When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This is just a need to know thread. Have been running an Elite 3 on the rear of the Ultra since last summer. Have 16,000 with solo riding only and am very satisfied with the performance. I've been looking for wear indicators to show and see none, but am planning a 1500 mile trip next weekend so decided to replace.
Called the dealer to make sure he had one on hand. He told me that his customers had three rear blowouts this year, and everyone of them told him that the rubber went from looking OK, to nothing.
So, after pulling the wheel today I cut through the center. Remember that this is Nebraska and we have to take off ramps to find curved roads, so the tires wear square. I am still about 3/32 from hitting outside wear indicators, but the center rubber is only l/8"" thick!! You do the math.
Was I worried about the tire.....No. Do I have any reservations about the tire.....No. Just want to caution those running them that they are more difficult to read, and they won't run forever. Installing Elites again tomarrow and am going to feel a whole lot better with good rubber.
BTW, the calculator told me I got just over 15% more mileage per dollar than with the 402's.
Called the dealer to make sure he had one on hand. He told me that his customers had three rear blowouts this year, and everyone of them told him that the rubber went from looking OK, to nothing.
I saw even wear with my first E3 rear that I just changed at 20k miles. When removed it had >2/32" remaining and I felt that I could have gotten more miles out of it had I wanted to stretch it. I watched it closely and didn't see any accelerated wear toward the end.
When you say your tire had 1/8" of rubber in the center, do you mean it had that depth below the grooves? Where was the 3/32" measured?
BTW, the calculator told me I got just over 15% more mileage per dollar than with the 402's.
I got >100% more mileage per dollar since I doubled the mileage over the first two D402's and the E3 cost less to begin with.
iclick, For clarification the 3/32" was measured from the tread outside surface to the wear indicator. Remember this was squared severely. The 1/8" was center black rubber over core thread.
All I was saying was if I had run to the wear indicators I would have been running a pretty thin film of rubber.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.