Joined the Darkside

Well I finally went to the Darkside this past weekend on my 02 1800 C with a Potenza 205/60/16. Had it put on and we had to grind down the fender strut "ears" just to make sure it didn't rub.

I do alot of 2 up riding about 400# lbs total and I started out withthe shocks at 5 and the psi at 40. The ride was stiff and it felt like the turns I was on the edge of loosing the back end becuase the tire was going off the edge.

I moved the shocks back down to 3 and lowered the psi to 38 and it made a big difference. Much smoother ride and the cornering was much improved. I only have about 150 miles on the tire and I know it has not been broken in yet but I still am having a little "trust" factor in leaning the bike over to the edge. I read where a lot of guys are scrapeing the pegs in the turns (which) I have did with the MT but I had to put my foot down the first day, pretty scary.

Everythng I read before going to the darkside was it just gets alot better afEer 500 miles. I choose the Potenza becuase it was in stock and I had read where the guys that run it says it sticks like glue and there is good tread on the side of the tire.

Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated or if I am not understanding anything please correct me. Any guys that have or is running this tire comments are welcome also.

Looking forward to the day I can ride it like a MT and not even think about it being a CT.

Good choice and welcome.
Now go out and scrape your pegs. Keep your feet on em though. Bad things unless you are riding on a dirt bike.

Moon

Welcome to the DarkSide of life...someone give this man a cookie...

Some one once said that getting used to a ct is 99% mental. I believe he was right. When you switched to the ct you expected a different feel and handling characteristics, so you are subconciously looking for them. Once your tire gets broken in, it will stick like baby poo an a fuzzy blanket. If you want to brake it in faster, find a dirt road. My tire had a mold release on it, I know because it was raining when I took it out and I could see it in the water. % miles swerving back and forth with a little unnessesary acceleration on a dirt road and it started to grip the road as well as my used mt. 100 miles and it was griping way better. Relax and enjoy your ride.

Jerry

Well I think that alot of it is mental becuase there is still side tread, and some even on the "bottom" that has no dirt mark on it which means it hasn't touched the ground.

I think I am going ot lower the psi to 36 and see what it feels like then. I only want to move it by 2 psi at a time to see the difference. IS there a noticable difference on 1 psi?

I don't think you will ever get on the sidewall the radials seem to flex enough that you actualy stay on the tread even when scraping the boards at leaste that is what it looks like on mine. GYTT 205-60-16 at 32 psi.

Congrats and welcome to the wonderful world of the darkside. Most of the time it is mental hangup that it is a car tire!


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


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twin1300 wrote:Congrats and welcome to the wonderful world of the darkside. Most of the time it is mental hangup that it is a car tire!
..................bobby.

Talkin to some of those clowns on the OB, They say we are all mental. Of course some of us are huh, Smokey, Twin, Larry, Horse, Unk Jer, Toasted?

I like cookies....

Moon