What do you think?

[Twisties]

Had a couple of world tour riders come through this week on their GS ADV for a maintenance stop, and a couple days with a real bed: Tires, oil, valves, throttle body synch, read codes, brake pads...

They wanted Hiedenau K60 Scouts, but didn't want to hang out for them to arrive mail order. We found some TKC80's (their usual tire) at a local source and went to pick them up. It wasn't very bright in the store, and we were parked in the shade. When we got home and pulled the tires out in the full sun this is what we found for the front tire (right click and choose "view image" in Firefox to see them full size):

We took it back immediately and the shop gave us an exchange no problem. But this is what the parts person said, "Looks like a perfectly good tire to me, but if it makes you happy we'll exchange it. I took the stickers off the tire for you myself before I brought it out to you."

Here, for comparison, is the exchange tire:

Your thoughts?

 

[colorider]

Used tire....... not very, but used .

 

[Twisties]

No doubt the tire had been mounted and used, as well as suffered bead damage in the process. There should be absolutely no questions what so ever about that. You can clearly see that for the center and near center tread blocks:

nubs and ridges are gone or worn,
block edges are rounded and display the first bit of cupping

as well,

the bead shows tool marks throughout, in addition to the damage
paint stripes and markings are missing, and the tire appears dull and dirty compared to the new one

You may not be able to see, but mount lubricant staining was also clearly present.

So, some questions:

Is this bead damage significant, i.e. is this tire safe?
Is selling a tire with this, or any, amount of wear as a new tire acceptable in your part of the world?
Would you have thought to check it in the store?
This shop mostly sells mounted tires... would you have thought anything of it if you had picked it up this way mounted on your bike? Presumably after the mechanic did a test ride.
Is the parts guy lying, i.e. are distributors/manufacturers re-stickering used tires and shipping them to shops as new, or did the shop use this tire?

 

[colorider]

So, some questions:

Is this bead damage significant, i.e. is this tire safe?
Is selling a tire with this, or any, amount of wear as a new tire acceptable in your part of the world?
Would you have thought to check it in the store?
This shop mostly sells mounted tires... would you have thought anything of it if you had picked it up this way mounted on your bike? Presumably after the mechanic did a test ride.
Is the parts guy lying, i.e. are distributors/manufacturers re-stickering used tires and shipping them to shops as new, or did the shop use this tire?

I'd guess it is as "safe" as any tire that has been installed by an installer that was a bit sloppy with the tire machine....

To me it would only be acceptable in some 3rd world country unless clearly identified as a USED TIRE.

If bought any place, I would have questioned it and/or taken it back.

My guess is the parts guy was less than honest.

JMHO

 

[JonnyCinco]

with race tires, I have "damaged" a bead slightly like your picture. Still rode > 150mph down Road Atlanta's back straight without an issue.

So I would say no issues unless a complete tear past the bead.

I should note that I am not an expert and may have just been lucky.

 

[markjenn]

I wouldn't have any issue buying and riding on the first tire, but not at a new tire price.

- Mark

 

[Checkswrecks]

+1 to the used but ridable thoughts.

But I sure wouldn't EVER trust that parts guy again for such a bald-face lie. It'd be one thing if he said "Oh, my bad, we put the wrong tire on a bike and took it off, so here's X% off" but it doesn't sound like that's what he did. I'd wonder about a dealer who'd put up with this guy, too.

 

[~TABASCO~]

I wouldn't have any issue buying and riding on the first tire, but not at a new tire price.

- Mark

X2..... for sure used.... but if it was a killer price I would have kept it...... if it was retail I would have done what you did, take it back............ K60's are killer.... let me know if you need any ! ! !