Darkside CT rear & MT rear on front?

Question time??? I've heard on here that some people are running rear tires on the front of their bikes. I recently bought a Kenda ST 671, I took it to my mechanic friend and expressed that I wanted it mounted in the reverse direction. He basically said I was crazy. when it rains the tire will lose its grip and hydroplane and using the front brake would be dangerous because of the reversed pattern. Did I miss something somewhere, Can someone tell me why the tire is to be mounted in a reversed manner. My friend said he's only looking out for my best interests. I'm still trying to convince him on my CT. Thamks always Gator...

The way the belts are made. On the rear of the bike the tire is belted for acceleration. By reversing the rotation and putting it on the front the belts would be set up for heavy braking. It is possible (probably relatively slim) that with the tires in regular rotation the belts could seperate under heavy braking. That is the thought from the tire manufacturer.

Jerry

jedishon wrote:The way the belts are made. On the rear of the bike the tire is belted for acceleration. By reversing the rotation and putting it on the front the belts would be set up for heavy braking. It is possible (probably relatively slim) that with the tires in regular rotation the belts could seperate under heavy braking. That is the thought from the tire manufacturer.

Jerry

So what your basically saying is if I put this tire on normally there's a chance it could blow out. Using reversed orientation gives you better braking or does direction really matter. I'm trying to figure this out and just not getting the concept here. I keep getting put on the spot by a certain few and its driving me nuts.Gator

I don't believe it would blow, but if the beltes seperate the tire would not be truely round any more and you would get a lot of wobble going down the road. Are the people giving you a hard time darksiders, or do they have their mind closed to that as well? You can always send them here and let them find out for themselves. The other thought would be: are you riding for your pleasure or theirs? If we were worried about what others thought we never would have gone darkside in the first place. All I'm saying is its your choice. Some here have put it on in regular rotation but I believe most have gone reverse. Think I'll start a poll.

Jerry

*******Rear tires on the front should face the same rotation as they are on the rear! They should be mounted to shed water away from the center of the tire out and away from the motorcycle and NOT to the middle of the tire or they will hydro plane and you are defeating the purpose of the tire. Like this if this the kind of tire you have you will see that the rear the front, the pattern is going the same direction.



Secondly rear tires are NOT just made to accelerate, but to take huge amounts of stopping power also! As much as we romp on our tires back and forth, it's NEVER tore one up! I think this is one of them nay sayers just trying to be illogical and trying to confuse people since they never heard of it being done. Lots of people are already running the rear tire on the front and with 100% succes! We are going to do this with an 1800 and also installing a car tire on a motorcycle! Isn't that just the craziest thing you ever heard....a car tire on a motorcycle!

A rear tire on the front isn't so much of a stretch! JMO

I sure hate to but I have to agree with Twin and your mechanic

I'm riding for my pleasure only. I saw 6,000 miles B4 winter, I wanted to run a rear Mt on the front but had heard that some of the folks were running it the reverse tread and was trying to figure out as to Why? they were doing that. I felt there would be greater stopping power. I don't have a problem with normal direction of the tread. I wish I had my own tire machine. I get tired of having to explain What and Why all the time, then put up with all the BS. I appreciate very much the comments I've gotten, Thanks Gator PS I put 3oz beads in rear CT. front MT that is a rear would you consider putting 3ozs in it as well or stay with only 2ozs of beads.

I have a 140/80/17 on mine and 2 oz works fine.

Jerry

Indeed, I would say that the vast majority that are running rear tires up front do indeed run them reverse rotation. I read a really good writeup and followed a pretty long thread about the practice on another forum and they were about all for running them reversed.

Sorry but I have to disagree with Twin on this one Like that has never happened before

See you out there
Smokey

I mounted my front tire in the forward direction. I read the posts on the different forums about reversing the tire, but it just didn't seem right. So, if I crash and burn due to my front tire exploding you know what not to do.


'02 VTX1800C......Buddha1800

Many rear MT tread patterns are nondirectional and will shed water exactly the same no matter how you mount them, so in that case it has nothing to do with the tire co.'s directional arrow placement, which is decided by which way the belt is overlapped at the seam, and front or rear placement design. Optimally, you want to be tightening the wrap with the main force exerted on the tire, so to speak, and not pulling against the top lap edge of the seam. Since a front tire is all braking force vs. predominantly traction on rears, preferred direction is opposite, shown by arrow in relation to seam lap, which you can feel inside of tire.
Considering the methods and materials used in modern tire tech, I seriously doubt you'd have a problem with the tire coming apart either way, but if I was running a rear MT with a nondirectional tread pattern up front, I'd reverse the dir. arrow., with a directional tread pattern however, I'd go with the flow.

I'm running a rear D404 150-80-16 on the front frontwards...really like the way the fatties (rear rubber) don't have the tendency to follow ruts and snakes and cracks....same for the C\T on the rear. As far as the tire de-laminating I really don't think its as big an issue as some would have you believe...prolly about as big a deal as throwin a C\T on the rear.