I understand that tire tread life is mostly controlled by riding habits. Speed, starting and stopping, 2 up or single rider, how fast you ride around corners and curves and other factors such as tire air pressure etc.

This question is for Ultra Classic owners. What has been your experience with the rear tire mileage on your Ultra Classic?

One of the reasons for my question is that the '03 Ultra Classic I have only has a little over 6,000 miles on it and I'll be lucky to get 6500 to 7,000 miles out of the rear tire.

 

on the wider hard tread tire out for two years now you should get 12,000 or more on the rear and about 20k on the front. i get that and i ride hard.

 

I'm at 9300 miles right now on my stock rear tire. 80% solo riding, 20% 2-up riding. I ride pretty hard, nothing crazy but I like to twist the wick a bit.

I'll probably get another 3000-4000 miles out of it from the tread I have left right now...............which means over the winter I'll be swapping it out.

I have a 2000 mile ride planned in August, and maybe another 1000 mile ride in September. Plus my normal weekend rides and commuting.........I'll push another 5000 miles out of this tire

Steve

 

At 30K on the Ultra I've gone through 3 rear and 1 front. If I even think I need a new tire it goes on. You've only got 2 and needless to say they're pretty darn important. Ijust too off the rear (3,500 mi on it) and put on a fresh one just for the ride to Billings. I'll put the old one back on later.

 

Especially important to use front braking in all conditions in concert with rear brake. 70% of the braking power is in the front brakes and 30% on the rear. If you ask the rear tire to take most of the braking effort, it won't last all that long. About the only time you don't use the front and rear brake together is in slow speed manuevering, then it is just the rear brake and gently at that.

I get about 12,000 on the rear, double that on the front.

 

Check the rear tire thread in Touring models
I've got 9100 miles on mine this morning it probally would go another 1000 to 1500 miles, but I'm not taking any chances I'm get new one next week or so.

 

I just changed mine at 9,200 miles. 75% solo, 25% 2-up. Could've probably gone another 1,000. But, like Pathfinder said, you've only got 2. Why risk it?

 

I must be doing something wrong! I get about 6000 miles out of a stock rear tire on my baggers.

 

Significant rear tire wear like that can be caused by several things: Heavy throttle (significant torque), rear-only braking, downshifting and popping clutch, low air pressure, 2-up and fully loaded bike, concrete vs. asphalt riding surface (or other more abrasive substances), etc. Like the posts above state, applying the majority of braking force to the front will save the rear tire. Also make sure that the alignment is good. Run through a puddle slowly and make sure your tires track exactly one on the other.

Hope that helps...

 

On my '04 ultra got 14,500 from my original rear tire, at 20,500 miles now and my original front tire still has 4/32" wear left...