, if you do.... then you might want to try a 215/55-16 with a mid 200 utqg wear value.

greg

 

[boogerdave]

I don't know how the wider 225 on up ride but I know I wanted to mimic the original used width. I went with a 205 by 60. Riken Raptor as well but not the z rating as I don't go fast anymore and indicated speed to actual increased considerably. Handles like a dream especially 2up. I had lots of trouble with rear rubber on these things but that almost stopped with the car tire and has since I put, "Ride-on" in it. Like your name recondoc, hope it's not what it says tho, and S/F if it is.

Shoot Bob . . . you know how a 225 rides . . . you watched mine for a couple of thousand miles . . .

 

[Baggage1]

Yes I was Dave but you had that big thing behind you and I don't mean Debbie so it was kind of hard to catch a good glimpse.