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I need a new front tire already

I changed both my Metzelers at around 8,500. Could have put some more miles on the back but the front was pretty shot. I am running 36f/39r with a 210# rider and not much extra load.
 
The Metzlers didn't last very long on my bike either I had to change them at about 4700 miles, I put on the pirelli diablo tires and just changed them with just shy of 9000 miles I am on my third set of tires I got my bike May 1 2013. I wish they made bike tires that lasted more than 8 to 10 thousand miles and were sticky, but that is the price you pay to be safe and have fun, My life is worth more than a few hundred bucks so I change them when needed. PS I do check the tire pressure often and keep them in spec.
 
They DO make a much better tire for the C-series BMW's ( and Burgman650's and Tmax530's) as an OEM replacement, that wear MUCH better, handle GREAT and even increase MILEAGE through lower rolling resistance, the Bridgestone SC-1 and SC-1 Ectopia tyres. Tyres, as in available EVERYWHERE on EARTH but North America. For over two years now.

We got BONED AGAIN...:mad:
 
I just wonder why I can get 20,000 miles out of a set of Metzeler Marathon ME880 tires on my 850 lbs, 100hp K1200LT but I can't get HALF of that out of my 600 lbs, 60hp scooter?
 
Maybe because at that size and weight the fairer comparison might be automotive. Personally I believe the C's wear their weight up front. During maneuvers the front must be bearing the majority of the friction and inertia. Thus causing the radical differences in tire wear. When I got the Sport my mate told me 6k for tires, that's what my Tmax did. He was right.
 
The scooter tire on the front travels approximately 67 inches for every revolution compared to a front tire on a K75 that is a 100/90-18 that will travel almost 17% (79 inches) further for every revolution. With the tire turning at a higher speed to keep up the speed it will also get warm/hot faster and possibly hotter in the long run this will reduce the life of the tire. The weight of the scooter weighs a lot at the front end (try to lift it) compared to the back end. Most motorcycles are better balanced from front to back.
I also believe that radial tires do not last as long in the first place.
The rubber compound I also believe is softer compared to the older tires like the me33 me99 and the me88 that we had years ago.
 
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Spdrush said:
Who does your tire work?
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All Seasons in Wooster. It's a bit of a ride from Chagrin, but the BMW tech there (Aaron) is a good guy and very free with the info. Plus i bought the bike there and want to continue to be a guy they know. I imagine BMWOC in Aurora or Sills would also do a pretty good job. Aurora has one young tech for all their work and Sills I only stopped by once to check out their service area. Didn't talk to anyone.
 
Today I finally got my front tire replaced at 15,300km on it and that is 9,500 miles. It was down to the wear marks and a couple of spots had very minimal tread due to the cupping. Now how do I prevent future cupping.

Back tire still looks good

I am running metzler feelfree
 
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If you got 9500 miles out of your front tire you did OK motorcycle tires don't last very long even if there inflated properly and balanced The cupping is usually from the tire being out of balance and you would have to continuesly balance the tire through its life to try to keep it from cupping (not worth it) Tires can look great at 8000 miles and all of a sudden at 8500 miles they look like there ready to be trashed that just the way it is.
 
Thanks for the info. I will need service in the spring.
The tensioner recall makes me wonder if the dealers are getting the parts on spec or are receiving only the parts for the bikes they have sold.
 
I am running at 36 lbs in the front (sometimes 35 and sometimes 37). I weigh about 165 lbs and I ride alone 99% of the time. The tire up front had 40 grams on each side of the rim and is the original balancing from the factory.

The back tire has about 37 lbs pressure and the weights are all on one side 100 grams worth all on one side and that is above workshop manual specs.

Manual specs call for max of 80 grams equally distributed at 40 grams on each side (just like my front tire) I would like to see less but we have a tire pressure monitoring unit in each tire

Richmond Hill-20140924-01890.webp

The red dot on the side of your tire should also be on the opposite side of from the valve in line with the sticker indicating the sensor
 
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Xian Forbes said:
Maybe because at that size and weight the fairer comparison might be automotive. Personally I believe the C's wear their weight up front. During maneuvers the front must be bearing the majority of the friction and inertia. Thus causing the radical differences in tire wear. When I got the Sport my mate told me 6k for tires, that's what my Tmax did. He was right.
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While in the BMW shop a tech mentioned a few things about the scooter tire wear:

1. Weight distribution is different on various bikes (obviously) and the scooters' weight is more front-loaded causing much faster wear vs. the rear.
2. He would change front and rear at different times as needed since the rear can last so much longer.
3. He does not like the feel frees and the scooters originally came with Pirelli's which he likes better.

My front is about gone at nearly 8K for which I'm happy reading mileage others have had to change out the front. If it was summer I might consider keeping it longer but with rain in Northern California I'm gonna change the front first.

It does not yet seem like there is a tire that consistently breaks the 10K mile barrier. Is there?
 
I don't think there is any tire that breaks into the 10k mark on these beasts. I have 9,100 on mine and I too am not keen on riding in the NorCal wet. My missus won't get on the back with the tires looking the way they do. I suppose Santa will have to bring me a set for Xmas.
 
My front tire looks like I put it on a lathe and machined it flat in the middle!! I will start looking at tires now, and look for a more touring profile.
 
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