Darkside Front Tire question

Joined
Aug 23, 2016
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10
Age
68
Location
Eagan Mn
Is there a actual car tire the ST group uses on our bikes ? I see some are running a Bridgestone BT-45 on the front but that is not truly a CT. Why do some call it double dark ?

Thanks
 

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26
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Joined
Jun 4, 2013
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4,652
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Celina, TX
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'97/'01 ST1100 ABSII
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8735
Darkside is a car tire on the rear. Double Dark is a car tire on the rear and a rear mc tire on the front, i.e. a BT-45 rear on the front. No practical way to run a car tire on the front.
 
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
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1,349
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Gainesville, Florida
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ST1300A, TracerGT
I hated the handling when I went darkside, UNTIL I went double dark. The larger tire on the front brings the handling back to normal.
 

T_C

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Mar 8, 2012
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St. Louis, MO
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2005 St1300
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8568
I hated the handling when I went darkside, UNTIL I went double dark. The larger tire on the front brings the handling back to normal.
Double dark is where it's at. Still not as twitchy feeling as regular MC tires front/rear, but very maneuverable and extra long life. Plus the total traction is magnitudes better.
 
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
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Kenly NC
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07 ST1300A(P)
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7649
Probably going double when my front wears out. Looking at it today, it probably won't be long.
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
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316
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Jacksonville FL
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06 ST1300A
STOC #
8729
My FJR was horrible with just a CT on the rear and a PR4 on the front. I put a BT-45 rear tire on the front and all was right with the world again. Odd thing is that nobody else runs double dark on their FJRs. Those folks are weird, glad I'm back on an ST with the normal folks.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
215
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Amesbury MA
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05 ST1300
STOC #
8739
My FJR was horrible with just a CT on the rear and a PR4 on the front. I put a BT-45 rear tire on the front and all was right with the world again. Odd thing is that nobody else runs double dark on their FJRs. Those folks are weird, glad I'm back on an ST with the normal folks.
It is catching on over there finally. I have two friends running double dark on FJRs. They ride great with them.


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Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
101
Location
Nantahala
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2008 ST1300 ABS
How about a tire pressure on the BT45? Shinko's are toast and $$ is an issue. Thinking really hard about doing this :D
 

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26
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Joined
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I know you're on an ST13, but I run 42 psi on my rear BT45 on the front of my ST11.
 
Joined
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Camarillo, Ca
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I have just gone double dark. I had about 65k miles with just a CT on the back which I really enjoyed. Putting the slightly larger MC tire in the front made it much better. The one place that I have noticed a difference is lane changes on the freeway where the two slabs are slightly offset. The MC tires would stumble transitioning the step. My double dark setup will just float over it. It is awesomely different. But there are more good reasons to go Ddark..... it is not just miles and money.

I run 28 psi in the back CT and 41 psi in the front 130-70-18 (rear tire)....
 
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
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101
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Nantahala
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2008 ST1300 ABS
So there seems to be no regrets on going Dark so far on all the posts that I've seen. Now if you go outside this board to another one.....oh lets say the ZRXOA board;), which I'm a member of and have been for over 15 years, they tend to think I have a few screws loose:eek:, but that's ok. You do something out of the norm and some freak a little. Now the impression I got from a bike mechanic one day after I told him it seemed those that have done it, like it. He said the only reason you don't hear about the bad stories is because those guys are all dead. He talked about the tire not fitting right on the rim, they blow up ect. Haven't read about that yet. On the other hand, I wouldn't tell a novice rider to give it a try either. Seems there is a tweak or 2 to get it right, but nothing hard. Popping the bead seems to be the hard part and then there is the clearance issue depending on what flavor of tire you use. Me, I think I'll go with the Hankook V2. I hear it doesn't rub and might be a little softer than the GTT. Feel out the tire pressure and maybe lower the front about an 1"? So further more and in conclusion.....as they say, had anyone had a bad experience? Maybe I need to go ask this one in another thread.
 
Joined
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8421
Seeing much the same experiences on the various GoldWing forums & FB sites , - no darkside failures ( on ~200lb heavier bikes too )

The naysayers always show the CT bead & MC rim "cross section differences" but since the tire is rubber or neoprene or whatever , apparently conforms to the rim anyways & seals well , like up to ~ 50K miles !
 
Last edited:

T_C

Joined
Mar 8, 2012
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St. Louis, MO
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2005 St1300
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8568
The naysayers always show the CT bead & MC rim "cross section differences" but since the tire is rubber or neoprene or whatever , apparently conforms to the rim anyways & seals well , like up to ~ 50K miles !
Yep!! :) :ds1::burnout:nuke1:
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
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Ga.
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Honda ST1300
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8970
I prob missed it but what size BT45 is recommended for the front when running the CT on the back?
 

Ron

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Orlando
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130-70 x 18 B45 Bridgestone. The real question is mounted normal or in reverse direction. :)
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
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Ga.
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Honda ST1300
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8970
I see where at least the one manufacturer recommends reversed on the front so as not to peel the tire apart at the rubber joint during braking? I guess if you go as far as running a rear tire on the front, and a car tire on the back, you might as well go all the way and mount the front/rear tire backwards...:rolleyes:
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
170
Location
Linden, MI or Sebring, FL
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'16 or '08 Goldwing
Been running my BT-45 on the front now for about 25k miles (mounted correct rotation). Not sure I like the wear pattern that I see - is this dual compound tire? Looking for something to replace it - in a single compound variety. Wanna stay with the 130/70-R18 size. Suggestions?


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Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
170
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Linden, MI or Sebring, FL
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'16 or '08 Goldwing
Ok then, well, having no response, I pulled the trigger on a Michelin Commander II 130/70-18 front tire. I ran the crap out of the BT-45 (27,000+ miles - in 15 months) and it was getting a nasty cupping pattern, and also developing ridges on each side at the interface of the hard center compound (its made for the rear) and the softer sides.
I could feel loss of traction in some situations where it shouldn't have been a problem. I realize that the MC II is also a dual compound tire, but it's made for the front, so not as hard in the center, I presume.
It'll be interesting to see how this one does - its bigger than the stock ST front tire, so it should help counteract the Goodyear car tire on the rear.
We shall see - doing the Lower Great Lakes 1000 next weekend, so I thought I'd better get that old tire off there.

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