Tire age when buying new - what's acceptable?

I would have to agree. I bought my 2008 FZ-6 from a dealer in 2009, that had it stored in whatever type of container it came from the factory. I now have 8,000 miles and the tires are showing some signs of wear and it is 2013. They are date coded early 2008 which makes sense, but I still look them over during every warmup. My point is, back in the day you would have worn your tires past the point of safety because (A) they still held air and (B) you did not have a lot of extra cash, but these are not the tires from then. The construction and compounding in tire technology is one of greatest advancements that have been made in the last 10-15 years and it just keeps on getting better.
IMHO I do not think it will be a problem. :thumbup:
+2
And this is why I'm still rocking my original Battleaxes, they aren't cracking and look great and still have a lot of tread left. (just over 6000mi on my odometer)

If anything it pushes me to ride more so I wear them out faster!
 
With regards to the comment about some manufacturers shipping old tires, I can confirm...


For those of you who remember I used to work in supply chain for a little while for the North American distributor of a certain moto branch of an European tire company. We made great tires but I always cringed when I was out in the warehouse and saw a tire that was still months away from it's end customer with a date code 2-3 years old.

If it makes you feel better, most companies have better inventory control than we did, and we were in the process of fixing our process for that.

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Ever since people started learning how to read the manufacturing date on tires, they've been imagining problems with tire age that don't exist.
A tire is old when it's dry and cracked, and it takes many years or a very nasty environment for that to happen. An old tire manufacturing date is just a number, it's not any kind of indication of quality. New tires can be worse than old tires. Look at their condition.
Tires stored in a tire warehouse will have close to zero affects from aging.
 
I just ordered and received a Front Michellin Pilot Power 3. Date stamp 2013. So it was manufactured around May of this year, making the tire about 5 months old.

For the first time, I have elected not to replace both tires. I'm leaving the rear on since it still has plenty of tread left, and the tire is only about 9 months old. As usual, my front wears out 2:1 to my rear.
 
I just ordered some PR3's from Bike Bandit and didn't even think to check the dates till I came across this thread. My front is 1013 and the rear is 2613 so I'm good. I just replaced the factory tires on my 05, bike only has 1800 miles. But I didn't feel comfortable with 8 year old tires.
 
Like I said, my front wears out almost 2:1 versus my rear. I have received my new front, just waiting to get them installed by the shop that is located next door where I work. Really convenient that I can just leave my bike next door when I arrive at work and just pick it up after I'm off. $30 to swap out my front tire, dispose and balance.

Here's a picture of my front, still installed as of today. I have restricted myself to just commuting on surface streets since my tires are past it's wear bars. Tires were installed in Feb. 2013. Probably has about 8,000 miles on them, I will have to check my records to be exact.

20131023_175527_zpsed21c9b4.jpg

20131023_175538_zpsb5ae16fe.jpg
 
Like I said, my front wears out almost 2:1 versus my rear. I have received my new front, just waiting to get them installed by the shop that is located next door where I work. Really convenient that I can just leave my bike next door when I arrive at work and just pick it up after I'm off. $30 to swap out my front tire, dispose and balance.

Here's a picture of my front, still installed as of today. I have restricted myself to just commuting on surface streets since my tires are past it's wear bars. Tires were installed in Feb. 2013. Probably has about 8,000 miles on them, I will have to check my records to be exact.

20131023_175527_zpsed21c9b4.jpg

20131023_175538_zpsb5ae16fe.jpg

This explains how you get such phenomenal mileage out of yours!! It appears you use them about 3-4k miles past my threshold! :rof:

If it works for you, great! My take-offs look new compared to yours. You could probably get another 2k miles out of my front. Rear is good too, but size won't work (it's a 190/50/17).

I suppose I can post on FZ1 forum and ask if someone wants them :don'tknow:
 
The life of my tire (mileage )has been reduced by 50% since I have moved up to Idaho. I use to consistently get 15-17k miles down in Las Vegas. Now, lucky to get 9 or 10. I think it's the surface, there is very little concrete and asphalt. Up here, they like to use chip seal, a cheap ass way to repave the roads.
 
The life of my tire (mileage )has been reduced by 50% since I have moved up to Idaho. I use to consistently get 15-17k miles down in Las Vegas. Now, lucky to get 9 or 10. I think it's the surface, there is very little concrete and asphalt. Up here, they like to use chip seal, a cheap ass way to repave the roads.

Amazing how surface can affect tire longevity! I was very happy to get 13k out of my PR2s. We'll see how Z8s hold up!
 
Amazing how surface can affect tire longevity! I was very happy to get 13k out of my PR2s. We'll see how Z8s hold up!
2nded! This is a factor I've never thought to consider, but helps to explain why there are such varied longevity ratings by different users using the same tires.
 
Not quite two years old, but how about just over a year? There's a local guy on CL who's selling a brand new, still with sticker, Michelin PR3 front tire for $100 that has a 4012 (early October 2012) date code. My current PR3 front tire has 2 years and about 16000 miles of use on them, though I don't know the actual date code at the moment. They still look pretty good and haven't quite hit the wear bars yet, but I was planning on replacing it in the spring anyway. If I bought this tire now, they'd be about 3.5 years old by the time it was replaced.
 
Not quite two years old, but how about just over a year? There's a local guy on CL who's selling a brand new, still with sticker, Michelin PR3 front tire for $100 that has a 4012 (early October 2012) date code. My current PR3 front tire has 2 years and about 16000 miles of use on them, though I don't know the actual date code at the moment. They still look pretty good and haven't quite hit the wear bars yet, but I was planning on replacing it in the spring anyway. If I bought this tire now, they'd be about 3.5 years old by the time it was replaced.

Depends how the tire was stored. If it was kept in cozy garage is very likely ok. But if it was sitting outside, exposed to elements not so much.

On the other hand I wouldn't bother buying from CL. New tire from revzilla (free shipping and no tax) / motorcycle-superstore goes for $133.
 
Depends how the tire was stored. If it was kept in cozy garage is very likely ok. But if it was sitting outside, exposed to elements not so much.

On the other hand I wouldn't bother buying from CL. New tire from revzilla (free shipping and no tax) / motorcycle-superstore goes for $133.

+1 to all of the above! Not exactly big savings and buying from reputable mail order (hopefully) guarantees the tire was stored properly.

Having said that, if the seller is not a typical CL user (from my experience, only 1 out of 10 is usually human), perhaps he can tell you how the tire was stored.

From what I've learned, the biggest factor is heat cycling, which only happens when the tire is mounted and brought up to operating temperature.. and then cooled back down.. that's when they really begin aging. Also, the compound manufacturers put on tires helps preserve them.. and it too stays on until the tire goes through few heat cycles.
 
I went ahead and bought it. The guy was local and purchased it for a friend who ended up getting one delivered first (don't ask me). He said it was stored in his closet since. It looks and feels brand new. Rubber is sticky to the touch like a brand new tire should feel. No signs of aging or cracking. There's a nickel-sized surface scuff on one shoulder just above the Michelin man, but that'll get worn away with use anyway. It'll be stored inside my apartment at room temperature until I use it.
 
Like I said, my front wears out almost 2:1 versus my rear. I have received my new front, just waiting to get them installed by the shop that is located next door where I work. Really convenient that I can just leave my bike next door when I arrive at work and just pick it up after I'm off. $30 to swap out my front tire, dispose and balance.

Here's a picture of my front, still installed as of today. I have restricted myself to just commuting on surface streets since my tires are past it's wear bars. Tires were installed in Feb. 2013. Probably has about 8,000 miles on them, I will have to check my records to be exact.

20131023_175527_zpsed21c9b4.jpg

20131023_175538_zpsb5ae16fe.jpg
Come on Kenny,
How can you teach MC safety and ride on that pair of Brazilians? They is bald mate.

No wonder you get 15 gazillion miles out of our rubber.

Eric, here is a great example of the durability of modern tyres, 2 years old, stick them on no worries.

Nelly
 
funny what we get told by retailers
One said get otoss steel wool and hot soapy water!

and from the same site as above the MotorcyclePortal--Useful Informnation--- Tyres ABC
4. Running-in new tyres

For each journey the first kilometres must be run at moderate speed (in particular in cold and humid weather) until the tyres have reached the required usage temperature, which guarantees the best bonding. New tyres have got a smooth surface. Therefore, they must be run in using a cautious driving style for a distance of approx. 200 km. The tyre needs this time in order to fully set onto the rim and to achieve its optimum bonding due to the roughening of the profile. Motorcycle tyres only develop their full performance from a certain operating temperature, thus they should initially be warmed up.


I'm sorry but no. What do you think racers do after each day when they toss on new tires, go drive them around 100 miles before they race on them? A few warm up laps at less than your pace and your good to go. Obviously giving it more time at a moderate speed has no ill effect, but 100 miles is crazy.
 
thats a fair comment, but i wonder if the recommendation is designed to ensure that the waxy coating is worn away to avoid folk just hitting twisties fast with new rubber .....err on the cautious side
do race tyres have the same coating new and as they are softer anyway will they wear in faster?

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Come on Kenny,
How can you teach MC safety and ride on that pair of Brazilians? They is bald mate.


Nelly

That's what I was thinking. And that's the FRONT! I've never known anyone get through more fronts than rears.
 
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