Rear Tire Wear

[Flight Risk]

I just live a few miles south of you and do the twisted sisters in the heat, too. my first tire only lasted about 7000 miles ... wore out the center tread. the replacement is still going strong at 7000 ... I lowered the tire pressure to 24 ... and the tire looks concave at rest ... but I believe it balloons out nicely (as Scotty said) at my usual 75 to 85 highway speeds.

just my .02.

thehawk

What rear tire did you replace it with? Dang.....this is upsetting

[thehawk]

sorry ... I should have said I used the stock Spyder replacement.

thehawk

[bikeguy]

I have about 32,250 miles on my 2010 RT and still running the original front tires. They have some wear but not ready to replace yet. The rear is a different story. I replaced the original with an OEM at 9,040 miles. It was worn completely out. Replaced the second OEM with a Kumho Ecsta at 14,467. It wasn't worn completely out but I had a long trip planned and couldn't trust it to make the whole distance. I just replaced the Kumho Ecsta with another one at 32,175 miles. So about 17,700 miles on the Kumho. Much better wear than the OEM Kenda. As BajaRon said, the 4 ply automotive tire stays flatter than the 2 ply motorcycle tire so it wears better across the whole surface of the tire.

One other consideration for rear tire wear that I think applies in Texas if not in other states. For some time now TxDOT has been using a cheap chip seal paving process on most 2 lane highways and a lot of 4 lanes, rather than the hot-mix asphalt paving or concrete that they used to use. Chip seal surfaces are much coarser than hot mix so they wear tires faster but they degrade much faster, too. Since most of the traffic on them is of the 4 wheel variety, they soon wear down to just the asphalt in the automotive tire tracks. Since the chips, 1/4 to 1/2 inch crushed stones, have all been slung out of these tire tracks, the surface that's left doesn't have a lot of traction but it doesn't wear tires as much, either. The Spyder rear tire, however, rides in between the wear grooves and the chips are still there to wear out rear tires. I think that's part of the reason that Spyder rear tires wear so much faster than the fronts.

Cotton

[NancysToy]

Compared to car tires, the Spyder rear tire doesn't do well, but compared to motorcycle touring bikes, it does much better. I wish it would wear more evenly, but I'm not dissatisfied with its longevity. I got 14K out of mine. At 7K I might be a bit more unhappy...but that would still beat what I get out of the more expensive tire on my BMW RT. We can't compare the Spyder to automobiles. Be sure you are looking at the correct bars when checking tire wear. The wear bars are the ones marked by tiny triangled on the sidewall. The water blocks are taller, and wear flush first.

[bikeguy]

I certainly agree with Scotty about the comparison between the Spyder rear tire and other touring motorcycle rear tires. I never managed to get over 7,000 miles out of a rear tire on my BMW RT. If I had gotten 14,000 miles out of the OEM Kendas on my Spyder, I probably would not have gone to automotive tires. But I like the Kumhos. I get more mileage out of them and, for the most part, their performance is just as good. I don't believe they have quite as much traction as the OEM's but there's not a significant difference. At least my backside doesn't feel a significant difference. In my experience, the Kumho's wet weather performance is as good as the OEM. It will hydroplane but so will the Kenda. All things considered, I'm happy with the Kumho on the rear. When I replace the fronts, I'll do so with the OEM Kendas. I sure can't complain about more than 32,000 miles.

Cotton

[LindaG]

I just bought a 2010 RSS that has 9K on it yesterday near Tulsa and trucked to to TX. Had a tire put on it today, so it would pass inspection here.

[bertmc]

... I lowered the tire pressure to 24 ... and the tire looks concave at rest ... but I believe it balloons out nicely (as Scotty said) at my usual 75 to 85 highway speeds.

just my .02.

thehawk

I had the same experience as others with middle wear early, I thought because I was running high pressure at 30 (Well, 38 for a while after I used Lamonster's tire gauge at the BBQ!). I don't ride fast, but do carry a passenger often. I wondered about lowering it for a while to equalize the wear, but wondered if that is going to negatively affect handling and/or safety, especially cornering or with passenger and load.

[Captain Fin]

You're right about the conversion.I feel a bit better now.

Dealer installed my Kumho. Im very happy!

[MouthPiece]

2010 RT PREMIER EDITION:

Riding style: Moderate. Sometimes aggressive
80% riding single
20% riding double

Front tire pressure 20 lbs
Rear tire pressure 30 lbs

50% town----50% slab

OEM BACK TIRE: 15,000
OEM FRONT TIRES 21,000

Chris

[IceCube]

2012 RT Limited rear tire 13500 miles and I think I will get 3000 more. This is the wifes ride. Shw rides single and I noticed some time back tire was showing the miles. I lowered tire pressure from 28psi to 24/25 and it helped the tire wear. Traction better. She does like to get on it from time to time. When I pull out on my goldwing hard and she is on me I know she is turning the tire. Happy wife happy life.

[flybuddy]

With the stock rear tire being wide and soft we recognize that it tends to egg out at high speeds causing the center to wear faster regardless of tire pressures.
However, what does that mean toward hydroplaning and stability?

[NancysToy]

With the stock rear tire being wide and soft we recognize that it tends to egg out at high speeds causing the center to wear faster regardless of tire pressures.
However, what does that mean toward hydroplaning and stability?

I doubt that it makes a difference. It should not balloon out significantly within the contact patch. I would suspect the extra wear comes at the point that it first contacts the road, and then moves to lay flat against the road. Just guessing, but that would be the mechanics of it. There may also be more wear in the center due to added pressure there at speed. At any rate, nobody using the OEM tire has suffered any more hydroplaning issues than with other tires...sometimes less, due to the OEM tire sodtness and tread pattern.

[Bob Denman]

The OEM tire is pretty good; it provides a comfortable and quiet ride. It's pretty forgiving under less than ideal conditions, and it gives a fairly decent service life.
Some of us just want to see if there's any other option out there that might offer a little bit more?

[rock]

we have 23,000 miles on our bike and will have to replace the tire this spring...this is the original tire that came with the bike...i ride pretty gently and dont spin the tires or abuse the bike...if i can get that kind of miles out of the oem tire what could i get out of a 4 ply better tire??? oh by the way the front tires have no wear and look like new..and we ride 2 up all the time...will prob replace them next year just in case...

[DragonSpyder]

Loved the Toyo Tire. Better ride and much lighter tire too. Not sure if you can still get them though

[flybuddy]

Don't think you'll find a TR1 but you can get a proxes 4, I just bought one last week.

[DocRags]

We've been averaging about 16,000 miles on our RS rear tires, (with most of those miles with 2 up) but our first tire was really​ bald when it was replaced. With 33k on the Spyder now, the replacement rear tire is sitting in the garage waiting for Ed to finish his chemo before he can resume working on our Spyders. He needs to have some other work done by the dealer and will probably have the tire replaced then. We have 5200 miles on the RT so the rear tire on it is looking OK.

[SPYD3R]

i got just about 9000 out of the KENDA, which is the OEM tire...

i mounted the KUMHO AST, and i've got just about 18,000 miles on that one, with about another 2000 miles to go...
SAM_0319.jpg

[Bob Denman]

I replaced my OEM tire at 7000 miles.
It wasn't worn out, but the tread was getting low enough that I figured it best to change it at an opportune time. (I didn't want to have to waste riding time during the season for another trip to the dealer.)
My Falken has 5000 miles on it now, and looks almost as good as new!
(ZE 912) It'll definitely last far longer than the OEM; which was wearing out it's center tread section first!

[SPYD3R]

I replaced my OEM tire at 7000 miles.
It wasn't worn out, but the tread was getting low enough that I figured it best to change it at an opportune time. (I didn't want to have to waste riding time during the season for another trip to the dealer.)
My Falken has 5000 miles on it now, and looks almost as good as new!
(ZE 912) It'll definitely last far longer than the OEM; which was wearing out it's center tread section first!

BOB;
your tire, Falken, is not symetrical about the center line... do you notice any 'fish tailing' or slight side-to-side vibrations...?
i'm getting ready to replace my KUMHO AST, with another AST, but will always consider others...
SAM_0321.jpg

[Bob Denman]

Nope.. Steady as a rock at all the speeds that I've run it at!
I don't know how much of the tread pattern has to do with cancelling out harmonics, or reducing the chance of hydroplaning, but it sure works!

[SPYD3R]

Nope.. Steady as a rock at all the speeds that I've run it at!
I don't know how much of the tread pattern has to do with cancelling out harmonics, or reducing the chance of hydroplaning, but it sure works!

i read you 5 X 5...

[Flight Risk]

I spoke with another RT Ryder and this person changed to car tires all around. Said they noticed a huge difference handling the turns ( this person Ryder's fast!). What are y'all's thoughts on this.
the group I Ryde with rides back roads 95% of the time and like the twisties, S turns and corkscrews. I feel worn out! I have Elkas, BajaRons anti sway bar....etc

Help!

[Bob Denman]

You've got the right equipment...

[bobfeeney]

You've got the right equipment...

2nd question has any one tryied using the dyno jet {power comander} all i can get is 90 mph out of pork chop iknow she runs verry leal wy wife and ride togeather 90% of the tim wev got 20,000 on the bike and gone through 2 back oem tires