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How bad are my tires

3K views 29 replies 17 participants last post by  Boulevardmandan 
#1 ·
I am planning on a new set for spring but wondering just how bad they are and how much of a hurry I should be in. The sides seem good at the wear indicator but the center is my main concern.
 

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#3 ·
Your tires on done.... It's the only thing between you and the pavement. Don't be foolish and ride more than around the block on those tires.
 
#4 ·
Tires look old with cracking happening in the first picture. Since you used the penny, you obviously know the rule about the Abe's head being entirely visible. Time to shop around and make the tire change.

Just don't ask us which tires you should buy. You will create a fire storm and even though it is winter and most of us don't have as much time to ride, we would like to remain somewhat friendly with each other...at least on this thread.
 
#5 ·
I wouldn't be going far on those.
Whats the "date stamp" say? A lot of cracking visible, even ON the tread
 
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#6 ·
Yup!! Done like dinner. Stick a fork in them and put on a new set..

You only considering section of the tire with the maximum wear.
 
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#10 ·
dwaldo, get you a trickle charger to maintain your battery. Short rides around the block aren't going to do much charging and a blowout at low speed is not good either because going from air to no air especially on the front tire equals very heavy steering and possibility of a crash.
Save yourself the legal trouble, insurance hassle, bike damage and potential injuries and get a new set of rubber.
 
#8 ·
You live in Florida? Run them till you see cord, as long as you're not riding in the rain or very far from home. Ideally, you'd have two sets of wheels so you can swap out questionable tires for long rides, like I do. You'd also be very familiar with exactly how many miles you can get out of your specific model tire.
 
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#9 ·
Change any tire below 2/32, even if it is just one side. General rule is:
Minimum legal is 2/32", but minimum for rain is 4/32". Most tire gauges show caution (yellow) below 6/32.
2/32 - To Lincolns head on a penny
4/32 - To Lincolns hair/forehead line on a penny
6/32 - To Lincolns eyebrow on a penny.

Riding around locally I let them get close to 3/32". Before I leave for any major trip, 4/32" is the minimum for me as I ride rain or shine. It is not unusual to wear a 1/32 or more off in 3000 miles, especially it if is really HOT and you are riding loaded with gear or riding aggressively. Even with road crowns, my tires wear evenly. I would guess you are riding below proper tire pressure to have uneven wear.

Replace, the life you save will be your own and your entire riding experience will be better with good traction.
 
#11 ·
the life of a tire is maximum six years after six they start to break down from age .
these aren't your fathers type of tire where you run them on the cords.
you have a choice spend 200 to 300 bucks on good tires or take a chance on having someone wipe your but for the rest of your life or worse yet you are dead because you were too cheap to buy new tires!


I compare tires to windshield wipers on a car, people neglect to change them until it rains , lots of people wont worry about tires until they wreck
 
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#12 ·
When you check the tread depth on a tire, you check ALL aspects of the tire. The SMALLEST measurement is what you use to determine whether the tire is considered "worn out" or not. Your center is WAY below 2/32 and is no longer safe to ride on. Park the bike, buy a tire. Only ride it to the nearest shop to have that tire changed.

While you're at it, inspect your front as well. The date code is a 4 digit number molded into the sidewall. The first two numbers are the week of manufacture. The second are the year. If the front tire is older then "10", you need to replace it as well, due to age.

The alternative is having a catastrophic and unexpected tire failure that causes you to lose control of the bike, get thrown and possibly killed. Your choice.
 
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#15 ·
Officially, this is my answer too.



Unofficially, I've run my last eight rear tires right to the cord, local riding only, where I can monitor the tire condition closely. I love how you guys dramatize the dangers of riding.
 
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#14 ·
Dunlop D404 do not last. I was lucky to get 5000 miles out of the rear and 7k out of the front. You'll replace them 2 even 3 times in the same distance that a better (more expensive) tire would last....
 
#22 ·
Besides age.
Ozone breaks down tires. Ozone in a shop comes from an poorly running electric motor.
Sunlight and UV break down tires. Even through a window unless UV protected.
Dampness breaks down tires. Often comes from what looks like dry cement. If your bike sits for a long time, place it on a sheet of plywood or use a carpet runner.
Move your bike around if it sits for a long time, compression in one spot breaks down tires. Move the bike thereby rotating the tires or lift it off the ground on a stand.
Some oils/chemicals break down tires. Be careful of overspray and use cleaners neutral to tire materials.
In normal riding, these have little effect as wear forces the rider to change the tire before these effects could cause a failure. These factors matter when a bike is stored for a long time, say longer than 3-4 months or when one of these factors is maximized.
Normal riding flexes a tires normally, warms a tire thereby drying it, and keeps UV even for the entire tire. More tire damage is done by improper inflation than any other cause.
 
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#25 ·
Oh and phil is right. If you lived where I live you'd already be in the hospital with those tires. You live in florida, just run them to the chords.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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#26 ·
I bought my 06 in 2015 with 10k miles on it. The rear tire was so bad during my test ride I went back and said I want to buy the bike but only if the rear tire was replaced. I really should of asked for both. They tossed on a cheap Shinko branded tire (I've had good luck on smaller lighter bikes with that brand) and I took it home. I rode a full season and a half about 3000 miles when I realized the front tire was actually the OEM factory tire with a late 04 date code. So I asked on here and went with a Michelin Commander II tire as they game me a heck of a deal over the Metz 888. After one ride I took the bike in and had the same tire mounted in on the rear. My advice get the best tire the commander or the Metz in a matching set and it makes a world of difference. With the commander on the front and the Shinko rear the bike was I'll handling in the corners. The front was nice and solid feeling and the rear felt like it was about to come out from under me.. the tire shop actually destroyed the front getting it off it was so hard and brittle. But when they showed me my rear tire with 3k miles on it. I had a total flat spot already, with flat spots from being parked but the funny thing it had a 2007 date code. Guess the Honda dealer I bought it at just found whatever fit in the warehouse to get me to buy the bike.
 
#27 ·
Of course they did. It got a worthless tire out of their shop ( that should not have been there) and it got a bike out of their inventory. It was a win-win for them and shows how much they cared about you and your safety with an old tire.
 
#28 ·
Yep. I really pay attention now as well, even the Commander II I ordered from JP cycle was 4 years old by the date. No issue with the return and for one that matches the date code of my front. That Honda shop is know to do some shady stuff, I saw a new tire and it was a Shinko figured I'd only get a few thousand out of it anyway. Never even dawned on me to check the date code on it.. But for as cheap as I got the bike, I wasn't arguing. I'm sold on these Commander IIs. Friend put a set on his Connie and didn't like them for some reason but they seem to do the job for the Bully. I may try the 888s next, but from what I understand these tires May last me many miles anyway. I am hoping to find a C90 at some point.
 
#30 ·
it will read tear then month like 1534 2015, 34th week..
 
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