do i need new motorcycle tires?

Question

bike was bought new 3 years ago. it was operated for the 8 months then sat for 12 months. the operated for another 6 months then sat for another 7. i've had it now for a couple of months and i want to know if i should get new tires. they are not cracking or flaking and they don't chip away when i dig my finger nails into them. what do you think?

Answer 1

the major issue for motorcycle tires is usually tread wear. second to that comes dry rotting from them sitting for a long period of time. The average life span in terms of miles is about 10,000 depending on how you ride. But the actual time for your tires to go bad can vary considerably with where you live and where the bike is stored. Also the older a tire is the less effective it will be when breaking. My advice would be to check the tread depth of the tire if its past 50% and the tire is three years old. Replace it. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW STUPID DRESSING MOTORCYCLE TIRES CAN BE... I washed and dried my 1100cc today at 1:00 p.m. Vegas time. After finishing up the detailing I decided to do what I’ve always heard should not be done. I used tire dressing on both front and back tires. Now I paid special attention to not rub in the dressing over the side wall lip to the ground contact tread. I got dressed and went for a ride. I was gone for maybe a little over an hour. All the time being careful and aware of my speed and traction on each and every turn. Now, understand a little about me before you rush to judgement. Just turn 60 this march. Physically I still think I can out work anyone at any age. I’m 5' 10" at 220 lbs. get compliments on my appearance all the time. I'm no gym rat but I've still got the "V" cut appearance and strong pronounced veins’ on my hands and arms. I've worked with my hands my whole life. I've been on Motorcycles since I was !0. Raced Dirt and Drag Bikes and won the trophies. I drive defensively at all times. Now I'm not trying to brag myself up, just stating a few facts before I admit how Utterly Stupid it is to Dress Your Motorcycle Tires. Because at the end of my ride today, and a block and a half from my home... I went down. It was a turn I've made hundreds of times before and much faster than today’s turn. As I slowed down and finished my approach, I released any braking and leaned the bike to the right... and the front tire left me as on ICE, it never turned. It went straight down and never caught any grip what so ever. There was a car behind me making the same turn and a car coming toward me and was waiting for me and the car following to complete our turns. Speed was not a factor and that bike has never went down over the 8 years I've owned it. However, Because of My STUPID MOVE OF APPLY TIRE DRESSING I've got a damaged gas tank, exhaust. rear taillight and front mirror. It's bad! As for me, a road rash that starts at my knee and goes to just before my ankle. Damaged my helmet, my gloves, my shirt and my jeans. The worst was my face... road rash starts just below my eye, over my cheek and heaviest along my jaw bone. I just got out of the shower to clean out the wounds. With a toothbrush for scrubbing and Rubbing Alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide to disinfect the ground in Asphalt dirty areas, I've got everything cleaned up. There was pain. Everything is oozing and I constantly have to daub a tissue over the bruise. My elbow is the worst. It's either out of socket or the bone is cracked or the joint is ripped somewhere. It's swollen so severely since answering this question that I'm going to finish now and go get it X-rayed and looked at. All of this happened because I put tire dressing on my cycle tires. I logged on just to search this possibility and see if it was my STUPID MOVE that could have made this happen. Now, you'd be hard pressed to find a more experience and aware motorcycle rider out there. But today, I was the STUPIDEST MOTORCYCLE RIDER OF ALL HISTORY!!! Don't do it and don’t try it. Your bike looks great without the tire gloss. If a particular brand claims it won't have a negative effect on tire grip... DON'T DO IT! Why take the chance, I really wish I could go back 3 and a half hours ago and know this could really be a possiblity. But don't listen to me... I'm just the Stupidest Bike Rider Worldwide. Go ahead, I'm sure you'll be just fine. See you at the Emergency Room. I’m so uncomfortable right now. And I’m sick just thinking about my bike. This is a very bad day that didn’t need to happen………………………. STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES.

Answer 3

Without tire rot or chafing go back to the tread depth. The US Minimum is 2/32" Place a penny upside down in thread if it touches Abe's hairline you are OK.

BUT trust in tires is the best feeling around bikes, if you're worried get new tires.

Answer 4

My rear tyres on my car are the original ones that i bought new in 2005.

They have done over 30,000 miles.The car is an 04 plate model and has

been used daily up until a few months ago when i took it off the road

for winter.There is still loads of tread left in the tyres and would expect

them to last for another 15- 20,000 miles.

Answer 5

If they sat out in the weather and the sun for that idle time i would replace them.If they were inside they should be fine.Just check the sidewalls carefully for cracks especially near the rims.

Answer 6

you should be ok to run for a while as long as you have tread and you still hold air

Answer 7

I would run them.