Tire or bearing problem?
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,593
Likes: 8,421
From: Inland NW
I have been riding Harleys exclusively since my then new 1978 FXS...
We have similar experience with different results..
That's the value of a public forum, sharing experience and opinions...
I will agree that on a dual compound or softer compound tire, that is aggressively ridden on twisty roads, there will be cupping, by virture of the forces involved in aggressive cornering. That is a behavior I am rarely involved in.
However, I still believe that in a a majority of street-driven, cruising motorcycles (like on this Harley forum except for the Dyna guys
), a badly cupped tire can be avoided with proper maintenance and tire pressures.
We have similar experience with different results..
That's the value of a public forum, sharing experience and opinions...
I will agree that on a dual compound or softer compound tire, that is aggressively ridden on twisty roads, there will be cupping, by virture of the forces involved in aggressive cornering. That is a behavior I am rarely involved in.
However, I still believe that in a a majority of street-driven, cruising motorcycles (like on this Harley forum except for the Dyna guys
), a badly cupped tire can be avoided with proper maintenance and tire pressures.Only one of my friends runs the Bridgestones, and his were silent all the way to changing the rear at 13K.
To your Dyna reference, my "Harley Davidson Scorcher" on my Dyna never cupped and got noisy...it just SUCKED! That tire almost killed me a few times
I went for Pirelli Night Dragons on that bike.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,160
Likes: 11,249
From: San Diego, CA
I have only seen (and heard) what the OP describes on the OE Dunlops, on the touring bikes. I had 2 that did it, and I have 4 friends that all went through it, and 3 of those guys each had 2 baggers that did it. It starts around 6K, sooner if you have a big bore and heavy hand. By 8K, mine were really howling. I have not heard it on well-worn AEs. I just changed my AE rear at 12K when I went to the new wheels, she was smooth and quiet.
Only one of my friends runs the Bridgestones, and his were silent all the way to changing the rear at 13K.
To your Dyna reference, my "Harley Davidson Scorcher" on my Dyna never cupped and got noisy...it just SUCKED! That tire almost killed me a few times
I went for Pirelli Night Dragons on that bike.That could be why I've missed out on cupping tires...
I started using Dunlop American Elite tires on my 1980 FXS around 1987ish. It was a year after the MoCo switched from OEM Goodyear Eagle A/T tires to the Dunlops as OEM.
I've switched to American Elites on any tire replacement I've needed to make over the years.
I didn't own my first bagger until 2012 and put a bunch of mileage on the baggers, so all three since then have been quickly switched to America Elites...
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