'09 Roadliner Midnight

After riding several bikes belonging to friends with rear C/T, I finally made the switch on my Roadliner. Had a flat on the front with the stock Bridgestone (picked up a nail), and since I needed a new tire anyway I went with the Michelin Pilot Activ running in the normal rotation. The rear OEM was shot as well, so I picked up a General Evertrek 215/60-17, and had the local performance shop mount it for me. I used Dynabeads for balancing, and am quite happy with the smooth ride. Started out at 36 lbs cold, and after about 300 miles I dropped it to 32. Still might play with pressures a bit, but the handling is betteer than the Bridgestone ever was. I ride a lot in the country on weekends, and there are some very curvy roads in the area I frequent. After the initial "wonder what this big thing is going to do in curves?" got out of my head, I don't even think about it any more. I noticed very little change in handlebar effort, with the exception of low speeds in parking lots, and so far have not had any wiggles from grooves and uneven surface at stop signs and stoplights. Interstate cruising is smooth as silk up to about 85, which I rarely exceed. I did notice a very slight wobble when passing a string of trucks at 95, but can't tell if it was the buffet from them on the fairing (Memphis Shades batwing) or the tire.
I wish now that I had gone ahead and changed over sooner, instead of wearing out the Bridgestone rear. I ride frequently with the Southern Cruisers out of Macon, and there are several Darksiders in the group. General consensus is that they will never go back to M/T rears, and I know I won't. I broke the tire in on a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway, from the Southern end all the way to the end of the Skyline Drive in Virginia, and it didn't take long to get comfortable with it. Was very hesitant at first with leaning, but I found myself wearing out the skid plates on the floorboards before I went too many miles. All in all, I love the handling, and when it comes time to replace the Evertrek, I an leaning toward the Hydroedge. I really like the look of that tire, and if anyone is running one, would love some input on how it handles and rides. I did notice that a lot of Liner riders are changing down to the 205 sizes, but I have had no bottoming even on severe dips (I ride one up), even loaded for the trip, which put me right around 1250 lbs. I have about 3500 miles on the tire now and tread wear seems even at 32 lbs. and cornering is great, so I might leave it there for now. Haven't been caught in the rain yet, but with the grip this tire has, I don't feel that wet roads will be an issue. Also love the braking. I physically tried to lock up the rear to see how much it would take, and I couldn't. Very impressive.

Bill

Good Input
I'm looking at a 08 Stratoliner S a friend has. He'll have to come down on the price thou. I currently ride a VTX 1800C-3 with a HydroEdge 205/65/16. and love it. For more info on the HydroEdge performance , check out the Honda 1800 posts on this site. They all love the Hydro!!!!!!

Czech

Thanks, Czech, I'll take a look at the 1800 forum. Finally got the Evertrek fine tuned and settled at 28lbs cold. I found a decreasing radius sweeper way out in the country with little or no traffic and good visibility in both directions, and started increasing my speed through it and dropping pressure till I was running it way faster than I should have. Still held the road great and settled on 28 lbs cold where it felt the best. That curve is marked with a 35 mph limit and has no camber--dead flat--and I made one run through it at just under 80 mph and stayed stuck tight in my lane. Called it quits at that and am extremely happy with the handling in all but one instance. Hit some new pavement on interstate and was on the high side of new pavement. Had to come off it due to lane closure, and made the mistake of easing over the drop to the next lane. It put me into a high speed wobble. Didn't dare brake and accelerating didn't help, but I managed to get out of it by "slaloming" the lane. Once I got it leaned over a bit the wobble stopped. Won't make that mistake again--next time I'll start on the far side of the lane and cut sharply across the dropoff.
Other than that I've had no handling problems at all and feel much more stable in curves or in straight line. Did manage to bottom the tire one time. Wife was with me on one of her rare rides on the back seat, and a rough railroad crossing did me in. No damage, but it's a scary sound and feel when the tire hits the top of the fender. Tire wear is perfectly even at 28lbs, and after 9k miles I haven't noticed any appreciable wear. Bridgestone OEM was toast at 5000. Still haven't ridden much in the rain--exception of one group ride where we got caught in a short thunderstorm. Couldn't figurte out why everyone was passing me till I looked in my mirror--I was tossing about a 25 foot high roostertail off the back tire. That thing channels water like nothing I've seen before.. Looks like I'll be on the Evertrek for most of this year the way it's wearing.
Bill

Thank you for writing the info...very good write up!


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