Any of you ride motorcycles?

[PinnedAndRecessed]

The tires on my bike were made in 2018. I had them mounted in 2019 and, because of ....... life ......... I've only ridden the bike 1,313 miles since I had them mounted.

I want to start riding again and am told that the life expectancy of a motorcycle tire is only 5 years. Maybe six if the tread is good, no cracks, etc.

Do any of you follow this criterion? The tires look really good and have always been in my garage overnight. The rear tire is elevated via the center stand and the front tire rests on a carpet remnant (to prevent the cement from leeching the tire's oils).

For what it's worth, I ride like an old man. That's .. because .. I'm an old man. No twisties around here. Streets are flat, straight and intersect at 90 degree angles. The speed limits on some of the roads I travel are 75, 80.

I'll occasionally goose it to 100 to get past the latte sipping, cell phone texting soccer moms in their SUVs, but it's rare.

And, no passengers. Ever.

 

[Slidboot]

I ride probably more than I drive, and I probably don't pay as much attention to tire life as I should. If you live in AZ, I'd probably replace the tires; in a more hospitable climate, maybe not.
I always ask myself, "What's the best decision to make if it's wrong?"

 

[Cholo]

You should be good if you only ride in fair weather. The problem is the rubber gets hard, so you could get in trouble fast in the rain.

I replace more tires on my motorcycles due to age rather than wear. Every time I'm far from home I'm glad I started on a new set of tires.

It doesn't matter when you put them on your bike. When they were manufactured is what you should go by.

 

[hittman]

100% what Cholo said,
And ask a motorcycle tech you know and trust what he thinks,
New "touring" motorcycle tires of any good quality are probably in the $600 - $750 range for the pair.
Your safety is surely worth considerably more,

 

[Dave P.]

Personally IF...IF..I'd inspected them carefully and was going on short local only rides and didn't anticipate putting more
than a few hundred conservatively ridden miles in the riding season and they were top quality tires to start with I suspect
they would get a chance one more season. Providing they still had decent grip and didn't spin or slide at the first hint of heavy throttle
or braking. Also very much bike dependent, a low powered lightweight slug of a 500..ok, a liter sized sportbike..nope.
Any of the above not true? They get replaced!
The price of a new set is going to be cheaper in a lot of ways vs. crashing.

 

[MZ5]

That 5-year replacement 'recommendation' applies to car tires, too.

I generally wear tires out on the bike(s) WAY before 5 years, but no, I would not and do not automatically replace tires at 5 years from date of manufacture, whether we're talking car, pickup, or motorcycle. I look at and touch the tires, and see how they feel on the road if they look and feel good.

Expiration dates on tires is not as silly as expiration dates on bottles of beer, but it's still a 'recommendation' put out by the tire makers. That doesn't mean it has no value, but relying on people who have a vested financial interest in you buying their product, to advise you as to how often you should buy their product, is a woefully incomplete strategy.

 

[WanderLust]

Rule of thumb on tires is 6-8 years before the sidewalls and tread started hardening. That is enough to make your handling and stopping power change a good bit. By the way, 5 year rule of thumb on replacing your helmet. Even if it was never taken out of the box, the components that protect your head have weakened and can't do the job they were designed to do. I only wore a Snell-approved helmet once I had done some reading, and I firmly believe that saved my life. Landed head-first on the road after a car crossed my path, and the helmet absorbed the impact and the skidding.

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

Also very much bike dependent, a low powered lightweight slug of a 500..ok, a liter sized sportbike..nope.

2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC. ~140 hp. Weighs ~600 pounds sans rider. Shaft drive triple.

 

[Ride1949]

Been riding 61 years now. I have to agree with hittman and Cholo, although I have been guilty of putting a few years on mine if just doing around town or short runs in the mountains. Long road trips, new tires always.

 

[hittman]

To ruin even a good quality motorcycle tire and jeopardize your safety, do NOT check the pressure regularly,

I spend a LOT of time at a local bike repair shop. Guys will ride in on a bagger ( with wifey on the back ) and complain they only got 2500 miles on their Dunlop or Metzler tire before it wore out. Sure enough, almost every time that tire is holding 12-15 psi and usually less in the front.

We hear them say "it didn't look flat" and "I checked them last fall" or even, "didn't YOU check them last time I had the oil changed?" …….

 

[noahmercy]

In my experience, it can be very dependant on the tires as well. I had a high-dollar set of Commander IIs that felt like I was on wooden wagon wheels after six years. A set of cheap tires on a different bike were still pliable and grippy after eight. Any more, I just visually inspect older tires for cracks and crazing and if there is no visible deterioration, I do a simple test...if the rubber deforms easily under my thumbnail, I'll run it a season, just making sure not to get too aggressive in the wet.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Never driven one, but I have ridden as a back seater. I think the driver heard me and thought it was an LEO trying to pull us over and siren going!

Actually there are those I would have no fear riding with.

 

[BMW Rider]

If you have ANY doubts, replace them. You need to trust your tires without hesitation. Dunlop says 5-6 years. I didn't find that suggestion from Metzeler. Motorcyclist mirrors Dunlop's recommendation. Ride safe.

How Often Should I Replace Motorcycle Tires? | Dunlop Motorcycle

You should replace the motorcycle tires if they are over five years old, but there are other factors that influence their lifespan. Check out Dunlop's recommendations and contact us today to replace your tires.

www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com

Setting The Record Straight On Motorcycle Tire Age

Some riders are getting hyper-sensitive about the age of their tires, but don’t be fooled into thinking tires are done before their time.

www.motorcyclistonline.com

Tires pressure, safety and maintenance | Metzeler

Practical advice and safety precautions, such as the correct pressure, to get the best performance from Metzeler tires

www.metzeler.com

 

[ned]

I ride a lot and agree with the opinions offered but will add new tires just feel good and are a comfort. Personally I'd replace them.

 

[rkrcpa]

50+ years in the wind, I would get new tires.

 

[vito]

I'm not a high mile rider, averaging about 6-8,000 miles a year, so if I kept to the 5 year rule on tires I would be waiting to reach 30-40,000 miles before changing tires. I've never even tried to make motorcycle tires last near that long. But for really low mileage riders, 5 years might make sense. I think a big difference might be where the bike is kept when not being ridden. Sitting out in the bright sun of southern AZ might well degrade a tire a lot more than sitting in a garage in IL.

As to the 5 year rule on helmets, I pay little attention to that. A helmet worn every day for a few hours a day would likely need replacing sooner than 5 years, whereas a helmet worn only once in awhile for shorter rides and stored inside the house might be perfectly fine a lot longer than 5 years. The material inside the helmet does get compressed, even if only slightly, the more it is worn. But, for example, I would not hesitate to wear a 6 year old helmet that was still new in box or only worn very occasionally. If the material felt dry, hard or even crumbly, I would not trust it. If it still feels resilent and flexible, I wouldn't worry at all. FWIW, I just ordered a new helmet to replace the primary one that I wear most of the time and is 7 years old, but I have little doubt as to its ability to still protect my brain. I did just toss out into the trash a helmet that to outward appearances looks fine, but is actually about 15 years old and has sat on the back shelf of my closet for most of that time (I never really liked how it fit me) and while it appeard as good as new, 15 years seemed to be pushing my luck so I just put it out in the trash.

 

[larry8]

My .02 cents. I did a lot of jobs at tire manufactures, and The answers to tire life are 8 years for any tire if there is a reasonable tread left. The manufacturers state 8 years because they know the tire compounds nowadays will even last longer than that but they want to keep the safety of the tire much lower than the actual life of the compounds. Some places (junk yards) even sell tires that are 10 years old and they are still good for a short time (but I'd never use them).

 

[Kevin]

Do motorcycles have low pressure sensors for tires like cars do these days?

I rode a motorcycle in high school and would love to get another one. The problem is the Dallas traffic.

Hittman said $600 to $750 for a set. Man! That's right in line with car tires. I bought new tires for my truck last month, $1500 for four!

But to the OP's tire issues, I guess I'd be inclined to put new tires on just for peace of mind if nothing else.


My truck tires had 41,000 miles on them, and honestly, I could feel the difference with the new tires. Cornering and stopping (important stuff.)

 

[hittman]

Many newer bikes have tire pressure monitors. Mine doesn't but it's a 2015 model.

 

[WanderLust]

I forgot to add something we found out the hard way. Many sellers on FleaBay and other areas will sell tires far cheaper than normal, even the top name brands. Turns out they were buying tires that were out of date (or nearly so) that other shops had sold in bulk, just to get rid of, rather than have their customers with an unsafe tire. I have called many times and ordered a tire and made the salesperson snap a pic of the date code on the sidewall.
You might as well get one fresh off the tree!