Last month was time again to replace my rear tire, for the 4^th time since it rolled out of the dealer’s show room in 2001 some 50K miles ago and around San Diego , everybody charges as much for doing the labor as you pay for some tires.  So, I decided to give the car tire thing a try and here is what I found out.

It was my first time to remove my back tire and that was a lot of work as everyone knows, next time I don’t believe I’ll feel as though I’d been in the ring with Hogan.  Everything went fine after I discovered the final drive gear was stuck to the drive shaft and there was no way that rim and tire was going to come out without a blowtorch. After figuring that out things went smooth.  

By the time I found a tire in stock that was going to work, I had ran out of time and few chooses left before a annual ride to Prescott, AZ for the Run For The Wall reunion was only a day away.   So I ended up with a Goodyear Eagle on the back for now.  Doesn’t look as hot as the sport tire I finally ended up buying after I returned from my trip, but it has rubber.

There wasn’t but a few hours left on my schedule by the time the Valk was buttoned up and ready for its test run.
I managed to go around the block and decided it was going to work at least to get me to Prescott and back.
By the way, I live in the mountains in San Diego County and there is only two ways off here, down one side or the other.  As noted in the article from this site it   took a little getting use too, but then again there was only one other opinion available, drive and that wasn’t going to happen.

After 20 miles or so things warmed up and at different feel wore in somewhat, but I was still somewhat unfamiliar with its behavior in “yet to be explored circumstances”.  However, there were cars in front of me as I was going down the mountains and in back of me also.  Guessed I was doing okay.

By the time I made to Prescott (about a 6 hour ride) I was getting the feel of the thing and knew a little more than earlier that morning about the handling characteristics of that bike and tire. The tire managed to catch a number of look-see eye’s that is for sure. But now it was time to go home, my confidence was up and the tire felt like it was broken in.

The trip home took a little over 5 hours, if that tells you anything.  And I could swear they must have put glue in the compound of that tire when they manufactured it. There is not fighting her around curves, no wobble as you hit dips on curves, extreme difference in stability when passing semi’s and the bike becomes a
Goldwing in down the road comfort.
 

As for tight “turn-abouts”, personally I find it much easier to keep a tighter radius than with the motorcycle tire.  Since there is more rubber touching the pavement/surface it does grab/kick more than the standard motorcycle tire when confronting an large object in it path and will react much more pronounced.     There is no way I’m ever going back to a motorcycle tire on the rear of my Valk.

The only thing is that I have not rod on socked pavement as of today and sort of wonder how that is going to affect its stability, but I’ll approach that when it finally rains in southern California .

Also, on this Eagle tire the cost of the tire, mounting and balancing was less than I normally pay for new rubber with a motorcycle tire.
I am however going to replace the eagle with a “V” rated sports tire before the ride next year to DC with Run For The Wall, simply for its looks.

I’d rate it excellent!  But keep in mind it is not for a first time rider.

Safe riding,

Wayne Raymond