PR II Tire Wear Question **Picture**

[xsv]

I recently punctured my rear tire and have taken it off for replacement.  I thought that there was a lot of tread left, but in looking more closely at it, I wonder.  Specifically, I am looking at the tire wear on the sides.  In the picture if you look at the wear bar to the center right you can see significantly more tire wear to the outside of the bar vs the other side.

I am guessing that since the outside is softer it is wearing faster??  Clue me in!

[xsv]

Dropped tire at cycle gear- they say cupping in part from heavy bike
  Tire has been 40-42 psi  for its lifetime
 Hmmm

.

[DGOLD]

I've had similar wear with my PR2 but in extreme. From no wear bars to no tread in one tankful to steel showing in 120 miles!

[Pokey]

Do you ride allot on the right crown of the road?

[xsv]

Do you ride allot on the right crown of the road?

I live in snow country.  I ride where there are no potholes!  I tend to use the entire lane.  This tire has no long freeway miles on it either.  Mostly back highway roads in NE Washington State.

[DGOLD]

I think all tires wear more on the left due to the natural crown of the road. Also the last 600 miles were fully loaded and two up which accelarated  the wear even at 42 lbs.

[MAN OF BLUES]

I've had similar wear with my PR2 but in extreme. From no wear bars to no tread in one tankful to steel showing in 120 miles!

care to humor us with exactly how many miles was on that tire?

that is just a bit over the top on "safe".....
 

[MAN OF BLUES]

Dropped tire at cycle gear- they say cupping in part from heavy bike
  Tire has been 40-42 psi  for its lifetime
 Hmmm

.

and by their explanation the center of the tread should have been gone....just saying.
yes, the left side wears excessivly on the PR2's, they have revamped this issue in the PR3, by adding small extra slits/sipes, that break up the blocks better, and keep the rubber from smearing/stretching/wearing as odly.
here are shots of 3 different sets of PR2's I ran.




right side has no wear, left side shot.





fronts do not do this...as badly....



notice the re-designed tread slits / siping on the PR3's:

[DGOLD]

I've had similar wear with my PR2 but in extreme. From no wear bars to no tread in one tankful to steel showing in 120 miles!
 

No wear bars at 6200 miles.

I think this will be seen as typical wear with these mixed compound tires and heavy bikes because the compression of the wieght spreads the contact patch onto the softer sides even while cruising down the slab.

[MAN OF BLUES]

No wear bars at 6200 miles.

I think this will be seen as typical wear with these mixed compound tires and heavy bikes because the compression of the wieght spreads the contact patch onto the softer sides even while cruising down the slab.

6200 miles is about the norm on this tire.
I have owned the C14 from 7/2007, and have found that to be the norm, and even tho some folks have seen 8k on a set of tires, I think I'm spot on for the norm. I will say that the huge tire this bike sports, when inflated to the 42 psi range, should never see the single side wear it does, but I do believe the crown of the rural Va. roads played a big part in this, and I have read all the "crown don't mean $#!+ reports" out there.
I have compiled charts and dimensions for all of the various scenarios on road lane radii, and the differences in distance travelled vs, tire wear do not jibe, so I still believe road crown combined with paving materials, makes a huge difference.
This bike isn't that heavy to transfer the contact patch to the sides, and after owning and travelling many thousands of miles on the original Conni, with a narrower tire, and as heavy of a bike, toss that explanation out the window.

[jjsC6]

I'm on my third set of PR2s.  I'm pretty easily getting 8500-9000 miles on them.   Previous tires on my FJR and now my Concours have never made it past 6,000 miles.  The PR2's really could go further, but I hate the way most tires feel when they get around 80% worn.

[xsv]

Thanks for the explanation.  My front looks pretty much like the one in your picture.  (Ordered a new one today).  I think I saw about 5000 miles out of this set of tires.  Maybe after the new set of PR II's go I will try the III's.

Thanks again.

and by their explanation the center of the tread should have been gone....just saying.
yes, the left side wears excessivly on the PR2's, they have revamped this issue in the PR3, by adding small extra slits/sipes, that break up the blocks better, and keep the rubber from smearing/stretching/wearing as odly.
here are shots of 3 different sets of PR2's I ran.




right side has no wear, left side shot.





fronts do not do this...as badly....



notice the re-designed tread slits / siping on the PR3's:

[reesedp]

6200 miles is about the norm on this tire.
I have owned the C14 from 7/2007, and have found that to be the norm, and even tho some folks have seen 8k on a set of tires, I think I'm spot on for the norm. I will say that the huge tire this bike sports, when inflated to the 42 psi range, should never see the single side wear it does, but I do believe the crown of the rural Va. roads played a big part in this, and I have read all the "crown don't mean $#!+ reports" out there.
I have compiled charts and dimensions for all of the various scenarios on road lane radii, and the differences in distance travelled vs, tire wear do not jibe, so I still believe road crown combined with paving materials, makes a huge difference.
This bike isn't that heavy to transfer the contact patch to the sides, and after owning and travelling many thousands of miles on the original Conni, with a narrower tire, and as heavy of a bike, toss that explanation out the window.

I'm right at 7k on the 2's and you could have taken the pics of mine instead of yours.  Quite happy overall though.  Getting reshod with the 3's this Friday.

[maxtog]

I'm right at 7k on the 2's and you could have taken the pics of mine instead of yours.  Quite happy overall though.  Getting reshod with the 3's this Friday.

Are the PR3's going to replace the PR2's?  Or will both continue to be offered?  Just curious... I have a looooong way to go on my OEM brickstones, still.

[Awaz]

Not sure if it fits into this conversation (and I do not have pictures yet), but my front tire (OEM) had a really odd wear pattern. The tire seemed like three adjacent sides of a hexagon - it was not rounded anymore. The middle of the tire had treads left, but either side wore thin. The rear tire is also wearing the same way. Instead of being rounded, it is taking the shape of three sides of hexagon - not as prominent though. For now I replaced the front with a Shinko Raven, and the bike takes a lot less input to turn or flick.

[4cedars]

I had excessive left side wear a couple years ago and decided to investigate further. I ran across this article and have accepted the explanation more than the road crown effect. Give it a read and draw your own conclusions from it.

 John

http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html

[DGOLD]

Good article! I've gotta believe thatbthe truth is a combination of factors. I'd like to find a tire with nothing but highway miles to compare but all my friends seek the twisties.