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Weird tire wear

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Old Dec 4, 2022 | 04:10 PM
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Default Weird tire wear

2021 OEM Michelin Scorcher front tire on Fatboy, 9000 miles. Left side like new, right side worn into the wear bars. Its as if one fork tube is longer than the other. I did measure, and it is slightly longer on one side, but don't know if that is it. Very little wear down the center of the tire.

Its under warrenty, I have an appointment at the dealership for Wednesday. He asked what the back tire looked like, and its normal, with lots of miles left in it.
Anyone ever seen anything like this? I always got lots more miles out of a front compared to the rear.




 
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Old Dec 5, 2022 | 06:13 AM
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Could the tire be mis-aligned?
 
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Old Dec 6, 2022 | 01:31 PM
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I had a similar issue but it was the left side of my Dunlop not the right. I seem to get a 2:1 ratio off my tires, front and rear. Even wear on my rear tire, but it only lasts me around 6k miles Front tire is usually good for around 12k . First time I had to do the front I noticed the uneven wear and it raised some concerns. Told my indy about it when I brought it in for the tire and they ran through my front end with a fine tooth comb for 2 days. Everything checked out with nothing out of spec.

Said they couldn't figure out anything mechanical but it could be something as simple as the roads I frequent. Lot of roads around here have decent grades to help water runoff into the side drains. In my area there's a few bad sections that flood if you spill a glass of water on them so the grades are a bit more pronounced, Add in if I'm with a group I usually take right side of the lane near the white line, so guess it makes sense?

Do you ride a lot in the left lane or in the left side of the middle lane on the interstate perhaps?
 
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Old Dec 6, 2022 | 02:54 PM
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Yeah, Milsurp, it would make more sense if the wear was on the left side, the roads are crowned pretty good here in Florida. There are no twisties, I'm mostly riding up and down HWY 1, and A1A, and some cruises on I-95.

I put it up on a jack, lowered it to see where the tire hits, and its right on the center as it should be. The tread in the center is good, left is like new, then at about 1 o'clock going right, some parts almost bald. I put around 70 miles on it today, trying to see if anything is going on in the front end, and all seem good.

It will be interesting to see what the dealer says tomorrow. He asked what the back tire looked like, and I told him very good, little wear for having 9,000 miles on it.
SteveSport, I don't know how front alingment could happen, or how that would make the side wear.
 
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Old Dec 7, 2022 | 06:50 AM
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Looks like a a car front tire that needs a wheel alignment, badly. If they are toe in/out, it wears on one side.

Never seen it on a MC tire, but that is what I would be chasing as the cause. Crowns on the road are not going to cause this unless you rode 5k miles on the same road in the same lane. Good luck with the investigation.
 
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Old Dec 7, 2022 | 08:19 AM
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Same thing was going on with my FXDC but it was the rear tire tire was not aligned/running straight...made right turns difficult.
 

Last edited by LOTO; Dec 7, 2022 at 08:22 AM.
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Old Dec 7, 2022 | 08:50 AM
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I just got back from the dealership. He said it was normal wear for that many miles. I pointed out on the tire the nice deep grooves on the left side, and almost bald the same area on the right. I told him I always got way more miles of a front than a rear.

He said he couldn't answer that, that I should be glad I got 9000 miles out of it.

I said I know it needs a new tire, I'm not looking for a free one, I'm conserned the WAY it wearing, what would cause that. He said "who knows, road conditions, tire pressure, blah blah, etc).

I wasn't getting anywhere, so I said just put a new tire on. He is going to order a new one, should have it in a couple days. All I can hope for is that its just a defective tire, and nothing in the suspention. Tire $295, labor and other fees take it to just over $500. Next time I'll pull it, and take to an Indy like I usually do, and should have done this time. I was looking for answers I didn't get.
 
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Old Dec 7, 2022 | 09:24 AM
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That was a completely unacceptable response from the Dealership.

I would call management and have the conversation, a second time. Be professional and calm. Tires do not wear like that for no reason. Could it be a defective tire, maybe. But a root cause should be determined before this happens again.

And yes, the rear tire always wears faster than the front tire. A Technician should know this and speak truthfully to you when you bring your bike to them. Not give you a story so he doesn't have to do any work.

This is making me angry.
 
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Old Dec 9, 2022 | 10:07 AM
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Now, I'm just spitballing here.... How's the weight in your saddlebags? Happen to have more in one than the other?

Yeah I know grasping at straws :/
 
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Old Dec 9, 2022 | 08:38 PM
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I'd say you like righthand turns more than left..
 
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