TWI Tread Wear Indicator Metzeler WTF ? ?

[WTSDS]

My Metzeler rear tyre is rather squared off and I'm heading off on a 2,000km trip in a few days. What should I be looking for on the tyre near the TWI markings to know when it is on it's last gasp ? ?  Does green smoke start pouring out, flashing lights, scratch and sniff  or wot ? ?

[Howie]

If you are down to the treadware indicators (tread rubber even with indicator)  or you see damage you need a tire.  Everything between is a judgment call.  How does the bike handle?  A photo might help.

[WTSDS]

No, I'm not down to the TWI as far as I know, that's wot I was asking - how do you tell ? ? The rubber looks like black rubber. What should I be looking for ? Mermaids ?  Pictures of Lily ? Wot ?

[corey]

normally, i look for cord showing

[ducpainter]

Pictures of Lily.

If you look in the tread sipes, the cuts, you'll see a slightly raised section. That is the wear bar, or indicator.

[corey]

Pictures of Lily.

If you look in the tread sipes, the cuts, you'll see a slightly raised section. That is the wear bar, or indicator.

if you can't find the wear bar, chances are you have hit it already, and it's time for some new shoes.

[Howie]

Here is a picture,



and a picture of Lilly



When the circled pare is even with the tread, your tire is done.

[WTSDS]

Thanks, nice pix. The flower is fantastic, must be a very good camera.

On the Metzeler Roadtec Z6 there's no cuts or sipes which go into the very central bit of the tread. I'll keep an eye out for cord showing.

[Langanobob]

Corey was joking (I hope  ) about waiting 'til cord is showing.   Here  are my comments:

Rear tires wear fast on long trips, especially if you're loaded down with gear or two-up. 

You're already kind of concerned about the tire and you haven't left yet.  A worn tire can be a distraction on a trip and worrying about it can take away some of the fun.  Plus, if you do end up having to change it during the trip, you'll have to buy a tire and have it changed at a shop you don't know and you also might not be able to get the tire you want.

Not having seen your tire, I still vote for changing it before your trip.

Bob

[corey]

Corey was joking (I hope  ) about waiting 'til cord is showing.   

only once

to the OP... Just  change the tire.
I'd recommend Michelin Pilot Road 2, from SportBikeTrackGear.com... Can't beat their prices... or speed. Just ordered some for my lady's Gixxer600... ordered on monday, arrived wednseday MORNING. $290 to my door for front and rear.

[WTSDS]

>>>>  nothing really bad can happen if you wait too long.


Yikes ! ! !

Mine is nuthin' like that, just a bit flattened in the middle thanks to mainly highway riding.

I'll be keeping an eye on it at each fuel stop, and will be happy to drop into a tyre dealer on the way if ness.

[Desmo Demon]

nothing really bad can happen if you wait too long.

You had plenty of tread left on that tire. You just needed to find some curves and use the tread that you haven't been using as much...




As for cords......yeah, slick or to the cords is my indicator. I currently have three tires on two different bikes that are slick or to the cords and needing to be changed, but I never recommend that anyone else does the same. My wife and I ride on slick tires at least once a month.

[pennyrobber]

It seems everytime someone is concerned about a rear tire right before a long trip, we end up spending hours trying to find a shop in some small town that can put a tire on due to cords showing. If you have the cash and the time, I would get it swapped.

[WTSDS]

Thanks for those pix of worn out rear tyres, they came in very helpful today on my homeward ride. I spied the metal starting to show through the rubber with 400 km to go. Today was a National holiday in Oz and no mosickle shops or tyre dealers were open.

Took it fairly easy, doing careful checks every 100 km with mental images of the photos in mind I could see my wear patch was spreading slowly and maybe, just maybe it could last long enough to get me home. And it did.

The photos enabled me to sorta judge the rate of decay on the run, and great to have an idea of the worst case scenario.