Issue with the new Mitas E07

[RCinNC]

I just bought a set of the Mitas E07 tires. These are the new versions of the old E07, not the E07+.

For the first time in years of mounting my own tires, I wasn't able to get the bead to seat on the front tire, no matter what tricks I used. I ended up taking it to a local tire shop so they could use their big compressor . When I got the tire home and looked at it, it looked like the bead wasn't completely seated on the rim; there was a very small gap between the rim and the tire. I aired it down and reinflated it and the gap closed, but when I aired it down again, I could see the sidewall of the tire lightly pull away from the rim. I also found that, once the tire was deflated, `I could actually push the bead out of the bead channel by just using my hands. So I broke the bead all the way around on both sides, then refilled the tire with air using the 12 volt compressor I usually use to mount tires. The beads popped back into place in the bead channel, though the "pops" that the beads made were a lot less authoritative than I'm used to from mounting other tires. The tire was definitely in the right place in the bead channel this time. I filled the tire to 36 pounds PSI and took it for a test ride. It handled fine but when I got back after about 40 miles, I found the the pressure was down to 34 pounds PSI. I completely dismounted the tire, cleaned the bead channel with a Scotch Brite pad to make sure there wasn't any debris stuck in there, and cleaned the tire bead thoroughly. I deliberately mounted the tire this time without using tire lube, so both the rim and the bead were dry. I rotated the tire to a different position on the rim this time. I aired the tire up with the 12 volt compressor, and this time the beads didn't pop: they just slowly moved into place in the bead channel I aired the tire down again, and this time I wasn't able to push the bead out of the bead channel with my hands. The beads were seated correctly. I aired the tire up to 38 pounds PSI, and let it sit in the garage. That was about five hours ago; I just went out to check it, and the pressure was down to 36 pounds PSI.

The tire stem wasn't replaced when I changed the tire, but it wasn't leaking before I removed the Shinko 705 to install the Mitas.

I've never had issues like these before, and at this point I've mounted somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty motorcycle tires. This is only my second set of the E07's, but I didn't have any issues mounting those. The sidewalls on the new E07 feel much more flexible than my first set.

Has anyone here had similar issues in mounting the new version of the old E07? Does it sound like this tire has a defect that's causing the air loss?

 

[Tenman]

Bummer. DEFECTIVE I've had it happen several times usually with cheap tires and a Heidenau. The local Independent harley mech I use for tire changes. He has a pile of defective Hog tires. Has a nice new tire machine. He changes lots of Harley tires. When you get a tire back. It's at max psi. I don't think he uses any lube on my tires. He may not lube them to keep the balance beads dry. I've only had one tiny leak on the front MotoZ. I broke it down wd40 it a little. It's been good for months.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I would spray some soapy water on the tire and stem and find out where it’s leaking from. It might be just a small nick you missed or worn out valve core.

 

[RCinNC]

Already did that. There's no apparent leak. The stem wasn't leaking when the previous tire was installed. There isn't any visible defect anywhere.

 

[RCinNC]

Bummer. DEFECTIVE I've had it happen several times usually with cheap tires and a Heidenau. The local Independent harley mech I use for tire changes. He has a pile of defective Hog tires. Has a nice new tire machine. He changes lots of Harley tires. When you get a tire back. It's at max psi. I don't think he uses any lube on my tires. He may not lube them to keep the balance beads dry. I've only had one tiny leak on the front MotoZ. I broke it down wd40 it a little. It's been good for months.

Where'd you spray the WD-40? On the tire bead, or in the bead channel?

 

[Mak10]

I’ve had a front eo7 that would lose air. I had to put front wheel in a tub to actually see the minuscule air bubbles. I struggled with this for half a day. Steel wool on the rim, sanded the bead, and eventually got it to seal. I’ve heard some guys use a bead sealer compound.

 

[RCinNC]

Thanks Mak10. I scrubbed the bead and bead channel with a scotch Brite pad. I'm a little afraid to try anything else;. I've contacted the company that sold it to me in order to process a return, so I dont want to do too much to the tire lest they use that as an excuse not to exchange it ("oh sorry, your actions ruined the tire and that's why it leaks").

 

[RonH]

If you've always mounted tires and never had this problem using the same procedure I suppose a tire defect is very possible, but it's been my experience over the years almost always when a new tire is inflated to pressure, it will check a lower PSI if rechecked later. Possibly from warmer air getting pumped in from the compressor, but I don't know.
I never worry of loss of a couple PSI, just top off the pressure a few hours later then hope/pray it doesn't drop again which it never has for me with a tubeless tire.

 

[Madhatter]

temperature changes can move psi over time .
hope you get it fixed .
a good buddy of mine called me ( just an anecdote ) and said on his commute his TPMS showed he was loosing
front tire pressure . was able to air up and get it home . was having trouble plugging the tire then when done with that found a screw of the exact type in his rear tire . one trip two screws two tires to replace . so he will be replacing both tires this weekend . my Pirelli scorpions have not move a single lb in a month . I hate these tires ( noisiest tires at speed I have ever had on my bike ) will be replacing them soon .

 

[RCinNC]

RonH: I've been mounting my own tires for about eight years using the same methods, and this is the first time I've encountered a stubborn tire that didn't seem to want to seal properly. I'm not ordinarily obsessive about tire pressure; what got me more concerned about this one, and what made me start checking the pressure, was how hard it was to get the bead seated, and how I was able to push the bead out of the bead channel with my thumbs when I got it back from having the bead set at the tire shop.

After I posted my response at #7, I rechecked the rear tire, and found that it had lost pressure also. Yesterday at around 5PM I aired both of them all the way down and refilled them, with the front at 36 PSI and the rear at 40 PSI. This morning, at about 8AM, I checked them again. The front was down to 35 PSI and the rear to 39 PSI. That could be because the garage was cold last night (it was down into the lower 50's, and I filled the tires when it was in the low 70's). Right now I parked the bike out in the sun, to see if the pressure increases. If so, I'll chalk it up to differences in temperature and forget about it. I've already been in touch with Revzilla about possibly processing a return, but I'm holding off to see how this goes.

I've had tire snobs knock the fact that I usually ride Shinko 705's, but I've never had issues like this with the Shinkos, and they're half the cost of the E07's.

 

[RCinNC]

In the interests of closure, I'm posting that the tires seem to finally have sealed properly.