New users

Good afternoon gentlemen & Ladies. My name is Angela aka fysty-1 & was linked to you sight by a member that is also a member of one of the other forums that I am on. I am a 64 year old female that is currently riding a GL1200 and I am interested in going Dark as I am running a Voyager covertible trike kit so I have no need to worry about leaning in the corners. I live in western Canada, just south of Vancouver & 3 miles north of US border(@ Blaine, Wa). Here are a couple of pics. The first is thr rear view but that was just after the ki9t was installed. Since then I have cut the frame cover down in size & removeed those H-D look a like tail lights with exhaust tips.

fysty-1 wrote:Good afternoon gentlemen & Ladies. My name is Angela aka fysty-1 & was linked to you sight by a member that is also a member of one of the other forums that I am on. I am a 64 year old female that is currently riding a GL1200 and I am interested in going Dark as I am running a Voyager covertible trike kit so I have no need to worry about leaning in the corners. I live in western Canada, just south of Vancouver & 3 miles north of US border(@ Blaine, Wa). Here are a couple of pics. The first is thr rear view but that was just after the ki9t was installed. Since then I have cut the frame cover down in size & removeed those H-D look a like tail lights with exhaust tips.

Angela

Not sure, but I think a 165/80/15 might fit. I've seen a few anecdotal reports of this old VW tire being used on a GL1200.
Sweet looking old Wing you have there!

Thanks Doc. I have been trying tocomplete my profile but when I make the additions Age etc., I can'y find a save button so I have just clicked over on the open feild & head to "home" but the changes ( editing) has not been saved.

Fysty,

Glad to have you sweetie! We hope we can help you with your needs and if we can find the right tire for you..you are going to love it!


......................bobby

fysty-1 wrote:Thanks Doc. I have been trying tocomplete my profile but when I make the additions Age etc., I can'y find a save button so I have just clicked over on the open feild & head to "home" but the changes ( editing) has not been saved.

fysty-1
Go to the top of the page and the 5th button from the left is your profile button.
Click that and your information page will open. Fill in the info and then click the save button at the bottom of the page.

Ithought I'd introduce myself , I've been riding for about 30 years, every thing from dirt bikes to street bikes ,I ride a 01 nomad and a 99' 800 vulcan classic thats tricked out.I belong to a few other groups like Kawnow, VROC and VRA. So I'am not new to rideing or wrenching on my own bikes so if any one needs help I'll do my best to help as much as I can. Thanks

Stump wrote:Ithought I'd introduce myself , I've been riding for about 30 years, every thing from dirt bikes to street bikes ,I ride a 01 nomad and a 99' 800 vulcan classic thats tricked out.I belong to a few other groups like Kawnow, VROC and VRA. So I'am not new to rideing or wrenching on my own bikes so if any one needs help I'll do my best to help as much as I can. Thanks

Welcome to the board Stump

Hey Everyone: new to this site as well. Been a Darksider since July and dont know understand why anyone wouldnt be. Does anyone know how I can get a Darkside number?

Thanks, Darrell

Welcome Darrell,
The only Darkside numbers I am aware of are over on the GL1800 Board. Murgie does them.

Welcome Stump and Darrell!



..................bobby

Hey y'all. Name's Woody, I ride a VTX 1300S and the plan is to go darkside in about 3 weeks. Will be putting the bike on the stand the week of Dec. 5th and will be sealing my spoked rims to go tubeless, changing out both tires along with changing all the fluids in preparation for a solo ride to Vegas in January. Figured I'd join up and get some good info, whether positive or negative, on the subject. I do belong to the VTXcafe and look forward to any and all info I can gather.

WoodyZ wrote:Hey y'all. Name's Woody, I ride a VTX 1300S and the plan is to go darkside in about 3 weeks. Will be putting the bike on the stand the week of Dec. 5th and will be sealing my spoked rims to go tubeless, changing out both tires along with changing all the fluids in preparation for a solo ride to Vegas in January. Figured I'd join up and get some good info, whether positive or negative, on the subject. I do belong to the VTXcafe and look forward to any and all info I can gather.

Welcome woody, welcome to the site. You will find a very detailed write up about sealing the rims here and you will also find a thread about the sealing coming undone after an extremely hard impact with a large pothole. It was not a rapid deflation, but a slow leak around the spokes. of the exposed area. I throw that out there just so you know going in that there is that possibility.
We have several riders that have sealed their rims with nary a problem and lots of miles. Just take your time and follow all directions thouroughly.

As I am sure you have noticed just browsing around that we are MC site, but we are also a people site. Feel free to post up any questions or life topics you want.

See you out there
Smokey

Thanks Smokey. Will check out that write up and see if it's the same one I have. I have worked with the 5200 before so I have a head start going in, but you can never have too much info. I know it is almost all in the prep work that makes a difference sometimes.

well let me start by saying im at the point of a new tire before i thought i would be here. but ive been reading these post and ive made up my mind to go to the darkside. i ride a 2007 nomad 1600. it seems to be that everybody is using a 205/60/16 on the 1600 nomads so that is what im going with. im thinking about the general altimax hp tire. i hope to be making the switch in about a week if everything goes ok with life. any information would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Some have tried tires that rub,don't know about the tire you have chosen.Would suggest going to tire rack under specs. on your tire and compair it to the gytt 205-60-16.The gytt has credit card clearance on shaft tube anything with higher section width will proubably rub.Good luck .

ok... ill go check it out and see how the measure up. thanks for the help. ill let you know how it works.

New user here, I got my Michelin on, now which TPSM should I use

Wingmick wrote:New user here, I got my Michelin on, now which TPSM should I use

Congrats on your entry to the Darkside
You have chosen wisely... The Alpin is a great tire
Search the GL1800Riders forum, there have been several threads there discussing after-market TPMS systems.
My TPMS came from the factory.

Thanks, thought I could get an answer here.

hi my name is kelly and im new to the darkside and was wondering if anyone could tell me what size tire i need to run on my 1300 v-star tourer it is in need of a new tire now and i talked to a couple of gentelman in ark. that had ct on there vulcans and were happy with them so im ready to try it the motorcycle tire size was 170/70/16. if anyone could help me it would be greatl appreciated. thanx all

Obviously the 175/75/16 is your sure bet, but I'd go with the Dunlop instead of the Austone (the only 2 with reviews out there) so you
can avoid the wobble problems some of the Austones have. But you'll pay more:
https://www.universaltire.com/dunlop-tires/dunlop-radial-tires/175r16-dunlop-taxi-black.html
or you can try the Coker that a few have run:
http://www.cokertire.com/brands/coker/550r16-coker-classic-blackwall-tire.html

I am looking to go to the darkside, but I am looking for some answers. I ride a 2010 Kawasaki Voyager 1700 with the K-ACT braking system. My tire size is a 170/70 16. I am looking for some suggestions. Have a friend running on a VTX 1300 and he loves it so I am ready to make the change. Going to ride Deals Gap at the end of the month so I need to make the change soon so I can run the slick off it before we go to the mountains.


parrothead288
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Heading for the woods, so I'll pop out one more - scrubbing the tires: My technique as a generally hard rider (spell that hard 'cornerer'),
is to weave around the neighborhood for a half hour or so, taking slow speed corners ON THE BOARDS!!! THIS is not the time to "feel
it out" or "test it"...do what you can do, because it's MUCH easier (or less nerve wracking) at 15-30 mph to scrub the pegs than at 70.
When you get back home, LOOK at the tire. You should have virtually no chicken strips (according to the lean angles of your bike), and
the rubber should have a used look to it, but don't be surprised that the teats are still there; they take more time to scrub off, IME.
I see no reason, nor ever have, waited hundreds of miles to do some real riding.

Once scrubbed, play with the brakes. Grab that primary handfull up front and add the back. You will immediately notice that you now
have more back brake, and need to be diligent with it. Therefore, again, grab the front first, but you should be doing this anyway.

Go to the Dragon if you are of the ability, but please, STAY THE HECK OFF OF IT if you aren't. It's NOT a place to learn how to ride,
unless you are at LEAST an intermediate on curves. Besides; we HATE getting held up by slow riders who won't use the pulloffs.
There's nothing to LOOK at up there but the road.

That said, if you ARE going to the Dragon on an UNTESTED TIRE...and by that I mean, you have not done a couple hundred miles at EACH
tire pressure to find YOUR personal sweet spot pressure, then you really shouldn't be there, but if you are, just hold back a little bit, and
DO NOT try slamming curves until your "mojo" kicks in. I'm aggressive and I WON'T SLAM IT ALL DAY LONG, if my mojo just ain't there.
Brothers, it just ain't worth it.

No sense insulting anyone: if you are Dragon-capable and ready to ride, then by all means, you are gonna FREEEAK the first time you do
it on a CT!!! Just don't get too overconfident, as is very easy to do, once you start feeling that mega-bite back there.
After all, your FRONT tire is now your limitation. -gary.

Gary, thanks for the reply. I am quite experienced and this is not my first trip to the Dragon. I am looking for someone that may have the same bike I do, that can give me pointers on what tire to buy. I am tired of only getting 8k on a rear and like the idea of the new tire. I have a buddy that just switched and loves it. We just got back from a 1400 mile trip with lots of rain and he was very pleased. -Jack

New to darkside, what's the difference running a tube or not? I currently run a tube and M/T on my V-star1100. I have a spoked wheel. Will I need a tube to darkside with the same rim? I know, this could be a really dumb question! Also, thinking about a Goodyear Eagle tire(195-60/15 C/T vs 170-80/15 M/T). Am I way out there as far as size/compound?