Gone Darkside

I have an 06 Vtx1300C. Today I installed a 16" 1800 wheel with a 205/65/16 Goodyear Assurance. Took the tire and wheel to 3 differant motorcycle shops and all refused to mount the Goodyear. Stupid Boneheads. So I had one dealer pull the old tire off and I stopped by Tractor Supply and I bought a tire iron. To my suprise installing the tire on the rim was easy with minor help fron my wife. The local tire store gave me a strip of mag wheel weights and I balanced the wheel and tire easily by suspending it between two 5 gallon buckets on a wooden dowel. I used the factory weight plus three 7gram stick on weights to make it right. Fun and easy. Installation was relatively easy. The axle was stubborn and took some persuation. I sanded it off and lightly greased it. Went back in easily. The tire is a snug fit on the bike. Maybe an 1/8" clearance on the axle side and 5/8" on the right. The tire looks great on the bike.
As for handling. A little countersteering is required to make turns. No big thing. On the highway the bike tracks straight and true.
Let me say the number one reason I put the 16" on the bike was to slow down the engine at highway speeds, its about an inch or so taller than stock. It doesnt do it very much. Seems the stupid Japanese havnt been informed the the national speed limit is no longer 55 MPH. Here in Texas we have a maximum speed limit as high as 80.
Now the short time I was riding down the hightway I got some looks. Im the kind of guy who doesnt care what other people think but the tire has some cool factor goin on.
You can click on any of these pics to see photo album.

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Welcome and enjoy the newness.

See you out there
Smokey

Awesome dude! Congrats and I hope you took pics of you doing it and post them too! It looks like that's how I am going to have to do my next one. The small motorcycle shop closed that use to mount my car tires!


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


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Welcome and enjoy.
Your gonna love it.

Peace.
Moon

Welcome......it only gets better as you get more miles on it.....

Jerry

Well, I have about a 1000 miles on the tire now and I believe I have the tire pressure at 35psi to be about right. I had over 40psi and I wasnt happy. Then I lowered it too much and it was too mushy so I crept the pressure up 3 pounds at a time and all is good.
Now, it's a wide tire. And, I don't expect the Goodyear to handle like the Dunlop sport/cruiser tire did. But, in most instances it's better. It's a smoother ride. It tracks straighter. And very sure footed in turns, more so the the Dunlop. Remember, it's a cruiser.
What it doesn't do? Well it doesn't want to turn as tightly when goin slow. And when goin slow on a dirt road it needs a little extra attention. No Big Deal.
Another plus, it looks cool as heck and has a WOW factor.
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I'm glad you found your sweet spot.....

Jerry

Well the sweet spot is under that finder.
Just sayin.

Moon

WELL GUYS I HAVE 3100 MILES on the CT and I'm very pleased with the tire. I had some slight rubbing with the 16" tire but that was easily resolved with a hand grinder. The tire rides incredibly smooth. And it sticks like glue as well.

Hey Starider,

Good to read you enjoy the ride after playing with the tire pressure.
Have fun with it.
By the way grinding is good, I love it !

And they say it cant be done......

Jerry

I am goin to use the stock rear wheel on a sidecar Im goin to build. It will be open with no body around it. It will seat two passengers like the bike. Both will sit on VTX1300R seats tandem style with a matching windshield up front. Working the details out. Anyone know where online I can buy good quality cleats?

Hey guys. I now have about 3600 miles on my Ct. I have to say it measures up much more than I expected. Handling and ride is great. The tire is rated for 65000 miles so it looks like it will be a part of the bike for quite awhile.
Now I have to tell you I have taken some flak about mounting the tire. I was removed from the local riding club. In part because I support the unconventional thinking and just do what I want. No matter. Let the sheep be led to the slaughter house. In other words let the pay too much for thier tire, oil changes and tuneups.
Theres one more thing, When my speedometer reads 75 my GPS says Im doing 68.

Wow! Kicked out of your riding group...that's pretty harsh even for our standards. If that's what they think, you didn't need them anyway!............Ride on brother!




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

WOW...kicked out of your riding group!!!

aahh your better with out them...I am happy to say that the crew I ride with don't care!

Still sorry to hear that people can be so narrow minded

Thanks guys. They advertise that it's a DRAMA FREE club. It's actually supervised by two women. I didnt know this for awhile until I asked about thier riding experience. Then I got that sideways look.
I'd rather ride with a bunch of guys that can take a little verbal abuse and laugh about it.