Long Trip Prep Help

[Elroy]

I've taken several long trips but none quite as long as this one, and only one of those other trips was on the B, and that was when she had fewer than 2K on the odo. I've been blessed to have taken those other trips on trouble free bikes and had no issues. Today I've got 6,009mi on the odo, the trip is an estimated 4,200mi. I had the 4,000mi service done on the bike last year (which included a new air filter) and have included pictures of my rear tire. I have my recall appointment scheduled for the 21st. Is there anything I should have them do, check, replace, flush, tires, etc. in preparation for the trip while I have it in there? I realize someone could say, "Change it all!" but I don't want to spend the $$$ if it's something that could wait until I return. I don't anticipate having any more than 6,600mi by the time I leave. How does my rear tire look, keeping in mind my odo. could be ~10,600 by trip's end. WingStuff still has the OEM's on sale, I plan to purchase a set even if I don't need to replace before I leave. Thank you very much for any input. I want to ensure another trouble-free trip and that this excellent machine is well prepared for it, and I value you knowledgeable folks' input.

For those interested, the trip itinerary is leaving Ohio the 15th of July. First destination is Mt. Rushmore, then on to a few days at Yellowstone. From there, down to Colorado Springs, CO and surrounding area (I LOVE Colorado), then a long haul back to Ohio.

213162131721318

[wjduke]

They look pretty healthy to me yet.

[choptop]

Heading out on a 2,500 mile trip in 2 weeks, had my recall done a couple of weeks ago and had the clutch and front brake fluid replaced but I have 20,000 on my 6, you should be good to go on that stuff, she should be good to go. Have fun.

[53driver]

Look at your owner's manual at the 8,000 mile service and discuss those items with your bike's "care provider."
You'll be back before the 12k service.....

[Elroy]

Good point 53. I'd forgotten about the intervals of the other maintenance items aside from the standard services like what occurs with the 4,000mi service. I'll check my manual and discuss like you suggested. I'd also like a second or third opinion from others on tire wear with 4K+ miles ahead of them....anyone?

[Elroy]

Heading out on a 2,500 mile trip in 2 weeks, had my recall done a couple of weeks ago and had the clutch and front brake fluid replaced but I have 20,000 on my 6, you should be good to go on that stuff, she should be good to go. Have fun.

Thanks Chop.

[53driver]

...I'd also like a second or third opinion from others on tire wear with 4K+ miles ahead of them....anyone?

I religiously kept my tire pressures at 40F/41R and got 18,000 miles. At 14k they were looking like I should start shopping.....
I don't leave rubber at stoplights, but I also don't leave rubber on the outboard edges of my tires either.....

Cheers,
Steve

[Elroy]

I religiously kept my tire pressures at 40F/41R and got 18,000 miles. At 14k they were looking like I should start shopping.....
I don't leave rubber at stoplights, but I also don't leave rubber on the outboard edges of my tires either.....

Cheers,
Steve

18K out of the back tire correct? I do my best to keep mine at 40/41 as well. Thanks Steve.

[shooter]

Elroy I guess I'm a little different from most. I would replace those tires before I leave. Its a shame , they still have wear on them. You have to consider the time of the year. It's summer time. Nothing is harder on tires than heat. What I got from your post was " I want a troublefree trip". Keep the old ones and puck up a spare rim later. Or call Honda if Russellville and get some new takeoff rims and tires. Already mounted and balanced. Ready for install. Have a safe trip.

[Ixol Phaane]

Good point 53. I'd forgotten about the intervals of the other maintenance items aside from the standard services like what occurs with the 4,000mi service. I'll check my manual and discuss like you suggested. I'd also like a second or third opinion from others on tire wear with 4K+ miles ahead of them....anyone?

I agree with choptop and wjduke... it looks to me like you've got plenty of skin on those tires for your trip. I'm riding in AZ, and with 40,000 miles on my '6' I've just replaced my 2nd rear tire a couple weeks ago - averaging close to 20k miles per. I can't clearly see the wear bars in your pics, but I think I'd ride your route and plan to replace when I got home.

Enjoy your ride, and be safe!

[Ixol Phaane]

Elroy I guess I'm a little different from most. I would replace those tires before I leave. Its a shame , they still have wear on them. You have to consider the time of the year. It's summer time. Nothing is harder on tires than heat. What I got from your post was " I want a troublefree trip". Keep the old ones and puck up a spare rim later. Or call Honda if Russellville and get some new takeoff rims and tires. Already mounted and balanced. Ready for install. Have a safe trip.

I totally respect your opinion, Shooter, but... I disagree about heat being hardest on tires.

I think the leading cause of wear is the road type - twisties v flats, for example. You might recall a forum discussion about tire wear last year sometime and it seemed to me that folks riding the most "interesting" roads typically had consistently lower average mileage per tire than those of us riding more conservative roads, even if the temperatures of our roads regularly exceeded low triple digits. I'm riding year-round in AZ and road surface temps here are often well into the 110-130 F range, yet I've never gotten less than ~12-15k miles from my skins in 40 years of riding. The OPs route won't put him in temps anywhere near these.

Now, having said that, your point about ensuring a "trouble free trip" is well taken. Of course, new skins can't guarantee that.

This is obviously gonna be a comfort call... what choice will make Elroy most comfortable?

[53driver]

18K out of the back tire correct? I do my best to keep mine at 40/41 as well. Thanks Steve.

Yes sir. First swap for both was at 18k. Still had another 1k per the dealer.
I can count the number of times on two fingers I have skidded my rear tire on the B.
I use the FOBO TPMS system. Not so much for "inflight" monitoring, but just as a daily check point on preflight.

[shooter]

Point taken Ixol , but there are several factors involved. When ambient temps are higher then pavement temps are higher. Yeah curves heat up a tire but so does speed. Fact is that tire will be running a lot hotter temps than in the spring. Anything you run over or pick up will be more likely to damage the tire. And Ixol you may ride in hotter temps but if the road is straight and the speed is conservative those guys hitting the curves hard may have a hotter carcass. Friction is your enemy. I've seen too many tire failures so I'm just more cautious. Another thing is where can you get service out on the road and how much will they gouge you. Just a lot if factors in that decision. Like I said , he wants "Trouble free". No guarantees but you can make your chances better.

[stevenolts]

I don't want to steel this thread but what is the consensuses for mileage on the rear tire / front tire.

I only got 9,000 out of my first rear tire. I am now at 17,000 miles and need to know how to tell if the OEM Bridgestone tires are worn out. Are there wear bars? I think maybe I changed my first rear too early at 9000. The belts were not showing but there was not much tread left. Does anyone have a picture of the good but worn and then the point where the tire needs to be replaced?

I ride hard but I keep good air pressure in the tires with the FOBO TPMS.

I saw someone said they got 18000 on the rear / is that true? How could I be doing so badly?

On my Fatboy I only got 5000 and the belts were showing. I think the 200 rear on the fat boy was terrible for wear.

[shooter]

Steve , your riding style and habits can cut potential tire wear in half. The way you stop , the way you take off , how fast you run , how hard you take the corners , are there a lot of curvy secondary roads on your rides , etc,etc.

[stevenolts]

I live in Missouri like you and I love the twistiest roads best, but I ride a lot of highway also. I ride 45 highway miles on the way to work. On the way home I ride back roads probably 60+ miles. I thought we all bought the F6B because we love to fly around everywhere we go. Fast take offs and the hard braking are what make the F6B fun.
Steve

[Ixol Phaane]

Point taken Ixol , but there are several factors involved. When ambient temps are higher then pavement temps are higher. Yeah curves heat up a tire but so does speed. Fact is that tire will be running a lot hotter temps than in the spring. Anything you run over or pick up will be more likely to damage the tire. And Ixol you may ride in hotter temps but if the road is straight and the speed is conservative those guys hitting the curves hard may have a hotter carcass. Friction is your enemy. I've seen too many tire failures so I'm just more cautious. Another thing is where can you get service out on the road and how much will they gouge you. Just a lot if factors in that decision. Like I said , he wants "Trouble free". No guarantees but you can make your chances better.

:yes: :icon_biggrin:

[airfreek]

Elroy I guess I'm a little different from most. I would replace those tires before I leave. Its a shame , they still have wear on them. You have to consider the time of the year. It's summer time. Nothing is harder on tires than heat. What I got from your post was " I want a troublefree trip". Keep the old ones and puck up a spare rim later. Or call Honda if Russellville and get some new takeoff rims and tires. Already mounted and balanced. Ready for install. Have a safe trip.

change your tires, 4200 miles is a not too long of a jaunt but I always try to manage trip risk as much as possible. If they wear to quickly and you get into some big rain then you will wish you would have changed tires.

[SierraKen]

Personally I would change the rear tired. I got 9650 miles out of my rear tire and I was just done to wear bars. Front tire was fine. JMHO. Ride far and safe.

[jm21ddd15]

I tend to agree with Shooter. Yes, you have plenty of miles left, so save the rubber, and get a second wheel, as he suggested. When your current tire gets a few more Ks on it, it will not be so "great" if you are stuck in a rainstorm, as the water dispersing grooves are worn down closer to the main body of the tire. Anyone who has ridden the mountains, knows that rainstorms can pop up without much advance warning. Also, are you traveling solo, or 2 up, and how much gear? A sharp stone or small 3/8" puncture, can be absorbed by good rubber, not so much with a worn tire. Decision time for you.

[bertrider]

Elroy,

Do you really want to spend time on your trip wondering whether you've got enough rubber on those tires to get you home? When I go on a trip its about the sights, the time with my buds I usually travel with and riding the snot out of my Honda when the conditions are right. Change those tires!

Plus what Shooter said.

[choptop]

I agree with choptop and wjduke... it looks to me like you've got plenty of skin on those tires for your trip. I'm riding in AZ, and with 40,000 miles on my '6' I've just replaced my 2nd rear tire a couple weeks ago - averaging close to 20k miles per. I can't clearly see the wear bars in your pics, but I think I'd ride your route and plan to replace when I got home.

Enjoy your ride, and be safe!

I have to kind of go w/Shooter on the tires, I left for Sturgis one year w/a pretty good looking rear tire, extra weight of packed vacation items, summer heat, different roads w/different construction materials wearing away at the tires, I would rather be safe than sorry, I would replace the tires.

[opas ride]

I've taken several long trips but none quite as long as this one, and only one of those other trips was on the B, and that was when she had fewer than 2K on the odo. I've been blessed to have taken those other trips on trouble free bikes and had no issues. Today I've got 6,009mi on the odo, the trip is an estimated 4,200mi. I had the 4,000mi service done on the bike last year (which included a new air filter) and have included pictures of my rear tire. I have my recall appointment scheduled for the 21st. Is there anything I should have them do, check, replace, flush, tires, etc. in preparation for the trip while I have it in there? I realize someone could say, "Change it all!" but I don't want to spend the $$$ if it's something that could wait until I return. I don't anticipate having any more than 6,600mi by the time I leave. How does my rear tire look, keeping in mind my odo. could be ~10,600 by trip's end. WingStuff still has the OEM's on sale, I plan to purchase a set even if I don't need to replace before I leave. Thank you very much for any input. I want to ensure another trouble-free trip and that this excellent machine is well prepared for it, and I value you knowledgeable folks' input.

For those interested, the trip itinerary is leaving Ohio the 15th of July. First destination is Mt. Rushmore, then on to a few days at Yellowstone. From there, down to Colorado Springs, CO and surrounding area (I LOVE Colorado), then a long haul back to Ohio.

213162131721318
Just my .02 cents, but the tires on your bike look fine to me and should be a non-issue until more miles down the road..Lots of tread left looking at the close up pictures....BTW, (just curious)...Why did you change the air-filter at 4,000 miles when there is no need to even look at the thing for 20/25000 miles??...Seems a little strange to me..Again, if I were you I would wait until you return from the trip and then maybe buy the new Dunlop E-4's which I am told have much better mileage life than the OEM Bridgestones.....Have a good ride and be safe.......

[Sorcerer]

This spring I was doing a week of riding in MO, AR. Before the trip my front needed replacing. The rear had 5,600 miles on it. The estamted mileage for the weeks trip was 2,700 to 3,000+ miles. I felt that trying to make it home on a used up tire would not be wise. That tire is in my garage as a end of the year back up tire. Tires at or near of its life does not do as good of a job in rain and I don't have the luxury to sit out a rain day. If I was doing 300 mile day rides and being back at home at night, then your tire I'd run them down. As others have told you a 3rd to one half worn tire may be able to with stand road debre better. On our trip one person wasted a day getting a new tire mounted to replace an worn out tire. One had a nail in a tire with 1,700 miles on it that chose to replace. He payed full list price plus over night shipping to the BMW dealership. The 3rd person put a small finnishing nail in his 800 mile rear tire. He chose to plug it and ware it out.
Rereading your trip route tells me that you are most likely going to be riding a lot of super slab/ state highways. That is were your tire is most warn now. My bike ,my vacation, new rear. My second to the last rear had 10,700 miles and was into the ware bars. Front was at17,400 and was well into the ware bars.

[Elroy]

Thanks to everyone for their input! It is much appreciated. I value what others have said about rain. The last trip we took to NC we were rained on almost the entire time. I would certainly not want to be preoccupied worrying about my treads in a downpour rather than my driving. I've definitely got a decision to make.


I tend to agree with Shooter. Yes, you have plenty of miles left, so save the rubber, and get a second wheel, as he suggested. When your current tire gets a few more Ks on it, it will not be so "great" if you are stuck in a rainstorm, as the water dispersing grooves are worn down closer to the main body of the tire. Anyone who has ridden the mountains, knows that rainstorms can pop up without much advance warning. Also, are you traveling solo, or 2 up, and how much gear? A sharp stone or small 3/8" puncture, can be absorbed by good rubber, not so much with a worn tire. Decision time for you.

Solo, but with enough gear for 12-13 days. Both bags will be loaded and probably my Kury Ultra Tour bag on the rack or pillion.


Just my .02 cents, but the tires on your bike look fine to me and should be a non-issue until more miles down the road..Lots of tread left looking at the close up pictures....BTW, (just curious)...Why did you change the air-filter at 4,000 miles when there is no need to even look at the thing for 20/25000 miles??...Seems a little strange to me..Again, if I were you I would wait until you return from the trip and then maybe buy the new Dunlop E-4's which I am told have much better mileage life than the OEM Bridgestones.....Have a good ride and be safe.......

Yes, 4,000 is way early for a new air filter. Unfortunately I was unaware I was allowing mice to live rent-free in my breather box and they'd chewed on the filter and set up some architecture so it needed replaced.

[opas ride]

Thanks to everyone for their input! It is much appreciated. I value what others have said about rain. The last trip we took to NC we were rained on almost the entire time. I would certainly not want to be preoccupied worrying about my treads in a downpour rather than my driving. I've definitely got a decision to make.



Solo, but with enough gear for 12-13 days. Both bags will be loaded and probably my Kury Ultra Tour bag on the rack or pillion.



Yes, 4,000 is way early for a new air filter. Unfortunately I was unaware I was allowing mice to live rent-free in my breather box and they'd chewed on the filter and set up some architecture so it needed replaced.
I am told that stuffing steel wool or Brillo pads into the exhaust pipe ends will keep the mice out of the air-box...Never had the problem although I have trapped mice in my garage on occasion..Did stuff the 6 ends of my Cobra pipes this last winter just to be safe....Ride safe and have a great trip.....

[seadog]

I am told that stuffing steel wool or Brillo pads into the exhaust pipe ends will keep the mice out of the air-box...Never had the problem although I have trapped mice in my garage on occasion..Did stuff the 6 ends of my Cobra pipes this last winter just to be safe....Ride safe and have a great trip.....

I have a set of rubber plugs made for that purpose and when I put the bike up for the winter I install them and during the summer I just feed them the good mice pellets that they all know and love.

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

That's some talented mouse to find his way from the exhaust pipe into to the air box.:icon_redface:

[Elroy]

I had to laugh. Went to the local dealer on my lunch break today to drool over some showroom bikes and talk to the sales guy I like there. As I'm having my recall work done there next week, I drove around to the service side to ask the service manager his opinion on my remaining rear tire life. He asked what my mileage was as we were walking out to my bike and I declined to tell him, I did tell him the estimated mileage of my trip was 4,200mi. After getting on the ground to look at the tire he proclaims that that isn't going to make it 4,200. You've got about 1,000 miles, 1,500 miles tops left on that. I chuckled silently to myself, resisting the urge to shake my head. While I agree my tire may be in poor condition after the trip, there's much more life left in it than 1,500mi. He then asked me again what my mileage was and I told him 6,200. "Hmph" was all he said....

I'm likely going to replace the rear tire prior to the trip, but now he's going to think it's cause I believed him...o well.

[jaygollner]

It's my current understanding that the tire wear bar is the best indication of remaining tire tread life. You can find them by locating the triangle on the side of the tire (multiple locations) and then looking at the long tread at that point. I have attached two photos taken this morning at about 9,000 miles wear. There is about 5/16" of tread above the wear band.
There is more detailed info here. http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3990/mngr/tire-inspection-guide.aspx







2152221523
I've taken several long trips but none quite as long as this one, and only one of those other trips was on the B, and that was when she had fewer than 2K on the odo. I've been blessed to have taken those other trips on trouble free bikes and had no issues. Today I've got 6,009mi on the odo, the trip is an estimated 4,200mi. I had the 4,000mi service done on the bike last year (which included a new air filter) and have included pictures of my rear tire. I have my recall appointment scheduled for the 21st. Is there anything I should have them do, check, replace, flush, tires, etc. in preparation for the trip while I have it in there? I realize someone could say, "Change it all!" but I don't want to spend the $$$ if it's something that could wait until I return. I don't anticipate having any more than 6,600mi by the time I leave. How does my rear tire look, keeping in mind my odo. could be ~10,600 by trip's end. WingStuff still has the OEM's on sale, I plan to purchase a set even if I don't need to replace before I leave. Thank you very much for any input. I want to ensure another trouble-free trip and that this excellent machine is well prepared for it, and I value you knowledgeable folks' input.

For those interested, the trip itinerary is leaving Ohio the 15th of July. First destination is Mt. Rushmore, then on to a few days at Yellowstone. From there, down to Colorado Springs, CO and surrounding area (I LOVE Colorado), then a long haul back to Ohio.

213162131721318

[Elroy]

Thanks for that Jay. A coworker let me borrow their tire depth gauge and I referenced the manual for tire depth replacement recommendations and saw the wear indicator arrow you posted. Manual recommends replacement when rear tread depth measures 2.0mm in the center, and 1.5mm for front tire. Both of them were really close to both those numbers which is shocking to me...with only 6.2K on the odo. Guess I'll be getting both replaced before the trip.