Pirelli RT66 150/80/16 rear tire on Front at 40 psi
Austone tire 175SR16 on rear at 38 psi
No modifications for fitment


Hand mounted both tires and installed myself (Cast Wheels). Front tire seated at 45 psi, Rear tire seated at 50 psi.


Thanks to SmokinJoe and all his help and input in my research.


I got both tires mounted this weekend. I still think it is a miracle that the Pirelli fits, it is huge and looks fantastic! Took the bike out and I love the way it rides. I am currently at 38 psi in the rear and 40 psi in the front. After a little ride time (~100 Miles), I took it out on the highway and slowly worked the bike up to 90 mph to see if any wobbles deveioped and it was perfect all the way up, solid as a rock! I am using Ride-On in both tires (12 oz in front, 16 oz in rear) so I don't know if that helped or not. I took the bike into the hills and it corners even better than before and feels extremly hooked up in the corners not to mention how the back end really feels smooth when I do hit a bump.


The only two things that is notably different is that 1) the front tire does want to upright the bike more quickly at medium high speed turns (gyroscopic effect) and you can feel the steering become slightly more solid because of the extra amount of weight and size of that big thing spinning up front, not a bad thing just different. 2) Another thing is that the rear braking pressure required has decreased probably 50 %. Where I used to sometimes lock up the rear wheel slightly it now just stops or slows down more quickly with out the rear locking up. I have previously practiced many emergency full speed stops and tried again with the new setup and the bike now stops in significantly less distance, something close to 20% faster on the same drills, in the same parking lot, so I now how much quicker it is actually stopping.

Over all it is a great modification.


Thanks for all your help and input in my Darkside Transformation.

I am sold on the idea myself just have not tried it yet. How about some pics of the tires?

I have done the same , but the tires has not come yet. Did you turn the front wheel backward? And please some pic?
Thanks

I will get some soon, was to busy riding . SmokeInJoe has some on his site and he has the exact same setup (I used his setup) that you can see until then http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc490/SMOKINJOE1950/, SmokeinJoe hope you don't mind...


Yes, I did reverse the front tire rotation.

Welcome to the darkside!

Hope it is same size wheels on 1600 and 1700

Just installed the same Austone tire on my Uncles 2004 Road Star. Looks great but as I am around 300lbs I could make it rub the inside of the fender in larger bumps. I adjusted the spring to the max setting and have yet to ride it again due to the weather (raining with high winds). The braking is much better at least 50% better and rolling in gravel takes minimal effort to maneuver unlike before. Turns feel great with very little difference than before, unless the turn is rutted. The first hundred miles felt very strange to me, almost like it had a bad slow wobble to it. Found out it is just the sidewall flexing in our wonderful rutted roads and mountain passes. After a few miles you hardly notice the difference in handling. Currently running 40psi and will bump down in two pound increments. It is a very large tire and dwarfs the original by a big margin. It raised the bike up around 3/4 of an inch which doesn't sound like much until you get on it so be ready for that. So far so good at 500 miles

I am 325 and can ride 2 up with no problem with the baron's spring. I haven't rubbed the tire yet.

welcome to the D.S. have same set with a few thousand miles now ....will never go back to m.c. tires +1 for all you mentioned