Author Topic: tire tear any ideas? (Read 4579 times)

b4cruz · « **on:** June 26, 2005, 07:38:02 PM »

how did this happen?
could it have only been a slasher?
or could I have ridden over something to rip this tear?

its not deep enough to hit the tread line
but it is slightly angled
no air seems to be leaking

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 26, 2005, 08:25:24 PM »

I would think it this was caused by riding over something it wouldn't have stopped briefly at the tread groove because the weight of the bike & rider would have been enough to overcome the heavier density of the rubber at the groove, whereas a vandal with a sharp object wouldn't have that advantage. Also, the slight waviness to the cut lends me to believe it is more of a handmade cut. It just seems more likely a sharp object that was run over on the road would leave a more uniform shaped cut... and at the size of that one, if you'd run over something, chances are high the front tire would have a matching wound.

PeteSC · « **Reply #2 on:** June 26, 2005, 09:18:54 PM »

Dunno. Any chance the air pressure was down a bit in the rear, and you hit a pothole or something?
For some reason, vandalism doesn't jump out at me.
Everytime I've had a tire slashed on a car, they've always done the sidewall. Of course, it's easier to get to, and ruins the tire.
You don't happen to park the bike where a bunch of rug rats hang out?
(Apartment complex, or something.)
I can picture some dumb kid doing that....

How much tread life is left? May be worth getting rid of that rear early.....

b4cruz · « **Reply #3 on:** June 26, 2005, 09:20:21 PM »

i can't believe someone would do that to a bike
that's like murder

its garaged @ home, but on the weekends i have to park it
in some wierd places when I go out

its only on the rear, but since the bike is so light
maybe a pothole would'nt affect the front tire?

I have hit lots of bad hwy holes on the 5 fwy here in california

b4cruz · « **Reply #4 on:** June 26, 2005, 09:22:42 PM »

Quote from: "PeteSC"

How much tread life is left? May be worth getting rid of that rear early.....

not sure, I got the bike with the tires
so i can only judge by the visual tread line
its still pretty good, but its a cheapo kenda tire

I still ride weekends on it and it never leaks air

Slider · « **Reply #5 on:** June 27, 2005, 04:33:17 AM »

Quote from: "b4cruz"

how did this happen?
could it have only been a slasher?
or could I have ridden over something to rip this tear?

its not deep enough to hit the tread line
but it is slightly angled
no air seems to be leaking

Geez, B4... this scares the hell out of me. It's new tire time. The guys are right, though... tires are essentially always vandalized on the side wall where the rubber is thin. Cutting the tread takes a LOT of effort. Try it on a dead tire in the dealer's dumpster to convince him. Look at the cracks. The two of them don't line up nore are either straight, as a slash by an knife which no mortal could do, anyway.

Which leads me to the next point. This looks like a crack in a defective tire, ie. incomplete reinforcing fibre/wire underneath is resulting in spreading. As I see it, this tire could fail catastropically at speed. The maker/dealer owes you a new tire, in my opinion. If he doesn't, find a new one and buy a new tire.

tacoman · « **Reply #6 on:** June 27, 2005, 02:57:11 PM »

I'm thinking the front tire could have kicked up a shard of metal and the back tire caught the sharp edge. Theres all kinds of weird stuff on our roads. You may be able to get some miles out of it, keep on eye on it. Hey, you got free siping, a lot of places charge for this.

smooth operator · « **Reply #7 on:** June 27, 2005, 04:41:52 PM »

I would say from what I can see in the pic,that the tread is a little thin. For insp. traed is measured in the center. Although you have tread on the outsides, I would say it time for a new tire. Good rubber is important. And even the most expensive tire is cheaper than slidding your baby down the road.

b4cruz · « **Reply #8 on:** June 27, 2005, 10:52:06 PM »

thanks for all the senarios
and the common sense
my brain has been so fried lately...
it really does help to get feedback
from all the good people on this board

i don't have a tire iron or anyway to balance the tire so
i think I'll go with the local shops, i may ask them
to do my forks too.
if the stock is available locally and affordably
I hope to get a road dunlop, metzler, or michilen for $100

terrebandit · « **Reply #9 on:** June 27, 2005, 11:52:21 PM »

The tire is about done anyway. Time to replace it!

My guess is that you drove over something sharp. Almost looks like it was the edge of a steel culvert or something like that.

Dave

Bob Holland · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2005, 09:46:53 AM »

I had a tire that looked just like yours, a few years back, I do not remember what brand. I was told that the tire cap was separating.

PeteSC · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2005, 10:01:05 AM »

Yeah, it's probably a good idea to start tire shopping.
The tire may be a lot older than you think, since the tires were on the bike when you bought it.
You can find the date code on the tire to find out when it was manufactured. You might scare yourself!

I'd be hesitant to ride the bike at any speed with that tire.

I've seen a lot of splits/tears like that, but on tractor trailers....usually they're from the tire being a little low, and rolling over some obstruction in the road. Not sure how that applies to bikes!
Age also does strange things to rubber!

Woody · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2005, 04:18:42 AM »

man, that tyre is cracked and defective IMO...

I'd be back to the dealer if it's new.

Have you been riding across a large range of daily temperatures? Maybe just seeing premature wear because of induced tyre use cycles?