Ok, I'm convinced. Way to many people with way to many miles under their belt with nothing but good things to say vs. non-experienced nay Sayers with no real proof.

I have read every post in this thread (over a period of time, not all at once. I do have a life) and have had many thoughts and questions, many of which were answered the more i read.

One question i had that was never answered: would a wide tire kit, allowing for a flatter profile on the tire once mounted, be beneficial?

I know at first this sounds crazy but here is my rationalization to coming up with said question: a flatter profile means even more tread contact when driving straight. Most car tires have a "edge" to the tread, not rounded like a MC, and with the flatter profile it would reduce the urge to roll over the edge onto the sidewall more (i know it doesn't already), causing the sidewall to flex more, keeping more tread contact in the corners? From what people have said about tire temps a few more degrees from a little more flex wouldn't really hurt.

Now i could be completely wrong in everything i just said, and if so please say so, but try to keep it negative. Just a regular guy trying to think way beyond his level of education and trying to get some help

 

As a dedicated twistie ripper, I'm of the opinion that the wider you go, the more crossover effect (countersteer pressure requirement) you would have.
That said, there will be a difference in flex on different tires due to a.) sidewall belts b.) rubber thickness, and c.) aspect ratio height
If you have a tire that is taller, thinner, and has less belts in the sidewall than another, it makes sense that it would flex more than the other.
That said, you have to IGNORE the contact patch aspect. Reason is, the smaller the contact patch, the more lbs/sq. in. you will have, and therefore the increased pressure translates into better grip.
I think it best to go narrow if you like to really toss your bike around like we do, but we have very few people who can ride with us. The 175's are much wider than my stocker as it is. They perform excellent even at high pressures I used to reduce the wobble on my Austone. I just mounted the Dunlop; will test it out as soon as I get the brake rotors and pads on.
Gotta Need for Speed!

 

Ok, thank you quadancer. Figured i was wrong but wanted to throw it out there anyway. I appreciate your, and everyone else who gas contributed to this thread in a positive way, opinions and experiences

 

NOT experience: guesswork. I can only fit a 175 in there, so that's all 3 of my tires. But I've read about every Darkside post there is except all the GL1800 forum posts, and that's what I basically gleaned from it all. Plus, you ever see a performance bike with a beach ball on the back?
Neither have I, except drag bikes.

 

A wide tire kit will change the thrust angle when the bike is leaning by moving the rear contact patch further to either side. It won't change the size of the contact patch when leaning unless the inflation pressure is manipulated (and some don't understand effective contact patch vs. total contact patch). A wider tire may have stiffer sidewall which can also have an effect. It may also be a heavier tire which means more centrifugal force acting on the bike as well.

You need to define "better grip" when leaning. What does that mean exactly? The lean angle, on a dry surface, is the speed limiter.

A smaller contact patch means a smaller circle, the threshold will be reached sooner when a force is acting upon it. Google "traction circle" for reference.
Which means the limit will be reached sooner with a narrower tire. Braking and acceleration are the obvious vector forces to consider.

Leaning though, with a rectangular tire like a CT, whether or 155, 175 or 185 width, the contact patch still be the same size. A larger diameter will mean a larger contact patch front to back. A wider MT tire (versus narrower), due to the curvature, will offer a wider contact patch needed for greater lean angles.

You're referring to a 155 vs. a 175 on the same rim. Even assuming the 155 has a taller sidewall to keep the diameter the same, the contact patch is the identical UNLESS the sidewall flexes more. It's likely unknown by most if that happens. And if it does happen, how much of that additional contact patch is usable? How does it effect the traction circle?

Then, since the lean angle is the limit of cornering speed, again, what is "better grip"? Acceleration out of the turn? Threshold braking into the turn? Available adhesion (grip) after a bump? When there is more pressure per square inch, that means the breakaway point, the limit of the traction circle, is reached sooner.

 

You have experienced words from those who do it, and summations & guesses from those that have only read about it...You know which posts have better advice to follow

 

I have been experimenting with different tire widths for several years. I’m not going to get all scientific here, but I will speak from practical application and experience. The wider the tire the more pressure required to lean the bike into a curve. That is the short of it. Just changing the front tire from a 135 to a 145 makes a big difference. Moving up to a 145 you can tell the difference right off, but it feels more stable and the added pressure to turn is negligible. However when I went back down to a 135 suddenly it felt like I was riding on melted butter it was so easy to maneuver. I’m going to stay with the 135. The rear tire is less noticeable with only one jump in tire size, I used a 195 for years then went to a 205 and it felt about the same, maybe it needed a bit more pressure to turn, it was hard to tell. Next I might go back to a 195 and see if the difference is as pronounced as the front was. Bikes do maneuver easier with a slimmer tire no doubt about that. I would not say slimmer tires get better traction, that has not been my experience and makes no sense to me.

 

I liked this article here: http://www.sportrider.com/riding_tip...riding_skills/ ...since it also deals with the LEAN of a motorcycle in play. But as any ol' countryboy racer knows, you can't be doing all that math in the fraction of a second when changing your lean (and vector forces).
Now, I'm not about to find the very traction limit of the CT back there, for a couple reasons:
1.) I'm on a cruiser. I'll hit the crash bars one inch after I touched down the boards - and have done so quite a few times, despite the extended forks, springs, slugs, and thicker oil.
2.) the front tire is my limiting factor, not having as much traction as the rear.

What I tried to explain before about contact patch is that it is somewhat self-adjusting regarding overall size, traction forces per square inch (and heat) increasing the smaller the patch gets in a given curve.
What further skews this equation (not being linear) is the shape and direction of the patch. Obviously to me, one thing that makes the CT's track better and grip in the turns isn't just the softer rubber: it's the longer oval of the patch, front to rear.

I don't know if the contact patch would be larger or not with a wider tire, in any direction, but I'm fairly certain that handling would be compromised, and that's unacceptable for my style of riding, or object evasion in an emergency.
I think most fat tires are on for looks, unless you're a drag racer.

 

Anyone?
Bump

 

Since I still can't find a 17" CT to fit my 07 Wideglide I am now going to be "forced" to buy another MC tire.................Damn