Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Charliedog on April 01, 2021, 11:57:04 AM
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I've been riding for almost 50 years, owned almost 50 bikes-some for a few months, others a few years, and I've never had a cycle that wore out the front tire so much quicker than the rear. Somewhere between 2:1 and 3:2. I'm trying to wrap my mind around that.
I texted a good friend who owned a small cycle shop for fifteen years before retiring. He sold and installed hundreds of tires and texted me he made money on C14 front tires. When I texted him why, he replied the bike 'loads' the front tire so much. He said some C14 owners were over inflating the front tires above the max on the tires' sidewalls. That doesn't sound safe.
I'm open to ideas and suggestions (within financial reason), since I hope to be riding the bike a few more years.
TIA
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It weighs 700 lbs. Your riding style. The roads you drive. My front tires also wear out before the rears.
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Like Pilgrim said- lots of factors- heavy, roads, riding style, 1 or 2 up, how hard you brake, type of tire, inflation.
My fronts also wear more than the rears, but only by about maybe 20%. So by the time I need a front, I might as well replace the rear, too. I get good tire life. First set of PR4's 18,020 miles, last set of PR4's 16,031 miles (cut short due to a large nail in rear that I had to emergency plug and I wasn't going to push it).
I try to always keep both at exactly 42psi.
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I agree with Charliedog. All of the other 30 or so motorcycles I have owned wore the rear tire out about twice as fast as the fronts. None of the factors mentioned in the replies above explain why this is not true for the Concours. I think there must be something different about the steering geometry and/or front to rear weight bias of the Concours. I know one thing, the Concours is the heaviest bike I have owned and also the most stable at high speeds, as in 145 plus.
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Agree lots of factors as mentioned. Weather and roads being another factor...between WA and OR, roads here are in great shape. With TPMS and checking 42psi cold in the mornings, my tires wear out equally. I've ridden both Angel GTs and latest PR4s and PR5s. Lots of twisties and hard accelerations, commutes and slabbing it, I'm happy with how the C14 handles tires which I get on avg 8k to 9k. Some sets I get lucky to 10k if I'm easy on the throttle.
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As others have said, there's a lot of factors at play here.
My 2012 had exclusively Pirelli Angel GTs from the first change. Fronts always outlasted the rears, but I did a lot of long-distance rides to get to decent roads when I was on the east coast. In California, I was replacing tires as a set since the sides were usually starting to show peeling or cords.
I'd wonder if aerodynamics play into this with the front tire though. That fairing and the right windscreen could make it balance the weight forward, causing increased wear.
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On my 2012 I find I get about 25% more miles on the front tires.
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I have never owned a street bike did not wear out two rear tires for every one front tire.
For example: My C14 has an Ohlins rear shock and AK20's in the front. The bike has been resprung for my weight and the suspension and chassis geometry set up/adjusted by a pro.
If the front is wearing out faster than the rear I would guess the front tire is scrubbing in the turns.. The cause would be the chassis weight is biased to the front wheel.
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Does anyone know the actual weight distribution on the front and rear tires? :stirpot:
I don't know it, but I'm guessing 400 is on front tire and 300 is on the rear without rider. Or something near that. :-\
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It is funny, if you search for, "motorcycle front tire wearing faster than rear", you will find all sorts of people saying, "I have never had a motorcycle that wore the front tire before the rear", then go on to explain their front wore out before the rear. It isn't uncommon, especially on big bikes, especially one that is ridden as a sport bike.
I have had the front wear out before the rear, on the C14, and had the front last longer than the rear. Usually the front is pretty bad due to cupping.
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The only front tyre that wore out before the rear was the Bridgestone BT-021s that it came from Kawasaki with.
That front tyre was utter crap as it wore into a triangular cross-section and the handling got worse and worse starting from about 2500 miles.
I replaced mine at 7,000 miles but at 5,000 I had to take a rasp to it to round out the profile as it was all but un-rideable.
Since I started avoiding that POS tyre, my fronts now last the usual 1.3-1.5 times longer than the rear.
A PR4 (non-GT) rear gets me 8,000-10,000 miles and a PR4 (non-GT) front 12,000-14,000 miles to the wear bars.
I don't think the C14 is any harder on the front tyre than any other bike of similar performance.
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Aside from changing out from the original tires, upgrading the suspension would be my first choice. I think aside from the C14 being big & heavy, the factory suspension is way too soft for the bike. Making it right will help all around.
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Chasis geometry setup via preload adjustments to stop front tire scrubbing
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Thanks Daytona, for that interesting, thoughtful comment. Please expand on what you would do/have done with the preload.
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Not sure if your asking for info or picking on Daytona. (??)
But, here's the basics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtzTyCKh5fY&t=198s
Ride safe, Ted
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Asking for more information or suggestions. His comment made more sense than blaming the roads, the weather, or the weight of the bike relative to all the other bikes I've ridden on these roads, in this weather, including heavy touring bikes.
I'm open to trying different preload settings-would just like some starting ideas. TIA
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Have you measured/set your preload?
Ride safe, Ted