[pulpz]

It would be great if someone could shed some light on what would cause wear patterns like this on my front tire...just a side note, when I purchased the tires the rear turned out to be defective...I'm just assuming that the front tire may also have been defective? The front tire pressure is set to 32 psi. Take a look at the image I've included. Any help would be awsome!

Thanks in advance

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[knightslugger]

I'm not really sure what i ]'m supposed to be looking at...

 

[Guest]

Are you talking about how the sides are grey? Those are chicken strips. Do you do a lot of commuting?

Otherwise, I'm not sure I see anything wrong with your tire?

 

[PontiacJack]

haha I think thats it... not enough twisties... don't be shy get down on that ex!

 

[pulpz]

No, not the outer area...towards the middle of the tire, sorry pic doesn't show it too well...there is a raised area in the tread that goes almost all the way around the tire...approx. 12inches shows normal wear.

And to answer the other question, commuting..yes to and from work everyday. Haven't had a chance to hit Sedona yet, busy with work... :'(

 

[Guest]

I'm still not certain. Maybe if you can open it in MSPaint and circle the area with a red mark to let us know exactly what to look at? Thanks!

 

[gsjack]

Not sure what you're trying to show there but it looks like it might be worn more on the left side than the right. Front left side tire wear is covered in this article with pics:

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

Almost all my bias ply front tires bevel and also cup on the left side due to the crown of the road and my some what abusive front tire treatment. On radials I get bevels on both sides of the front tire but more so on the left like this Z4 front from my GS500 with about 10k miles on it:

If this is not your problem try to get some better pics of your tire showing the problem.

 

[ChopperCharles]

If your radials are cupping, try upping the pressure to around 40psi for the front. Play with it a bit. I found the best feel was 38psi front and 42psi rear on my V65 when running radials. (28/36 is what the owner's manual recommends for the stock bias ply tires). The front would cup less at 40psi, but I lost some traction and the tire feels less planted at high speeds.

Note, all pressures indicated are cold pressures.

Charles.

 

[Nick D]

With the mildly visible curve in the center area I'm leaning toward it being cupped (like the tread is pulling away from the tire a bit). My bike did the same thing and I chocked it up to having an old/bad tire.

Does the bike run true when going in a straight line? If you've got headshake (if your bars want to wobble back and forth when you don't have a tight grip) it could be a matter of your rear tire needing a proper alignment and having adverse affects on the front tire in the process.

 

[MrSciTrek]

I found the best feel was 38psi front and 42psi rear on my V65 when running radials. (28/36 is what the owner's manual recommends for the stock bias ply tires).

Note, all pressures indicated are cold pressures.

Hey, thanks for posting the stock pressures. Just got this used 2005 bike w/o an owners manual so had both tires at 32 psi (cold). Is the owners manual visible on-line? I can buy it from Kawasaki on-line for $16+. Maybe something in the manual relates to the tire-wear problem of this topic.

 

[bastard child]

my advice is if you don't feel comfortable on it buy a new tire. if you do feel comfortable on it and don't have headshake or any other issues buy a new tire as it's probably a bad tire. it ain't no fun to blow a tire on a bike, or that safe either. i'd replace it with a good fresh tire and keep an eye on it to see how the new tire wears. ya kinda gotta figure the cost of a new tire is a lot less that the cost of if it blows on ya.

 

[Oni]

Replace the tire, now. Did you have that tire put on since you've owned the bike, or was it from the previous owner. I can see in your photo exactly what you're talking about. I replaced a tire that had similar wear (almost identical) after nearly high-siding into an intersection on my commuter ('01 SV650S). Back tire locked up earlier on the way to work and I blew it off (cold tires). After 30 miles and almost getting vaulted I ordered new rubber and didn't ride it until it was on. Tires had plenty of tread but way old (manuf. date said '00). They looked identical to what yours are doing. Check the manuf. date while you're at it.

 

[gsjack]

pulpz, what kind of tire is that, looks like a BT014 high performance radial. You put on a pair of those and the rear was defective? The minimum width BT014 rear is a 160/60, too wide for a EX500 rear wheel.

BT014 front:

I still don't see anything wrong with the tire in your picture, the BT014 hasn't been around long enough to be too old. What tire do you have on the back now?