Rear tire wear

MonkeyBut

Fuel Whore
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
258
Location
Armpit of America, NJ
Finally replacing the tires. Both tires were replaced at the same time. Rear is wearing more on the left side (sitting on the motorcycle) than the right. Front tire is about even. Stupid question, but how can there be so much more wear? Can a shaft drive motorcycle be out of alignment? No knocking or squirrliness, no off road, (Well Jersey has some shitty roads), tire pressures always checked. Am I missing something? Can road crown and 13,000+ miles make that much of a difference? Not sure if I noticed it that much on my last set. I do tend to ride to the wear bars and beyond.
20230125_170651.jpg
Rear tire. Definitive grooves on the right, way worn on the the left.

20230125_171015.jpg
Front is relatively even at the wear bars.
Thank you in advance.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
I don't know about the rear wear, but that front looks very cupped. Usually that indicates low/under pressure for the weight + hard braking. The RT and ST13 I rode always had front cupping. I haven't seen the cupping on the Tenere, but the Tenere doesn't get ridden like the other two bikes. :rolleyes:
 

whisperquiet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
728
Location
Southern Illinois
I have never owned or wore out a rear tire that ever crossed the 10,000 mile mark. Front tires have occasionally gone 11-13,000 miles. Buy the same tires and celebrate your exceptional tire wear.;)
 

Fennellg

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
Messages
607
Location
North Carolina
13k is good you pushed it. If you like how these tires performed, wet dry or otherwise stop bitching replace and pass go. You are doing better than 95 percent of us. We always want more. I think you found all there is.
 

OldRider

Well-Known Member
Vendor
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
2,111
Location
Western Kentucky
I just retired from 50 years in the motorcycle business and have sold and mounted thousands of tires. Most tires are going to wear more on the left side simply because it's farther around a left hand turn than a right hand turn. Think about it, if you pull up to a stop sign/light and turn right, you make a short little turn to the right and start going straight, but if you make a left turn, you make a big sweeping turn to the left that covers a lot more distance than a right hand turn. Over the life of a motorcycle tire you will go around thousands of curves with the left handers always being farther than the right handers. As for the cupping on the front tire, you could probably right a book about why, with low tire pressure and hard braking topping the list.

FYI, in countries that ride on the left side or the road, right side tire wear is common.

Here's a good read on tire wear.

 

Cycledude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
3,999
Location
Rib lake wi
13,000 miles on a Tenere tire is definitely excellent !
My experience is excessive left side tire wear is very common but for some unknown reason sometimes it doesn’t seem as noticeable.
 

MonkeyBut

Fuel Whore
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
258
Location
Armpit of America, NJ
Thank you for your quick replies. Not only am I a Fuel Whore, I'm a tire whore. I've gone 13,000+ miles on my old Vstrom and now, Tenere tires. Replace and Ride.

The last 2 sets were Michelin Road 5 and very happy with their grip in the wet and dry. I'm easy on the throttle. The Road 5 will be replaced with the Road 6.
 
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