So this morning I saw this on my rear tyre: I noticed these lines, and wondered what they meant....brakeing flat spot??? too much throttle??? Anyway went for a 40mile ride this evening, and this is what the tyre looks like now!!! Notice the blue bits on the tyre...thats from the adhesive cement that was used to patch the hole in the tyre with the ducati tyre kit. This happened to me on the M40 at about 70-80 mph. i suddenly noticed the bike feeling weird...snaking...lucky I decided to pull over and look. Pumped the three gas bottles into the tyre and it was enough to get me 3 miles and off the mway. Slowly slowly to the filling station. It was only then, whilst pumpig the tyre that I heard and felt the leak. Plug is in now and its holding. Tomorrow I will order my PR3's or Z8's. Folks dont duck about, when the wear markers dissapear get a new tyre. I only wanted to prolong the rear because the front ones are still good!!! This could have been a disaster! Now I know the markers were worn away, but some forum members suggested one should be able to make around 1000miles when the markers disappear. I think I managed 200-300 miles (Less than 4 weeks at any rate, and I am a sedate fun rider ie not a commuter) before this!
I wore my front out before the rear tyre!! Those lines in the first picture look like cold tear of the tyre.
I really didn't know what they were or what caused them, but never did I think that there's only microns before the steel belts shine through...I can tell you it's very thin now too
The shocker is how quickly it goes from being a tyre with no tread left, to a dangerous one with the casing showing....! A bit like the moto gp or f1 where the tyres go off in one lap....
To be fair the tyre looks like it was way gone before the first pic. Problem with the diablos are there is no middle tread as an indicator of depth
Looks just like a fecked tyre to me, not cold tear...there's nothing to tear!! Lucky not to get 3 points and a nasty fine
With reference to pic one above... The way I see it more than 75% of the tyre has a tread depth of 1mm or more, so technically the tyre is within the law: What I am disturbed about is that it wore from what looks like a fairly OK tyre to a dangerous tyre in such a short time....that is to my mind very dangerous. I was about to change the tyres anyway this week or next, but had not thought I would "have" to change it on monday! Quote from the AA [TABLE="class: header1, align: left"] [TR] [TD="bgcolor: #fff5cc"]Type of vehicle[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: #fff5cc"]Minimum tread depth[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Passenger vehicles (other than motorcycles) for not more than 8 seated passengers Goods vehicles not exceeding 3,500kg max gross weight Light trailers not exceeding 3,500kg max gross weight[/TD] [TD]At least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band in the centre 3/4 of the tread and around the entire circumference[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Most vehicles larger than those listed above Motorcycles 50cc and over with or without sidecar[/TD] [TD]At least 1.0mm throughout a continuous band across at least 3/4 of the breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference NB: In the quarter where the tread may be less than 1.0mm, the original tread pattern must be visible[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Mopeds and motorcycles under 50cc [/TD] [TD]Original tread pattern must be visible [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [h=3][/h]
As quite a few bike tyres have grooves that don't extend beyond three-quarters of the breadth of the tread, any groove of the original pattern must have a minimum depth of at least 1mm. Also, If there is any cut in the tyre no matter how small which exposes cords, then the tyre is illegal. Your rear tyre was illegal.
my diablo went from no spits to the one in the pic I posted in the space of 50 miles. first time I have had a tyre go like that on me,new set of pilot pures now
OK so my rear tyre was illegal....thats not the issue here! The issue is it went from safe to unsafe in 40 miles. (A slick tyre is not unsafe, only if it rains is it an issue) My feeling is these tyres behaved like a Moto GP tyre, Ok in lap 10 and US in lap 11!
Well I agree totally....I wont be putting Perrelli Scorpions on thats for sure. Have ordered the Pilot 3's
The damn thing must have been square, so pretty usless anyway. Been there, seen it, done it. Being tight fisted (or skint) has endagered yourself and others.. A lesson learned I hope and now with a new set on your will be good to go.
My view tends to be: A Multistrada is not a cheap bike. If you just wanted to get around, you'd have rat thing for that. So if you buy a Ducati, it's for fun - or at least fun while you do something necessary like commuting. Seems very little point to me in buying a hi-tech expensive bike and then scrimping on a few quid for tyres. When it wears down, change it. Don't wait for the last moment. I recently changed tyres on the 999. Both were just about legal, but I could tell the handling was off. New tyres are a revelation - it's back to the fine handling machine it should be. When it impinges on your fun and handling - it's time for the bin. I've never had a tyre that looked like yours in 30 years. Not meant to be a lecture - just my personal POV. (added to which, biking is a reasonably high-risk pastime - no point in making it any higher risk than it already is). High performance bikes cost money, both to buy and maintain. It's just the way it is.
I had tread when I set out on mine(ok on the limit but it was there), done about 150 miles hard riding with friends and the pattern had gone.then done the 50 mile ride home and you see my result. my handling and fun were not affected and the tyre was not squared off but do note the tread on the right...its legal but chunks can be seen missing from it.was running 36psi and the air temp was around 26 degrees so not cold running.first time I have had a tyre do that so they must fall apart as soon as they wear level with the wear markers?
I suspect a lot of this could be solved with a small wear marker on the centreline, rather than in their usual off centre placement. Then it would be clear exactly how much was left, rather than trying to guesstimate relative to the markers (and sometimes coming up short). A simple 2mm hole every 90deg should be sufficient?
thats why I have these now...plus they are a far better wet tyre....which suits the good old irish weather image hosting
Don't feck about riding on worn tyres. Tyre grip is the only thing between you and a potentially big, painful and/or expensive crash. It's not worth it just to save an extra £50.
Folks, thanks for all the advice! Believe you me, I am the first one to take safety seriously...thus the post with the hope someone will learn from it! My wear strips probably reached their end early to mid May! I have probably done about 500 miles subsequently (I am not a hoon). I have been looking at tyre options since then (See my post early June re "what tyres"! Its not a case of money....I could be fitting Dunlops or PR2's if it were...But have ordered PR3's... I just got caught out thats all! If I had known that those little cracks appearing in my tyre were the signs of tyre failure then I would have stayed home! If I had known 40miles on country roads whould have degenerated the tyre to the casing then I would have stayed at home. My question really is, is it normal for a motorcycle tyre to wear down so suddenly? If that is normal then fine, lesson learnt, next time I will get the tyres replaced within a week, and not within a month! If its unusual for tyres to degrade so rapidly then I suggest no one uses Pirrelli Scorpions anymore, as this is extremely dangerous!
