For the Can-Am's running car tires, Are we on the "darkside"?

[CloverHillCrawler]

So I recently joined a group on Facebook called Darkside Riders. I wanted to see what everyone was doing with their tires and made a post about my quatracs on the F3. It's funny the response I got from it.

While in general it had several likes but only a couple of comments which are gems. I thought since we switched from kenda motorcycle tires to car tires that would make all of us Can-Am people Darksiders as well.

Apparently a couple but not many disagree or just don't know we are running motorcycles tires as stock.

What do you think? If we are running car tires are we a darksider or not?

Capt1.JPG

[RiderDuke]

No... A darksider is a MC rim with a car tire on it... We have a car rim with a Cheap car tire on it.. It says Special Motorcycle use so no one will use it on a car...

[Cobwebs]

I just glanced at the Darksider member rule book and in the Spyder chapter it states that you have to swap over to round motorsickle rubber to be even close to acceptable!
No exceptions.

[Mikey]

SO, where do we find some of those? Hey Mike, can you help us out with one of those?

[Peter Aawen]

Yeah, I don't think ANYONE who has any real knowledge of tires & rims, except maybe a full-on BRP Kool Aid drinker, could honestly or seriously call the OEM Kenda tires 'real' Motorcycle Tires, even with the dodgy 'Special Motorcycle Use Only' label on the sidewall They are in every respect a CAR tire, albeit not one of the greatest capability, strength, or quality of construction, but still a CAR tire; and the rims on both Spyders and Rykers are quite clearly and unarguably 'J' Type CAR rims too...

So NO, if you're running auto tires on your Spyder/Ryker, you aren't really a true 'Darksider'!

And to anyone who might value their life and well-being but still think it could be fun to fit a set of real MOTORCYCLE tires onto their Spyder/Ryker rims and go for a ride, I've only got one thing to say to that - DON'T!!

[Navydad]

I think we are stuck in limbo. Spyder isn't a motorcycle, but isn't a car either

[Ex-Rocket]

I can say that I was one of those crazy guys to put a car tire on a motorcycle, my 2006 Triumph Rocket, and I loved it.

[016047].jpg

[CloverHillCrawler]

Thanks for the clarification, as usual I seem to have landed in one of those grey areas that I tend to misinterpret and will promptly remove myself from that group.

Don't want any trouble from any of those darksiders.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

No... A darksider is a MC rim with a car tire on it... We have a car rim with a Cheap car tire on it.. It says Special Motorcycle use so no one will use it on a car...

and I have said so many, many times on this Forum ..... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yeah, I don't think ANYONE who has any real knowledge of tires & rims, except maybe a full-on BRP Kool Aid drinker, could honestly or seriously call the OEM Kenda tires 'real' Motorcycle Tires, even with the dodgy 'Special Motorcycle Use Only' label on the sidewall They are in every respect a CAR tire, albeit not one of the greatest capability, strength, or quality of construction, but still a CAR tire; and the rims on both Spyders and Rykers are quite clearly and unarguably 'J' Type CAR rims too...

So NO, if you're running auto tires on your Spyder/Ryker, you aren't really a true 'Darksider'!

And to anyone who might value their life and well-being but still think it could be fun to fit a set of real MOTORCYCLE tires onto their Spyder/Ryker rims and go for a ride, I've only got one thing to say to that - DON'T!!

As usual 110% ..... even BRP REQUIRES auto type rims / wheels which have a " J " designation by the D.O.T. and they are the folks who decide what evry type rim / wheel has to be ...... Mike

[BCNewell]

“We” are not darksiders. I “was” a darksider.

[Cobwebs]

Thanks for the clarification, as usual I seem to have landed in one of those grey areas that I tend to misinterpret and will promptly remove myself from that group.

Don't want any trouble from any of those darksiders.

You'll forfeit your free 6 month balance and front end alignment check!!!

[Raven]

A car tire on a motorcycle !!!!
Maybe they should be called " Suiciders"

[Bfromla]

Well your first problem: FB. Opinion however as a laid back casual ryder can’t say personally have problems with either, kendas did wear rather quickly mileage wise. Otherwise both black, round & fit - lets me ryde.

[CloverHillCrawler]

You'll forfeit your free 6 month balance and front end alignment check!!!

I'll have to ask the guys at the dealership why my last alignment wasn't free and try to hold a straight face while doing so.

But in all reality they actually helped out greatly with getting my tire wear problem taking care of on my Quatrac's, I would mention them but I don't want BRP to come down on them.

[Snoking1127]

I have 5 car tires and one Kenda(made by the bicycle, golf cart and wheelbarrow tire company) on my two Spyders, so in the fall or maybe sooner I will have 6 car tires on the two machines, when the most recent one gets a new rear tire. There really should be a investigation into the BRP/Kenda relationship and it's influence over it's authorized dealer network.

[Flamewinger]

I can say that I was one of those crazy guys to put a car tire on a motorcycle, my 2006 Triumph Rocket, and I loved it.

[016047].jpg

You can but I won’t believe it as I’ve known a few that have tried it and hated it as it seriously changes the way a 2 wheeler rides.

[Flamewinger]

Weight is the major factor in tire traction. Car tires are designed for 3000+lb cars and the Spyders weigh less than half that. The Spyders are a one-of-a-kind vehicle and there aren’t going to be all kinds of aftermarket parts for them.

Just as a sport bike uses different tires to that of a big touring bike, a Spyder needs to use a tire made for its weight to rather than profile.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have 5 car tires and one Kenda(made by the bicycle, golf cart and wheelbarrow tire company) on my two Spyders, so in the fall or maybe sooner I will have 6 car tires on the two machines, when the most recent one gets a new rear tire. There really should be a investigation into the BRP/Kenda relationship and it's influence over it's authorized dealer network.

BRP - Kenda relationship is all about the money -----PERIOD .....I can't address the DOT laws in Canada .... but in the U.S. Harley Davidson uses regular Auto tires on their TRIKES.- LEGALLY .....Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

You can but I won’t believe it as I’ve known a few that have tried it and hated it as it seriously changes the way a 2 wheeler rides.

There are two reasons why this happens .... #1- auto tires do not have round treads & #2- to a lesser degree two wheel mtc's. have a different style wheel Rim......Mike

[Flamewinger]

BRP - Kenda relationship is all about the money -----PERIOD .....I can't address the DOT laws in Canada .... but in the U.S. Harley Davidson uses regular Auto tires on their TRIKES.- LEGALLY .....Mike

I read that Harley uses specific tires for their trikes. They also mention not using anything that is not approved.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Weight is the major factor in tire traction. Car tires are designed for 3000+lb cars and the Spyders weigh less than half that. The Spyders are a one-of-a-kind vehicle and there aren’t going to be all kinds of aftermarket parts for them.

Just as a sport bike uses different tires to that of a big touring bike, a Spyder needs to use a tire made for its weight to rather than profile.

Peter and I have explained why auto tires can & will work on our LIGHT-WEIGHT Spyders three dozen or more times ..... Traction is accomplished using a Weight to PSI in those tires. .... this is how 1000 plus Dragsters obtain Traction ..... The PSI in those tires is so that RIM locks are used to keep the tires attached to the wheels. ..... without them the wheels would spin inside the tires ..... Mike

[Snoking1127]

Thank you Blueknight, I was about to explain the tire footprint vs inflation.

[Flamewinger]

Peter and I have explained why auto tires can & will work on our LIGHT-WEIGHT Spyders three dozen or more times ..... Traction is accomplished using a Weight to PSI in those tires. .... this is how 1000 plus Dragsters obtain Traction ..... The PSI in those tires is so that RIM locks are used to keep the tires attached to the wheels. ..... without them the wheels would spin inside the tires ..... Mike

Too funny!!! ��
Explain why sport bike tires are different to touring bike tires? They use the same PSI yet the sport tires wear out way faster than touring tires. Sport tires have a much stickier rubber compound than touring tires because they have to stick the corners and don’t have the weight a touring bike has. Sport bikes weigh around 500lbs +/-, compared to 1000+ lb touring bikes. Thanks, but I’ll use what’s designed for the vehicle I ride.

Never use a touring tire on a sport bike because if you do you’ll most likely end up in hospital.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I read that Harley uses specific tires for their trikes. They also mention not using anything that is not approved.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/e...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thank you for providing that LINK .... I read everything Dunlop / HD had to say about that tire ..... What they didn't mention is more important than what they said .... Let me explain it this way - decades ago a friend wanted to put an HD / Dunlop tire on His HD cruiser ( I don't recall the model, but it only had TWO wheels ) He took it in to His dealer ( where He had bought His HD ) and told them He wanted to put the Dunlop tire from the Trike on the rear of His HOG .... they told Him they couldn't LEGALLY do that because the BEADS on the wheels DID NOT MATCH.... Two wheel Mtc's DO NOT have " J " type rim beads ..... only Auto/car wheels have " J " style beads...... Mike