Is This Tire Cupping Or Just Wear?

The OEM BT020 on my 04 ABS after 11K miles. No complaints about the ride, but just curious about how it looks
and have no confidence in the info from the local shop. Thanks in advance.

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Looks like both. More cupping, IMHO. Bit tough to tell, from the pic. Looks over inflated, what do you run it at?

In my limited experience - I'd say that's cupping. 11,000 miles ? you serious? Thats about twice or even more what most people would do on their same tires.

I'd say the tire owes you nothing and with it - you're riding on borrowed time.

[image: View Post]Kanadian Ken, on Apr 5 2009, 07:32 PM, said:

In my limited experience - I'd say that's cupping. 11,000 miles ? you serious? Thats about twice or even more what most people would do on their same tires.

I'd say the tire owes you nothing and with it - you're riding on borrowed time. :+1: My 020 looked like that after 6,000,,, went to 021's no problem with those,, but everyone here will tell ya the Mich's are best. For me I like the 021's,, until I put the rear 016 on Friday,,,,, oooooh yah I like it :biggrin:

BTW, I have 36,000 on the bike now

36 psi & yes, 11K

I figured it's about time for a new one. The rear is a BT021, new last year. Looks like another BT021 would be ~$110.

I set the light up so that the shape could be seen better. I guess I don't ride very hard... :rolleyes:

[image: View Post]pserve, on Apr 5 2009, 11:03 PM, said:

36 psi & yes, 11K

I figured it's about time for a new one. The rear is a BT021, new last year. Looks like another BT021 would be ~$110.

I set the light up so that the shape could be seen better. I guess I don't ride very hard... :rolleyes:

WoW if you had run it at a higher pressure it looks like you could have gotten another 5k out of it!! You are seeing the stereotype low pressure mohawk wear pattern! I am sure the rear feels pretty squirmy now.

Lots of commuting yes?

Typical 020.
Hopefully you have the very last one ever made.

11K miles is tremendous. All those bashing the 020 are happy to get 5K out of a tire, hard to complain about 11K. Not sure why fast wear is ok, but odd wear after 2x the miles is bad.

btw, I use 021s and I love them. Just spooned a new rear tire on last night. terrible mileage from the Pirelli (sport tire naturally)...I have higher expectations. I will say this about the Pirelli...it was worn to the cords in a 3" patch the full circumference of the tire, and it never went flat. When I finally removed it the middle was so soft I could push it to the rim once the air was gone.

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Apr 23 2009, 03:39 PM, said:

I will say this about the Pirelli...it was worn to the cords in a 3" patch the full circumference of the tire, and it never went flat. When I finally removed it the middle was so soft I could push it to the rim once the air was gone.
Had the same condition on my Pirellis last fall.
Only mine went flat 1 day before it was due to be replaced. :angry: Had a new set of Michelins waiting in the garage for the weekend too. :rolleyes:

[image: View Post]Tightwad, on Apr 24 2009, 05:39 AM, said:

11K miles is tremendous. All those bashing the 020 are happy to get 5K out of a tire, hard to complain about 11K. Not sure why fast wear is ok, but odd wear after 2x the miles is bad.

I managed 9k from mine so I was happy with the longevity... but that's about it.
I don't like any tyre that wears odd.
Nor did I like the road noise they made around the halfway lean angle.
I found they were rock hard with scarey wet grip.

The 021's are a vast improvement with both grip and longevity in mind.

[image: View Post]pserve, on Apr 5 2009, 08:23 PM, said:

The OEM BT020 on my 04 ABS after 11K miles. No complaints about the ride, but just curious about how it looks
and have no confidence in the info from the local shop. Thanks in advance.

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Let me tell ya, I take one look at your tire, No doubt you have crap turning performance

this is the way you want it to look

PPOWER ORIGINAL , only thing I run
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/ho...tersCookies.jpg

normal wear. Time to change it. I have no idea how anyone gets that sort of mileage outta tires. :blink:


I'd be way more worried about it being an 04 tire (maybe even a 03). I wouldn't ride on that tire at all. I'd have changed it long before it got that condition. I know you think the ride is ok still, but wait until you put a good bun back on there and then see how it feels. :cool:

this is the way you want it to look

PPOWER ORIGINAL , only thing I run
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q190/ho...tersCookies.jpg
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meh...I still see lots of rubber left on the edges. No biggie if ya got it worn just off center. :comp13:

Feel free to post yours Lucky, is it all square and uneven wear like the orginal pick

Wow, this thread has certainly taken off the second time around...

I guess the "secret" to long tire life is just easy riding. I'm not after speed or performance. Simply
being out on two wheels is good enough for me.

I was planning on changing it this year anyway, but I was curious how it looked to everyone. Apparently,
the consensus is that it's overdue and abnormal. So, I'll take care of it.

YOU NEED NEW TIRE :wacko:

pilot powers, I wish I was rich so I could change tires every 2.5 weeks, that is just about how long pps last for me on the street. a 1,200mi back tire and a 1,800mi front just do not cut it. :angry:

I dont run the rears, because of life

I run about 37 cold psi in the front, aides alot with life , I get every bit the milege that an(iron wearing met z4) will get

and 70 % what a Z6 front will get, all in all, the tires perfomance is so good, and the life is still pretty good for what it provides. Why buy a tire that, at 60/70 percent of like starts degrading, when this one gives, all the way to the grave.

I guess if all your road is up and down sub 40 mph rated supermoto type stuff, that would wear at quicker rate

[image: View Post]spud786, on Apr 23 2009, 08:50 PM, said:

Feel free to post yours Lucky, is it all square and uneven wear like the orginal pick



not hardly :rolleyes: I'm lucky to get 5k out of sporttouring rubber, 3k out of sporty rubber. Less if I get to AR a couple of times.
This is how I manage my tire profile. This was on my ZRX. I don't talk what I can't back up. Trackday in June @ Texas World Speedway, why don't you come join me? You're closer to the track than I am.
http://www.vfrdiscus...showtopic=50847

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Meh, i've seen more impressive form from vfr riders here. Not saying i'm there, just saying it isn't that impressive. Also not sure about your comment on Tight's front. Looks pretty wore except that last bit on the outside. Lets me know he is probably running the PACE and not trail braking into turns.

And as for the comments about who gets what mileage, etc. Everyone rides differently. Some quicker some slower. Different road surfaces, set up, etc determines wear. I run through fronts with in 100 miles of my rear...trail braking or not. More to do with my suspension settings then anything else. Some people get two rears per front... the front with the same miles as my entire set.
and if you need to see my credentials...

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To my point... guys eff off with the pissing match on tire wear. What's the matter, oil threads no longer provide the thrill? Almost everyone i ride with can wear tires to the edge. woop-de-do-da! MOST of us also wear the centers more because unlike WEEKEND warriors we commute on them as well! EDIT: or trailer to the twisties...

"MOST of us also wear the centers more because unlike WEEKEND warriors we commute on them as well! EDIT: or trailer to the twisties..."
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Ahmen Brother :excl: :biggrin: espically the last bit!!!!


or we are a little bit of a lard ass :491:

No kidding.....i agree.

It seems this tire wear issue goes both ways.....some will like to brag about how long they got out of their tires, or how many miles...(which is good), but on the other end of the spectrum there's those that seem to boast how FEW of miles they get out of theirs (hinting at how fast of riders they are.)

Bottom line is, the numbers really dont matter that much, unless numbers and mileages are consistent within similar bikes in similar locations (types of roads), and of course type of riders. THEN one can get a feel for the lifespan of a certain tire.

And BTW, the pics of that front tire look like how BOTH my front Roadsmarts looked after a couple thousand miles. They warranted both of them, and we put the credit towards my new set of Pilot Roads. ;)

I don't talk what I can't back up. Trackday in June @ Texas World Speedway, why don't you come join me? You're closer to the track than I am.
))))))))))



I'll be riding , but More than likely to the West than east Texas. Your pic looks like west of Sanantone, where's it at?

I'll be riding , but More than likely to the West than east Texas. Your pic looks like west of Sanantone, where's it at?
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Up near Eureka Springs, AR. There are tons of great roads up there...but shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, not a lot of cops either. ;) I try to get up there as much as I can to ride...it's nothing to do 1200 miles in a three day romp up there. :wheel: Will be heading up there on May 20th-25th, staying in Eureka Springs. Camping at a camp ground and riding, riding and then some more riding. :warranty:

I agree, on miles dont mean the same thing for one person as the other.

But percentages do

say you run a z6 rear, and get 4000 mile on average another guy may get 8,000 right?

kinda meaningless , but it forms a base

in this case these 2 guys know what they are getting on this particular tire, if say the 4,000 guy says this other X tire gets 5,000 on average, then the 8,000 mile guy will more than likely get 10,000 mile on that tire.

as long as you have some kinda of base to work off of , the percentages work okay on various riders which will translate into their particular milege.


Thats why when somebody tells me they are getting a certain milege, I would want to know what some kinda of base tire we've both run, and the more bases the better for the potential result on accuracy.

I've had alot of trouble finding any Rear sportourtire with any performance that can get anywhere near 5,000 mile, bt21's and z6's between 3500 and 4100 mile sub wear bar or on the steel , the Proad 2 I can actually break 5,000 mile on the tire. Thats a great feat, for a tire that also offers Great performance, comparitively to what i've seen elswhere.

Picture of the tire wasn't mine...mine show true road commuter tread life. Bit hard to scrub the sides when your day consists of 10 urban DFW miles each way. There is this one downhill 90 degree corner I like, but as I am in reverse when I negotiate it backing down the driveway it isn't as thrilling as it sounds.

I agree there are some GREAT roads in Arkansas....had a blast a year ago riding the easy roads with Dutch and HS....my first corners and the smile on my face got painful.