Friday, July 22, 2011

Front tire is shot

Before our trip to Montana I ordered a set of Michelin Anakee2's with the intention of using the new tires on my vacation. The tires were ordered and arrived a couple of weeks before I left but after a cursory inspection, I thought that the tires that came with my bike would last. I purchased my V-strom new in 2009 and I thought that the tires were wearing quite well. I had nearly 13K kilometers on it when I had the bike last serviced and my mechanic also looked at the tread and it was thought that it would make the trip

P1070335

I never gave the tires much thought and I did look at the rear tire a few times but never really paid any attention to the front tire. One morning while at the cabin in Martin City, MT I looked at Ron's tire and his lack of tread. He eventually purchased a new tire and had it installed in Kalispell but then I looked at my front tire more closely and noticed that it was cracking between the tread

P1070337

The cracking was throughout the whole circumference and I also saw that I was down to the Wear Bar Indicators. Basically my front tire was shot and I was only half way during our riding vacation. We still had many miles to cover.

P1070342

I was worried a bit but I thought it would get me home and just keep an eye on it and don't do anything crazy. I would just hate to have to purchase another tire while on the road when I had two new ones at home, just waiting.

P1070343

Somehow I knew that I should have just stuck with Plan "A" which was to install them before the trip. The funds had already been spent and it would have been safer with the new tires. Yesterday when I got home I decided to bring my tires to my mechanic and set up an appointment to install the tires on the weekend. I got home, bunggied the tires to the bike and arrived there around 6:20pm

P1070344

before you know it, Ted has pushed my bike onto the lift

P1070346
(here is the old Bridgestone Trailwing)

Even though the rear tire has 18K kilometers on it, it probably could have lasted the rest of the season but I wanted to mount both new tires so that I have the same tread and same rolling resistance.

P1070348

Ted asks me how I want the tires balanced ? Weights, Dyna beads, or this new stuff he recommended call Ride-On

P1070349

It coats the inside of your tire with stuff 6x stronger than steel and can seal punctures up to 1/4" in diameter LINK HERE


I don't usually post video that are not my own but this is from their website





Cool, now my tires have built in puncture resistance

P1070351

Both tires are nearly installed

P1070352

After my tires are done, I ask Ted to do an LOF: Lube, Oil, Filter and do a visual inspection of my bike to make sure everything is in order.

P1070354
(New rear tire)

I have to take it easy for the first 50 miles to scuff them in

P1070359

I rode to work the next morning (Today) and the tires seemed quieter and it is probably my imagination but seemed to roll with less rolling resistance. My bike is now ready for another adventure

7 comments:

  1. Bob:
    You sure as heck get great mileage from your tyres - are they a harder compound? I have sport touring tyres on the Triple at present and the rear will be down to the wear bars by ~10000 km. I's worn the previous pure sport tyres out by 6000 km. I'm assuming that the Strom is heavier than the Triple dry weight of 167 kg, so our road composition (a relatively coarse chip) and temperatures might have a significant impact. (Not to mention my riding style on occasions)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bobskoot, that puncture/balancing protection stuff looks amazing. Thanks for the info.

    dom


    Redleg's Rides

    Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't recall any explicit wording...did you install Ride On? That is very interesting looking. Had to show Oilburner the videos, he wasn't convinced that it was "no mess".

    Glad the new tires are installed. I do like the Anakee's. :)

    -Lori

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hmm, I've heard about that stuff but didn't know anyone who's tried it. I was afraid that it would really make a mess. Especially after all the problems they had getting my new tires on the rim. They spent a lot of time cleaning the inside of the rim.

    Richard

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bob - I too would like a review of the RideOn product if you had it installed. I'll probably be looking at new tires at the start of the next riding season, so it would be good to know my options.

    ReplyDelete
  6. a local friend put that in his tires too. he wrote a review here: http://geezerwithagrudge.blogspot.com/2011/05/ride-on-motorcycle-tire-protection.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. In our case, it relates the amount of traction between the tyres and the road to the weight resting on each tyre.Tires Florida

    ReplyDelete