I'm not sure if this is normal or if my front tire is not wearing down evenly. Can someone take a look at these and tell me if I should be worried or if this is OK?
Bad Tires???
- Thread starter Zeoran
- Start date
Out of balance or riding on lower air pressure perhaps?
OP
OP
I just checked the pressure recently and the front was about 3lbs shy and the rear was about 4lbs shy. I'm not sure if anything from the accident has made it "out of balance". She doesn't handle quite as well as she did before the accident, but I can't really say for sure how much difference as I was only riding her for 3 weeks before the accident. But I'm paranoid as hell riding out there and afraid to hit a bump or ride a line in the road wrong. I'm sure it will take a while for the paranoia from the accident to wear off.
I'm just not sure if this is ok, bad or really bad on the tire? It still has plenty of tread and the tires were relatively new, changed by the previous owner shortly before he sold it.
I'm just not sure if this is ok, bad or really bad on the tire? It still has plenty of tread and the tires were relatively new, changed by the previous owner shortly before he sold it.
Check your steering bearings and your wheel bearings. After servicing the forks with new fluid, bearings checked and or replaced, then put on a new front tire.
Once a tire has gone south, it isn't ever going to wear properly again. I would not "push it" until the maintenance is taken care of.
When you bring up the maintenance to the standard, the anxiety will diminish.....and the ride becomes fun.
Once a tire has gone south, it isn't ever going to wear properly again. I would not "push it" until the maintenance is taken care of.
When you bring up the maintenance to the standard, the anxiety will diminish.....and the ride becomes fun.
ToddC
Site Supporter
What he said...!! Fix the front end and align it too.
ToddC
ToddC
There isn't plenty of tread left on the centre at all. In fact, you have passed through the wear bars already. You didn't say what pressures you were using, just that they were low. I've found I get the best wear patterns on my Metzeler brand hoops with 38 psi in the front and 42 in the rear.
woodybelle
Site Supporter
My buddy who rides a BMW RT1200 just threw away a Metzler front tire that looked a lot like yours. You might try a Bridgestone or a Michelin before you try to find a front end problem that isn't there.
OP
OP
Any idea on where I would shop for new tires and where I would find a place to replace them? At this point, we're beyond my ability to manage the repair. I could handle the brake job, but not tires. And I don't know of any Honda motorcycle repair shops near me. The only place I know of only works on Harley's.
Try the RAN list for help on tyre fitment.
I would say the tyre just looks worn out after plenty of highway miles.
Upt'North.
I would say the tyre just looks worn out after plenty of highway miles.
Upt'North.
OP
OP
Not to show my ignorance, but what is a RAN list?
Click on riding, then the US RAN list.
Upt'North.
Upt'North.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Messages
- 9,519
- Location
- Cedar City, Utah
- Bike
- 12/04 ST 1300s
- 2024 Miles
- 000420
- STOC #
- 5901
One thing that I noticed since going to the "beads" for balancing, my tires are wearing very well, no cupping.
When you balance a tire with weights, the tire is balanced at that moment. As the tire wears, that balance is slightly changing. Over time and as the wear continues, you can often see cupping, like what yours is doing. Also, when the tire deflates a little, that will also change the wear and balance.
This is just my experience with putting numerous tires on the ST1300s that I ride/have ridden over the last 14 years.
I am not an tire engineer, nor mechanic by any means, these are just my observations!
You're experiences may vary!
When you balance a tire with weights, the tire is balanced at that moment. As the tire wears, that balance is slightly changing. Over time and as the wear continues, you can often see cupping, like what yours is doing. Also, when the tire deflates a little, that will also change the wear and balance.
This is just my experience with putting numerous tires on the ST1300s that I ride/have ridden over the last 14 years.
I am not an tire engineer, nor mechanic by any means, these are just my observations!
You're experiences may vary!
Sent you a private message.I copied my post below from another thread. The RAN list can be found by going to the Blue Bar at the top of this page Click on RIDING and you get a drop down menu, > Click on the RAN list for your geographical area.
RAN stands for Rider Assistance Network. Virtually all of the forums for different bikes have one. People are listed by state, then city so that if you have a breakdown on the road you can call someone near you who has offered to be of assistance to stranded riders. BMW publishes a book called BMW Owners Anonymous, Moto Guzzi National Owner's club also publishes one. The lists will typically show names and what people can offer, whether it is only a shoulder to cry on, or a complete service bay stocked with tools and parts.
Despite what @Upt' North said above, I looked all over for 'Riding', even went to Forums twice and did a search for RAN. No luck. Sometimes hiding something in plain sight is the best way to hide it.
BTW, I'm proud of my ignorance. The few guys I know who profess to have none are insufferable.
A quick P.S. to my note above. When Larry (@Igofar ) services an ST, he goes over a whale of a lot of things that I have never thought to check - for example, torque on triple clamp bolts. You might PM him (your cursor arrow over his blue screen name in the previous sentence, click on 'start a conversaton') and ask for a phone call - leave your phone number. He will talk you through a number of front end things to check. Be prepared to spend some time w/ him on the phone, and maybe buy some wrenches. There is no reason why you cannot do most of these checks and torquing yourself - this is not rocket science.
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Riders Assistance Network
A collection of names/numbers and locations of ST-Owners members that can help if you are out on a long ride, or might be able to help if you are needing some tech assistance close to home.
OP
OP
Can I find a place to balance/install tires on my bike other than just searching for "motorcycle tires" on Google?
Check with your local MC shops. ask if they will mount a tire that you bring in. Ask if they will mount a tire if you bring in just the wheel. Most won;t but sometime smaller shops will. If you find someone that will help you mount it then buy one from the likes of Rocky Mountain ATV or RevZilla. You can mount one by hand but it takes some experience and a little finesse to do it without cursing. And some make/model tires have a stiffer side wall and are more difficult to spoon on. note that tire irons are sometime called spoons. Buying tires from Rocky Mtn. ATV and mounting them yourself will be about half the price of going to a STealer.
I’ve seen this with dual compound tires. The center is hard and wears longer, then right off the hard compound becomes an unevenly worn mess.
OP
OP
Thanks for all the advice. A user that's local to me has already reached out to help me with my repairs/maintenance issues, like the tire(s) and brake(s). Thanks for all the wonderful advice and tips. As always, it is greatly appreciated. You guys are awesome!
God bless.
~Mark
God bless.
~Mark