Slippery New Tires
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
My local dealer has a red ink stamp they put on each tyre invoice that recommends "extreme caution, avoid sudden acceleration and braking, or hard cornering for first 100 miles". Why? Because the tyre has a coating of release agent when manufactured, to get it out of the mould. That has to be worn off to get full grip from the tyre.
My brother learned that to his cost, a few years ago. Went whizzing along a favourite road at speed on a set of new tyres he slid off into a ditch, because he didn't take any precautions. Fortunately no serious harm done.
Is it worth scrubbing new tyres before riding on them? Not IMHO. Takes one gentle ride to cover those 100 miles.
My brother learned that to his cost, a few years ago. Went whizzing along a favourite road at speed on a set of new tyres he slid off into a ditch, because he didn't take any precautions. Fortunately no serious harm done.
Is it worth scrubbing new tyres before riding on them? Not IMHO. Takes one gentle ride to cover those 100 miles.
Last edited by grbrown; Oct 16, 2012 at 12:21 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 670
Likes: 22
From: Umatilla, Fl
Been in the tire industry fo almost 40 years, all I can say is ride them like your stole them! Unless the tires are 5 plus years subjected to sunlight or chemicals you won't see one bit of performance difference. IMHO
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
New tires need to be scrubbed in before they have optimum grip, not as much of a factor on our bikes, but ride 150hp bike and gas it hard with new tires and you can end up on your ***.
Metzeler Worlwide:
In order for the new tyres to provide optimum performance, all new tyres must be ridden very cautiously for the first 100-200 kms. Immediately after new tyres are mounted, sudden acceleration, heavy breaking, and hard cornering must be avoided until the 100-200 kms run in period is completed.
Dunlop:
When new tires are fitted, they should not be subjected to maximum power, abrupt lean-over or hard cornering until a reasonable run-in distance of approximately 100 miles has been covered.
Metzeler Worlwide:
In order for the new tyres to provide optimum performance, all new tyres must be ridden very cautiously for the first 100-200 kms. Immediately after new tyres are mounted, sudden acceleration, heavy breaking, and hard cornering must be avoided until the 100-200 kms run in period is completed.
Dunlop:
When new tires are fitted, they should not be subjected to maximum power, abrupt lean-over or hard cornering until a reasonable run-in distance of approximately 100 miles has been covered.
Think about this... If the tire was slick because of mold release used during manufacture, what happens the first time you really lay it over through a corner. Whether that tire has zero, one, ten, fifty, or two hundred miles on it, the first time you lay it over you will be using a previously unused part of the tire. Seems to me that if it was slick when new, then the 200 mile run-in isn't going to do much good on that "unused" portion of the tire and it will still be slick.
I don't know... just throwing that out for the sake of discussion.
You could always clean the tire with some solvent if there is any question. I have done this in the past.
One thing I will say about new tires, the bike will feel different so it's not a bad idea to "get a feel" for the new handling before going ***** out.
Another consideration not really applicable to us and I'm not sure if it's valid today but I used ride bikes with what was called "R" compound tires and those tires where slippery as hell until warmed up and the colder it was the longer it took to warm up.
I have felt and seen the effects of new tires before, with my HD I have not had a problem with a new tire, but on high HP bikes I've had new tires break loose easy and when I worked in a dealership I've seen the results of what happens. Customer would usually try to blame us because he couldn't understand how the tire broke loose so easily.
After 36 years I'll still take it easy on a new tire if not just for the sake of making sure everything is right.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: canton ga
I suggest no solvents on th gripping surface. No armour all, windex, royal purple or anything. Just take it easy until you take several left and right hand turns to scruff them in. If you have little patience a good straightline burnout with a figur 8 mixed in will take care of the scruffing in!! LOL / Ride safe!!
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
I suggest no solvents on th gripping surface. No armour all, windex, royal purple or anything. Just take it easy until you take several left and right hand turns to scruff them in. If you have little patience a good straightline burnout with a figur 8 mixed in will take care of the scruffing in!! LOL / Ride safe!!
Solvents in my mind are paint thinner, lacquer thinner, enamel reducer, acetone, alcohol, etc. Any and all of these will disolve any residual mold release compound that might be present on the tire.