Gone Darkside in Florida

As a long time voyeur and first time poster..thank you. I have officially gone darkside with a Michelin Hydroedge 205/65 R15 on a Honda VTX 1300C. It now has three laps around the block. I found numerous topics and how-tos on this site and VTXOA. One thing that I did notice and don't recall reading is...the bike feels like it is resisting leaning and "pops" back to upright after fighting it into a turn. I assume that is one side effect of having a CT on a bike and having an edge of the tire. Is that something that others have experienced?

Again, thank you for educating me on the darkside.

For the very first time let me be the first to welcome you to the DS. A few of the others that are running the Wideside (205) will chime in about the bike wanting to sit up after a turn. The general consensus is the bike does want to stand back up, which depending on how you look at it, is a good thing. With the little more effort it takes to get it over it only goes to follow this will happen. I have been running the original 1300 DS 165 and don't notice if it wants to stand back up. Give it a few miles and all will feel right.

Good Luck and Welcome.

Db

I run a Douglas 205 on mine and don't notice the pop right back up thing to much. Could be a Hyddroedge thing I don't know. Mine does feel like it wants to jump left when I get on it a little and change gears. I figure it just that the driveshaft is on the left. Each tire is a little different and will have its own little quirks. After 1000 miles you wont even think about it being there, you'll just be enjoying the ride. After 10,000 you'll be enjoying the extra money in your pocket, from not having to buy another rear tire..........

Jerry

bike_rider_2005 wrote:As a long time voyeur and first time poster..thank you. I have officially gone darkside with a Michelin Hydroedge 205/65 R15 on a Honda VTX 1300C. It now has three laps around the block. I found numerous topics and how-tos on this site and VTXOA. One thing that I did notice and don't recall reading is...the bike feels like it is resisting leaning and "pops" back to upright after fighting it into a turn. I assume that is one side effect of having a CT on a bike and having an edge of the tire. Is that something that others have experienced?

Again, thank you for educating me on the darkside.

Welcome to our site and Congrats on your darkside. That quirk you call it has been noticed and documented many times on here and the "other site"...hehehehe. It just something that you are not used to and in about 300 to 400 miles you will not even notice it. It just you are so used to having to straighten your bike out after the turns that it seems to be an issue. It's not! Plus you have not gotten on the edge of the tire yet, trust me. We drag our hard parts and pipes on the darkside and we aren't on the edge yet...so I know you aren't.

Try some different kinds of air pressure to match your riding style to the tire you have and you will own it. It couldn't possibly lessen what you are feeling.


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

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thanks for the welcome. I figured it must be a rather common thing but wanted to make sure. In the few miles I rode it last night, I had a blast and I can't wait to ride it for a longer duration. Thanks for all of the help on this forum

I have a GYTT on mine, a little taller 205/70/15 and I do not have the "pop back up" that you talked about. I run it at 35 PSI, what pressure are you running? I did notice that the rear end seemed to kick out to the opposite direction that I was turning. It almost seemed like a slide when you give it a bit too much gas in a turn, then the slide would stop and the rear end would stay where it was. It was the tire coming up onto the corner but that seemed to either go away, or I got used to it because now, with 1300 miles on the tire, I cannot feel any difference from when I had a MCT on it. So,... Check your pressure and give it 300 miles or so to get the mold release off as well as to get used to the differences. I took it easy at first, but now I'm scrap'n the floorboards again.

Good luck and welcome to the Darkside.

I realized after my laps I was at 32 psi. I filled her up to 42 before putting her to bed. Thanks for the info.