Possible tire problem, need advice
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,598
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From: South Jersey
Possible tire problem, need advice
At exactly 70mph I feel like I'm driving over small pebbles. It get worse at 75mph and continues on up to 90. I didn't go faster than that. My first thought is the tires need balancing. I know in a car improper balancing usually feels like a side to side shimmy. the bike does not give a side to side shimmy but more of a pulsing up and down.
Under 70 all feels normal and smooth.
Could there be another problem other than balancing?
I have 9,000 miles on these tires and they are from 2010. I bought the bike end of last season with 500 miles on it so it sat for a few years without being moved. Could there be a flat spot on the tire that only shows up at speed although I didn't notice it before the other day.
Should I just buy new tires or should I try to get these tires balanced?
Also, if I do decide on new tires should I go with 888 Metzlers, American Elite or Michlen Commander II?
Thoughts please.
Under 70 all feels normal and smooth.
Could there be another problem other than balancing?
I have 9,000 miles on these tires and they are from 2010. I bought the bike end of last season with 500 miles on it so it sat for a few years without being moved. Could there be a flat spot on the tire that only shows up at speed although I didn't notice it before the other day.
Should I just buy new tires or should I try to get these tires balanced?
Also, if I do decide on new tires should I go with 888 Metzlers, American Elite or Michlen Commander II?
Thoughts please.
Last edited by Streetrunner; Sep 7, 2015 at 07:04 PM.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 52
From: South Jersey
What would you suggest I look at? I have had the bike on a jack recently because I was changing shocks, that's how I started noticing the problem. I thought it was the shocks but I put the stock shocks back on and the same problem existed.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Don't know if you have them , but with radial tires, that's exactly what they can feel like when they're delaminating inside. Look for little bulges or indentations on the sidewalls, although they won't always get those, either. Bias ply can get deformations on the sidewalls, too.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: South Jersey
Don't know if you have them , but with radial tires, that's exactly what they can feel like when they're delaminating inside. Look for little bulges or indentations on the sidewalls, although they won't always get those, either. Bias ply can get deformations on the sidewalls, too.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: NY
At exactly 70mph I feel like I'm driving over small pebbles. It get worse at 75mph and continues on up to 90. I didn't go faster than that. My first thought is the tires need balancing. I know in a car improper balancing usually feels like a side to side shimmy. the bike does not give a side to side shimmy but more of a pulsing up and down.
Under 70 all feels normal and smooth.
Could there be another problem other than balancing?
I have 9,000 miles on these tires and they are from 2010. I bought the bike end of last season with 500 miles on it so it sat for a few years without being moved. Could there be a flat spot on the tire that only shows up at speed although I didn't notice it before the other day.
Should I just buy new tires or should I try to get these tires balanced?
Also, if I do decide on new tires should I go with 888 Metzlers, American Elite or Michlen Commander II?
Thoughts please.
Under 70 all feels normal and smooth.
Could there be another problem other than balancing?
I have 9,000 miles on these tires and they are from 2010. I bought the bike end of last season with 500 miles on it so it sat for a few years without being moved. Could there be a flat spot on the tire that only shows up at speed although I didn't notice it before the other day.
Should I just buy new tires or should I try to get these tires balanced?
Also, if I do decide on new tires should I go with 888 Metzlers, American Elite or Michlen Commander II?
Thoughts please.
Tires that are approx 6+ yrs old that are giving you trouble ,well if your really up against it money wise & don't value your life much either then try to re-balance the old tires which may be ok after that.
But if it were my bike " FOR SAFETY SAKE I'D REC GETTING RID OF THEM " & get a new set of Mich C's!
I have them on my 09 flhtcu riding 2up 90% of the time and post todays long ride have approx 7k miles on them adn the front looks brand new and rear tire looks almost new being hard to see much if any wear too,very impressed with lack of noticeable tire wear 2 approx 7k miles thus far ,esp rear tire mostly riding 2 up & bags loaded!
So with the stock original dunlops that came on my bike being basically trash at 9,700miles (rear would not pass insp/almost bald and front had maybe 800-1k miles left it also being cupped and moaning like heck too) the C2's have already given me confidence they will in fact go 2x-2.5x+ more miles then the avg bike tire does as the c2's were specifically designed to do in the 1st place.
They handle & ride well and have my 1st rain event with them last wk and riding at reasonable speed for wet cond i was in i though they handled wet/rain duty just fine too,but again thats riding 2 reasonable speed in the rain.
But if memory serves me correct the C2's may not be avail in white wall at all or was it that it's not avail in WW in certain sizes,dont remember for sure.
I paid approx $325 a set of C2's for my 09 flhtcu on sale from motorcycle super store & had a local shop install them inc installing Ride-on in both tires that to not only keeps them perfectly balanced over their entire srv'c life so you always have a smooth ride but it also protects them from up to 1/4" punctures at the same time too.
Scott
Last edited by wscott; Sep 7, 2015 at 10:49 PM.
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Can't say for sure if tires are your issue but if you find nothing else wrong buy them but I would have the balance checked if you have decent tread left.
I have used all the tires you mention and prefer either of the Dunlop tires myself but to each their own. Back to balance. If/when you do get new tires forget about wheel weights, dyna beads, whatever and get Ride On, not only for balancing but flat prevention as well. You can thank me later.
I have used all the tires you mention and prefer either of the Dunlop tires myself but to each their own. Back to balance. If/when you do get new tires forget about wheel weights, dyna beads, whatever and get Ride On, not only for balancing but flat prevention as well. You can thank me later.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 52
From: South Jersey
I decided since the tires are 6 years old with 9K on them, rather than pay the labor to have the dealer balance both tires with no guarantee that will fix the problem I purchased two new American Elites from Dennis Kirk for $305. Now the labor to mount and balance will be almost the same if I just got them balanced.
I jacked the bike up in order to spin the wheels and check the bearings, didn't hear any noise other than the drag on the rotor and there was no side to side movement in the wheel. The tire looked like it was rotating normal.
I jacked the bike up in order to spin the wheels and check the bearings, didn't hear any noise other than the drag on the rotor and there was no side to side movement in the wheel. The tire looked like it was rotating normal.