A few weeks ago I posted a tire wear problem. New tires and the rear was extremely worn at 4,000. I found that the outfit that installed my tiers put a front tier on the rear wheel, i.e., two front tiers on the bike. I wonder how dangerous that was all summer?

Well go back there and point it out. Serious mistake, but in a pinch you could do that. Trouble is, a Front tire is not designed to put up with the force of acceleration and not good for rear mount, maybe get away with it if you reversed the rotation, knew it was on there and took it off when you got a real rear. Didn't it seem a little skinny? They owe you a rear tire IMO anyways. You would get plenty of tire people to back you up that a front should not be mounted on the rear. But You can and I do, Have a rear mounted on the front reverse rotation. Lasts longer because it's got more meat to it and is beefier.

So, two rears can be mounted but the front has to be a backward rotation? Just happen to have an extra (front and rear) set of Metzler 880's with a few K's left on them. Learn sumthin' new ever'day.

greyphart

MS1700, Just what KIND of tire should I put on the rear of my scoot?

I've been studying the idea of going Darkside but have a queation for those who are more learned than myself: If you put a rear tire on the front, why do you have to reverse the rotation? Does that affect the handling? It's not going to make my ride want to go backwards is it?

Yes you can mount a rear up front if you reverse the rotation (Backwards of what it says on sidewall.)

I stole this from Darkside FAQ He wrote Metziler and this is their response.

Question was, Can a rear tire be mounted up front, to Metzler tires web site. Answer:

Rear tires can be mounted at front wheels?

When producing tires, the top cap is heated with an angle bump on the carcass. To prevent the detachment of the assembled edges the tire has to be mounted (concerning the main stress: acceleration force at the rear wheel or brake force at the front wheel) corresponding to the respective declaration.
Therefore the declaration of the driving direction at the tires� sidewall is a very important safety regard and has to be noticed absolute. It is not allowed to mount front tires at rear wheels.

In case you intend to mount a rear tire on a front wheel it has to be assembled contrary to the driving direction declaration (direction of the arrow at the tires� sidewall). Please observe the standards in your country. In any doubts we kindly ask you to consult your dealer.
Courtesy of Metzler Tires

Found at Delphi Darkside, Messages, DS Information Folder, Rear tire on the front.

There are plenty of people running rear tires up front I am one, it can be done safely. I would not ,mount a used rear tire on the front as it will be flat in the middle too much from being on the rear. It would handle poorly if so.

What tire should you run? All depends, all depends everyone is going to be different. Back when I ran MC tire on the rear I had to go with An Avon because it was only one I could find that had the weight rating I needed to ride two up and loaded on a Road* I get around 860#'s on the rear tire, most go only 800 or low 800 range. A Car Tire cures all that, plus goes 4 times the distance on one tire. A rear tire on the front also outdistances a Front tire on the front. I can go from NY City to LA Ca. out and back 4 times and never wear either tire out. Plus some! If you run MC tires you would need to change each time you got back to NY. City.

Bud dawg! I'd still have to stop once and service the bearings!

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Have any of you Darksiders had any problems at top speed? The Vredestein Comtrac that I see alot of you running only has an "R" speed rating which is 106 M.P.H. How does it do at, say, 120?

rsc wrote:
A few weeks ago I posted a tire wear problem. New tires and the rear was extremely worn at 4,000. I found that the outfit that installed my tiers put a front tier on the rear wheel, i.e., two front tiers on the bike. I wonder how dangerous that was all summer?

you had me all confused with "tiers". i was thinking, "WTH is a front tier, and maybe i should look into that."

took me a minute to realize. makes a lot more sense now

BadBikerBob wrote:
Have any of you Darksiders had any problems at top speed? The Vredestein Comtrac that I see alot of you running only has an "R" speed rating which is 106 M.P.H. How does it do at, say, 120?

There are two drawbacks to the darkside, That is one. In the beginning it doesn't beat a MC tire full speed ahead, but as it breaks in it gets a lot better. Not to say you can't go all out all the time just to say there is a weight difference and you can feel it over 80, Speed limit is like 70 so I say what am I doing at 80+??? I already got my Speed Warning from Ohio on a Holiday so I have slowed down. 99.9% of my travel will be below 80. Although I have busted 100 a few times for the heck of it on the CT. No problem. If the speed rating is 106 I would not cruise any length of time at 120. I think My bike shuts off at 115 but with this tire it just may do 120. My brains are telling me not to find out.

The other drawback is you don't get a Christmas card from your tire dealer anymore.

Short answer, it's not a factor. That tire is pretty sturdy if you look into it's construction.

I think I may fall victim to the Darkside after I wear my new Michelins out. If I don't like it, I can always switch back & be out, what, $120 or so. However, if I DO like it (as I think that I will!) I will save HUNDREDS on tires over the next several thousand miles!