Tires to old?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
Very old,my muscle cars have tires that are over 30 yrs old.If you are going to street race or have an aggressive riding style,you might want to get in touch with the tire co.for a rubber expert opinion on the adhesion limits on your specific tire.Good Luck.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,675
Likes: 95
From: Billings,Mt.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 491
Likes: 5
From:
Tires do have an "age limit" to them... 4 years is not that old...but,... I'm not sure if cycle tires have the same type of coding stamped on them...and I haven't looked, but auto tires have the date of manufacture on each tire...which is why when you buy new tires for your car you should check the date when they were made...as the age doesn't start when they are mounted. Some auto tires will sit for a year or longer before being mounted. I'm sure the tire manufacture can give more details about the age of a particular motorcycle tire. Here is some info for auto tires...again I'm not sure if it's the same for cycle tires:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured.
Tires Manufactured Since 2000
Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured.
Tires Manufactured Since 2000
Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 29,598
Likes: 19
From: Oregon
Tires do have an "age limit" to them... 4 years is not that old...but,... I'm not sure if cycle tires have the same type of coding stamped on them...and I haven't looked, but auto tires have the date of manufacture on each tire...which is why when you buy new tires for your car you should check the date when they were made...as the age doesn't start when they are mounted. Some auto tires will sit for a year or longer before being mounted. I'm sure the tire manufacture can give more details about the age of a particular motorcycle tire. Here is some info for auto tires...again I'm not sure if it's the same for cycle tires:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured.
Tires Manufactured Since 2000
Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that Tire Identification Numbers be a combination of the letters DOT, followed by ten, eleven or twelve letters and/or numbers that identify the manufacturing location, tire size and manufacturer's code, along with the week and year the tire was manufactured.
Tires Manufactured Since 2000
Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.
A tire can look brand new and be weakened from age.
$.02
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 502
From: Northern WV
Baker is right on. HD would be mounting fresh tires on their new bikes so yours are probably 04 tires which I would go ahead and use up. (The 4 digit number after the DOT stamp may read for example "3304" which dates the manufacture as 33rd week of 2004) Just be cautious when you first start cornering aggressively and try to feel for any slippage. Aged motorcycle tires generate less grip than fresh ones.
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Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From:
I am not recommending doing this but I put 6,000 miles on 8 year old tires. I am replacing them this week (tires on order). I got caught in the rain and had some serious issues on a back country road.
There is also a media piece done by ABC News suggesting that any tire over 6 years old should be replaced. Regardless if scooter or cage.
Here is the video: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897
I'd suggest replacing tires older than 5 years, which on a bike that is ridden should be no issue. Its the garage art that is dangerous.
There is also a media piece done by ABC News suggesting that any tire over 6 years old should be replaced. Regardless if scooter or cage.
Here is the video: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897
I'd suggest replacing tires older than 5 years, which on a bike that is ridden should be no issue. Its the garage art that is dangerous.
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