Just how bad can tires be?

So I thought my wife's '11 RT had eaten the inside edge of the right front Kenda a bunch in just the last few short trips she's taken, and I am planning on trailering the bike to a laser alignment place in Spearfish, South Dakota as soon as the 15 inch wheels and Vredesteins I ordered get here. Well, we went and gassed up an hour ago, and I looked at the tire and thought, "Wait a minute...there's more tread than I remember!" Yeah. The tire has not only worn on the inside, it has worn DRASTICALLY unevenly around the circumference, so depending on where the tire is in its rotation, it looks either bald as a cue ball or just to the wear bars. So while it still may have an alignment issue (and definitely need new shoes!), the bizarre wear on the right combined with even wear on the left tire, centered handlebars, lack of wander, and equal left-to-right steering effort is leading me to wonder if the problem is actually a defective tire. I still intend to get it aligned, but I am gonna be hella mad if it turns out it was just the rubber and I spend a hundred bucks on gas and meals, waste a full day going to another state, and possibly spend another 120 to be told there's nothing wrong with the alignment.

You're not wasting your money...... Jim

If it's an OE spec Kenda, they can be 'out of round'; have bulges in them; have tread that separates; have tread &/or tread plies that were run off the tread face & blended inches over into what should be the sidewall during construction; have dirty great overlaps &/or gaps in the various construction layers; and more!! So if you get away with it JUST being a defective tire that caused that sort of irregular wear, maybe you should consider yourself lucky that it's lasted as long as it has with little calamitous impact on your/your wife's ryding! :shocked: . Others have had far worse! :gaah:

However, in all fairness, I hafta add that the tire wear you've shown us/mentioned COULD be due to a bunch of other things too, not all of which relate specifically to 'poor quality tires' - things like an 'un-balanced' tire or heavy braking causing flat spots; defective/failed suspension components; worn ball joints, shock absorbers, 'A' arm bushes; or even collapsing springs/incorrect spring pre-load. All of those can create dodgy/odd wear patterns.... altho they generally tend to be wear patches concentricly spaced & of equal depth around the circumference of the tire, even if not always! :dontknow:

But canamjhb is right, you really won't be 'wasting your money' by getting a competent tech to look at it and to do a wheel alignment before replacing those tires! :thumbup:

I concur with Peter ( as usual, not because He's a friend, it's because He speaks the truth ). From info provided by many, many members here about their Kenda's, I have concluded they have the Worst " defective tire ratio " of any tire I have ever heard of - Period ....... To be 100 % honest, as long as your Kenda isn't a " defective " one, it can provide decent FRONT tire mileage - if you have proper alignment.... However for the rear it's really hopeless ... 12,000 mi. avg. max miles..... jmho .... Mike :ohyea:

Going to Outdoor Motorsport for the alignment? I might have to keep that in mind in the future.
Deadwood and Hill City are already having bike parking on Main Street. The Rally’s come early this year.

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Originally Posted by RapidSpyder

Going to Outdoor Motorsport for the alignment? Might have to keep that in mine in the future.
Deadwood and Hill City are already having bike parking on Main Street. The Rally’s come early this year.

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I agree with Peter also, if for no other reason than to read another 4000 word dissertation from him on all things Spyder!

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Originally Posted by NoahMercy

... is leading me to wonder if the problem is actually a defective tire.

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Does it say "Kenda" on the sidewall? :dontknow:

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Originally Posted by NoahMercy

I still intend to get it aligned, but I am gonna be hella mad if it turns out it was just the rubber and I spend a hundred bucks on gas and meals, waste a full day going to another state, and possibly spend another 120 to be told there's nothing wrong with the alignment.

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I agree it won't be a "waste", but get the alignment AFTER you get the new rubber.

Even if the alignment is perfect, you will KNOW that it's perfect. :thumbup:

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Y0ep. Sturgis is super busy already too. Constant bike noise from the interstate at our place. I think thier estimate of 250k might be low this year... but since noone can.go anywhere else and likely have built up PTO... guessing lots will come and stay longer than usual.

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Originally Posted by RapidSpyder

Going to Outdoor Motorsport for the alignment? I might have to keep that in mind in the future.
Deadwood and Hill City are already having bike parking on Main Street. The Rally’s come early this year.

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