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Hard tires? I was told my tires are "too hard".

12K views 82 replies 43 participants last post by  BC Rider 
#1 ·
Alrighty then, you all have been A FONT Of knowledge and help. Can't wait to see what you say about this.

I have a 2013. It still has the original tires on it. BIke only has 1,400 miles on it, was kept inside, no sun damage etc. But, I was told that my tires are too hard and since it's been 6 yrs, I should replace them even though the tread is good etc.

What say youuuuuuuuuu? Sorry if I've already asked this. It's all starting to blurrrrrrrr together!:confused:
 
#2 ·
It's true that as tyres age rather than wear out the rubber becomes harder - and therefore less grippy on the road. That could be a problem during an emergency braking situation, or during spirited riding.

You should also very carefully check both tyres for any signs of cracking between the tread blocks, or on the sidewalls.

If you were considering a big trip I would replace them, purely as a preventative safety measure.
 
#70 ·
This. Available tread is only one variable. They do age and if they are 6+ years old I would change them. I did exactly that with my OEM front on my 2015 DL650 before heading to NC last spring. There were micro fractures/cracks on close inspection.

If you want soft, my knobby shinko's stick surprisingly well... but wear is meh.
 
#3 ·
Sorry, I'm going to go against what the majority on this site will say and tell you what I would do...run em tell they're bald. That's if they are as you say, no dry rot, cracking, cupping and still run true and smooth. Especially if you are only a fair weather rider.

Now, if cash isn't an issue then replace them and everyone here will sleep better knowing you are on fresh rubber.
 
#4 ·
I would follow their advice.

I once fitted a 4 year old tire, it was brand new, never been on a bike or out of storage.

It was a rear & could easily spin it up, power slide and lock the wheel on braking.


It was more like plastic than rubber.


I thought if I put some miles on it things would get better, it did not.


I know there is a recommended age for car tires and I would think the same would apply to bikes but I also think bike tires are more important.

You could be putting your life at risk for the price of 2 tires.

I test all my tires for stopping distance, how fast can I get the bike to stop, you could try that with the old tires, then again with the new if you get them, I'm betting there is a huge difference.
 
#5 ·
Depends on the tyres. They may be fine as age doesn't always damage at a specific time frame.
If they feel real hard (try pushing your finger nail into them) and slippery then replace them or if there is any signs of cracking then replace them. A lot cheaper then replacing panels and parts off the bike if they are perished. As others have said, try the grip tests on them, hard braking etc and if the slip like ice, toss them in the bin. Your call, but if there is any doubt about them it wouldn't be worth the worry.
 
#11 ·
I remember reading of a post on a similar discussion, on one of the motorcycle forums, with a reference recommending to listening to a podcast with the title "2019-04-11_Adventure_Rider_Radio-Trouble_in_Panama_with_Spencer_Conway-Answering_Tough_Motorcycle_Tire_Questions.mp3" dated April12, 2019. There are two discussions on this particular podcast. The second part of the discussion (on tires) only starts after around 32 minutes from start.
 
#12 ·
Very possibly

The state of your tires may be the single most important factor is staying healthy (and perhaps alive) on a bike. My only street accident, many, many years ago, was on a bike that had tires with good tread, but were old and hard. Got a little aggressive with the throttle coming out of a corner, instant low-side. For ever after, if there was any doubt, new tires went on. Your ability to control the bike and keep it upright relies on two palm-sized patches of rubber on the road. It is amazing how much more expensive a visit to the emergency room is than a set of new tires.

Just replaced the front on one of my scooters. The new rubber is so much grippier that it feels like the tire is low when turning the handlebars at a standstill. The old hard tire showed almost no resistance. Sadly, the loss of grip as the tire ages is almost imperceptible, day to day or even month to month. But I could tell that the tire had reached the point where grip was marginal, especially when riding in the wet. Now I'm enjoying trail-braking and bombing apexes.

Yes, with suitable care and skill, you can ride them until they are bald. But other than the satisfaction of knowing that you've saved a few bucks over the lifetime of your bike, it takes a good deal of the fun out of riding when you are constantly compensating for deficient tires. If an emergency situation demands maximum traction, you may pay for your thrift.
 
#13 ·
The state of your tires may be the single most important factor is staying healthy (and perhaps alive) on a bike.
That about sums it up. I said something similar in a thread a while back, roughly paraphrased your tires are the last word on your having a good day or a bad day, especially on a motorcycle.

My own humble opinion: This is one of those can/should situations, it's also a game of luck, and plenty of others have put up perfectly logical explanations for both sides. If you're an easy rider then aged tires that don't show outward signs of wear are probably just fine. If you're a corner junky or a speed freak or an avid trail rider then using good *looking* tires that are past their use-by date is like leaning into a punch. I'm gonna have to put new tires on my RC51 next year, they look beautiful and have embarrassingly ample tread left because I just haven't put any miles on her in the past few years, but they're reaching six years old and at 170mph (gotta love the German Autobahn) it just ain't worth it to *hope* everything actually is as it looks.

That said, tire technology continues to improve, and it's a safer idea to contact the manufacturer for information about tire life than to rely on maniacs like us who occupy forums like this one.
 
#15 ·
A 6 year old tire is not old and if stored under the right conditions (souldn like the OP's was) will be good for a looooooong time. Manufacturers do no post expiration dates or best if used by dates because there are way to many variables. A tire left out in Death Valley within a year will start to show signs of dry rot wheas a tire kept in a cool dark and dry place will not.

Somewhere along the line someone deemed 5 year was all the longer motorcycle tires were good for and the internet bought into this.

If there were no date codes embossed on tire I wonder how many people would be running 5+ year old tires with confidence.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've seen a buddy of mine on a clapped out R1150GS full loaded with heavy Jesse panniers + gear with 90% worn Shinko 705's embarrass more than one ricky racer on a high HP sport bike once they hit the the twisties. Its not so much the tires as the talent.

I'd have no problem running 6 year old tires as long as they are in good condition.
 
#16 ·
There you go with your misinformation again no one deemed 5 years there been tons of research easily found with a quick search. I know that if a tire on the rack in a shop is more than 5 years old we can't mount it. If the date code is over ten your required to inform the customer that it should be replace.

https://www.utires.com/articles/how-long-do-tires-last-if-not-used/
 
#19 · (Edited)
I think you missed a few words after "years" but I think I get the gist of you post.

What misinformation have I provided? Is it the 5 year comment? If so you you yourself posted: "I know that if a tire on the rack in a shop is more than 5 years old we can't mount it". Why can't your shop mounts a tire that is 5 years old? Is there a law prohibiting you from doing so or is it a shop policy?

I know for a fact in Pennsylvania if the tire was 100 year old but as long as it is in good repair with ample thread it will pass annual PA state safety inspection. They cannot make you take a tire out of service solely because of age.

Furthermore the link you posted talks about how tires older than 5 or 10 years can be good as long as they are stored properly. Pretty much the same thing I posted in the 1st sentence of my original post.
 
#18 ·
When it comes to my bike, i am always early rather than late. I just replaced my stock front tire on my 2016 because it showed signs of dry rot. Probably would have been fine, but when i have the Mrs on the back, its not just my life. Im sure the dry rot was hurried by sitting on the floor so long. (16 leftover bought in 18)
 
#20 ·
Almost every manufacturer of tires states tires over 6 years (my mistake) Firestone/ Bridgestone says 5 should not be put into service and that no tire over ten years old should ever be in service. All of which is backed up by NHTSA research and recommendation.

I also know from being a service manager that any tire found to be over 5 years old in stock at any Firestone is to be returned and destroyed.
 
#21 ·
My personal limit is five years for car tires, three for motorcycle tires, no matter what they look like.

In every case, the difference between the old rubber and the fresh buns was quite noticeable while changing and when riding, even when the old stuff wasn't really worn.


It's your bike and your money, so do what you want.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I also debated on this tire age issue. My tires (Stock Battlewings) were going on 5 years old when I bought my '15 DL1000 with 5 miles off the showroom floor last Fall. They'll be 7 years old in April 2020. With 3,000 miles/6years on them, I was preparing for a 2,000-mile solo trip and thought about replacing them even though they were barely worn. But, I also considered they hadn't been ridden and had spent their first few years of life indoors.

I decided to just leave them on for the trip and for the rest of the year and keep eye on them. I am going to replace them early next Spring. I figure they'll have about 7,000 miles by then and it looks like they'll last. Rear's a little squared off due to riding in a continuous straight line across Kansas and Eastern Colorado but I've noticed no effect on handling. Tread's still plenty good on both and they pass "the fingernail test."

I'd never been in this situation before where I considered changing tires due to their age rather than wear/damage. I rode dualsports for years: tires were cheap and I changed my own so it wasn't uncommon for me to change tires every year (or twice a year) just to try something different to see if I liked it.

I doubt I'll encounter this tire age scenario again and must say even though I've got no complaints with the ones on the bike now, I am looking forward to some new tires. What I am not looking forward to is trying to decide what tires to get!

Although I didn't really follow my own advice, it would be "If in doubt, replace them."

OP, I don't know who it was who commented on your tires hardening up, but unless they're in a position to benefit from selling you a new set of tires, they probably had no other reason to point this out to you other than being concerned for your safety so they may very well be right.
 
#25 ·
Tires get hard with age, its apparent once you shod on some new ones. My 97 Valkyrie had 13 year old tires when I got it, not a single crack was to be found on those tires, but man they were hard as rocks I tell ya. Your loss of grip/traction will be apparent with old hard tires vs newer tires with more pliable/softer rubber, plus the overall quality of ride is quite obvious as well.
 
#26 ·
Not me

Perhaps in my youth, when money was tight and I healed quickly, my decision would have been different. But I'm no longer willing to risk my neck and perhaps life for a couple hundred bucks.

Even on the car. Had some 9-year-old tires on our CRV. Still plenty of tread left, but seeing cracks between the tread blocks and on the sidewalls. Had over 70,000 miles on them, so we'd gotten our money's worth. If the new ones last the same, probably outlast the car. So we spent the money sooner, but we'd have spent it eventually. The new ones ride quieter, have better traction in the wet and dry (and hopefully the snow, when it gets here) and presumably will be more resistant to road damage and puncture.

I was raised to be thrifty. So spending money when I don't absolutely have to goes against my nature. But I'm willing to overcome that nature in a good cause.

Everybody gets to make their own choices. Sure, an excellent rider can compensate for deficient traction through superior skill. Not many riders are going 10/10ths. You want to ride on old hard tires, no one is gonna stop you. But that is probably not what a smart, careful rider does. Kind of like the saying that there are no old, bold pilots.
 
#28 ·
New tires could be cheaper than a insurance claim and lost income should the worst happen.
 
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#63 ·
...
"If you have a $10 head, go ahead and buy a $10 helmet." Words to live by back in the day.
...
That leads to the conclusion that I can't ever afford a helmet.

..Tom
 
#30 ·
The reason tires 'harden' over time is because from the minute they are manufactured and cured in the molds, they slowly begin to lose the chemicals and oils that are so important to tire performance. The chemicals/oils are volatile compounds and will flash out of the tire.

Have you ever noticed a blueish sheen to a tire? That is the volatile chemicals/oils flashing to the surface. Increased tire age equals less of the compounds that make the tire work properly.
 
#31 ·
:new_shitsmiley:

Interesting answers on here. If you're trying to keep up with your sport bike friends or really pushing them hard, you might want to replace them for optimal performance. If it were mine, I'd ride and use them up. Tires age, but 6 years indoors will not make that much of a difference that you need to trash them.

Cracks me up when I see the posts about not letting tires touch the ground while stored. Think about it. Can a 4 or 500 pound bike cause a flat spot on a rubber tire? :beatdeadhorse5:
 
#33 ·
Flat spots even in cars are from the bias ply tires of days long gone.
 
#32 ·
What is interesting that it was posted that some manufacturers mandate that if a new tire is not installed by 60 months it must be returned to be destroyed. Does this mean it is okay to sell tires that are 59 months old knowing full well the buyer will not wear them out in one month? If that is the case what is the average duration a tire is on a vehicle 36, 48, 60 months? Even if its on the lower side say 36 months would that not then tell us that tires are safe to use well beyond the 60 month mark?
 
#34 ·
It's like that expiration date on your can of beans. They have to pick a date, and it is likely a conservative one.
 
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