some facts from the FJR board

There are some very good facts about CT's on this thread.
http://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=112537&st=480

Doug

My son rides a FJR1300 and is going Darkside.

Doug

Hello fellow Darksiders. Instigator #1 from the FJR forum here. Thought I'd register and check out the site. Only 19k on my first CT so far, but now have 9 darkside FJRs on the FJR forum and several more seeing the possibilities. That forum has been very good about letting the discussion run as it will and not allowing silly nay sayers to get carried away. Typically tire threads there go to the Never Ending Pointless Re-Occurring Threads discussion topic, but the Darkside thread was moved there, then put back in the general info area for discussion since it was argued that it wasn't a re-occurring topic and had interest of many.

Several there have gone from the usual "no way it can work" to "maybe" to "heck I'm going to try that next time I need a rear tire". Of course, it's taken 600 posts for some! Yank linked to the thread above. If you have any questions, ask 'em.

General info for the FJR application -

Darkside tire size - 205/50-17 This is a common size CT, and the only size rated for the 5.5" wide rim that the FJR uses.

Modifications required - Brake caliper tension arm needs to be replaced with a single sided steel or stainless steel version to allow more clearance at sidewall. Some reports of inner plastic fender rubbing slightly requiring 1/4" trim. (mostly due to worn shock and excessive sag.)

Tires used so far with good results -
Bridgestone Potenza 019G Grid all season
Yokohama Advan S-4 all season
BF Goodrich G-sport summer performance (stiffer sidewalls)
Aurora H1-7 performance all season

Interesting reading. Didn't know there were so many sport bike converts. But Cavy's avatar is really different.

Jerry

Whaa....... huh? Oh, sorry, nodakbassmaster's avatar had me mesmerized for a minute there.

The FJR's really more of a sport-Tourer than a true sport bike. But you do get a tad more lean angle than say a VTX.

The FJR does have more of a lean angle than a cruiser but not as much as a true sport bike. It is a sport/tourer with the accent on sport whereas say a Honda ST1300 is leaning more to a touring bike. That being said, you can drag the pegs with a CT on an FJR. Not intentionally but it will handle it.

I'm running a Cooper Zeon, fantastic, Cooper makes a tire in a 205/50/17 , just like the one I'm running, might be worth a look?
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=14366165.135.5077&typ=R-121409&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Herst=Cooper&Quer=50&Felge=17&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&Transport=P&dsco=135.
My son has seen mine and seems to like it.

Doug

I'm running a Cooper Zeon, fantastic, Cooper makes a tire in a 205/50/17 , just like the one I'm running, might be worth a look?
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=14366165.135.5077&typ=R-121409&ranzahl=4&Breite=205&Herst=Cooper&Quer=50&Felge=17&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&Transport=P&dsco=135.
My son has seen mine and seems to like it.

Doug

I actually used the Cooper Zeon as a test fit tire. It's a personal thing, tire choices. The Zeon is a summer performance tire and I prefer an all season tire for my riding needs. Nothing wrong with the Cooper if you don't need the cold/wet traction. I've experienced some unpleasant understeer with Cooper tires on a Miata in the rain, so have a mild bias against their summer performance tires.

FWIW, there are about 36 FJR Darksiders now, 27 public ones. Due to requests, I created a Darkside FAQ for the FJR.
CLICK ME

Feel free to PM me if you have comments.

Great reading! Darkside Rulz!!!!