Car Tire on the front?

[Strat]

I put the Voyager conversion kit on my wife's Yamaha V Star 1300. Took a few iterations with shims and test rides to get it perfectly level - but past that challenge now.

What remains is some reluctance on the part of this configuration to make right angle turns. Whether turning from a side street and accelerating into traffic, or slowing to turn at a right angle to a side street - I can feel the bike slipping on the front tire (which certainly wasn't designed to turn the bike in a perfectly upright position).

I can slow WAY down (to around 10-15 mph) and it doesn't slide, but I can't help thinking more tread on the ground that is designed to be upright would be an improvement in this bike configuration (in other words - a car tire).

I did talk to MTC Voyager. When asked, "is there any adjustment I can perform to avoid having to reduce my right angle turn speed by half (from a normal motorcycle speed) to avoid the front tire slipping?" The MTC Voyager installer's response was "no".

I think a wider contact patch on a tire that was designed to remain upright would help, but don't know what size tire to look for nor has anyone come forward to verify that this improves matters with a trike kit. The MTC Voyager guy did say some customers had done it, but none had reported back to them after the fact to verify whether it was better, the same, or worse.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[Nana]

Hi Strat, and welcome to TrikeTalk.<br />
I do know that a number of our members have very positive experience with putting Michelin Pilot Active on the front wheel of their trike, just selecting a size comparable to the size of your current front tire. <br />
<br />
However, I think some of your cornering problem is because the front end is not raked. When you put a regular trike kit on, it is highly recommended to rake the front end with EZ steer or something comparable --- usually somewhere between 4.5 -6 degrees. This gives the effect of power steering to the trike.<br />
That said, it isn't recommended with the Voyager kit, as it is not considered a permanent trike, and the rake kit may negatively affect handling if you ever take the Voyager off and just go back to two wheels.

 

[Papa Zook]

Check ALL four tire pressures and make sure they are set right. Prob 41lbs on the front tire and 20 on the two Voyager tires, not sure on the rear but likely 41lbs as well. This is VERY important to the handling. Also make sure the alignment is right in relation to the distance of the outside wheels to the rear wheel. Measure from each fender to the sidewall of the rear tike and adjust the large right or left main belly bolt as needed. Third, are you sure you have the belly plate shimmed properly? Ive done a many an install of these and never had as much a problem turning as you are describing. If you need to talk via phone, give me a call at 334-648-0157 and maybe I can help.
Zook

 

[Strat]

I do have the pressure set per the manufacturers guidelines (36 front, 41 rear, and 20 on the two voyager tires). The belly pan is properly shimmed to produce a perfectly level motorcycle and the rear wheel is exactly centered on the voyager frame (to 1/16th of an inch). The bike rides perfectly upright on a flat (interstate) surface. It is sensitive to road crown. When in the left lane of a divided high way it leans a tiny bit left and in the right lane a tiny bit right and if you ride on the flat center - no lean. It does not pull at all and handles mild turns with ease. The rear suspension arms are preloaded to 1/2 inch per the installation guide and the bike stays quite upright with only a little lean even when the front tire starts to slide on a severe (right angle or acute) turn.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
The only thing that still concerns me before I turn this loose on my wife is that I can feel the front tire begin to slide at even 65-70 percent of normal speed in a right angle turn. I'm no young dude and I don't hit turns hard - probably 20-25 normally for a sharp right angle. With the kit on, above 10-15 mph I can feel the front tread begin to slip and the bike slide through the turn arc at a tangent. Of course, just backing off the throttle brings it back to grip for me, but I've been riding motorcycles for 40 years.<br />
<br />
My wife is a newbie and isn't sure / confident enough of her riding strength (and knees taking any weight) to ride a bike big enough to take to the road with me.

She maxed out at her Vespa, but no longer is satisfied always being a passenger when we strike out on the weekend rides (which are typically all day or the weekend).<br /><br />
<br /><br />
This is why we got her the 1300 and the trike kit, but I don't want her to get in over her head and vector off in a turn. I'm too old, ornery, and ugly to replace her after 31 years together. Well, maybe I always was ornery and ugly - but I'm not young any more. I could use help increasing the friction that front tire lays down on the pavement in a sharp turn. Does the rake give the tire more leverage to affect the turn? Has anyone tried a wider or flatter tread to increase the friction?

 

[Papa Zook]

Adding rake should not affect the grip the front tire has on the road. Changing the tire would have the most affect.

 

[Gorilla]

Strat welcome aboard. The installer would not make a recommandation because of liability issues. I have not heard of at car front tire being installed. Has been talked about on here but not done that I am aware of. The Stallion comes with one.

 

[Strat]

Posted the issue on the Yamaha V Star 1300 Delphi forum asking those who dabble in the darkside (car tires) for advice. While it seems the most common solution to this problem on this (trike) forum is the Pilot Activ rear tire mounted directionally backwards, the 1300 has a 130/90 16 on the front, and it doesn't seem that the Pilot Activ is sold in that size.<br />
<br />
The darkside 1300 response was that they don't run car tires on the front, but they run rear tires mounted directionally backwards on the front instead. Their tire of choice is the Pirelli MT66 (in 130/90 16). I searched this (trike) forum for a triker's feedback on the Pirelli MT66, but found none.<br />
<br />
Anyone out there try a MT66 rear tire on the front?

 

[rodeo1]

no, but they are the best i have ever found for my mustang.