Replace those old tires!!!

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Triangles
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Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Triangles » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:31 am

I nearly went down a few days ago. I'm still not sure how I didn't. My tires are 6+ years old and should have been replaced at least a year ago. As rubber ages it gets hard and therefore has less grip. I've had a few slips on these hard tires over the past year so. I meant to replace them this past spring but I got busy and didn't have time. Thankfully I was in a parking lot at relatively low speed. I was turning down a row of cars from the main entrance when suddenly I'm way over and I hear scraping. Then just as quickly I popped back upright and stopped. At first I was pissed because I thought my girlfriend had shifted her weight in the middle of the turn. She hadn't moved and thought I did something to get us leaning over that far. I checked the area and there wasn't any gravel or any other reason for a tire to slip. I then realized it must have been my 6+ year old factory tires with 12K+ miles on them that slipped out. I also learned that the exhaust pipe and muffler will scrape before my Kuryakyn ISO wings as I had some nice scrapes on them but not a scratch on the Foot peg. So replace those old hard tires before you have to replace something more expensive or break something irreplaceable like yourself or your passenger!
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GeorgiaRider
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby GeorgiaRider » Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:21 am

I try to replace mine once a year due to excessive riding :)
GeorgiaRider
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burkbuilds
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby burkbuilds » Sat Aug 20, 2011 9:00 pm

That is a good reminder Triangles. Glad you were not hurt. It's difficult sometimes to make yourself pay up for tires that look okay even though they are old. So far, I've been wearing mine out about every six months or so, but now that I've put the car tire on the rear I may actually have to replace it from age not wear. lol. I've put over 40,000 miles on my 500 in the last two years. I've got 13,000 on the TA Radial that I installed last December and it's still got 6mm of tread depth on it.

Leaf
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Leaf » Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:14 am

What size/brand car tire is this, does it bottom out and scrape the fender when the suspension is fully compressed, and how difficult was it to set the bead? Can you still scrape the pegs without it riding up on the sidewall or slipping?

Do you also run a rear tire on the front?

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Triangles
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Triangles » Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:12 am

Leaf wrote:What size/brand car tire is this, does it bottom out and scrape the fender when the suspension is fully compressed, and how difficult was it to set the bead? Can you still scrape the pegs without it riding up on the sidewall or slipping?

Do you also run a rear tire on the front?

no sane person would run a car tire up front! it would be difficult to control due to the tire shape. Running a car tire is called "running darkside" see this thread for more info. I probably would run a car tire but my I have a short commute and my work often keeps me from riding so I'll stick with regular mc tires for now.

burkbuilds,
Glad the darkside has been good to you. let us know how far you get on the car tire before you have to replace it.
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Leaf
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I ride: '94 Maroon Vulcan EN500-A6, '05 Black Honda CMX250C

Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Leaf » Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:04 pm

Right. I've heard that in addition to the car tire on the back, some people install a rear M/C tire backwards on the front for longer tread life up there. I expect that the fatter-ness makes they harder to steer, but I dunno and was wondering.... :3

I've been planning to go darkside as soon as I wear out the crappy Avon on the back. Been trying to find out what tire seems to work best... I think fastpakr had a heck of a time getting his bead to seat when he did it...

fastpakr
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby fastpakr » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:48 pm

Wasn't me - I'm running Pirelli MT66's front and rear.
1999 Vulcan 500, 23k miles
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Leaf
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I ride: '94 Maroon Vulcan EN500-A6, '05 Black Honda CMX250C

Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Leaf » Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:14 pm

Hm! Sorry!

There's some other guy on one of the forums, whose name starts with F, and went darkside on a 500, then. Lol....

Maybe it was Frigidator...

By the way.... Do you still want to sell that Ranger? I'm getting paid tomorrow, and I think my ol' car is totaled for real this time...

fastpakr
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby fastpakr » Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:24 pm

I do, but unfortunately it's still in use. Wish I could help (really - I'd love to sell it) but my dad's been using it constantly for a while now. He's down a vehicle, otherwise I'd ask for it back.


On topic - I know Bill is running a car tire. Not sure who else might be.
1999 Vulcan 500, 23k miles
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Leaf
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I ride: '94 Maroon Vulcan EN500-A6, '05 Black Honda CMX250C

Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Leaf » Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:30 am

Ahh ok. It's all good.... I applied a crowbar until nothing was touching the tires, and it seems drivable now. >_>

I reckon I'll keep it until I have to get it inspected and then sell it for scrap. Lol.

I was really mostly just looking for an excuse to check out that sonic cleaner of yours anyway. XD

fastpakr
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Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby fastpakr » Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:59 am

Are you coming to the Lake Hope gathering next weekend? If so, I can park it on the bike somewhere and hand it off to you then.
1999 Vulcan 500, 23k miles
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Leaf
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I ride: '94 Maroon Vulcan EN500-A6, '05 Black Honda CMX250C

Re: Replace those old tires!!!

Postby Leaf » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:39 pm

Probably not. Work is completely, totally nuts right now. Like, I go home, sleep, and come back to work... :/

Say hi to everyone for me!


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