Front tyre/tire wear question

[2and3cylinders]

5 hours ago, betoney said:

With their current rebate price of $170 a set, I'm ordering another set.

Where'd you get the T31 for 170 vs 173?  RMATVMC adds sales tax...and they're BO on the rears

Maybe I'll try the S-2 on the VTR

[dazzler24]

These are the prices we're seeing for comparison - AU$ of course.  As you can see the T31s here are similarly priced to the Road 5s and Pirelli STs and the Dunlop RS3s.

[dazzler24]

11 hours ago, HGP61 said:

The new tyres never displayed this again, The Diversion being shaft drive was never out of alignment. I put the problem of uneven wear with the tyres down to more exuberant right hand cornering but as I said never seen it since.

Hmm, strange.  In an effort to get to understand why this (problem) might happen I'm wondering if it could be put down to the way the wheel is installed?  It seems odd that for the same rider and all other things being equal that you would have it (the problem) no longer happen with the second tyre.

As has been suggested elsewhere and also in the manual, for the installer to fully compress the front forks to ensure that they are parallel before tightening the axle.  I'm just spit-balling now.

[HGP61]

I don't know enough about the manufacturing processes regarding tyres but could it possibly relate to a fault in the manufacture of the tyre particularly if they are a dual compound material.

With my previous 4 sets of tyres I have had the tyres fitted but put the wheels on myself and have never compressed the forks never had this issue like this with them. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by HGP61

[dazzler24]

3 minutes ago, HGP61 said:

I don't know enough about the manufacturing processes regarding tyres but could it possibly relate to a fault in the manufacture of the tyre particularly if they are a dual compound material.

And I guess that could be true too.  Anyway, time for me to order some new tyres either way.   Now....which tyres??

[betoney]

1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Where'd you get the T31 for 170 vs 173?  RMATVMC adds sales tax...and they're BO on the rears

Maybe I'll try the S-2 on the VTR

Yes, RMATV MC has them for $233 before the $60 rebate (I didn't include sales tax in that figure)  They will price match Dennis Kirk who is selling them $10 a set cheaper.

[texscottyd]

@dazzler24 - It doesn’t answer your question, but I’m glad I’m not the only one that has had this happen.   The stock D222 became very triangular by the end of its 4,800 mile life...  I just wrote that off as my riding style and the OEM tires not being particularly compatible.  

I got almost 7,000 miles out of a set of Michelin PR 4s, and both ends maintained a really nice & round profile over the entire useful life... I was impressed. 

So, I went with the Michelin Road 5 as a replacement set.  They were awesome initially, but haven’t worn as well or as consistently as the PR4.   They’re shot at about 5,000 miles, and the front shows the exact asymmetrical wear pattern you have (except reversed for us in the northern hemisphere...  mine is noticeable triangulated on the left side only).  Bizarre, and I have no idea what’s caused it.   

At this point, I’m just going to mount up fresh biscuits and try again.  I’ve been a loyal Michelin guy for decades, but this time I think I’ll try something different.   

[dazzler24]

19 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

@dazzler24 - It doesn’t answer your question, but I’m glad I’m not the only one that has had this happen.   The stock D222 became very triangular by the end of its 4,800 mile life...  I just wrote that off as my riding style and the OEM tires not being particularly compatible.  

I got almost 7,000 miles out of a set of Michelin PR 4s, and both ends maintained a really nice & round profile over the entire useful life... I was impressed. 

So, I went with the Michelin Road 5 as a replacement set.  They were awesome initially, but haven’t worn as well or as consistently as the PR4.   They’re shot at about 5,000 miles, and the front shows the exact asymmetrical wear pattern you have (except reversed for us in the northern hemisphere...  mine is noticeable triangulated on the left side only).  Bizarre, and I have no idea what’s caused it.   

At this point, I’m just going to mount up fresh biscuits and try again.  I’ve been a loyal Michelin guy for decades, but this time I think I’ll try something different.   

Interesting.  I'm glad (kind of) that I'm not the only one experiencing the same issue!  That's three of us now that have reported it in this thread so I might just have to right it off as 'one of those things' and move on with some new rubber and keep an eye on them more closely.

I've been researching the latest prices on tyres over here to find good value and it's still looking like the Dunlops are it, ATM.

Thanks for the feedback.

[betoney]

1 hour ago, texscottyd said:

I got almost 7,000 miles out of a set of Michelin PR 4s, and both ends maintained a really nice & round profile over the entire useful life... I was impressed. 

So, I went with the Michelin Road 5 as a replacement set.  They were awesome initially, but haven’t worn as well or as consistently as the PR4.   They’re shot at about 5,000 miles

I'm really surprised to hear of such low mileage from the Road 5's... The screen shots from your ride app at triple digit speeds wouldn't have contributed to the quicker than usual wear?  Having fun has its price 😎

[texscottyd]

10 minutes ago, betoney said:

I'm really surprised to hear of such low mileage from the Road 5's... The screen shots from your ride app at triple digit speeds wouldn't have contributed to the quicker than usual wear?  Having fun has its price 😎

...got stopped by a cop who said, “Do you know the speed limit is 55 miles per hour?”

“Yes, officer, but I wasn’t going to be out that long…”

- Steven Wright 

[betoney]

3 minutes ago, texscottyd said:

“Do you know the speed limit is 55 miles per hour?”

“Yes, officer, but I wasn’t going to be out that long…”

 

110 for half an hour works for me. 👍

[norcal616]

When I lived in Northern Cali- I could chew up tires on cars/bikes due to the extra coarse road surface vs now in Michigan where the road surface is smooth as an orange peel... 

Abrasive roads chew up tires...

[dazzler24]

21 hours ago, suncoaster said:

What are you getting ?

Mine got Michelin Road 5s last month before the trip to Phillip island.

Solid performance, wet, dry and dirt; 5200 km so far and plenty of meat left on them.

Good news @suncoaster - I've scored a 'deal' for a pair of Michelin Road 5s for AU$404 - fitted.  Will get them tomorrow.

The best I could get them fitted for elsewhere was $499 so I'm happy with that.

I'm going to take the opportunity to get the forks serviced at the same time.

Cheers.

[Buggy Nate]

Generally wear like that is associated with the chamber of the road, unless you haven’t been keeping on top of your tyre pressures. FWIW I am harder on front tyres than rears. I must push the front a bit more. I always replace them as a set.

[dazzler24]

10 minutes ago, Buggy Nate said:

Generally wear like that is associated with the chamber of the road, unless you haven’t been keeping on top of your tyre pressures. FWIW I am harder on front tyres than rears. I must push the front a bit more. I always replace them as a set.

I'm pretty careful with my tyre pressures so maybe this is a 'normal' thing.  I was surprised that the front wore out before the rear and the reason I didn't really notice it was that I was focused on the rear to let me know when it was time to change.

Interesting that your experiences are that you wear out your front first.  So many posts report that they go through two rears to one front tyre usually.  Maybe I ride like you?

Anyway thanks for the feedback.