darkside questions

[TerryRuth]

haven't seen enough comments I think m/c tires are under-rated for weight and speed and wet traction . my worries are bead slip and I don't see that issue My MAJOR Concern is SPEED I'm 72 but know top speed of all 6 goldwings except my 1500 my 1800 tops out at 250 kph ..... m/c tire is 130 mph ??? oops how fast have you been DARKSIDERS ?? i DO hear about lift off or precieved rear tire " FLOAT "" FILL ME IN

[TerryRuth]

IVE moved from alberta to vancouver bc never had so much trouble with rear breaking loose moderate throttle second gear SCAREY

[Andy Cote]

I don't know but there are so many variables from one bike ride and rider to the next that I'm not sure my experience would apply to you.

Tires have circumferential deflection at any speed (including zero). To be honest, I can think of a dozen things that worry more at high speed than a V rated automobile tire.

[kwthom]

<...>my 1800 tops out at 250 kph ..... m/c tire is 130 mph ??? oops how fast have you been DARKSIDERS ?? i DO hear about lift off or precieved rear tire " FLOAT "" FILL ME IN

Really?!

The only way a Goldwing will reach that kind of speed is if you throw it out of an aircraft.


Seriously.


There's just too much frontal area to overcome (drag). People elsewhere have done the calculations, and the real world will bear it out - it's in the 130 - 135 MPH range. The bike simply doesn't have the horsepower & gearing to overcome the resistance of air.

The highest speed limit in North America on a public highway is ~135 kph/85 MPH.

Let's just state (for the record) that speeds in excess of 'the ton' have no rear tire concerns that I am aware of. At the present time, I *only* have about 120,000 miles of use of an 'alternate' rear tire configuration on two different GL1800's over the last decade.



Besides, just one little mistake turns you into hamburger, spread out all over that road. About 5500 RPM's in 5th gear is about all it has.

[TerryRuth]

<...>my 1800 tops out at 250 kph ..... m/c tire is 130 mph ??? oops how fast have you been DARKSIDERS ?? i DO hear about lift off or precieved rear tire " FLOAT "" FILL ME IN

Really?!

The only way a Goldwing will reach that kind of speed is if you throw it out of an aircraft.


Seriously.


There's just too much frontal area to overcome (drag). People elsewhere have done the calculations, and the real world will bear it out - it's in the 130 - 135 MPH range. The bike simply doesn't have the horsepower & gearing to overcome the resistance of air.

The highest speed limit in North America on a public highway is ~135 kph/85 MPH.

Let's just state (for the record) that speeds in excess of 'the ton' have no rear tire concerns that I am aware of. At the present time, I *only* have about 120,000 miles of use of an 'alternate' rear tire configuration on two different GL1800's over the last decade.



Besides, just one little mistake turns you into hamburger, spread out all over that road. About 5500 RPM's in 5th gear is about all it has.

well im 72 yrs old past lying and bs ing 2 up ----- i have a witness and i suggest if you cant pull 6300 out of 5th get a tune up ! ! been there 250 is about 150 mph and in second and third at 30-40 mph the front tire gets real light (is it a wheelie ??// not sure ??? have to have 200 lb passenger so YA SERIOUSLY

[GoldWingrGreg]

Probably the fastest I've got is maybe 70mph ... they handle wonky at that speed too.

[keithg64]

I've had my 07 around 110 and that is on a mc tire. I ran a ct before for several thousand miles and in a straight line not much of a problem. However in a corner is a different issue.

I don't think the mc tire would come apart at say 131 but in my opinion ct are for cars and mt are for motorcycles. I've been there, done that.

[Snowmoer]

Here in UT, the speed limit on the freeway is 80 mph. I run my wing with a CT at 80-85 mph all the time and it is rock solid. I went dark side because of longer tire life, cheaper in price, and better wet weather traction, especially when pulling my Roll A Home camper. Yes, the turns took some getting used to, but will never go back to a MC tire on my wing.

[TerryRuth]

just because i got old didn't mean i had to grow up and.... god looks after fools and sinners so i'm double covered miss your hottie pics greg

[TerryRuth]

thanks snow THATS what i wanted to know its rains here weeks on end and i dont know if its the pave or because we have 6 lane parking lots that go for miles that they call roads

[kwthom]

well im 72 yrs old past lying and bs ing 2 up ----- i have a witness and i suggest if you cant pull 6300 out of 5th get a tune up ! ! been there 250 is about 150 mph and in second and third at 30-40 mph the front tire gets real light (is it a wheelie ??// not sure ??? have to have 200 lb passenger so YA SERIOUSLY

February 2001 Motorcycle Consumer News
2001 GL1800
0-60 3.77 sec
1/4 mile 12.14 sec @105.92 mph
Top speed 123 mph


October 2004 Motorcycle Consumer News
2004 GL1800
0-60 4.35 sec
1/4 mile 12.71 sec @102.9 mph
Top speed 129.7 mph



Psst. Rev limiter kicks in just past 6000 RPM in all gears, so the engine -stock- just can't do a darn thing beyond that.

[Andy Cote]

I'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. The Goldwing analog speedometer is hard to read in fine increments and I could easily believe that an indicated 245 kph or so could look like 250 at a quick glance (and at that speed, quick glances is the most you could/should do). Then add in that we all know that wing speedometers are off by as much as 10% and I can be convinced someone could "read" 250kph even though he's traveling at a real speed of 135mph; maybe with a slight downhill run and a tailwind.

So back to the original post, the only way you will know if you find the darkside suitable to your riding style is to try it yourself recognizing the risk of either a complete spontaneous combustion or an amazing sense of peace and safety.

[TerryRuth]

guess EVERYTHING on a goldwing is Screwed ! ! WHY even put a tach
or speedo on them ? ?just went to Surrey from
New West guess my rev limiter is busted OR My tach is broken 2nd gear 6500 fine 6600 6700 doesnt like 6850 but it will get there..... OR MY TACH's broken TOO????
bet you've NEVER tried thom
WANNABE

[TerryRuth]

DON"T think Canadian bikes have it come to think lee sealy in edson claims to have buried his needle too on a C/T

[TerryRuth]

JUST started gps ing will look for error im 200 = 120 mph OFTEN There's plenty of pull left

[TerryRuth]

lees done some wierd CHIT on his 05 wing hauled a skiddoo from
Tomahawk to Drayton valley he has vids and hauled a pallet and 1/2 of house shingles from Drayton to Edson nearly 100
miles MY trailer elec brakes hooked to his taillights unbeleivable ??? I saw it likely 4000 lbs

[AZgl1800]

well im 72 yrs old past lying and bs ing 2 up ----- i have a witness and i suggest if you cant pull 6300 out of 5th get a tune up ! ! been there 250 is about 150 mph and in second and third at 30-40 mph the front tire gets real light (is it a wheelie ??// not sure ??? have to have 200 lb passenger so YA SERIOUSLY

I doubt very seriously that any Goldwing can make 150 mph by watching a GPS, not the lying dash speedometer.... of which, mine reads 6 mph fast at 70 mph, it just gets worse as you pass the 100 mark.
so 150, minus the discrepancy of 10-14 mph by the speedometer, equates to about 135ish.

I have pushed my 1800 up way pass the ton mark many times, and the GPS shows me "Top Speeds" in the 115 mph region every time....

[TerryRuth]

a ton is 160 kph i can twist that out of 3rd gear both 4th and 5th are less than 1 to 1 so 2000 rpm = 40 but 4000 rmp = ?????? 85 ? 95 ? 105??? and what bout 6500 rpm i admiittedly was a little distracted by the red and blue lights flashing behind me and way after sunset

[TerryRuth]

i certainly didnt want a radar verification lol it woulda been $$$$$ they caught a guy between Edson and Hinton over 10 yrs ago at 286 he paid $12.000 got no demerits didnt lose his licience biggest fine EVER in canada at the time

[TerryRuth]

on a bike by the way it still ranks HUGE

[TerryRuth]

BAD thing in BC IS they impound / auction
50 km or over they are allowed
lose it on the spot

[kwthom]

bet you've NEVER tried thom
WANNABE

Sure, I'll be a wannabe all day long.

Talk is cheap, whiskey costs money.

I'm out.

[tamathumper]

Hey kwthom, quit interrupting the conversation TerryRuth is having with himself. It's just rude.

[C-dub]

Maybe the Wing is capable of 130. Maybe not. However, I still gotta ask, why do we care? Many of us here have had sport bikes before and have gone beyond 130. Is it a "just because you can" thing? Because otherwise I really don't see the point of going that fast on a Goldwing.

[kwthom]

Because the OP's original query was related to a perceived 'tire squirm' at those types of speeds on a non-standard tire.

If the bike's front-end is bone stock, there will be a lot of other components that contribute to a less than stable stance, particularly noted at those types of speeds. It's also best to adjust tire pressure to a more ideal setting.