how far on 3/32 tread
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,459
Likes: 57,015
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
Have you ever heard of a Ouija Board? .... DUH !!
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: Western New York
I hydroplaned once on a new tire pulling into a gas station 10 minutes into the rain. If someone would have been exiting I would have t-boned them for sure. Sure makes you pucker!!! Buy a new tire!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,456
Likes: 2,858
From: Oklahoma
OK, here you go. Continuing on low tread has already been run into the ground and how far you want to go is your decision based on how you ride. So, how much more is left? The wear bars are at 1/32 and the law says you need a new tire then.
What was the tread depth new and how far have you gone so far? Then a little simple arithmetic gets you your answer ASSUMING the tread will wear at the same rate that it has so far. Example: My new rear tire started life with 11/32. That gives me 10/32 until the law says I must change it. As luck would have it, I got a large nail in it when it had 18,000 miles on it and it had 5/32 remaining. I had used 6/32 out of 10/32 of usable tread so 18,000 miles represented 60% of what I theoretically could have gotten out of it. Dividing 18,000 by 0.6 tells me I could have expected about 30,000 out of that tire, it was a Dunlop Elite 3. I replaced the punctured one with a new one and effectively threw away 12,000 of additional wear due to being a bit squeamish about zooming around at 75 to 80 mph, often 2 up on a patched tire.
So, if you know your original tread depth and how far you have already gone on that tire, you can answer your question yourself. Because no one else has that information or your own personal tread depth minimum, no one else can answer your question.
What was the tread depth new and how far have you gone so far? Then a little simple arithmetic gets you your answer ASSUMING the tread will wear at the same rate that it has so far. Example: My new rear tire started life with 11/32. That gives me 10/32 until the law says I must change it. As luck would have it, I got a large nail in it when it had 18,000 miles on it and it had 5/32 remaining. I had used 6/32 out of 10/32 of usable tread so 18,000 miles represented 60% of what I theoretically could have gotten out of it. Dividing 18,000 by 0.6 tells me I could have expected about 30,000 out of that tire, it was a Dunlop Elite 3. I replaced the punctured one with a new one and effectively threw away 12,000 of additional wear due to being a bit squeamish about zooming around at 75 to 80 mph, often 2 up on a patched tire.
So, if you know your original tread depth and how far you have already gone on that tire, you can answer your question yourself. Because no one else has that information or your own personal tread depth minimum, no one else can answer your question.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
From: Show Me State
3/32's to go 75 miles, unless you hit a nail etc. (even on a new tire) you'll be fine.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,275
Likes: 149
From: High in the Colorado Rockies
I always change at 2/32. My touring bike ('11 CVO Ultra) with stock Dunlops (407/408) gets roughly 1,800 miles per 1/32 on the rear tire. Thus, if you are getting the same mileage and don't want to go beyond 2/32 that would leave around 1,800 miles. You should do your own calculations regularly. SJ Ron 
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Channahon Illinois
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Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,697
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From: San Angelo, Texas
If had had said the part about 75 miles to save money, we woulda rode you like a .50 ***** for that, too
LOL!
