I got 2 NEW tires today for my 2017 Ultra Ltd. 10,100 miles. <-- That is FYI but NOT the point. Pls read on.

While the bike was on his lift, I was talking with the HD Tech who has worked on my bike for 11 years and is truly an EXPERT.

I said to him I see a wear bar already and these tires are brand new. ??

((I was thinking u only see wear bars when the tires gets really low in tread.))

He said THAT is where you are supposed to put your tire gauge.

I said WHAT?????? You are kidding. He said no. The proper way to check tire depth is to put your gauge into the tread on the wear bar.

I said NO WAY! He said that is why they are there.

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Having said the above, now look at the PIXs below.

PIX A shows the wear bar. Same as PIX B since it is hard to see.




PIX A this is a wear bar on a BRAND NEW tire.



PIX B this is a wear bar on a BRAND NEW tire.

Now PIX C below is the gauge showing the depth thing that goes into the tread an ONTO the WEAR bar.





PIX C ABOVE, see the blue circle and blue arrowhead. That metal cylindrical thing goes into the tread to measure the tread depth.

When measuring tire tread left on a tire, do you REALLY put the tire depth gauge ON the wear bar?

I know I am not mechanically inclined but really........did I miss the boat on something this simple?

((For those of you who can't find your wear bars, look on the side of your tire for the HD logo or bar n shield. Something like that.))

BuzzCap7

 

I wouldn't measure AT the wear bar........then you'd be losing out on a lot of tire life........I believe the wear bar is there to show you WHEN to change tires.......I measure in the center of the tread as that is where it wears the most.

 

That is exactly what I thought.

Let's see what others say.

Surprisingly I could not find this on YouTube.

BuzzCap7

 

He's full of ****.

The wear bar is designed to be exactly 2/32" from the bottom of the tread groove. That way, when the wear bar starts to touch the pavement, THEN you have 2/32" left.

He's just trying to sell people new tires way earlier than necessary.

 

In a way I can see what he's doing - he's telling you how much usable tread you have left. But he's just muddying the waters...

 

You do not measure at the wear bar, you measure in the depth of the tread. As stated above, he is telling you how much tread you have until you will be at the wear bars. There is nothing sinister here except the typical post from IdahoHacker above immediately stating the dealer is a crook without thinking it through. Just sounds like a communication thing. When you are at the wear bar you should replace - people who go on and on about how they ride till they are bald are just skirting disaster due to one rainstorm. Yes we have all done it - it it responsible - no.

 

You can always see wear bars even when the tire is new. Wear bars make it easy to see when the tread wears to the legal limit (2/32”). The ‘tread depth’ is to the bottom of the tread grooves, not to the wear bar.

 

Dude, it's tires....when the wear bars start to touch the pavement, it's time for new tires. Simple as that.

I've never measured tread depth..nor do I want to.

 

Sorry, no. It's not a communication thing, it's wrong.

You replace the tire when there is 2/32" of tread left, as measured to the BOTTOM of the tread.

If you measure to the wear bar, and replace the tire when there is 2/32" to the wear bar, then you are replacing the tire when there is 4/32" of tread left.

So, unless the tech said: "You should replace the tire when there's zero remaining tread as measured to the top of the wear bar, then he's wrong.

 

He did not say to measure them from the wear bar and replace them when it shows zero. He just said you measure them from the wear bar.

Interestingly, the service writer was there at the time and he did not say anything. Maybe the service writer knows better than to contradict a tech. especially what is likely their BEST tech.

BuzzCap7