need new tires?

[IdZer0]

The raised rubber lip behind the grooves is a sign of too little rebound damping.

Stopintime, do you happen to know the mechanical/physical explenation to this? I've been trying to wrap my head arround this from the first time I heard of the link beween the lips and rebound damping, but never quite understood it.

[stopintime]

Stopintime, do you happen to know the mechanical/physical explenation to this? I've been trying to wrap my head arround this from the first time I heard of the link beween the lips and rebound damping, but never quite understood it.

Sorry, not at all     I'm sure it's logical...

However - I have FHE in dealing with it and it does work that way. I had lips and made them go away with two clicks, only to discover that my street riding home from a track day got me the opposite result. Consulting my suspension guru - he told me that my findings were correct, but also that trying to master suspension on that 'one click micro level' will only lead to headache by overthinking. It can also lower confidence if we 'must' have it all nailed within one click before we're willing to ride freely. There are too many variables to be able to get it just right all the time.

[mrpetebojangles]

Cool, thanks for all the responses guys. The dealership was saying I'd probably get another 1,000 miles or so, that was about 400 miles ago, but that was before the wire mesh was exposed.

Is ~6,000 miles pretty average for normal, non-track day, riding for a set of tires.

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

Is ~6,000 miles pretty average for normal, non-track day, riding for a set of tires.

Depends very much on *which* tires you're talking about.

Sport Touring tires can get 12k miles, like what I've gotten from a Pirelli Angel.
Or less than 4k, like what I've gotten from a Pirelli Diablo.

[Raux]

no tread no ride for me
no rubber would never be an option

[stopintime]

I learned my lesson when I pushed a tire (almost) like that with my finger, after it was taken off 

Never again!

[BastrdHK]

I have never seen a front worn that much in 6000 miles, especially on the right side.  I typically get 2 rears to 1 front out of the same brand/compound of tires. 

A: You should definitely check tire pressure often, because that is abnormal wear on the front in my experience

B:  Your corner entry speed/trail braking in right handers rivals Casey Stoner!

[mrpetebojangles]

I usually put new air in the tires every 2-3 weeks setting bar rear 2.2-2.4 bar front 2.1-2.3. I do mainly freeway/city riding and a mountain ride up to Virginia City from Reno 1-2 times per week. Nothing too crazy it seems, but then again I don't really know.

[FrankenDuc]

B:  Your corner entry speed/trail braking in right handers rivals Casey Stoner!

Depending on the riding style I don't think it's far fetched to get <6Kmi out of a set of aggressive street tires, even on the front. I get maybe 6K on my fronts, but less, 4k if that, on my rears.

WRT the "too little rebound damping", what I can say for fact is, scalloped tread is a sign of rebound damping being less than optimal for traction. (mind you, not control, traction..  That "control" thing is a kinda personal issue...)

Me Thinks (i.e., I can't personally substantiate):
1) too little rebound - after bumps the tire extends quickly and hammers the ground, resulting in
- tire deformation, and resulting scalloping
- bounce due to high rebound forces, and resulting loss of traction
2) too much rebound - after bumps the tire doesn't fall right to the ground.  Gravity takes its course, and
- time in air means loss of traction
- resulting hammering of the tire to the ground due to gravity results in tire deformation, and resulting scalloping.

Either way, if the bike gives you confidence, it's right.  If it's stable to the point of floating (slow easy lazy drifting), turn it out a bit and see if the scallops decrease. Or, if unstable/twitchy/eager-to-lean as is, turn it in a bit and see if the scallops decrease.  If they increase in either case, you're probably losing traction whilst losing confidence, turn it back...

But..., those tires desperately need replaced.... especially the front - once the front starts to square off it's done, you've got a lump at the extent of your "normal" lean angle, and if you ever need to push it past that lean angle (ex. surprise slow tourist pedestrian family crossing the highway to get to the other side of the park), you're now riding on that narrow lip of the lump, your traction is greatly reduced, and subsequent squirreliness occurs.  And on the back, the steel belt's just horrible for straight line traction

[mrpetebojangles]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the bikes suspension, is factory set to the standards of a "light" rider and a "light" passenger. I'm very tall and weigh 225 lbs. Could my in changing of this created some of the odd tire wear?

Either way, won't ride until I'm on the way to get new tires.

Btw, love the responses, it's one of the reason I got a Monster when I did, an impressive community of knowledge and helpfulness, which can't be said for a lot of the Internet ha.

[Curmudgeon]

Out of the box the preload on a 696 is set for ~ your weight or a bit heavier, maybe 245 lbs. Have you changed the preload?

A 696 has a 160 rear tire though vs a 180 on the 796 and 1100 Evo. You might want to try 2.3 Bar front and 2.6 Bar rear if you replace the Diablos on there with Diablos Rosso II's, (I would in a heartbeat.). Only back off the PSI a hair if you feel you don't have quite enough grip. Check PSI weekly in these cold temps too!

[take risks]

Dunlop Q2. Buy them.

[BastrdHK]

^^^Cough, uh hum...Cough....Michelin all the way.  Can't go wrong with Pilot Powers, 2CTs, Roads or Pures depending on your type of riding on the M696.

[Slide Panda]

Oh! I can contribute a visual!



mrpetebojangles - The bike comes with some factory suspension settings and the shop probably didn't touch it unless you asked them too. Manufacturers presets are usually decent, but will have room for improvement. And the bike will come sprung for some weight they feel like. At 225+ gear you're probably over the weight range for the stock springs. Remember preload doesn't make the springs stiffer - can't do that. Spring force is a constant

[Curmudgeon]

Slide, thanks for the graphic. Couldn't follow that bit above at all! 

BTW, the 696 demo I rode with 200 miles had an essentially rigid rear and I weighed 175 plus gear. The lawyers probably have them set the preload for two-up out of the factory to cover the worst possible scenario, hence my guess of ~ 245. Naturally, for the OP the dealer should set the sag to match the front. The Marzocchi forks on a 2011 aren't awful.