Tires squaring off

Just wanted to see what your inputs are on this:

I have about 3500 miles on my Metzeler Z6 Roadtechs and they are just starting to square off now. The tires were awesome when first installed but now I'm getting kind of a rear to front squirmy feeling even on straight roads and the bike is definitely more tippy in left hand curves. The tire pressures are right on, no leaks. It almost feels like on riding on an icy road at times. I do ride to work in colder weather but it's 58 degrees right now and the bike still feels a little twitchy. It's not a terrible feeling but one I notice. It was much more pronounced when my stock Dunlop D252s started squaring off. Checked wheel bolts, steering head, swingarm torques, all good. Don't know if lowering the tire pressure a bit our backing off the rear shock would help and would like to know if anyone else gets this sensation as the tire wears. Again it's not a major sensation but one that I worry about more on the morning commute vs. the afternoon commute. Most of my other bikes had harder compound tires so I never really noticed this sensation on them. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Are they just cold tire + cold pavement problems maybe?

Could be. It's around 30 degrees on the morning commute. I had the day off today and took the bike out when it was 58 and sunny. Not as pronounced but still there. wouldn't mind it so much if it were daylight out in the AM so I had more visual awareness of the road. Have to take the car in tomorrow since we're having a meeting so I have to wear my nice clothes and tie which I hate. I'll take her out Sat AM and see if it does just boil down to a temperature/ tire compound issue that i'll have to get used to.

Thanks!

worn out tires tend to get hard. I'm still running my pilot powers with 3900 miles on them. normally I would have changed them by now. they are well into the wear bars and have a noticeable loss of stability. I'll make it tomorrow on them, but as of now I visually inspect them everyday and deside if they'll go another day. this is a new record for mileage on a tire for me. if your tires look anything like these there done, plan on new rubber ASAP!!

wrightme43 said:

Are they just cold tire + cold pavement problems maybe?

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+1 .
cold tires + cold street = low traction

So am I strange then...I'm still running my original, factory Battleaxe tires and I have 20,000km and they are still going strong with a decent amount of tread remaining?!?? My friends are on their 2nd and 3rd sets with about the same mileage? (different bikes) I don't get it.....

Boneman said:

So am I strange then...I'm still running my original, factory Battleaxe tires and I have 20,000km and they are still going strong with a decent amount of tread remaining?!?? My friends are on their 2nd and 3rd sets with about the same mileage? (different bikes) I don't get it.....

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you've got me??? I wish I could get more life out of a tire. whats your riding style?

Thanks guys. I just got the Metzelers on Sep 14 but I do rack up the miles. My tread still looks ok, just squaring a bit. Glad to know I'm not the only one experiencing this. Thanks again.

Boneman said:

So am I strange then...I'm still running my original, factory Battleaxe tires and I have 20,000km and they are still going strong with a decent amount of tread remaining?!?? My friends are on their 2nd and 3rd sets with about the same mileage? (different bikes) I don't get it.....

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I got 14000 kilomets 8900 miles out of my Battle axe tires. It is riding style. Some people lean on the tires and some dont. I try to keep lots O' spare traction available riding on the roads with other people around. Around here we have the wild methhead in junk cars. LOL

I still had some tread left, but I was very near the wear bars.

I am sure you know your tires are getting harder and harder since they are old. If your bike is a 05 depending on build date your tires could be 2004 dated.

It also depends on the pavement where you live in my opinion.

wrightme43 said:

...It also depends on the pavement where you live in my opinion.

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+1.

the expressway is concrete and its hungry for rubber. normally when I get home my rear tire looks like it has a fishnet stalking on with all the rubber rolled up on it.

I think your rear tire is misaligned. The clue is that the bike is more tippy in left hand curves. I believe the primary cause of premature flat spots on rear tires is from misalignment.

Try this. Find a road with no crown and sitting in the middle of the seat, you want to be sure the bike is balanced. Bring the bike to about 20 MPH in 5th gear. Slowly remove hand pressure form the handlebars and see which way the front wheel goes. If it continues to go straight then your rear wheel is in alignment and your problem is something else. If the front wheel goes left then the rear wheel is misaligned and the tire is point to the right(when sitting on the bike). Don't go by the alignment marks on the swingarm because they have known to be wrong. Mine is out by one full mark. :thumbup:

What do you guys think?

Squaring off, feels good still riding, but I worry about traction on the center.

Should I be worried? In the very center of the tire the tread depth is almost gone. This is the original stock back, ~5,500 miles on it.

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gmickey2001 said:

Squaring off, feels good still riding, but I worry about traction on the center.

Should I be worried? In the very center of the tire the tread depth is almost gone. This is the original stock back, ~5,500 miles on it.

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Looks like your are just about done with that tire, it is a shame since there looks to be plenty of meat on the sides but i wouldn't be surprised if you started to see cords coming through soon on the middle of that one, it helps to run a few pounds heavier on the tire pressure to alleviate some of the squaring (scalloping in the front).

Pictures can often be deceiving. The picture taken from the side would indicate there is life left in that tire but you really need to measure the tire at the wear bars located inside the tread grove as this will tell you how much actual life is left. No doubt the tire needs a good set of twisties as that one looks like it has spent a bit of time on the super slab. As previously mentioned, be sure the tire pressure is up and find a corkscrew of a road some where to round that tire off.

Yeah, it is even or below the wear bars in that center strip.

Tons of other area tread, but unfortunately 80 to 90 % of my miles are as you said "on the slab".

Even when I am on the twisties, I tend to be pretty mellow.

With 2 1/2 and 6 1/2 year old kids, I don't take too many uneccesary risks on the bike. So even if I do lean it over from time to time, I'm not pushing it.

I have never had either tire break loose on me, not even a little.

I gave the front a good look too. It is also near the wear bars and beginning to scallop a little.

I plan to put a set of Pilot Road 2 s on shortly after the first of the year.

$360 OTD mounted and balanced. Pricey, but maybe I can get 10K out of them instead of 5.5K. :thumbup:

gmickey2001 said:

Yeah, it is even or below the wear bars in that center strip.

Tons of other area tread, but unfortunately 80 to 90 % of my miles are as you said "on the slab".

Even when I am on the twisties, I tend to be pretty mellow.

With 2 1/2 and 6 1/2 year old kids, I don't take too many uneccesary risks on the bike. So even if I do lean it over from time to time, I'm not pushing it.

I have never had either tire break loose on me, not even a little.

I gave the front a good look too. It is also near the wear bars and beginning to scallop a little.

I plan to put a set of Pilot Road 2 s on shortly after the first of the year.

$360 OTD mounted and balanced. Pricey, but maybe I can get 10K out of them instead of 5.5K. :thumbup:

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try putting a few extra PSI in the new tires when you get them, it will make the tire harder and the contact path small with will give you less grip, btu it doesn't sound like you are using it anyway, but will help prevent as bad of a flat spot.

reiobard said:

try putting a few extra PSI in the new tires when you get them, it will make the tire harder and the contact path small with will give you less grip, btu it doesn't sound like you are using it anyway, but will help prevent as bad of a flat spot.

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This could also cause the center to wear faster if the bike generally plays on the slab or roads with a lack of turns. Lowering the pressure will increase heat but also increase the width of the contact patch making the wear pattern wider and more even across the width of the tire. Bottom line is the bike needs more twisties...

I'm determined to get 10,000 out of my stock Dunlops. I have 9700 miles on them right now. I still have some depth on my tires, but they are squaring off a bit, but it doesn't bother me. Just taking it easy from here on out. I'll probably be changing a new set sometime next month.

VEGASRIDER said:

I'm determined to get 10,000 out of my stock Dunlops. I have 9700 miles on them right now. I still have some depth on my tires, but they are squaring off a bit, but it doesn't bother me. Just taking it easy from here on out. I'll probably be changing a new set sometime next month.

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That's about where I was. I got like 10,200 out of mine.

HavBlue said:

That's about where I was. I got like 10,200 out of mine.

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You guys that are trying to get all that milage out of your stock tires are in for a wonderful surprise when you finally put new good rubber on your bikes...

I'm on my 3rd tire now. Personally, I hated the stock Dunlops and I liked the Storm ST at first, but didn't like the way the front tire cupped so quickly... I won't buy Avon tires again.

I went with the Pilot Power 2CTs and it's so fun getting new tires! :thumbup:

i once got only 120 km out of a rear tire...i put it on, rode out of town, had my lisence plate fall into the rear tire and grind it down, then rode back into town and had it changed again. that was a gret day.