MC Tires in front?

Who's had experience using motorcycle tires on the front of a light roadster? Is this a really terrible idea? A roadster would likely have no more than 500lbs on each wheel so heavy duty tires would not be strained but would cornering traction go straight to hell because of the rounded carcass? Many MC tires have a big open funky looking tread design, I'm thinking here of fat 16 inchers, and they would be a nice visual change from the usual Firestone parade--but not if they're seriously unsafe in a car app because of their construction.

 

Motorcycle tires are not designed/manufactured to operate on a slip angle like an automobile tire.

They do look cool; I started out with a set on the blue roadster because that's what my original roadster had in 1953. Had I finished that first car and had it on the road I would have discovered the lesson long ago. Instead, it took a few thousand miles to see first-hand the effects of a motorcycle tire subjected to car duty. Not only was the wear pattern peculiar and not correctable with rebalance or alignment -- both spot on, the tread cap began separating between the ribs, a most unsettling sight.

Apart from the tread problems, the motorcycle tires would howl under anything more than light braking, indicating that they were always on the limit of control. Also, steering effort was surprisingly high. I would have thought just the opposite would be the case, considering the very small contact patch, but when I replaced them with a pair of 5.50 Firestone Deluxe Champions, like the big donuts on the aft end, steering effort dropped drastically.

Based on my own experience, I say motorcycle tires are a poor choice for the front end of even a very light hot rod that will actually be driven other than to nearby cruise nights.

 

Thanks Mr. B. I figured as much and even though the notional project would only be used for short cruises it sounds like the idea is best abandoned. Lot of T-buckets are running around on skinny MC fronts but most of those I guess would only see hundreds of miles in a year and not thousands. Also a Fab T is hardly intended to be a Solo II hero so the need for grippy front rubber isn't paramount.

 

They are REAL squirly in wet weather. We were driving down to McPhails gig last may in a lite mist and I was driving the roadster p/u around a curve on the interstate (going 55-60mph) and the front end lifted off the pavement and NO traction. I let off the gas and it caught back on the pavement. But every time we saw a curve come up, we SLOWED down alot.

Chris Nelson
Kansas

 

Motorcycles Lean in the curves, cars don't!! Peopel put them on T buckets & they handle for shit & wear horribly.I run small 14" on my T in front. teh old VW front tires are nice if yuor running 15".

 

If you're absolutely stuck on motorcycle tires, look at sidecar tires. They're a little more appropiate for car type suspensions.

An alternative is to use one of the "twin tires". They are very slim and were made in performance compounds. You can't purchase the wheels anymore, but a few motorcycle dealers have bought up the existing stock for use on sidecars.