REVIEW-My First 30 Minuites Riding On The Darkside

There were people that wanted to know how I reviewed the first 30 minuites riding on the Darkside These are solely my initial thoughts during my first 30 miniutes riding the Toyo Proxies T1R 205/55/16 VR on 05 Honda VTX 1800 Retro. Note: I did take pictures and I will post as soon as I figure out how to upload them. The CT is at max pressure and No give in the sidewall (That is how I choose to do my first 30 minuites). I did not grind the inner fender rim. It was not even close. Also have A HitchDoc External Hitch and the bolts are extra long and they did not matter either. Last comment is that I have never ridden on a CT this is truely my First 30 minuites.

For those that have riden with me around the Hood Canal hwy 101 know that I am really cautious going into the twisties. Most of the curves here are 25 mph-45mph. The max. speed is 55mph. Generally I will ride 70mph on the straight aways and slow for the bridge crossing because the road surface tends to be cracked, rutty, and in general squirely. I tend to brake into all curves and accellerate comming out of them. For those that don't know why it is because in my younger years (yes you know those crazy days in your 20's) I have gone down litterally more times than I can count--always in the curves and always doing atleast 20-25 mph over speed limit. So now, well you get the idea. I am cautous going into bridges because I have come close to hitting the phylon structures because of being thrown by ruts, road cracks and uneven pavement entering the bridge deck. Simply put I would lose control.

Now for the Review of the first 30 minuites on the Darkside. The tire is the Toyo Proxies T1R 205/55/16 VR tire pressure set at 40lbs (yes it is on the Hard, Hard Side of tire pressure). This tire classification is Ultimate High Proformance rated.

First sitting on the X, I can now touch the pavement flat footed. I like that! I went around the block at 20 mph. I went accross a patch of washed out roadway that was replaced with loose gravel. Oh Ya that was sweet so far. The gravel was no fear. That is saying a lot for me on gravel. Around the curve the feel was a little surprising as most other Darksides say on the first curve. The X want to stay upright somewhat. So now back at the house. I decide to try it again being that this is totally new experience. I enter the gravel again, the first time was not fearful so this time I enter the gravel and accellerate hard! Ya that is what its all about! Straight and True with nothing but Traction. In case you are wondering if I am exaggerating? No I am not if the performance is not what the tire is designed for then I want to know before Kathy gets on the back and we are cooking 80+. Up comes the curve this time I'm going faster. I put in the counter steering and lean in. My thoughts here is Solid!

I head out to the road and take off 60 mph over rough road surface in the twisties at 50 mph for the next 5 miles. Hey I think I am getting the feel of this. And back another 5 miles. I know I like this. Now for the canal Hwy 101. I accellerate fast to 70 mph comming into the first curve I slow to 50mph posted speed. I would say that I rolled up on the tire but that is not really true because the Toyo does not have square sides so there is no feel of rolling up an Edge. I put in the counter steer and come out of the curve accellerating. Into the next curve faster 60 mph with no slow down entering the curve and accellerate faster. Down the straights 70 and 75 thoughts so far? The only word is Solid. I am surprised by rise and falling pavement and it bounces me off the seat-Whoa I better hold on. When I get back I need to take the shock setting off of #5 setting so that I can get more cush and then maybe lower the air pressure a bit. Realize that I bought a very stiff High Performance tire there was almost no give with me sitting on the tire at the showroom and I am 200 lbs! That was no rim and no air just in case you may wonder.

I head into the 30 mph curves and accell 10 over speed 40 mph and a few more curves. Im starting to have fun! Now up comes the 20 mph curve. Yup why push it-30mph- I'm happy. Comming up to the Bridge slow down (Cautious) due to uneven and screwy pavement piece of cake. Turn around and hit it again. This time faster. Faster accross the bridge. Im flying. Faster into the curves now push it! Ya Im happy! Hard stop! Again Solid, D@mn I could not lock up the brakes. But I tried. Hard accelleration 75 accross the next bridge and back home.

Only part of the ride that I will have to work on is something call a reverse curve. This is a bit hard to explain but I had a lot of trouble with this part of the road with the stock tire. The curve goes one direction with a slope and I have to make a turn on to a side road the opposite direction. When I applied the rear Brake the X wanted to go the opposite direction. The stock tires did the same and It has made me nervous everytime I made that turn for the last 9 months riding the X. Also had trouble with that turn with the goldwing so it was about 30% more pronounced with the CT maybe less but I will estimate it on the high side.

Note about the curves at the end of my first 30 minuites it takes a little bit more counter steer which is the Big Bike feel of weight against centrifigul force. But by the end of the 30 minuites it was almost not noticable. After a few days riding I doubt I will even have a memory of what a little more counter steer is.

That is it. No exageration and I did the curves with more confidence at higher speeds than I ever had with the Dunlop tire. What I can say that I did notice at the time is that "I wanted to go faster into the curves and faster out of them." Now I know why everyone that I spoke and wrote to about my questions on riding on the darkside all said "after 1 week riding they would never go back!" I can say after only 30 minuites in the twisties and straights, rough, and uneven pavement I will never go back! Hard to believe with only 30 minuites, I thought it would take atleast a week or two before I felt this good about it.

My tread patch leaning on the kickstand is over 50% that is far more than the Dunlop especially considering that the Toyo is a 205 wide tire. The Dunlop sits with very little tread patch on the pavement.

Cheers,
Rowland
ShortShifter

thanks for posting!! Glad you like it!

Wow, what an impressive write up. We actually have a literate member on the foum now. I am glad you are happy with your choice Rowland. I am also glad that you didn't wait for a week to give us a review, thinking that would have been about 2 full chapters worth. All kidding aside, please keep us posted on how you are liking it as you get progressively more accustmed to it.

See you out there
Smokey

Well there is a lot of neg. opinions on my board by so many that never road on the Darkside that I had to write a comprehensive Review for those that did want to know. It seams that no one is too willing to talk about it except here of course.

The funny part of the deal is that I found a Motorcycle dealer that never had a request to mount a CT before. Most everyone at the MC dealer wanted to talk to me and ask questions. The Service Manager was all for doing the mount and Bal. without grief. He was happy to do it even. They also wanted to read my Review as a first timer.

Cheers,
Rowland

sweet, kidding aside, we appreciate it! Plus we are curious to the reactions as well!

Great write up Rowland. Make me want to go find some twisties........

Uncle Jerr

Great write up Rowland! Yep, I know exactly how you feel......

Glad to have you here and welcome to the Wonderful world of the Darkside. There are just some people who will never understand it or how it works. I have been riding for almost 3 years now on the darkside and they see me every day riding and still don't get it.....hehehehehehe Oh, well! I can't help them.

Thanks....................bobby


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Great review! Well written, from an obvious experienced motorcyclist. Kick back and stay awhile.

Been a little busy since I put the Toyo Proxies T1R on the back of my 1800. Been smokin the twisties! Hard to believe that I took to the tire so easily as 30 minuites. I ride 95% of the time 2 UP. I pumped the tire to 42 lbs and 44 lbs and put the stock shocks to settings 2 and 3. I told some of the other guys that I would lay money on a bet that they could not tell that I have a CT on the back if they rode it thru the twisties. I know that at 44 lbs pressure I cant tell except for the increase in Traction and Stability. Truely Awesome. I will never go back. My only complaint is that I did not try the Darkside a year ago. I think I will put a CT on my Wing too probably the same tire just different size.

Oh yes just let you know that the tire will not break loose-I've tried.

Cheers,
Rowland

Great write up Rowland. Glad you're digging the new tire and getting confidence in it and yourself.

ShortShifter wrote:Been a little busy since I put the Toyo Proxies T1R on the back of my 1800. Been smokin the twisties! Hard to believe that I took to the tire so easily as 30 minuites. I ride 95% of the time 2 UP. I pumped the tire to 42 lbs and 44 lbs and put the stock shocks to settings 2 and 3. I told some of the other guys that I would lay money on a bet that they could not tell that I have a CT on the back if they rode it thru the twisties. I know that at 44 lbs pressure I cant tell except for the increase in Traction and Stability. Truely Awesome. I will never go back. My only complaint is that I did not try the Darkside a year ago. I think I will put a CT on my Wing too probably the same tire just different size.

Oh yes just let you know that the tire will not break loose-I've tried.

Cheers,
Rowland

My twin has a darkside (T1R) on his wing and WOW!......you need to see this cat wheelie this thing. Like a dirt bike! Handles great too! He's on his 3rd tire now!

Trust me I slide the front tire now instead of a burnout now!....... And if it don't slide the front tire the front end will come up. I used to think the 1300 don't have the power to do that, but it does.

Glad you like it sir.

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


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twin1300 wrote:

ShortShifter wrote:Been a little busy since I put the Toyo Proxies T1R on the back of my 1800. Been smokin the twisties! Hard to believe that I took to the tire so easily as 30 minuites. I ride 95% of the time 2 UP. I pumped the tire to 42 lbs and 44 lbs and put the stock shocks to settings 2 and 3. I told some of the other guys that I would lay money on a bet that they could not tell that I have a CT on the back if they rode it thru the twisties. I know that at 44 lbs pressure I cant tell except for the increase in Traction and Stability. Truely Awesome. I will never go back. My only complaint is that I did not try the Darkside a year ago. I think I will put a CT on my Wing too probably the same tire just different size.

Oh yes just let you know that the tire will not break loose-I've tried.

Cheers,
Rowland

My twin has a darkside (T1R) on his wing and WOW!......you need to see this cat wheelie this thing. Like a dirt bike! Handles great too! He's on his 3rd tire now!

Trust me I slide the front tire now instead of a burnout now!....... And if it don't slide the front tire the front end will come up. I used to think the 1300 don't have the power to do that, but it does.
Glad you like it sir.

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


.

You're a believer now aren't ya.
Told ya the 1300 could do a wheelie.

I have been riding 2 up on my 1800 now for about 2 weeks now and installed a 1300 Final Drive to bring my Speedo and RPM's back close to where the stock tire had it. The Toyo rocks! Im cooking thru the twisties faster and leaning further than i ever did with the stock Dummy and Metzler tires. The grip is incredible. The X does not get buffed as much in winds like the it did with the MC tires. It just huggs the pavementI love it and will never go back to a MC tire.

Cheers,
Rowland

Rowland,

Glad you are happy!


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

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ShortShifter wrote:I have been riding 2 up on my 1800 now for about 2 weeks now and installed a 1300 Final Drive to bring my Speedo and RPM's back close to where the stock tire had it. The Toyo rocks! Im cooking thru the twisties faster and leaning further than i ever did with the stock Dummy and Metzler tires. The grip is incredible. The X does not get buffed as much in winds like the it did with the MC tires. It just huggs the pavementI love it and will never go back to a MC tire.

Cheers,
Rowland

I know the feeling.....Just wish I could get paid for riding around....

Jerry

jedishon wrote:

ShortShifter wrote:I have been riding 2 up on my 1800 now for about 2 weeks now and installed a 1300 Final Drive to bring my Speedo and RPM's back close to where the stock tire had it. The Toyo rocks! Im cooking thru the twisties faster and leaning further than i ever did with the stock Dummy and Metzler tires. The grip is incredible. The X does not get buffed as much in winds like the it did with the MC tires. It just huggs the pavementI love it and will never go back to a MC tire.

Cheers,
Rowland

I know the feeling.....Just wish I could get paid for riding around....

Jerry

Jerry you can get paid for riding around.
Only thing is the location is designated.
You have to be fast and consistent.
........................................... they call it "racing" or something like that