Car Tire?

[Hackercraft792]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.

[Morley]

Won't handle right, car tread pattern is flat, a bike's is rounded.

That said, you'd just get the same size in auto tire...IF you can find anyone making them. Tire rack has no tires in that size, or any size near it, listed.

[ez_rdr55]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.

WTF: is you jerkin my chain?

[JATownsend]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.
I don't know of anyone who has used a car tire on an LT, but there is a Goldwing guy who uses one on his 1800...and swears it great.

Check out this Video of a car tire on an GW1800 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaIj1XrmvLM) It doesn't look good right to me! :eek:

[dukey33]

There are lots of folks using flat-profile car tires on bikes...admittedly, mostly cruisers and 'wingers. These guys ride a lot of straight roads and gets lots of mileage out of those tires (over 25k). Obviously, there is sacrifice in handling but it is not as bad as one might think. Bottom line, it can work.

For a bike that likes to be cranked over in a fast curve like the LT, I don't think it's a good option even if you found one to fit. The exception would be if you want a tire that lasts a loooong time and don't ever get aggressive in the twisties.

[Dick]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.
Yup --- I have a friend who put one (I think only one, not sure if more) on his side car rig. Course, the thang never leans on the right side, so if he has any wear on the left, he'd be 'flyin' the car.

[BMWphreak]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.


So, your life is not worth $150 for a motorcycle tire?

[Steve_R]

Yup --- I have a friend who put one (I think only one, not sure if more) on his side car rig. Course, the thang never leans on the right side, so if he has any wear on the left, he'd be 'flyin' the car.Dick, I think you only fly the 'car when you make a right turn and pinch it tighter than it can with the sidecar attached. I've been to sidecar races and the monkey hangs off the inside on all the curves to keep that side of bike down. Watched the monkey miss getting to the right position on a right hander and there was about 2 feet of air under the tire.

[RonKMiller]

There's nothing "special" about motorcycle tires except the profile, and the thousands of Valk and Goldwing riders that use them on the rear report excellent mileage and a minor change in handling that you get used to very rapidly.

Add in the greatly increased contact patch and dramatically increased load rating for pulling a trailer and lard asses - you have a viable option up to 2/3 off the price that will easily go 20K miles.

If I planned on straight line touring two up while pulling a heavy trailer it might even be a better choice. Unfortunately there are none available for the LT that I am aware of.

[RonKMiller]

I don't know of anyone who has used a car tire on an LT, but there is a Goldwing guy who uses one on his 1800...and swears it great.

Check out this Video of a car tire on an GW1800 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaIj1XrmvLM) It doesn't look good right to me! :eek:

He's got that tire WAY over inflated for the intended use.

[sparky_k1200lt]

A little math:

gets lots of mileage out of those tires (over 25k)
So we'll need 3 bike tires to do that same 25K, with average mileage of 8k
up to 2/3 off the price
Bike tire is $200. Save up to 2/3 the cost, puts car tire at ~$70.


To go 25k miles, we'll need 3 bike tires, totalling 3 x ($200 tire + $30 mount and balance) = $690. To do same with car tire $70 + $30 = $100. So, that would be a savings of nearly $600 for the 25K miles you'll ride this year alone.
So, your life is not worth $150 for a motorcycle tire?
Not sure where that $150 figure came from. My basic math came up with four times that, for just one year's worth of riding.

[hschisler]

There is a separate forum for just this scenario, over on www.gl1800riders.com (http://www.gl1800riders.com).

I think it's called "The Dark Side" or some such thing, and the forum's opening page has a legalistic "we don't recommend this" disclaimer. There are many Gold Wing riders who make a convincing argument for using a car tire on a m/c, despite what we all have been brought up to believe.

I'd love to save money on tires but for now I'll stick with what BMW recommends.

[RonKMiller]

There is a separate forum for just this scenario, over on www.gl1800riders.com (http://www.gl1800riders.com).

I think it's called "The Dark Side" or some such thing, and the forum's opening page has a legalistic "we don't recommend this" disclaimer. There are many Gold Wing riders who make a convincing argument for using a car tire on a m/c, despite what we all have been brought up to believe.

I'd love to save money on tires but for now I'll stick with what BMW recommends.

Unfortunately, from my research - there is no other choice that will fit.

I do think that car tires are better suited to "those guys." ;)

If I could not find a curvy mountain road to ride I would probably just take the car instead. :D

[MikeERideWNC]

There is a GW guy here who wants me to put a car tire on his wheel.
I said sure, he hasn't shown up, yet.

It can't be all bad.
Look at what some of the Harley crowd is tooling around on.

[andy]

Just Curious. Has anyone installed a car tire on a LT? If so what size? Tire time for me and sticker shock has set in.
I would have done it, back before BMW bought my LT, but the problem with the LT is that there is no tire available that I know of that would fit the bill.

ESPECIALLY since the way the swingarm of the LT is set up you CANNOT use tires that even only a little bit bigger. Got to be EACTLY the size or it will rub the swingarm.