My front Mets 800 with 3000 miles is cupping pretty badly. I have been keeping the air pressure 2-4 lbs above what Harley recomend as suggested on the Mettsler site and advised by people here.

 

Even with the air not at perfect levels to cup in 300 miles is quick.
I would contact whomever you got it from and try to get it replaced.
Might be a bad batch, not unheard of.

 

I meant 3000 miles

 

Cupping is from the tire striking the ground harder at one spot. An out of balance tire will cause cupping in one or two spots. I have always run Dyna Beads in my tires for balancing them and have not had any problems with cupping since doing so.

 

When I put Metzlers on my Shadow, the factory tire pressure was 36psi, Metzler website recommend 42. Always ran 42 with no problems.

 

I take it you don't have the same tire (compound) and mileage on the back? I'm still using the OEM Dunlops and I"ve got 7K and the back will need replaced in another 1-1.5K. The front looks great. I thought about going with some stickier tires but I'm not road racing and I like the extended mileage of the harder compound.

 

I have the same tire on the back, same mileage no cupping but wearing as quick as the Dunlop. 4000 - 4500 is all I get out of the rear.

 

Out of balance was my thought. Dyna Beads!

Stone

 

I had the same experience with the Dunlops on the front of my Fatboy.......installed a different Dunlop with Dyna Beads.......no problem.

 

Mine (just front) has +20K and still runs smooth and shake free but you can see and fill the cups with you hand. Appears to be on each side around about 30 degree off center between water slots. Does not appear to hurt anything. Mine has no balance weights. Run 30lb and 36 rear. My Dunlop on the original spoke wheel did not do it at 10K when I took it off but had a shake (like a buzz) and it was balanced by dealer. (think he had too much weight on it--couple big donuts around two spokes) Make you a paper template to fit the tire radius and place it on the tire and measure the cup. Bet it's not as bad as you think. Does it have a up and down buzz shake fill when you put your hand on the center of the bars on a smooth road at 60mph? (if so that's out of balance.)