Breaking in new tires

[DeBenGuzzi]

doing this might help and if youre really talented you can lean it over and spin in a circle to get more of the sides too.

But don't go get carried away now

Althought that bike can burn for all I care, FIRE fire. we don't need no water let the ................... burn. burn ................... burn

[orangeokie]

I saw a CHiPs pull out of a dealership parking lot onto the street, after having a new tire put on his BMW, and he lowsided. Got to be more careful.

 

I agree with the assesment that it was improper power application rather than speed in the corner that bit the R6.

[callison]

Been there, done that. Paid for it extensively on my Sport 1100i.

 

Before I take my wheels off of the tire balancing jig, I take a pad sander to the tread and scrape up the mold release enough to make the tire safe. You can't overdue it - the tires are too tough to actually lose much (if any) material to the sander (coarse grit is fine).

[Steve G.]

All new tires should at the very least be scrubbed down with car/bike soap and lots of water. They aften use slippery soapy stuff to bead a new tire. Don't ask how I know, after riding a bike with new tires in the rain!!

Ciao, Steve G.

[bigbikerrick]

doing this might help and if youre really talented you can lean it over and spin in a circle to get more of the sides too.

But don't go get carried away now

Althought that bike can burn for all I care, FIRE fire. we don't need no water let the ................... burn. burn ................... burn

72348[/snapback]

Thats why they call that Kwacker "the Eliminator" HeHe..

[bigbikerrick]

I saw a CHiPs pull out of a dealership parking lot onto the street, after having a new tire put on his BMW, and he lowsided.  Got to be more careful.

 

I agree with the assesment that it was improper power application rather than speed in the corner that bit the R6.

72354[/snapback]

I must agree, Today I spent the afternoon in the garage helping my friend take apart the fallen R6 to start the resurrection process, and also I took some 200 grit sandpaper to the new metzler on the front of my V 11, then washed the tread with bleche white. It feels real grippy now( I aint takin no chances!) My wifes magna is next for the "tire treatment"

[bigbikerrick]

I manage to get sideways a few times a year but oddly enough never because

of a new tire. I'll do alot of weaving to get the sides scuffed and be judicious with the throttle and jump on a gravel road if I see one....the back tire is not the problem.

On second thought I guess it was in this case. Thats some serious damage for 10mph.

Too bad...Your friend has my sympathy. He musta grabbed a handful of that R6

72328[/snapback]

I didnt see him "grab a handful" but he did kind of flick the bike over to more of a lean angle in the middle of the curve,thats when it went out from under him, I think if he hadnt had that darn Lightning products frame slider, the damage would have been less. His plastic got fu--ed up anyway, but at least his engine wouldnt have been cracked, where the frame slider bolt attaches to the motor mount on the side of the cylinder head.

[Guest Nogbad]

These frame "protectors" are of questionable value maybe. I bought some for the SV I had, but never fitted them once I saw how they bolted to the engine.

 

I guess they are good if the bike goes down gradually and slides, but if they take a direct impact due to a highside you might be better without them on.

[Alex-Corsa]

Breaking in tyres isn't all about the surface glue (this goes away in some minutes riding in the spots that touch the ground) but also the tire has to get the fit on the rim and so on.Also is sugested not so great speeds for the first miles.

 

With new tires even when on dry asphalt ,you have to be as carefull as when riding in a wet enviroment and slowly increase the the lean angles when in turms so that the will be no danger for whatever.

Best way is to find a totally empty parking lot that has good grip and start making 8's or big circles slowly increasing the lean angle of the bike (after having passed on less lean angle a few times so that the glossy film is away).

It's funn and a short riding lesson as well.

[Greg Field]

Pay more for tires?

 

Because of this stuff, you already pay more for insurance to cover all the damage from such crashes.

 

Maybe the insurance companies oughta be the ones to sue the tire manufacturers. Some body needs to make them stop endangering so many riders.

 

Just the other day, one of our mechanics at MI took out a new Breva 750 he had just prepped for sale. The bike slid out from under him at the first corner, within sight of the shop. He wasn't hot-dogging it, and the street was dry.

 

 

Personally, I've never crashed because of this stuff, but I know too many who have and have gotten hurt. It's time to make them stop.

 

If Guzzi oiled your brake rotors and pads to make them last longer, would that be OK with you?

[Guest drknow]

Ok, coupla things. No manufacturer uses mold releasing compounds any longer--doesn't exist. What people experience is the ultra-smooth surface and related lack of traction. The tire has also been sitting around getting dust (pollens, micro airborne particles etc.) and whatever else rubbed on it, and that shit is SLICK. It takes almost no time to get this surface roughed to it's standard level and whatever crap is clinging to the tire rubbed off. Don't grind, soak in chemicals or anyother thing that involves sharp, abrasive or chemically brutal materials. Just go out and ride a little gingerly for a few miles. Five or so good corners getting the thing a little more leaned over each time and you'll be good.

 

dk

[Guzzirider]

Ok, coupla things. No manufacturer uses mold releasing compounds any longer--doesn't exist. What people experience is the ultra-smooth surface and related lack of traction. The tire has also been sitting around getting dust (pollens, micro airborne particles etc.) and whatever else rubbed on it, and that shit is SLICK. It takes almost no time to get this surface roughed to it's standard level and whatever crap is clinging to the tire rubbed off. Don't grind, soak in chemicals or anyother thing that involves sharp, abrasive or chemically brutal materials. Just go out and ride a little gingerly for a few miles. Five or so good corners getting the thing a little more leaned over each time and you'll be good.

 

dk

72403[/snapback]

 

 

I have broken in dozens of new tyres over the years and have never had a problem- it just takes a little care for 100 miles, gradually increasing your lean angle then you will be fine.

 

I did see a prat once on a GSXR750 who had 2 new tyres fitted by the dealer who warned him to take it easy- so he dumped the clutch leaving the shop and ended up big time on his arse with a written off bike.

 

 

Guy

[DeBenGuzzi]

When I got my new tires they didn't tell me to be careful but I just knew. I took that baby so slow and smooth all the way home I made sure not to lean too much or goose it I think they should take a fine sandpaper to the tires as soon as they come out of the mold so the problem is more of a rarity than a rant.

[Guest ratchethack]

Don't grind, soak in chemicals or anyother thing that involves sharp, abrasive or chemically brutal materials.

I've been spinning up new tires with the 60-grit belt sander after a quick scrub with lacquer thinner for many years now on 2 motorcycles. The whole drill takes no more than a few minutes and seems to get 'em "over the hump" just about instantly, allowing full confidence as soon as the tires warm up the first time.

 

Is there something specifically wrong with this that I don't know about? Seems to me if my tires can't take a quick wipe-down with a cocktail of mostly hexane and methanol with lesser percentages of MEK, toluene, and acetic acid, followed by roughing up with a 60-grit belt, how can I expect 'em to take me the next however many thousand miles on the road?!

[Guest drknow]

I've been spinning up new tires with the 60-grit belt sander after a quick scrub with lacquer thinner for many years now on 2 motorcycles.  The whole drill takes no more than a few minutes and seems to get 'em "over the hump" just about instantly, allowing full confidence as soon as the tires warm up the first time.

 

Is there something specifically wrong with this that I don't know about?  Seems to me if my tires can't take a quick wipe-down with a cocktail of mostly hexane and methanol with lesser percentages of MEK, toluene, and acetic acid, followed by roughing up with a 60-grit belt, how can I expect 'em to take me the next however many thousand miles on the road?!

72478[/snapback]

 

Tires are a complex little system. The rubber itself is a seriously engineered array of volitile petro-chemicals and any solvent could leach some of these compounds from the tire, compromising its grip and lifespan. Considering what we ask them to do, you wouldn't catch me anywhere near a tire with something made up of toluene (very nasty organic compound) and acetic acid and MEK.

 

As for grinding, why do anything to limit the life of your tires? This reminds me of the novice racers I see that take a file to the edge of their tires. They sometimes won't believe you that that will take care of itself on the warmup lap, but it takes awhile for the notion to wear off. I don't think 60-grit sandpaper is going to really hurt anything, just that it's unnecessary and taking perfectly good rubber off.

 

All of this talk about how awful new tires are and how long it takes to break them in is overblown. We're talking about a few turns, not dozens of miles. Just be careful for a couple of lefts and rights, and you'll be groovy.

 

dk