My data from tread depth measurements on front Kendra tires at 16696 miles

[teninospyder]

OK people.......decided last nite to see how much "real" rubber is left on my original Kenda front tires, before worrying about replacing them prior to our 1500 mile vacation in 2 weeks. Attached (if I did this "pasteing" right) are the results - which, even though I check this regularly, REALLY surprised me. Anybody.......What do you think? Again, the question for me is obviously safety, but also running out of tread and getting a flat in "nowhere'sville".

For me, I don't need "better handling" like some seem to insist on as a reason for swapping to other brands - but that's not the question here. Looking at MY results, it would seem 25-30,000 miles on these tires is doable. Please folks.....not looking for a fight on tires here, just thoughts on what I found.

all thoughtful inputs appreciated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	2014 Can Am Spyder RT Limited
	Original Kenda Front Tires - Measurements - 06/14/17 7:00PM
	Notes:
	* 16,696 miles on odometer
	* Both tires measured a 70.5" circumference - Tire Pressure 18PSI
	* All depth measurements taken at the 6 locations identified with a triangle on the tire sidewall.
	* All depth measurements were taken at 4 places across the tire, i.e., Outer groove, Outer Middle groove, Inside Middle groove, Inside groove.
	* All measurements in 32nds of an inch using tread gage.
		Outer	Outer Mid	Inner Mid	Inner
	Left Tire Triangles
	1	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	2	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	3	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	4	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	5	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	6	7.5	7.5	7.5	6
	Right Tire Triangles
	1	7	7	7	7
	2	7	7.5	7.5	7
	3	7	7	7	7
	4	7	7	7	7
	5	7	7	7	7
	6	7	7	7	6

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I wish you had posted BASE numbers to make this easy ..... However if I'm reading your amounts correctly you have nothing to worry about .... personally I detest Kenda's for a lot of reasons ..... but I'm also practical and wouldn't change them ( for car tires ) until they were worn out ........ They appear to be wearing pretty even , which tells me your alignment is good ...... Poor Alignment will wear Kenda's out sooner than Car tires ( in my experience ). I have heard from others here about Kenda's on the front getting as much as 30,000 miles , as long as the alignment was very good ....... Mike

[MurrayBrown]

OK people.......decided last nite to see how much "real" rubber is left on my original Kenda front tires, before worrying about replacing them prior to our 1500 mile vacation in 2 weeks. Attached (if I did this "pasteing" right) are the results - which, even though I check this regularly, REALLY surprised me. Anybody.......What do you think? Again, the question for me is obviously safety, but also running out of tread and getting a flat in "nowhere'sville". For me, I don't need "better handling" like some seem to insist on as a reason for swapping to other brands - but that's not the question here. Looking at MY results, it would seem 25-30,000 miles on these tires is doable. Please folks.....not looking for a fight on tires here, just thoughts on what I found. all thoughtful inputs appreciated.

Thanks for this. I also don't want to enter the infamous "best tire" debate. You have done an amazing job of data collection. The front Kenda's on my 2014 ST Limited are now j-u-s-t on the verge of being at the end of their life cycle. With almost 38,000 kms (23,600 miles) I feel they have done me well. My two-wheel motorcycle friends feel they are fortunate if they can achieve 28,000 kms (17,000 miles). Thanks again for your post!

[teninospyder]

I wish you had posted BASE numbers to make this easy ..... However if I'm reading your amounts correctly you have nothing to worry about .... personally I detest Kenda's for a lot of reasons ..... but I'm also practical and wouldn't change them ( for car tires ) until they were worn out ........ They appear to be wearing pretty even , which tells me your alignment is very very good ...... Poor Alignment will wear Kenda's out sooner than Car tires ( in my experience ). I have heard from others here about Kenda's on the front getting as much as 30,000 miles , as long as the alignment was very good ....... Mike

Mike,
Starting at 4100 miles (10/20/14) and until now, I only measured the tires in 1 spot across. I had all 8's for measurement at that first time, but until now I only measured the tires in 1 spot across. Appreciate your response.

[teninospyder]

Thanks for this. I also don't want to enter the infamous "best tire" debate. You have done an amazing job of data collection. The front Kenda's on my 2014 ST Limited are now j-u-s-t on the verge of being at the end of their life cycle. With almost 38,000 kms (23,600 miles) I feel they have done me well. My two-wheel motorcycle friends feel they are fortunate if they can achieve 28,000 kms (17,000 miles). Thanks again for your post!

Thanks for your reply !

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike,
Starting at 4100 miles (10/20/14) and until now, I only measured the tires in 1 spot across. I had all 8's for measurement at that first time, but until now I only measured the tires in 1 spot across. Appreciate your response.

Soooooooooooo in 12,000 +/- miles you have LESS then 1/32 !!!! ???? ..... On that basis you will get approx. 100,000 miles easy ....... I'm not sure I understand you on this second post ..... Mike

[IGETAROUND]

Enjoy your planned trip, lots of tread. If something happens it won't be because your tires are worn out.

[Chupaca]

i am one of those getting over 30,000 miles on the fronts (Kendas) and am currently on the second set. I also got 20,000 on the rear tire and am currently on the Third tire but am trying the Arachnid tire to see how they hold up. This is what it looks like when your down to the wear limit..
20160324_085157.jpg good thing it never rains in Southern California... but never had a problem

[teninospyder]

Soooooooooooo in 12,000 +/- miles you have LESS then 1/32 !!!! ???? ..... On that basis you will get approx. 100,000 miles easy ....... I'm not sure I understand you on this second post ..... Mike

Mike,
I wrestled for a long time with what I was doing wrong in my measuring the other day, and whether or not they were accurate, but I can't see anything. I even told my wife "if I was 1/2 a mm off....how bad could the overall results be ??? I also noticed, after I sent my earlier response to you, that I had doubled up in words on my description of my "earlier measurement technique. Here is what I meant to say.

When I first started keeping track of the tread depths on each wheel (actually only out of "wondering"), I only did 1 row of 4 horizontal measurements "going directly across the tire" in a random spot on the circumference. Back then...Each time I measured....it could have been a totally different spot on the tire from the prior one - I don't know. My checks were random in timing, maybe a few months apart over fall, winter, spring, and more "monthly" in good riding weather or after a vacation trip.

Anyway - I don't expect 100,000 miles, but 25-30,000 or so would be awfully nice :-))

[teninospyder]

i am one of those getting over 30,000 miles on the fronts (Kendas) and am currently on the second set. I also got 20,000 on the rear tire and am currently on the Third tire but am trying the Arachnid tire to see how they hold up. This is what it looks like when your down to the wear limit..
20160324_085157.jpg good thing it never rains in Southern California... but never had a problem

Yikes !!!! And I worry about the "wear indicators" getting close !! Obviously "the FORCE" is with you and yours :-)) Must not be any broken bottles or things on your routes either huh ?? Thanks for the picture.

[BoilerAnimal]

I replaced my rear tire two weeks ago with a Yokohama. On one side of the original Kenda the tread was still quite away from the tread wear indicators. But if you rotated the tire 180° the tire was as smooth as a spanked babies' butt! Very poor performance from the rear tire. The fronts, however, are wearing evenly at 14000 miles and look like they will make another 10000 or so.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Mike,
I wrestled for a long time with what I was doing wrong in my measuring the other day, and whether or not they were accurate, but I can't see anything. I even told my wife "if I was 1/2 a mm off....how bad could the overall results be ??? I also noticed, after I sent my earlier response to you, that I had doubled up in words on my description of my "earlier measurement technique. Here is what I meant to say.

When I first started keeping track of the tread depths on each wheel (actually only out of "wondering"), I only did 1 row of 4 horizontal measurements "going directly across the tire" in a random spot on the circumference. Back then...Each time I measured....it could have been a totally different spot on the tire from the prior one - I don't know. My checks were random in timing, maybe a few months apart over fall, winter, spring, and more "monthly" in good riding weather or after a vacation trip.

Anyway - I don't expect 100,000 miles, but 25-30,000 or so would be awfully nice :-))

Your second sentence " if I was 1/2 a mm off " ... your tire tread gauge is ( probably ) SAE = inch ..... and you had said it only changed 1/32 in 12,000 +/- miles .......this does not compute to 25 to 30,000 miles ....... but it's moot ..... your getting good miles off that tire ..... Mike ...........PS your left inside wear - indicates slight alignment adjustment needed

[teninospyder]

Your second sentence " if I was 1/2 a mm off " ... your tire tread gauge is ( probably ) SAE = inch ..... and you had said it only changed 1/32 in 12,000 +/- miles .......this does not compute to 25 to 30,000 miles ....... but it's moot ..... your getting good miles off that tire ..... Mike ...........PS your left inside wear - indicates slight alignment adjustment needed

OK, you got me again for correctness of terms. I meant if I was 1/2 of the scale on my tire gage, and you are correct I am using the SAE inches scales. My gage has both (as probably most do, but anyway that's that. Looking at the mm scale, looks like my 8s would read about 6. Maybe I'll start using that side of the gage, but as you know, there ain't a whole lot of difference between 32/inch and 25.4/inch when you are measuring as small a portion as we are here for tread life.