The tire is cupping because they have 4500 miles on them, but its cracking in between the tread. Right were they have the deep oblong shaped C's in the middle looks raised a bit and in the those tread grooves it looks like its dry rotting. The sides have no cracks at all and I have a feeling that even knowing I am only about half way through the tread life I have to replace it. The rear tire is flattening some but it doesn't have any cracks in the grooves at all. The bike handles fine I am just scared that I am going to have a blowout while I am riding 2up in the mountains.
The bike did sit for a long time before I started riding around the end of may this year. It was out of commission due to a Chicago winter before I moved to Az and then had to sit for a year long deployment due to being recalled from the IRR. I maybe put 1000 miles before I put it away and since I have been back I put a little over 3500 on them so far.
I just want to know if I should just ride it out till they wear or if I should replace them with a new set. I am betting on the latter, but will be optimistic.
I would put a new set on, just for the piece of mind. I don't think you would have even bothered to ask if it wasn't bothering you huh? Sounds like they are at least 3 years old?
BTW, if your riding in the desert now get used to putting on a set every 4500-5000 miles, the heat in the summers here eat them up fast.
I figure that if I get 4k out of a set that I've gotten my $ worth. And anyway - a new set of tires is cheaper than plastic and medical bills. Just my $.02.
If the cracks are just at the base of the tread and are small, don't worry about it. That part of the tire flexes quite a bit. The Metzler Tourance on the rear of my bike did that. After wearing it out and getting a new tire, i can see where it is flexing at the base just like the old tires.
Could be Ozone attacking the rubber on your tires.
Do you park near any big electric motors??
The new tires on my Hawk GT started cracking badly within one year after I started parking it regularly near a mechnical room with big electric motors (HVAC fans and pumps for hydraulic elevators) in the underground parking structure of the apartment I live in back in the early 90's
I am going to replace them just for some peace of mind.
My Dad took a look at them and came up to the conclusion that the tread is starting to separate. Because, its a big crack that follows the whole inside of the raised tread from the cupping. On tires I have worn before on other bikes I've never had this problem thats why I posted it. I have seen some cupping and that but never this.
I would be more worried about them letting go cause the natural oils have dried out and cracked the rubber - doubt you will get a blow out the carcase had a very very thick steel belt, I installed a set on my buddies Concours and they are very strong sidewalls steel belts. Just not as grippy as they used to be. New rubber I would get new tires.
Vee-eff-rrr they aren't cracking in the tread because of wear they are cracking because the bike sat for over a year. The bike sat because of my deployment and they looked fine when I started riding toward the end of may this year. I rode an R6 for a couple years and used these tires without any hiccups and they wore great.
Fortunately for me during this part of the season Cycle gear was throwing a sale which I was able to get a military discount on top of.
I picked up a PR2 and pilot power front for 319 which included mounting/balancing. I went with this setup because of Bailey Rider's post
and the rave reviews on here. Plus for the price it was there and I want to go riding this weekend as I just finished finals for the semester.
The pilot power has such a sharp profile it has me a little worried and because of this setup I was able to save $40.
End of thread · 11 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 7 Jan 2011