New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

King-Pin Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:47 pm

Hello Everyone,

After a great deal of time trying to answer the question "Why Not?", I finally picked a tire I think will work and am taking the plunge.

I will be installing a General Altimax HP 205/60/16 some time in the next two weeks, and will make the appropriate updates to the forum.

I wanted to go with the Michelin Primacy PA3 but didn't like my choice of sizes, so after a looooong time on the forum I landed on the General. . . lots of good info about it and since this is my first go-round, I wanted to play it safe.

Peace!
Ps 119:165

Doc Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:14 pm

Let us know how you like that tire. thumbup

King-Pin Sat Oct 22, 2011 2:56 pm

This post refers the the General Altimax 205/60/16 CT that I first tried on my bike

Ok Folks, I finally got my tire on. I promise you I was very extensinve in my search to make sure I got a tire which had been tested and worked well. However, it seems that I may have made a mistake. . . . not that THAT ever happens.

Anyhow the tire is rubbing (just bearly), but none the less, rubbing on the drive shaft tube. Pics below. If there is someone with a 2007 Nomad, can you please think of something that I might have missed?

I know that tires are like pants, each manufacturer's size may not be the same accross the board, but I'm hoping I don't have to send this tire back and get a new 195/60/16.

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 IMG-20111022-00015

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 IMG-20111022-00015

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 IMG-20111022-00014

Thanks for the help!

Larry Simpson Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:15 pm

I think the fluctuation in size from one manufacturer to another is exactly what has happened to you.My 205/60/16 gytt only has credit card clearance on shaft side. Sorry but it happens Shrug

King-Pin Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:23 pm

Yep that's pretty much what I was thinking. I was hoping that maybe I missed something or that there was an idea I could try. . . oh well. I'll be looking to get a 195/60/16.

Thanks!

Larry Simpson Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:11 pm

You could mark the tube and put a slight concave in it without hurting anything,that is what I am going to do to gain more clearance if I ever wear this tire out. Laughing

King-Pin Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:24 pm

Larry Simpson wrote:You could mark the tube and put a slight concave in it without hurting anything,that is what I am going to do to gain more clearance if I ever wear this tire out.

Yeah, I thought about that.. . . . I don't know if I really want to do that though. I may consider it if I am not able to sell the tire or get a good deal on a trade.

Dudester55 Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:18 am

Sorry to hear about that King Pin. I've read various stories about 1600 owners haven't mixed issues with that tire size. To be safe, the best thing would have been to go with a 195 size, which I'm sure you'll end up loving too. I have the 195/60/16 on my Vulcan 1500 Classic, and I am REALLY loving this tire, which is a Hankook Optimo. I keep it with between 30 and 34 lbs of air, depending on road conditions and if I have a passenger. This summer I have very close to 12,000 miles, and the tire looks as good now as it did when I installed back in the Spring of this year.
Once again, bummer for your tire not fitting, and I hope you can get a good trade for it on a tad smaller size. Good luck, and keep us posted on what you end up doing. Cheers

King-Pin Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:24 pm

Ok folks, I finally broke down and bought a 195/60/16 Dunlop SP 5000. It was a difficult decision because I didn't want to spend THAT much money. However, my choices of 195/60/16 tires was VERY limited. There's really only a few brands out there that make that size.

Sooooooo I'm back to the drawing board as I am waiting for the tire to be delivered.

On the bright side, I've learned A LOT about my bike study

Larry Simpson Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:07 pm

The 195 is actually closest to the stock size ,I started out looking for that size myself,just couldn't find a tread pattern I was comfortable with. I am a believer in a deep wide tread pattern to prevent hydroplaning on anything I drive. thumbup

King-Pin Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:25 pm

Larry Simpson wrote:The 195 is actually closest to the stock size ,I started out looking for that size myself,just couldn't find a tread pattern I was comfortable with. I am a believer in a deep wide tread pattern to prevent hydroplaning on anything I drive.

Yeah, the General tire I first bought had a much better tread pattern as far as I was concerned. That said, lots of folks around here have enjoyed the Dunlop SP 5000 and have a lot of good things to say about it.

King-Pin Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:07 am

It took a lot longer but I learned a little along the way: plus it's always worth the wait!

I am having difficulty getting my pics published, but just to let everyone know, I am totally glad I went to the darkside! The difference in handling is immediately noticable, but the subtleties are easily compensated for. In other words, the adjustements I had to make were easy and I rather enjoy it.

I have scraped my floorboards withouth any issues and tight figure-eights are as easy as they ever were (if not a tad easier). The bike rides more comfortably and seems to have a better confidence, which mkes sense given the wider patch on the ground.

Utlimately, I highly recommend the darkside!

Pics below!

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Darkside_4

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Darkside_4

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Darkside_3

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Darkside_2

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Darkside_1

PastorEusun Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:39 pm

Hi - your input influenced me to stay on the 195 side, thanks! What did you put on your front tire? Are you using dynabeads? Any new impressions since the installation?
How about gas mileage, was that affected? I also have an '07 Nomad. Thank you.

King-Pin Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:25 pm

PastorEusun wrote:Hi - your input influenced me to stay on the 195 side, thanks! What did you put on your front tire? Are you using dynabeads? Any new impressions since the installation?
How about gas mileage, was that affected? I also have an '07 Nomad. Thank you.

I'm glad it did. even though sometimes 205s work, they just bearly work. Ok, on the front, I left it stock. So whatever is stock up front, that's what I stayed with. I did NOT use Dynabeads, but I was going to. The guy who mounted the tire for me suggested that I wait to see how it rides. . . I just never needed to add any thus far as it rides great. I've had it up pretty fast too, and felt no bounce at all. With that said, I will use Dynabeads in the future (one once in front tire / 3 ounces in rear) if/when I change tires.

The gas milage was not effected either way, at least, not that I noticed. I typically get somewhere close to 35mpg +/-.

However, I can tell you that I left the tire psi at around 40 for a few months; I enjoyed the way it rode. I had another "Darksider" suggest going down to 34psi, which I did, which I then liked. So what most folks here say is still true, start with 40psi to let the tire seat real good, and then adjust it to around 34psi addind more or less psi to suit your riding.

LEt me know how it turns out! King

PastorEusun Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:00 pm

Thanks for your reply! Talkin' to riding buddy's (all long time riders) and they are trying to discourage me from doing this- as a danger. I already bought the tires... and will wait till my current Avon Cobras are fully worn (end of this season or sooner) before taking the real plunge.
I'm already committed... but feeling a little uneasy. I will keep seeking the collective wisdom of "darksiders"

grace n peace.

King-Pin Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:06 pm

I completely understand. I have several acquaintances who are vehemently against going "darkside". Their arguments are absolutely valid, but consider this, on a bigger cruiser like ours, the VAST majority of the time we are moving in a straight line: we don't typically spend our time driving through twisty roads and such at 100mph. The sidewall arguement is true also, except our bikes don't weigh 4000lbs.

Everyone agrees that you wouldn't want to put a CT on a competition cafe` racing bike: the stress on the sidewall, the degree of lean the riders put on their bikes, and the heat created on the tires prohibit the use of CTs (Car Tires); but we don't ride that way. Cool

wildbillpookers Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:12 am

King-Pin wrote:This post refers the the General Altimax 205/60/16 CT that I first tried on my bike

Ok Folks, I finally got my tire on. I promise you I was very extensinve in my search to make sure I got a tire which had been tested and worked well. However, it seems that I may have made a mistake. . . . not that THAT ever happens.

Anyhow the tire is rubbing (just bearly), but none the less, rubbing on the drive shaft tube. Pics below. If there is someone with a 2007 Nomad, can you please think of something that I might have missed?

I know that tires are like pants, each manufacturer's size may not be the same accross the board, but I'm hoping I don't have to send this tire back and get a new 195/60/16.

Just loosen the four nuts that are on the drive shaft, it will move a bit,...enough for the tire to clear!!!!
This tire will fit all 1600's. sometimes the where the shaft bolts on it moves with tire changes or right from the factory.
Good luck
https://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i145/pooker_langton/Dark%20Side/

Thanks for the help!

PastorEusun Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:41 pm

I'm curious if you have any new observations w/ your CT on your Nomad? I'm starting to scheme about how to get it done, my mechanic won't do it (liability). Thanks.

wildbillpookers Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:23 pm

PastorEusun wrote:I'm curious if you have any new observations w/ your CT on your Nomad? I'm starting to scheme about how to get it done, my mechanic won't do it (liability). Thanks.

I have had a CT since the bike wore out it's stock tire.
No problems, I will never go back to a bike tire, EVER!!!
Did you look at the link I posted, the tire goes on so easy, I did it myself in about 1 hour with no special tools.
good luck

PastorEusun Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:53 am

I'm sure I could do it... but it would take me 3x's as long. Nice picture and step by step. Trying to figure out which front tire to use now.
Thanks!

VulcanMDH Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:25 pm

King-Pin wrote:
PastorEusun wrote:Hi - your input influenced me to stay on the 195 side, thanks! What did you put on your front tire? Are you using dynabeads? Any new impressions since the installation?
How about gas mileage, was that affected? I also have an '07 Nomad. Thank you.

I'm glad it did. even though sometimes 205s work, they just bearly work. Ok, on the front, I left it stock. So whatever is stock up front, that's what I stayed with. I did NOT use Dynabeads, but I was going to. The guy who mounted the tire for me suggested that I wait to see how it rides. . . I just never needed to add any thus far as it rides great. I've had it up pretty fast too, and felt no bounce at all. With that said, I will use Dynabeads in the future (one once in front tire / 3 ounces in rear) if/when I change tires.

The gas milage was not effected either way, at least, not that I noticed. I typically get somewhere close to 35mpg +/-.

However, I can tell you that I left the tire psi at around 40 for a few months; I enjoyed the way it rode. I had another "Darksider" suggest going down to 34psi, which I did, which I then liked. So what most folks here say is still true, start with 40psi to let the tire seat real good, and then adjust it to around 34psi addind more or less psi to suit your riding.

LEt me know how it turns out!

[left]

Thanks to your research I have gone darkside. I have a 07 Vulcan 1600 and I just made a short 150 mile round trip on my new rear tire. I am pleased with the ride and the feel. My wife is nearly always with me and the stock tire wore a hole through at 6K.

The first test ride of 16 miles was with 34 psi rear. Too spongy for me. I put 42 psi in this morning and it feels more like the stock tire when cornering. It does have a different feel, but the stock tire is nearly as much money as this tire and I should get 30K from it. The Dunlop 195/60/16 is a high performance tire (Traction A / Tread wear A) and you can put 51 psi in it.

My next experiment is with Dynabeads. I didn't know about them until I saw this forum because I was trying to find a car tire for my bike. The guys at the shop put it on their manual balancer and placed stick on weights on the wheel. I rode with those today and it rode OK. I am going to put the beads in soon. I also bought some for my truck.

No regular tire shop here would mount the tire. I knew about a window tint shop that mounts dubs and always has bikes parked around. He mounted the tire for $10. He said it looked good on the rim and asked me to send him a pic when I got it back on the bike. I sent the pic two hours later and took a ride into town.

VulcanMDH

King-Pin Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:15 pm

Good to hear from you VulcanMDH. I took my tire and wheel to a "Used Tire" place and they mounted it for the same amount. I think you will find 42 to be a bit hard unless you have your shocks set accordingly. I actually dropped mine to 32lbs and it felt terrific, but I obviously can't set it for you and your wife Wink

Anyway, I hope you have a safe and fun time!

If you're not a member of the VBA forum, think about beciming one (Vulcan Baggers Association). There is a lot of good info and some very helpful folks there.

downeyman Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:27 pm

I have a 2004 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 and installed a 195/60R-16 Hankook Optimo H426 on the back. It barely fit but it’s in there and does not rub the shaft drive. In fact, had to take the air out in order for it to get under the fender and between the swingarm and then re-inflate it.

I put 1100 Florida miles (straight) on it and then took a trip to the NC/TN/GA mountains that included the Dragon and many other twisty roads.

At first it felt very strange but once I got the hang of the tire the “square-ness” was not an issue. The tire performed very well under wet and dry conditions including tight curves. People riding behind me told me that the tire’s contact patch would remain almost constant. It seems the sidewall compresses enough to keep most of the tread on the road. I don’t remember how many psi are in it but I’m sure that overinflating it would reduce the wall-flex and cause the outer corner of the tire to lift off the ground more.

The tire now has about 3500 miles on it and looks just as it did when UPS delivered it to my door. If you ride the Dragon every week , you are obviously better off with a traditional motorcycle tire. But if you do most of your riding on highways or touring on interstates, I believe this is the way to go.
New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 IMG_3330Dragon2012

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 IMG_3330Dragon2012

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16 Photo

King-Pin Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:41 pm

Congrats! It sounds like you are all set. I'm not sure how manymiles I have on mine. . . . all I know is that I wont be changing tires anytime soon What a Face

Sponsored content

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

re new to the darkside nomad 1600 general altimax hp 205/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

re new to the darkside nomad 1600 general altimax hp 205/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

re new to the darkside nomad 1600 general altimax hp 205/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

?

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

THANK!!

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Any new observations?

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

New to darkside and happy with it!

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16

Re: New to the Darkside - 07 Kawasaki Nomad 1600 - Dunlop DP 5000 195/60/16