Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: turnkey on May 31, 2014, 05:59:26 PM
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Good day all. Before I start, yes I know I need new tires. Which brings up this question, any idea why the tread is worn way more on the right side then the left? I live in the foothills with many winding roads, but I am in no way a knee dragger. Pressure’s always kept between 40-41 psi, and has the ZZR rear shock. Could the rear wheel be canted somehow? I don’t recall this kinda wear on any other tires. Also, these are Pilot GT’s, and the bikes never been down. TIA
Patrick
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Your better at going right than going left?
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Typically in North America (right side drive), the left wears more than the right, you cover more distance in a left turn than a right turn. Maybe your cornering style more than compensates.
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Not sure but do other riders experience the same type of wear pattern in your area?
When you have the wheel off, check for any play in the swingarm bearings and also check the wheel bearings. Not sure if you need to remove gearcase to check swingarm but it is only 4 nuts, easy to do.
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Never thought about the majority right turns we make here. I will definately be checking everything out when i pull the wheel. Ive never run them this low before, so im hoping its just more pronounced. Just waiting for tires. Dealer says maybe next month!! :'(
Thanks all.
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90% of us have been complaining about wear on the left side....
we can send you all our old tires, and you prolly could get about 3k miles more on that right side... ;)
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Hahah.. Good one!
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When you do donuts, do you primarily lean to the right? I think most people lean to the left myself included.
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90% of us have been complaining about wear on the left side....
we can send you all our old tires, and you prolly could get about 3k miles more on that right side... ;)
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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HOW MANY YA WANT?... ;)
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u672/MAN_OF_BLUES/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2144618920015463693aIpKYF_ph.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/MAN_OF_BLUES/media/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2144618920015463693aIpKYF_ph.jpg.html)
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u672/MAN_OF_BLUES/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2122858050015463693KKrAfs_ph.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/MAN_OF_BLUES/media/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2122858050015463693KKrAfs_ph.jpg.html)
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u672/MAN_OF_BLUES/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2430814760015463693kLPlSd_ph.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/MAN_OF_BLUES/media/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2430814760015463693kLPlSd_ph.jpg.html)
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u672/MAN_OF_BLUES/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2265059100015463693XlGABQ_ph.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/MAN_OF_BLUES/media/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2265059100015463693XlGABQ_ph.jpg.html)
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u672/MAN_OF_BLUES/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2983184750015463693VuBlat_ph.jpg) (http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/MAN_OF_BLUES/media/old%201/COG%20TECHNICAL%20PHOTOS/2983184750015463693VuBlat_ph.jpg.html)
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An interesting read that pretty much nails it...
http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html (http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html)
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Just a thought: Have you had someone follow you while your riding and critique you posture? Granted, your tire wear looks more extreme than I was experiencing, but this could be a contributing factor.
I had left side tire wear on 2 different new bikes back in the '80s. Was riding 65 miles a day on the super slab so I wore tires out in a hurry. Finally fixed the problem when someone riding with me one day asked why I didn't sit square in the saddle. When he brought it to my attention, I realized I was sliding off the right side of the seat causing the bike to lean left. The problem was my wallet. I had so much crap in there (definitely not money!), I had to slide to the right on the saddle to make it feel like I was sitting level. I wasn't that far off from center but I guess it wouldn't take much. Tried riding with nothing in my rear pockets and was amazed at how foreign it felt until I deliberately slid back to the center of the saddle. The next set of tires wore evenly right to the end.
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An interesting read that pretty much nails it...
http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html (http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html)
again....
it's an interesting read, but it's b/s in regard to "actual distances travelled"..
I have to dig to find one of the dozen times I posted actual distance travelled, along a path, located 4 ft on either side of the centerline of a curve. Unless all you do is ride in the city, with a 25 ft radius to the centerline, the percentages of distance travelled are less than 15%
Does not compute when we are seeing full tread on right side and no tread on left side....
most folks read that sites drivel, and believe it, without ever picking up a calculator, making a sketch, and comparing various radii turns / curves... based on actually being in the center of each adjacent lane.
If they did, they also would be calling b/s on the left vs right turn thing.
jmho. ymmv ;)
ex:
90 degree turn,
25 ft center, right turn 21 ft r. (33' dt), left turn 29 ft r. (45.6'dt) =28% diff.
60ft center r., right turn 56' r. (88'dt), left turn 64' r. (100.5'dt) = 14% diff
100 ft center r., right turn 96' r. ( 150.8'dt), left turn 104' r. (163.4'dt) = 8% diff.....
anything over 100ft radii is moot.
and you ain't going around a 25' rad. at 50 mph
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. . . calling b/s on the left vs right turn thing.. . .
Funny thing though, it happens on the right in countries where they drive on the left (England, Australia, Japan).
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Funny thing though, it happens on the right in countries where they drive on the left (England, Australia, Japan).
well, why would that make a difference? road crown goes both sides no matter what side you ride on... 8)
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well, why would that make a difference? road crown goes both sides no matter what side you ride on... 8)
And of course you have a good reason why road crown impacts the front tire and not the rear?
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And of course you have a good reason why road crown impacts the front tire and not the rear?
not quite following ya, where did that come from?
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not quite following ya, where did that come from?
The site
http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html (http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html)
shows left side wear on the front tire and center tread wear on the rear. That's my experience also.
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How do those tires hold air with all the arrows in them?
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It has nothing to do with road crown. It's all about how a rider rides, some riders don't ride right curves very hard due to the tighter radius, some riders got thru rights much harder, faster than others. The tighter turn at speed will wear the tire faster than a larger radius at speed. I always wear the right side more than the left on both front and rear. Just looking at MOB's pics it looks like he needs to lean a little more in both directions. ;D
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.... Just looking at MOB's pics it looks like he needs to lean a little more in both directions. ;D
heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy :censored: :rotflmao:
I Just sent you the last set I pulled off....should be at your house in a couple days...
(C.O.D. of course....) 8)
see ya in a week...J.C. or bust..
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Interesting read.
http://www.allaboutbikes.com/motorcycle-news/general-news/2744-the-mystery-of-left-side-tire-wear-explained (http://www.allaboutbikes.com/motorcycle-news/general-news/2744-the-mystery-of-left-side-tire-wear-explained)
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Solution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8meexuoFka4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8meexuoFka4)
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Or, this:
http://youtu.be/iAgX6qlJEMc (http://youtu.be/iAgX6qlJEMc)
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The average lane width is 10'. Of course this varies but that is the average of a rural 2 lane road. Highways are 12' widths. Therefor for a undivided 2 lane road I would think 5' either side of the center would be more accurate than 4'. On 4 lane divided highways I would guess 20' average difference from center. Therefor a 100' diameter curve on a 4 lane divided highway would be 80' diameter going right versus 120' going left. Still a tight curve and only about 17% difference in distance. But what is the road angle at the center of the lane due to the average crown? I can't seem to find the data but is is more then 1 or 2 degrees off at the lane center versus road center? Does that adequately explain the left side wear at 5 to 10 degrees off center? IDK. But I suspect both theories come into play.
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found this:
(http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/5-430-00-1/fig9-22.gif)
This says the slope for the crown is 1/4" per foot or 0.0208 which is about 1.2 degrees. Doesn't adequately explain the left side tire wear IMO.
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The average lane width is 10'. Of course this varies but that is the average of a rural 2 lane road. Highways are 12' widths. Therefor for a undivided 2 lane road I would think 5' either side of the center would be more accurate than 4'. On 4 lane divided highways I would guess 20' average difference from center. Therefor a 100' diameter curve on a 4 lane divided highway would be 80' diameter going right versus 120' going left. Still a tight curve and only about 17% difference in distance. But what is the road angle at the center of the lane due to the average crown? I can't seem to find the data but is is more then 1 or 2 degrees off at the lane center versus road center? Does that adequately explain the left side wear at 5 to 10 degrees off center? IDK. But I suspect both theories come into play.
response #12 with my calcs was on the prior page
ex:
90 degree turn, dt= distance travelled
25 ft center rad, right turn 21 ft r. (33' dt), left turn 29 ft r. (45.6'dt) =28% diff.
60ft center rad., right turn 56' r. (88'dt), left turn 64' r. (100.5'dt) = 14% diff
100 ft center rad., right turn 96' r. ( 150.8'dt), left turn 104' r. (163.4'dt) = 8% diff.....
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Combine MOB's calcs with the higher speeds and the subsequently
greater lateral forces resulting from the larger radius and it's easy
to see why there is increased wear in left hand turns.
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Combine MOB's calcs with the higher speeds and the subsequently
greater lateral forces resulting from the larger radius and it's easy
to see why there is increased wear in left hand turns.
Totally agree. But the original poster has worn down the RIGHT side of his tire. Anyone? Maybe plays on freeway ramps a lot? I still think he does donuts to the right...
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response #12 with my calcs was on the prior page
ex:
90 degree turn, dt= distance travelled
25 ft center rad, right turn 21 ft r. (33' dt), left turn 29 ft r. (45.6'dt) =28% diff.
60ft center rad., right turn 56' r. (88'dt), left turn 64' r. (100.5'dt) = 14% diff
100 ft center rad., right turn 96' r. ( 150.8'dt), left turn 104' r. (163.4'dt) = 8% diff.....
Yes, I was responding to this. Just saying 4' difference from center isn't enough IMO because 1) roads are wider and therefor 5' difference is more accurate for 2 lane and 2) divided highways are much bigger difference right turn versus left.