Strange wear pattern?


HelmetHair

New Member
My last bike was a cruiser and the tires lasted forever, with relatively flat wear patterns. So maybe I'm freaking out about nothing...

At 6200 miles, I am getting close to the wear marker on my back tire (Dunlop Roadsmart). It's the front tire that concerns me. Yesterday when I got off the bike, I noticed this unusual wear pattern. I had thought my turn-ins were starting to feel a bit abrupt...

The middle is actually raised up and drops off suddenly to the side. The front is not close to the wear marker at any point, so its not like the sides have worn that much. If you look close you will also notice the raised center drops at spots. Belt separation? I don't know. I have always been a stickler for proper tire pressure. In any case, I'm having a set of Pilot Road 4's put on in a couple days. I'll hold off on riding it until the new tires arrive.
 

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Marthy

World Most Bad A$$ 6R
Elite Member

HelmetHair

New Member
That's called cupping. Part of it is poor suspension design/settings. The Bstone was prone to do that too. Get new shoes and keep an eye on your pressure. You can still ride it for a bit but not great... I use the Conti Motion on my ride and no issues. If you don't mind spending just a bit more the Angle GT are amazing, specially in the wet.[/QUOTE

I guess I just wasn't expecting cupping to result in such a raised center as opposed to the sides. The sides are smooth and even, the center is raised so far above the sides it almost looks like only the sides have worn. Which would be odd, since I do mostly commuting and highway driving. But I believe you're right, I will defer to your expertise. Cupping on a bike tire certainly looks different than a car tire.
 

Marthy

World Most Bad A$$ 6R
Elite Member

dart1963

Super Moderator
Elite Member

HelmetHair

New Member
High-Performance Dunlop Motorcycle Tires

"You may not be able to entirely avoid cupping. Tire cupping or irregular wear is a somewhat common occurrence on all vehicles. On a four-wheel vehicle, you are advised to rotate your tires periodically to even out wear. Unfortunately, you do not have this luxury with a motorcycle because front and rear tires, unlike those on most four-wheel vehicles, are not interchangeable. However, there are steps that can be taken to minimize cupping and uneven wear on a motorcycle: Maintain your motorcycle and particularly your front and suspension. Avoid hard braking whenever possible. Braking causes the tire to grab and wear in one direction. When braking is applied to the front tire, the load transfer over-flexes the tire and increases the tendency for cupping and uneven wear. Maintain your tire pressures. Under inflation and overloading of motorcycle tires are significant causes of cupping and uneven wear, particularly in association with hard braking and/or trailer use."

normal wear and tear....

even other brands can start to show this around the 6k mark... probably good to ride "Easy" for another 1-2k miles... just comes with the performance of braking hard and accelerating hard... put lots of forces on the tires... running on the high side of psi will help as Marthy said
Roger that. My Pilot Road 4's should be on by Saturday afternoon, though. Getting near the rear wear marker and didn't like the feel of the front end when turning in anymore. I figure 6200 miles wasn't bad on the Dunlops.
 

leem00

Sport touring Member
Elite Member


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