I went double dark on my Gold Wing.
Car tire on the back. A rear motorcycle tire on the front. I bought the tires online and mounted them in my own garage. This site is the stuff I wish I'd found in one place before I started, plus what other riders have reported on their bikes.
Riders report 195/55 and 195/60 measure about the same across. About 1/4 inch of swingarm clearance. One P7 rider calls it tight and runs 47 to 50 psi.
One inexpensive 195/60 touched the inner fender. The rider fixed it with a heat gun.
This is the car tire on my own Gold Wing, run double dark with a Bridgestone BT46 up front. I bought it from SimpleTire and mounted it myself, and I've been very happy with it.
The most commonly reported choice. Some riders run 60-series or 205 widths. Stiff run-flat sidewalls are a big part of the appeal.
A rider reports it fits fine, since it's narrower than stock, and says the 2018-and-later swingarm has a cutout for the tire. Reports for this generation are still thin.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
Called the most popular size. About stock height. May need the nut cage mod.
Shorter than stock, so it may not need the nut cage mod.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
Run on a stock rim. The rider says he loved it.
About 10,000 miles reported. Size not stated.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
One rider measures his Kumho at about 25.4 inches, the same as stock.
Mentioned as an option.
About 6,000 miles at roughly 30 psi. Works well, but it wants to stay upright in turns and over road dips.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
A Road Glide Ultra sidecar rider prefers this size: about the same height as stock and 0.6 inch wider. He also weighed 195/55R16 and 205/55R16. Sizes discussed, not yet ridden.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
No rider reports yet for this bike. If you run a car tire on one, I'd love to hear what fits.
Recommended by a longtime darksider. He says 245 is the widest that fits between the swingarm.
About 30,000 miles per tire against roughly 10,000 on the stock rear, according to one rider on his third.
Several riders like the grip. About the same diameter as stock, slightly narrower. Few high-mileage reports yet.
Tire makers and motorcycle makers do not approve car tires on motorcycles. Honda has said plainly it considers it inappropriate. I'm a rider sharing what I did and what others report, not a mechanic or an engineer, and nothing here is tested or verified. If you go this route, the decision and the risk are yours. Live in an inspection state? Check this first. The full disclaimer is here.
The short version
Tread life
The big draw. A Spyder rider reports about 30,000 miles on a car tire against roughly 10,000 on the stock rear. Wing guys report similar gaps.
Cost
A car tire in a common 16-inch size usually costs a fraction of a touring rear. Fewer changes adds to the savings.
Wet roads
Riders keep bringing up rain. A wide, flat contact patch with car-style siping is a big part of why people stay.
The trade-off is handling. A car tire has a square shoulder, so the bike takes more effort to lean and wants to stand back up over road crowns and ruts. Riders who stick with it say you adjust. Riders who go back say you shouldn't have to.
Find your bike
Stock sizes and rider-reported car tire sizes for 19 bikes, Gold Wing to Rocket III.
Check a size
Compare a car tire to your stock tire. See the height, width and speedometer difference before you buy.
Mount it yourself
Lots of shops won't touch a car tire on a bike rim. Here's how I did it at home.
The best darkside tire for a Gold Wing GL1800
The size nearly every GL1800 darksider lands on, the tire I actually run, and what to check before you buy.
From the garageCar tire on a motorcycle: the honest pros and cons
What you gain, what you give up, and the scary stuff that turns out to be mostly forum lore.