Stretch Mark On Rear Tire

mysticbluex3 · October 24, 2011, 12:41:21 PM

So my oem rear tire is at the end of its life. I have worn the tire down to the wear marker and then some. The other day, I noticed these marks on the center of the tire. I know that its time to replace the tire but should I be seeing these marks? How safe is it to use the tire after it reached the wear marker? It never rains here so I'm not worried about water. I'm more worried about how much rubber I have before I wear a hole in the tire.

Also, my rear tire seems to be wearing un-evenly. If I look at once section of the tire, I have worn down to the wear marker. But if I rotate the tire a bit (lets say 90 degrees), looking at a different marker but in the same location, I have a bit more life. I have proper pressure in the tires. Is there anything else that could cause that?

Cloner · October 24, 2011, 01:15:52 PM

The "lighter" rubber away from the center is the tire's casing. The "darker" rubber in the center (your "stretch mark") is the layer of rubber over the cords. Next you'll find cords...then air.

Your tire is UNSAFE. Change it NOW. RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Turn the bike more and you can take advantage of all that wasted rubber where there's still tread, too!

That tire still looks new near its edges.

stopintime · October 24, 2011, 01:35:34 PM

If you're not trusting Cloner's advice yet, push a finger against that tire after it has been replaced

Then start spreading your conclusion to anyone who ask

Cloner · October 24, 2011, 03:32:13 PM

You're supposed to wear 'em out like this tire from my MH900e.....

thought · October 24, 2011, 04:24:12 PM

Quote from: Cloner on October 24, 2011, 03:32:13 PM
You're supposed to wear 'em out like this tire from my MH900e.....

nascar style?

bond0087 · October 24, 2011, 09:57:43 PM

Not saying anything new here, but in response to your statement "I'm more worried about how much rubber I have before I wear a hole in the tire," I'd say you have around a millimeter. Carefully ride to the nearest shop and get a new one... do not cross 'Go' and do not do a pre-tire change burnout

.

BTW, Cloner's worn out tire is bad ass!

Desmo Demon · October 24, 2011, 10:50:32 PM

Quote from: mysticbluex3 on October 24, 2011, 12:41:21 PM
should I be seeing these marks? How safe is it to use the tire after it reached the wear marker?

Yes, as others have stated, it is normal for your tire to start doing that just before the cords start to show. As for how safe it is, well, ideally it is not safe. Personally, my wife and I have run our last 70+ tires down that far or farther and never had any issues outside of sliding. We've never had a blow-out, but you will heard stories of people who have....then, again, Mat Maladin blew a rear tire just before the Suzuki bridge at Road Atlanta in 2000 or 2001, and that tire was essentially new and had been x-rayed.

I don't recognize the tread, so I do not know what brand tire that is. I like the steel cords of the Pirelli tires as they hold up fairly well when caught 100+ miles from home when the tire looks like yours. With a Pirelli Diablo, I've logged up to about 120 miles of twisty road riding after my rear tire looked like that. I do not like the cords (fiberglass?) of a Bridgestone tire because they are far too easy to go through. I had a freebie tire on the rear of my GSXR-1100 and had been comuting on it. I got it with a mild flat spot, it got worse as I comuted, and it looked like your tire's "stretch mark" when I left the house to try to wear some more of the sides off of it. With all the leaf-lookers and the passing I was doing, I wound up going through the cords on this Bridgestone. I took this picture about 20 miles from the house and took it easy on the way home...

If I remember correctly, this is a Pirelli (maybe a Dunlop?) that we took off of my wife's GSXR-750 a few years ago.

Quote from: mysticbluex3 on October 24, 2011, 12:41:21 PM
Also, my rear tire seems to be wearing un-evenly. If I look at once section of the tire, I have worn down to the wear marker. But if I rotate the tire a bit (lets say 90 degrees), looking at a different marker but in the same location, I have a bit more life. I have proper pressure in the tires. Is there anything else that could cause that?

This is normal, also. Probably due to irregularities in the tire or the balance of the tire being a little off.

Langanobob · October 25, 2011, 06:22:37 AM

Quote from: Cloner on October 24, 2011, 01:15:52 PM

...Turn the bike more and you can take advantage of all that wasted rubber where there's still tread, too! That tire still looks new near its edges.

In defense of guys who wear down the center of their tires, it usually isn't due to ultra-conservative riding style. Some of us ride to work daily on a straight road and don't always have a choice of a twisty route. We also sometimes have to get from point A to point B in a limited amount of time which sometimes means....Aaaargh, the Interstate.

At least he has been riding

Cloner · October 25, 2011, 11:31:33 AM

Quote from: Langanobob on October 25, 2011, 06:22:37 AM
In defense of guys who wear down the center of their tires, it usually isn't due to ultra-conservative riding style. Some of us ride to work daily on a straight road and don't always have a choice of a twisty route. We also sometimes have to get from point A to point B in a limited amount of time which sometimes means....Aaaargh, the Interstate.

At least he has been riding

I was definitely teasing Langanobob. My hat is off to anyone who sits in the saddle, regardless of what the saddle is attached to or how often their ass actually meets it.

I only ride when the mood suits me. That means I rarely ride to work, and almost never in a straight line if I can help it. I find it boring and monotonous, so I just don't do it. I ride for fun, and my enjoyment quotient is measured in smiles/miles. I smile a lot.

Did you get her changed out, yet, mysticbluex3? Notice a difference in how the bike

?!? A new set of tires is almost like a new bike!

That reminds me....time to go get a front for the MHe....it's worn out, now, too. I'm not sure I like these 2CT things. They wear out AWFULLY fast....under 2k for the front.

mysticbluex3 · October 26, 2011, 12:15:18 AM

No, I haven't changed it out yet. I'm waiting for the new tire to come in the mail. Caging it til I get the new tire put on. It really freaked me out when I saw the "stretch marks". I usually replace the tire before it ever got to this point. I had to put off getting a new tire due to finances and a few long road trips.

Demon, those are some crazy pictures. I would be scared to ride with tires looking anywhere like those.

Cloner, unfortunately, most of my riding consist of commuting to work. I wish I have the opportunity to wear out more of the sides. Eh, what can you do? Riding my bike to work still beats driving

bikepilot · November 04, 2011, 10:20:09 AM

2k miles is really low for a PP 2CT. My wife's 620 got a new 2CT about 3k miles ago and its showing almost no wear at this point. Lots of track days?

Cloner · November 07, 2011, 07:50:52 PM

Quote from: bikepilot on November 04, 2011, 10:20:09 AM
2k miles is really low for a PP 2CT. My wife's 620 got a new 2CT about 3k miles ago and its showing almost no wear at this point. Lots of track days?

No track days on the MHe. I race, but not that bike. I do tend to ride it hard, though.

The front, like the rear, is fried on its sides in the softer compound region. I'm one of those freaks who eats fronts more than rears, very often. I "ride on the front", and it shows. A few of the folks at the Barber Festival were surprised to see an MHe ridden hard enough to fry the tires, but I figure if you ride it you might as well ride it "right".

Desmo Demon · November 08, 2011, 09:21:23 AM

Quote from: Cloner on November 07, 2011, 07:50:52 PM
but I figure if you ride it you might as well ride it "right".

That's my feeling with my Bimota, which is why I bought a non-pristine bike. I have intentions of riding it and don't want to worry about screwing its value by putting a scratch or paint chip on it. I don't own garage queens.

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Stretch Mark On Rear Tire