Tires, how old is too old?

[Rocky]

This subject recently came up at a club coffee gathering.
I was a little shocked at the view of some (cheap skates) that a motorcycle tire is good until it's worn out.
Sometimes it's a little hard to read through all the hype over this subject, but from what I have learned over the years it's not recommended that you ride on motorcycle tires that are over seven years old.
Some say that's just a ploy by the tire companies to get you to buy new tires, but in these days of liability and $$$ law suits I'm not so sure about that.
I use seven years as my guide regardless of tread wear. After the seventh year it's time for new tires. Tires deteriorate and harden over time, and since we have barely the size of your hand touching the road, I like to err on the side of caution.
I just did a scan of all my tires and they are all in the 6-7 year range this year. Some are worn to the point of replacement this spring anyway (rear tires), but next year I'm going to replace the rest.
I don't mix and match and always use the correct sizes; same brand and construction front and rear.
The manufacturing date of the tire is stamped on the sidewall and is easy to read.
Example: 2109 is the 21st week of the year 2009.

 

[The Seeker]

I don't know an exact number of years, but I agree that tires get too old to run with time no matter what the tread wear is.

 

[DaveM]

I never gave this much thought until now as I never had them last that long before being worn down to the point of replacement anyway. I think I may need to check my ones out as well

 

[The Seeker]

With our classic bikes Dave, this comes into play since we often don't put enough miles on our classics to wear the tires out...plus we live in areas that the bike is stored for long period of time each year.

 

[shanered6]

well thats torn it !!!!! the tyres on the duc are brand new and only done 57 miles since being fitted ( good news ! ) but the problem is ( bad news ! ) they were fitted 7 years ago.......

 

[Rocky]

I never gave this much thought until now as I never had them last that long before being worn down to the point of replacement anyway. I think I may need to check my ones out as well

If you have only one bike and ride quite a bit, tire age usually isn't something to worry about as the tires would wear out and be replaced.
Since I have a "fleet" on the road it's something I have to be mindful of as each bike doesn't get used a lot.
My '06 T100 for example, only has 13,116 km's(8,197 miles) on it
Each of my vintage bikes only get around 1,600 km's (1000 miles) a year.
I need to get out and ride more

 

[DaveM]

Well this would be the first time that I had ever considered this and like you I would sooner just replace them if old

 

[Rocky]

With our classic bikes Dave, this comes into play since we often don't put enough miles on our classics to wear the tires out...plus we live in areas that the bike is stored for long period of time each year.

This is part of the problem for us in cold climates. I'm off the road from 1 November until about mid to late April - depending on the spring weather.
But I'm insured, registered, polished and ready to go

 

[Rocky]

Well this would be the first time that I had ever considered this and like you I would sooner just replace them if old

I'm with you on that score
I've only been down that "crashing" road once and it wasn't all that much fun

 

[DaveM]

I am sure it was no fund at all

 

[hemibee]

I offer free tire changes and balancing for those I ride with and the thing I hate to hear most is this is the first time I've had new tires since it rolled out of the dealership on bikes over 5 years old. The sidewalls on those are a real pain in the butt to change and I point out this to the riders that they were flirting with disaster by running them. I've had to breakout the grinder to cut some of them off the rim.


Posting with Tapatalk for iPhone.

 

[DaveM]

Wow and that is only after 5 years

 

[hemibee]

Most I've had to cut off are 7 to 8 years old, only one was around 5 years old. At 5 years old they are usually just hard to get off, the sidewalls just don't want to stretch enough to be easy to remove, a real pain in the butt.


Posting with Tapatalk for iPhone.

 

[otherwise]

If this thread lives a bit longer I'll take a photo and declare my guilt. (On the old bike mind you not the quick one).

 

[DaveM]

Yes please do lets name and shame

 

[shanered6]

If this thread lives a bit longer I'll take a photo and declare my guilt. (On the old bike mind you not the quick one).

im not doing that
they dont even make the tread patterns on my tyres anymore.

 

[otherwise]

The good light is going and a flash won't show my guilt so will hold back just now with a photo.
They're Dunlop Gold Seal K70's, made in Great Britan, pattern number, size, etc etc. The only possible dating system that I could see was,
Front, "JCB" and number "44713"
Rear, "GOB" possibly "COB" and number "36209"
Any takers about the age. I can tell you they were glass hard 7 or 8 years ago when I got the bike, strange but they haven't got any softer.
They're so hard that a light touch of rear brake on a corner has the back stepping out. Real men bon't worry about stuff like that.

 

[DaveM]

 

[Rocky]

The good light is going and a flash won't show my guilt so will hold back just now with a photo.
They're Dunlop Gold Seal K70's, made in Great Britan, pattern number, size, etc etc. The only possible dating system that I could see was,
Front, "JCB" and number "44713"
Rear, "GOB" possibly "COB" and number "36209"
Any takers about the age. I can tell you they were glass hard 7 or 8 years ago when I got the bike, strange but they haven't got any softer.
They're so hard that a light touch of rear brake on a corner has the back stepping out. Real men bon't worry about stuff like that.

That is too funny
But please change those tire soon

 

[otherwise]

Yeah, I've been thinking about changing them for the last 7 years.


Sent using mental telepathy because I'm in teleportation mode at this time.