Car tire on rear of motorcycle?

Dunlop SP Sport 7000 Tire 185/55R16

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dunlop-SP-Sport-7000/149...

This is the Dark Side. You will get about 60,000 miles out of the tire. You will have considerable less traction in turns since you will have hard rubber and the car will be using just an edge of the tire. I ride on Metzelers. The cost of tires give me safe if I ever need full traction -- such as when in little oil dust or leaves in a corner. The Dark Side is not enough to save money when my life is on the line.

Car Tire On Motorcycle

As others have said, running a car tire on a motorcycle is a really bad idea.

The construction is very different because the forces exerted by a motorcycle are totally different than the forces a car demands.

I have heard people say things like, "it's just a cruiser - i'm not dragging my knee around corners." Okay, but you're still leaning the bike at anything over parking-lot speeds. That's a force that the car tire is not meant to cope with.

I have heard, "my friend did it for 60,000 miles, and it was fine." Your friend got lucky. Motorcycles rely on 2 tires to provide traction. If 1 fails, you're in a LOT more trouble than if 1 fails on a car. Why risk your life to save a few dollars? a decent set of motorcycle tires is under $200. How much is it going to cost to repair you and your bike if the car tire fails?

There's no way I'd do it. First of all, with the more flexible sidewalls, it will be like having a water balloon for a tire. Second, the bead (the part of the tire that fits on the rim) on a car tire is deeper than on a motorcycle tire, so sealing may be a problem. Tires are made to conform to the side and shape of the rim for sidewall stability and sealing and a car tire isn't going to do any conforming on a motorcycle rim. I know a car tire 1/3 the price of a motorcycle tire looks good, but how far will the $100 you save go toward replacing the scuffed up chrome and the ER visit for the hide taken off your butt after you have a catastrophic loss of aire pressure of it bucks you off in the first sharp curve?

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RE:

Car tire on rear of motorcycle?

I've noticed a lot of motorcycles are running car tires on the rear. I have a 2003 Honda VTX 1800 Retro with a rear tire size of 180/70R 16. What size car tire could I run on my bike?

Not a good idea. Particularly not a radial, which is what most car tires are now. Maybe a big crossply tire on a drag bike that doesn't need cornering ability

I see that some bikes now are factory fitted with radials, but the suspension and steering is set up for that, and the tires are designed for a bike.

those fat tire bikes are not running car tires,They are just bikes with avon 330 and 350 tires.looks cool but cant go around a corner.220 is about as big as I will use.Those fake choppers with the giant wide back tires cant even switch lanes very well.

Without swingarm and frame mods you will not fit a significantly larger tyre. And, once you have, you will be left with a bike that will not go round corners without going very slowly, and that you cannot sell because nobody will want to buy such an ill-handling lump.

Well, you rode behind me last week-end, and you also know how Jimmy B's bike handles with a car tire on it. 1/3 the price, and BETTER traction is a no-brainer for me . . .

Been running CT on my bike for years, never a problem. Will never go back to MT