Unusual Tire Wear?

[Nick J]

5000 miles doesn't seem like very much to me. I have the TRIPLE compound BT-016 rear tire and the dual compound BT-016 front tire. I replaced both tires at 11,400 miles, got a flat on the rear and bought a new one about 14,500 miles and I now have just about 21,000 miles on the bike. The front is definitely gone, and I still have quite a bit of tread left on the rear. That's almost 10,000 miles on the front, although I should have replaced them about a thousand miles ago, and over 6000 miles on the rear with several thousand miles left. I run about 36 psi front and rear, give or take a couple of pounds.These tires are definitely SPORT tires and I am more than pleased with their performance. I ride pretty darn hard in the twisties and I don't do a lot of freeway riding, but I do get a fair share of freeway miles. AND I ride double a lot. My next set will be the same ones. So you might want to do as you said and try to get some sort of compromise on the price of aother new tire. You might want to also check on the ride and performance of a set of BT-016,s. And I think the front tire wears out sooner than the rear.

 

[chunkygoat]

5,000 miles on a tire? (Gulp)

...what's that supposed to mean?!

is that good or bad?

 

[paper]

34-35 front, 38-40 rear.

Higher than the "book", but typical pressure that would be run in a touring situation. I normally run 35f and 38r for pressure, too.

 

[Tailgate]

...what's that supposed to mean?!

is that good or bad?

Gawd, Chunkygoat---I think it's terrible! Dang, reminds me of my neighbor when he raced his blown jet boat. He would overhaul motor after every race. I guess that's all you can get out of a sticky tire: 5,000 miles? Geesh. I rode my BT020's for 17,000 miles before replacing them. That would be over three sets of those Michelins models.

 

[paper]

Geesh. I rode my BT020's for 17,000 miles before replacing them.

REALLY?? The former owner of my bike put 7500 on it, and her boyfriend was a tire pressure nut!! 37 in the rear and checked/topped if needed before every ride.. She was very easy on the throttle and brakes, too.
I squeezed another 1500 out of it and was between carcass and cords (through initial rubber, but cords weren't yet seen) when I changed it yesterday at 9050 miles.. Factory BT020..

Hell, I thought that was good!!

 

[necrotimus]

http://www.600riders.com/forum/tire-tech-talk/33180-why-do-tires-wear-answers-inside.html

 

[Tailgate]

REALLY?? Hell, I thought that was good!!

You should see some of the athletic shoes I still have. Yup, 17K miles (not km's) but the cord was definitly showing on the rear tire (still held air). I didn't mind because I was just doing a 10 min, neighborhood commute to my nearby job. But, one of the guys where I work was blowing twinkies that I rode on such a poor tire. I explained, that it would merely be an inconvenience to get a flat on the route---wasn't as if my life was at risk.

 

[DefyInertia]

Vegas, can you post pictures of your pures when they have 8,000 miles on them and then again at 12,000?

5000 miles doesn't seem like very much to me. I have the TRIPLE compound BT-016 rear tire and the dual compound BT-016 front tire. I replaced both tires at 11,400 miles, got a flat on the rear and bought a new one about 14,500 miles and I now have just about 21,000 miles on the bike. The front is definitely gone, and I still have quite a bit of tread left on the rear. That's almost 10,000 miles on the front, although I should have replaced them about a thousand miles ago, and over 6000 miles on the rear with several thousand miles left. I run about 36 psi front and rear, give or take a couple of pounds.These tires are definitely SPORT tires and I am more than pleased with their performance. I ride pretty darn hard in the twisties and I don't do a lot of freeway riding, but I do get a fair share of freeway miles. AND I ride double a lot. My next set will be the same ones. So you might want to do as you said and try to get some sort of compromise on the price of aother new tire. You might want to also check on the ride and performance of a set of BT-016,s. And I think the front tire wears out sooner than the rear.

I got more mileage out of pilot powers (5 to 6K) than BT016s.

My current set of 16s has 2,500 miles on it and the front is at the wear bars on the sides. I'm going to keep running the front past the wear bars until the rear uses up the wear bars at which point I will consider my options.

How far are you guys running your tires? Until they are bald or the cords are showing?

I start thinking about replacing my tires when I'm well into the wear bars, which is generally when I start to notice a decline in dry grip, which is when I know that wet grip can't be what is used to be due to lack of siping, but before I have to limp around due to lack of tire performance. My riding is mostly on curvy roads and I have camping gear loaded up 75% of the time...I don't use my bike for commuting or anything.

I will post pictures of my 16s as they sit now.

Here is the last set I took off...these are BT-002 which are softer than whats being discussed here but still provides a reference point. These had about 2,500 miles on them (including one track day) and I do NOT usually run tires this far but I had my reasons and they were performing ok up until the last day on my way home.

REar

Front

 

[scottfarm]

Get you a gallon of roofing tar for $10 at Lowe"s and spread on the tire with a bondo spreader and let it dry and you can get a few more miles out of it. Or find a road they are paving somewhere and run through the wet tar they lay down before they put the asphalt down. That's what I used to do when I was a kid and had no money.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Vegas, can you post pictures of your pures when they have 8,000 miles on them and then again at 12,000?

If I remember....not a problem.

They aren't even three weeks old and I already have 4500 miles on them. According to some riders here on this post, it's time to change them.

 

[DefyInertia]

If I remember....not a problem.

They aren't even three weeks old and I already have 4500 miles on them. According to some riders here on this post, it's time to change them.

But its not like you're going to keep putting on that many miles every three weeks, right? You'll be getting a new engine soon if you do!

Have not seen anyone say that. When they are worn out, they are worn out...mileage will vary.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Just got back from our local Two Wheel Tuesday that a local Vegas Forum holds everyweek.

I was having dinner with a guy that I have known for a couple of years now. He's an everyday rider like myself, as his R6 is his only ride.

He's 250 lbs and got over 11,000 miles on his Pilot Powers. Change them only because he picked up a nail. He has the Pilot Road II's on them now, he's at 11,000 miles now, and he expects to get 20k on these.

Honestly to the OP. How often did you check your tire pressure? And what did you have them set at?

 

[08fz6]

I usually get 5,000 out of a rear and I use the dunlop road smarts. I also weigh 250lbs and my g/f weighs another 120 lbs. When I ride I ride, I rarely take it easy.... I also am lucky if I get to ride 5,000 miles a summer. I am always too busy or it rains. I am also only home 3 and a half months during the summer. Everyone has their own riding style, weight, weight of bike, etc.... Your tire looks pretty typical to me. If you are not an aggressive rider at all period I would say you are doing something while riding that you don't realize you do such as the rear tire spins when you shift... etc....

 

[VEGASRIDER]

I was just talking to a pilot from work this morning, he is getting his 2CT's (Rear) replaced at 13,000 miles due to flattening out. He sais his front still has plenty of tread even though I warned him that his grip has probably dried up. He rides a 1200 Buell Lightning. He weighs about 220 lbs.

I asked what he's running as far as tire pressure and he replied 36 front, 39-40 Rear. Almost the same as me, just a pound or two off.

I don't know how everyone only is getting 5000 miles on their tire? It has to be your tire pressure.

 

[necrotimus]

I was just talking to a pilot from work this morning, he is getting his 2CT's (Rear) replaced at 13,000 miles due to flattening out. He sais his front still has plenty of tread even though I warned him that his grip has probably dried up. He rides a 1200 Buell Lightning. He weighs about 220 lbs.

I asked what he's running as far as tire pressure and he replied 36 front, 39-40 Rear. Almost the same as me, just a pound or two off.

I don't know how everyone only is getting 5000 miles on their tire? It has to be your tire pressure.

This is my own hypothesis and I don't have much to back it up but I don't think it has as much to do with tire pressure as it does with heatcycles on the tires. Over time the heatcycles cause the rubber to harden. I typically put 800 miles on my tires a month if no weekend riding which equates to a minimum of 40 heat cycles a month. A weekend rider who does 200 miles a Saturday only has a minimum of 8 heat cycles a month. Over 5000 miles the difference is 250 heatcycles versus just 50.

In the link I posted previously it talks about heatcycles/outgassing/hardening. Although many will disagree this is what they had to say about race tires:

"The street rider who uses race compound tires is simply wasting their money and taking unnecessary risks. Even the fastest street rider is probably not (and should not) be able to get the tire up to its optimum temperature to reap the benefits of the added traction. Street riders are forced to stop for stoplights, police officers and traffic in general. They are also a full-on idiot if they ride at 100-percent ability, as fast as they can, in a street environment. However, the race tire is still outgassing at the same rate it would if it were being used on the racetrack even though the tire will never reach operating temperature, and never achieve optimum levels of cohesion.

Street riders will, however, get a greater level of traction and more life out of a street tire that is designed to withstand hundreds of heat cycles and operate at a lower temperature. And in fact, most modern "sport-touring" tires will provide a better level of grip for 90% of all street riders than sportier counterparts. Only an elite few, and they are probably not reading this anyway, can use the full potential of a Michelin Pilot Power or Dunlop Qualifier. In fact, its quite amazing what skilled riders can do on modern sport-touring tires like the Michelin Pilot Road or Continetal Road Attacks - skilled riders can still drag knees around corners with these supposedly "hard" tires."

 

[Nick J]

I don't know, necrotimus, sounds good and all, but I've had such good luck with my BT0-16's and I got pretty decent milage from them, about 10,000 miles, that I think I'll just keep getting these. In fact, my front wheel is in the shop right now getting new rubber. On my stock dunlops I had one instance of the rear sliding out on me, but on the BT0-16's, I experience nothing but grip. So I say why change a good thing. I think it boils down to what you like. The bad part is that most people have to go through a lot of different tires to find one that they finally can live with. I guess I got lucky and found the the one I can live with on my first try. I know there are a lot of excellent tires out there, you just gotta find the right one for you.

 

[mrphotoman]

I usually get 5,000 out of a rear and I use the dunlop road smarts. I also weigh 250lbs and my g/f weighs another 120 lbs. When I ride I ride, I rarely take it easy.... I also am lucky if I get to ride 5,000 miles a summer. I am always too busy or it rains. I am also only home 3 and a half months during the summer. Everyone has their own riding style, weight, weight of bike, etc.... Your tire looks pretty typical to me. If you are not an aggressive rider at all period I would say you are doing something while riding that you don't realize you do such as the rear tire spins when you shift... etc....

Lol isn't that the entire summer then? June 21 - September 22

My stock tires have around 3,500 miles on them and the rear is around 70% gone now. I would expect around 6,000 miles would be really pushing it on the stock rear tire. I am hoping for 8,000 out of the 2CT, I would be very happy with that.

 

[Nick J]

These are the BT-016 tires

The back tire has 5,777 miles on it and probably has about 2000 to 3000 miles left on it.


The front tire got 9,545 miles before I had to replace it.