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.
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.Originally Posted by Ixol Phaane
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.......
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.
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.....
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.
That's some talentedto find his way from the exhaust pipe into to the air box.
4 Wheels Move the Body
2 Wheels Move the Soul
In Loving Memory of My Brother
"Death Waits In The Dark"
2013 F6B Deluxe
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.
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...ion-guide.aspx
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JAYGO
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