Life Expectancy of Stock 696 Battleaxes

[swampduc]

Well, searching thru threads for tire replacement suggestions in fact when stumbled on this thread.  ironically closing in on 5K on my 09 696 stocks and getting well squared, but worse is level of wear on tread.....we do a LOT of fast n hard riding twisties (yes even in FL they DO exist  )  and some commuting in between so still plenty left, ashamed to admit honestly, on sides but center of rear is looking scarey honestly.  Prolly have few hundred safeISH miles left on rear, but after hitting rear brake lil too hard and doing bit of a fish tale as result, not keen on pushing it any longer.

Off now to find a thread on sport/touring suggestions for bike....want something to take to track then wear down on streets after. 

Similar issues myself now at about 3700 miles. Don't think I quite have to change the rear yet, though.

[DCXCV]

Had the 56's on my 695.  Got to 8,500 on the first rear and caught a nail (it was very squared) And i think I changed the front at 12k and the second rear at 17 or 18k. 
Since switched to Pilot Power 2Ct's which are doing well.  I'm at 23k and only on my 2nd front and 3rd rear tire with mostly commuting and a healthy dose of twisties.

[zLoki]

About 5k usable on mine, went to 6k and was showing thread...  They squared off pretty quick, around 2k.  Mostly around town riding and twisties on the weekends.  Got a Pirelli now, dont like it so much, it feels funny in turns...

[NekkedChic]

Update and WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JUST after my last post in here, literally next ride on Monster, was LAST for those tires!!  The warning is those last FEW MILES, as little as 40 or only as much as 100 TOPS, WILL decieve you!!!!
THOUGHT I had plenty wear left....went out to ride a 80+ mile round trip, inspected tires of course and found a LITTLE bit of wearing thru showing the "white" on rear, in one small place.  Decided to make trip anyway, which was all slab btw.   
Arrived at destination and upon inspection became REALLY unsure I would make it back home. Just 40 miles on them so far since last check.  Obviously, decided to ride home, carefully and it was MOST unnerving ride on any bike evar. Could FEEL the instability worsening mile-by-mile. 
Pulled off after interstate and majority of trip back home for inspection again RUH-ROH!  Called SO to update.  There were tiny SHREDS coming off everywhere AND could see the "white" almost all way round rear tire now.  WOW, that went FAST!   
Made last 5 miles home SLOWLY (which is VERY hard as we know lol)   n parked til replaced rear.

I only replaced rear so far (economy/finances) and went with Dunlop Sportmax...idea here is, we do mostly street riding (errands thru week, fast n hard Sunday twisties) and only plan on few and FIRST track days in next few months.....chose this tire to get longer wear until front needs replaced and THEN I will replace both with nice track/street tires of course. 

Thought I would update and post warning here tho...if you THINK the wear is near the end, be SURE to check/inspect OFTEN, as often as every 20-40 MILES ONLY EVEN!!!!!!!!!!   Oh, and on this ride, JUST turned 5K miles btw. 

Ride safe all. 

[Howie]

When you see the tread wear bars even with the surrounding rubber you are done.  When you see white you are past done.  That goes for any tire.

[Jetbrett]

I'm at 10,700 with mine on my 695, but they've been toast for a while.  Very squared off and lots of slippage.  I should have changed them out at about 9,500 miles. 

[the_Journeyman]

Yup.  I went from even with wear bars to showing a little cord in a less than a week of 7 mile round-trip commutes.  We'd had a good weekend of riding hard, and I had *almost* toasted my rear riding rather aggressively 2-up.  Thought I'd get a couple weeks of commuting in on it before I had to replace.  

JM