How far is too far

[Ncdan]

Just a brief survey that could help all of us on the subject of tire wear.
At what point do you guys change out your tires? I normally do not let the center tread to get much less than 1/8” because in my experience the tire seems to wear more rapidly from that point, to slick and at that point also the tire may fail to shed water effectively. Your thoughts, advise and experiences and let’s try and not butt heads on this subject 😂

[oldbike54]

 Seems about right 

 Dusty

[Dharma Bum]

Ask twowings!

[fotoguzzi]

Riding the Midwest always wears down the center first so I change when there gets to be a big flat spot and feel a little bump when rolling over in a turn, mostly on the rear but have had it on fronts to so I usually change both at the same time. My new bike came shod with new pilot 5’s. They look and feel nice so far. Changing before they get too worn down reduces the chance of a flat? I hate when that happens.

[Ncdan]

Ask twowings!

Oh my Lord! That looks weird as the other tread looks like it’s fairly deep still and wear to the tread just in the very center, like maybe been ran with a little too much air?

[Kev m]

I've seen cords more than once. 

[oldbike54]

Oh my Lord! That looks weird as the other tread looks like it’s fairly deep still and wire to the tread just in the very center, like maybe been ran with a little too much air?

 Likely out of balance .

 Dusty

[Ncdan]

I've seen cords more than once. 

I’m convinced that there is a point, at around 1/8” tread depth left, the tire wears much faster that up to that point. I must say I have never gotten all the way to the chords 🙏

[pyoungbl]

I have heard it said that 80% of the flat tires happen in the last 20% of tread.  My own experience tells me that the last 20% of tread wears much faster than the first 80%.  Every time I think I have more than enough tread for a trip I end up being wrong.  That leads to me having to buy a tire when I'm on a trip and usually getting a tire I'd rather not have but is the only one available in the size needed.  My take away is to always start a long trip with a brand new rear tire. 

Hayes KS, 100F, Sunday. 

[Lannis]

I have heard it said that 80% of the flat tires happen in the last 20% of tread.  My own experience tells me that the last 20% of tread wears much faster than the first 80%.  Every time I think I have more than enough tread for a trip I end up being wrong.  That leads to me having to buy a tire when I'm on a trip and usually getting a tire I'd rather not have but is the only one available in the size needed.  My take away is to always start a long trip with a brand new rear tire. 

My experience tells me that your percentage estimates are spot on.

The "start with a new tire" thing works unless the trip is longer than the life of a tire, then you've got to do some quick judgment calls on the road.   On our last trip, I was starting to get a bit nervous in mid-Oklahoma on the way back to Virginia, but the tread was holding up fine on the last day, no cord showing .... until the tire went flat 7300 miles into the trip, 200 miles from home, and it wasn't repairable.

I just replaced my front Pilot Road/Trail 4 with 1/32" tread, which is where the "wear bars" are.    That's about as low as I want to go ....

Lannis

[Ncdan]

I have heard it said that 80% of the flat tires happen in the last 20% of tread.  My own experience tells me that the last 20% of tread wears much faster than the first 80%.  Every time I think I have more than enough tread for a trip I end up being wrong.  That leads to me having to buy a tire when I'm on a trip and usually getting a tire I'd rather not have but is the only one available in the size needed.  My take away is to always start a long trip with a brand new rear tire. 

Hayes KS, 100F, Sunday.

I think this assessment is spot on!

[canuck750]

I wore through my continentals on my K1600 GTL last year at 16000km exposing the chords. The Michelin’s I put on burnt out at another 12000 km and I replaced them last week passing through San Francisco with Bridgestone Battleax ST series. The Bridgstones are supposed to get the best mileage. Critical to keep pressure at 42 psi.

[wirespokes]

I had the same thing happen - thought there HAD to easily be 1500 miles left in that tire, only to have it down beyond the wear bars half way through the trip. And on a Sunday too! No choice but to ride home and pray I'd make it. Pumped it up to the max, rode 50mph the whole way and positioned myself on the edge of the ruts so the contact patch wouldn't be on the center of the tire. I even sat on the edge of the saddle so the bike would lean going straight ahead. Seven hundred miles later (at home) the tire looked the same, as it had that morning. Kinda weird semis passing me up hills...   ...but I made it!

[Ncdan]

I had the same thing happen - thought there HAD to easily be 1500 miles left in that tire, only to have it down beyond the wear bars half way through the trip. And on a Sunday too! No choice but to ride home and pray I'd make it. Pumped it up to the max, rode 50mph the whole way and positioned myself on the edge of the ruts so the contact patch wouldn't be on the center of the tire. I even sat on the edge of the saddle so the bike would lean going straight ahead. Seven hundred miles later (at home) the tire looked the same, as it had that morning. Kinda weird semis passing me up hills...   ...but I made it!

Makes one wonder if attempting to get that last thousand miles out of a tire is worth the aggravation of a flat, worry and danger in a rain storm. I’m changing mine tomorrow on the 1400, Shinko 180 series, heavy duty.

[TN Mark]

Anytime a rider looks at their tires and asks or wonders if they need a new tire there’s a 90%+ chance they do. I typically replace mine just as they get to the wear bars. My last front tire went over 32K miles, (yes, 32K). I typically get 17K to 18K per rear tire.

I’ve run a rear tire up front and turned around for a few years now. It’s a 160/60 Dunlop Roadsmart II while the oem front tire is a 130/70 Dunlop E3 or E4.

Rear tire started out as a Dunlop E3, then the Dunlop E4 and now a Dunlop Winter Sport 3D Runflat car tire.

[elvisboy77]

Anytime a rider looks at their tires and asks or wonders if they need a new tire there’s a 90%+ chance they do. I typically replace mine just as they get to the wear bars. My last front tire went over 32K miles, (yes, 32K). I typically get 17K to 18K per rear tire.

I’ve run a rear tire up front and turned around for a few years now. It’s a 160/60 Dunlop Roadsmart II while the oem front tire is a 130/70 Dunlop E3 or E4.

Rear tire started out as a Dunlop E3, then the Dunlop E4 and now a Dunlop Winter Sport 3D Runflat car tire.

Correct answer!  When you get to the wear bars it is time to change them.  No sense second guessing the tire designer.

[Ncdan]

Anytime a rider looks at their tires and asks or wonders if they need a new tire there’s a 90%+ chance they do. I typically replace mine just as they get to the wear bars. My last front tire went over 32K miles, (yes, 32K). I typically get 17K to 18K per rear tire.

I’ve run a rear tire up front and turned around for a few years now. It’s a 160/60 Dunlop Roadsmart II while the oem front tire is a 130/70 Dunlop E3 or E4.


Rear tire started out as a Dunlop E3, then the Dunlop E4 and now a Dunlop Winter Sport 3D Runflat car tire.

Hey Mark, you are still riding a non Guzzi?

[s1120]

Ive not gotten to cords before. Normally the handling goes off before that point, or dryrot, or cupping crops up... 

[Dilliw]

It's when you get here that you start to think about it.  If I was going somewhere I'd go ahead and change.  Otherwise I'll keep going with local rides

[Ncdan]

It's when you get here that you start to think about it.  If I was going somewhere I'd go ahead and change.  Otherwise I'll keep going with local rides

Yep, that’s about where mines at now. I was going to ride local a bit longer but I’m due an oil change and valve check and one never knows when he’ll get a wild hair and hit the road for an extended venture:)

[TN Mark]

Hey Mark, you are still riding a non Guzzi?

Yes sir, I’m still on my Victory Cross Country Tour. I just turned over 65K miles on it so I think it’s finally broken in.

[Wayne Orwig]

I don't see air, so it isn't worn out yet.

[Stevex]

To the wear indicators...to the cord is just taking the piss, and asking for it.

[rocker59]

Ask twowings!

List over a few degrees and keep rolling!  That tire has a few hundred miles life left in it!

Back when I rode 20,000 per year, cords were a regular occurrence.

[Ncdan]

Update:
I got new rubber today along with a full service including valve adjustment, only off .50 thousandth, on both exhaust sides. I went with the 180/65/17 on the rear and same as factory on the front. My speedometer is 3mph fast compared to the GPS. Can this be corrected by calibration using the on board computer system and if so what’s the procedure?

[Neogas]

Anytime a rider looks at their tires and asks or wonders if they need a new tire there’s a 90%+ chance they do. I typically replace mine just as they get to the wear bars. My last front tire went over 32K miles, (yes, 32K). I typically get 17K to 18K per rear tire.

I’ve run a rear tire up front and turned around for a few years now. It’s a 160/60 Dunlop Roadsmart II while the oem front tire is a 130/70 Dunlop E3 or E4.

Rear tire started out as a Dunlop E3, then the Dunlop E4 and now a Dunlop Winter Sport 3D Runflat car tire.

I do mine as a pair when the rear gets to the wear indicator 

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Ain't none of you thinking like Burt Munro yet.

[wirespokes]

Ain't none of you thinking like Burt Munro yet.

Shave off the tread and go 200 mph?

[antmanbee]

He had something better than tread, he had shoe polish.

[wirespokes]

He had something better than tread, he had shoe polish.

Shoe polish?