Hi mate, I think you sell yourself short a little, 10yrs riding every day is an awful lot of mileage, mate, but I am a little surprised you are chewing 2 rears to 1 front. These days tyres are designed to last as a pair with more 'meat' being moulded on rears and harder centre sections to compensate for acceleration wear..I've run through 3 sets of Avon Storm 2's now consistently get 8k from the pair with the front scrubbing out slightly earlier than the rear, maybe give them a try? Del
Wow what a lovely comment! Thank you so much ... it's been astounding how many people gain use from the videos we make, we had no idea when we started that so many people wanted to learn, especially in this world of push button reliability and booking things at the dealer and coffee in the waiting room!... where maintenance and daily checks can often be forgotten as 'bikes just work', all we really promote is 'housekeeping' an safety procedures and we are so glad it's finding an audience! Del
Hi Craig, oh i get it...i cant understand why it would wear square, as in, flat in the middle not on the sides like a rear wears...because fronts wear on the sides first..if its doing that and wearing on the shoulders then sadly thats Busadome brother.. they are a heavy old bike and eat front boots for a pastime..the only rubber i ever hear to last really well is the proper Bridgestone Battleaxe Busa tyres...they were designed for the bikes lardy weight distribution, plus they run at 42psi too.
Well, in the past I've used old iron bed frame, steel garden table legs, shop fittings (clothing rails etc), bbq trivet, 10guage sheet steel from a shelf inside a safe,sheet metal from a filing cabinet & the engine cage on the Bandit I made from the parcel guard from the cab in my van! LOL! All the above can be gathered from the tip or scrap yards for nothing... metal's metal and why buy new steel stock when you can recycle old scrap? Only new stock I bought was the angle iron for the trailer
I took the left set off to experiment with the result...the theory being that Harley's have a single front disc, and the caliper isnt even as good...also the master cylinder pump, being for 8 pistons should chop twice as hard in the remaining side......and the result is, that there is no discernible difference to having two discs, unless you really want to brake hard and late...which i don't...and the front now has less gyroscopic weight, which is clear from the less heavy steering...i like it.
James, well done mate, there's lots of information there, your tyre pressures are way low there, I would always run 36psi front & 38psi rear, this is the default setting for all middle weight bikes with 17" rims...the under inflation causes the front to wear on the sides as the elipse of the carcass is not retained & on the rear, you've seen, as many are now finding, that tyre companies are designing the rears to last longer as they know that when the front wears out you will replace the pair
hi mate... Yes its the same in the Hayabusa manual, not only same tyre pressure but also same rear suspension preload... i guess they design the bike to be quite neutral and work in all conditions....4k is not too bad for a back tyre, if its a single compound tyre and used a bit spiritedly then you could get even less than that.... but next time why not try a dual compound tyre and go a little easier on the initial pulling away and acceleration...i get about 8k from a back tyre by doing that.
Genius and so typically a BBHR comment.. I am sure you've seen you can get coloured tyres (the green ones for Kawasaki's are mental) and they even smoke that colour when you spin them up and best of all is that all of the different coloured tyres on the market are actually re-moulds as the coloured rubber, being silicone based, isn't man enough to mould the entire carcass from so it's over-laid on an old tyre meaning,they go back to black as they are wearing out!So looks like they beat us to it!
Hi mate, ahhh I understand now... oddly enough it's not that much more expensive - it's the same front as the Bandit, but a 190 for the rear and as the 190 is now getting common on all the big super sport bikes the prices are coming down... plus the guy I go to will do me a deal and on top of that, I am planning to try a pair of cheapo Maxxis tyres as I don't scratch on it and I just want legal rubber, so a pair of those will come in just under £200...!
With this video,I was only pointing out the stage that a tyre gets to when it needs replacing & the importance of inspecting them,etc.,it was pointless talking about the correct fitment of tyres,I would not suggest anybody fit their own tyres unless properly trained in it and know their stuff anyway, in which case they wouldn't make such an elementary mistake and for what it's worth,tyres go one way on the front & the opposite way on the rear,so the V's point to each other at the top-cheers Del
Hello Guy,a buddy of mine runs an MOT station & if I buy the rubber from him, run the bike over there & take the wheels out myself, he'll pop the boots on for free & balance them properly on a machine worth more than my bike! If I had a spare £10k I'd build a workshop with every machine I want, but part of good maintenance is knowing where to draw the line before you enter into a false economy. I have tyre levers, it's no problem to do myself,but it's a good excuse to visit a mate & have a brew!
Hi Chris.. if the tyre is cracked its due to the rubber drying out over time...the reason on those kind of bikes is that they hardly ever wear out, they supply hard wearing tyres from new and that could well be the factory original ... no other solution than to replace it mate... With the forks, they arent hard to dismantle, i cant explain it all on here, but why not get a proper manual as that kind of job is usually covered in detail, and its real easy on little bikes... hope that helps Del.
Ha ah ah ,, i think the only rot was in his brain mate...never heard such rubbish...Tyres will perish over time if left unused for years, no matter what they are parked on..the rubber is a 'curing' solution of epoxy chemicals, and it continues to harden over time..but "concrete sucking out moisture"..thats just comedy mate..maybe he was the guy selling the rubber mats aye.?lol if you use your bike at least once a week, then the tyres will wear out long before they perish..hope that helps. Del.
Indeed you're right my friend, its both stupid and selfish to take the safety checks for granted... you can pick up a nail at any time, ive lost count of the amount of riders who tell me their bike was handling weird and they check the tyres to find 10psi in the front...then argue that they cant understand it as they only checked them two weeks ago......give me strength..!.. the tyres are gonna look mad mate..cant wait.
Hi mate, yeah there are deals to be had, and most tyre garages will work hard to be competitive... the main dealer is always pricey as they dont sell many tyres and dont get the discounts from the tyre companies that a tyre garage gets due to high turnover....well done on finding the mobile guy, they are great.. take care and make sure you scrub them in ....cheers, Del.
Ha ha thanks Pete, yeah, it is never easy to find the money for a pair of boots..but like you're doing, as long as you know they are coming up and have the money ready, you can stay safe... its the worst kind of false economy aye.. take care, Del.
Not quite! But I did see a video of a guy building an R1 to ride to the Arctic and it had a 20" rim in the back with a huge off road tyre in a 4ft swing arm ... proper beserk!
Nope, not even close! ... was gonna but then thought better of it considering the sneaky, slithering attitude of insurance loss adjustors if anything went wrong! ...
Ha ha...you know what they say about Experts..."X" is an unknown quantity, and a "Spert" is a drip under pressure..!!! We have a similar trick ive heard here, drop a £1 coin in the tread and if the row of dots doesn't get covered then its out......but like you said, you just need your eyes and three brain cells... thanks for posting buddy, take care, Del
hi del mike here mate, if you and penny are in chester any time look me bro be nice to see just give me a tinkle ok bro ride safe, serviced me bandit front brakes yesterday taking it to work monday for a change, because dont ride it through the winter use a bicycle for work you see only 5 mile to ride ok mate take care, best wishes to penny to ok ;-),
Hi Mike, thanks for the kind invite mate, I will do!... it's been a strange ol' year but think we'll be back to something that looks like normal by the summer... enjoy your ride to work, and keep safe mate, all the best from us both!
Sorry Del, it's a Scottish ism ha! Was meaning that the front is wearing very quickly. Squared almost and after only 2000 or so miles! Back tyre is decent and wearing evenly. I'm not a super quick rider so I'm surprised at wear on front. I know it's a heavy bike but thought the back would go first? Cheers for reply.
Hi Neil,a good point you raise- rubber is a chemical product & it's properties change constantly, affected by heat, cold & humidity & yes, very much so, a tyre can indeed be well past it's sell by date even though it's not cracked- the only time you'll really notice this is when you ride on them for a day or two, then put new tyres on - the instant difference is astonishing! The worst damage is done by over-heating, harsh use in hot weather can oxidise the rubber & it's starts to go powdery
You are right in many ways, mate, but for some people the bike isn't a toy, it is their only transport...or secondary transport, so that the rest of the family can use the car for their needs and hard working people without money to spare can often not afford to take the 'no expense spared' approach, so they will risk leaving it too late which is why I made the comment about reading your tyre wear so you can predict the approaching expense... thanks for watching mate, cheers, Del
Your instructor was absolutely right....the tyre manufacturer makes that tyre to fit many bikes, they have no idea what bike you have, the tyre will be a different pressure on one bike than another.. so go with the information that is supplied for your exact bike....which as he said..is in your motorcycle's manual.... and no, the chains are light plastic and dont touch the tyre in flight, they just float about in the breeze.. take care chap.. Del.
Hi mate, yep, just running a single front disc, like I said, hardly any difference in the bite and braking power as the master cylinder is punching all it's power into the single remaining Nissin caliper - it was no problem at MOT as long as you have removed all trace of the left hand brakes including the disc, hose splitter, bolts and everything... Del
Unfortunately mate, its not as clean cut as that....5 years used every few days for a short ride would be ok, but five years sat in a damp garage they are toast....and as you wont know what they have done in that time, i would change them if it bothers you.....me personally, im skint, so id ride on them carefully and see how they go and try to get some use form them.. its your call buddy, good luck. Del.
You make a very good point, my friend, what you speak of is simply known as 'vehicle sympathy' or 'mechanical sympathy' and it's not about riding slowly either, a MotoGP rider has to make a pair of tyres last a race and you and me have to make our tyres last a season at least... building up speed progressively, less harsh acceleration, vigilant pressure checks & not braking late will all prolong the life of your consumables including your chain & brake pads too...try some dual compound next time
Hi Simon, rear tyres do wear in the centre, which is opposite to the fronts that wear on the sides...as long as you are inflating it properly and checking it daily it will be fine until you reach the wear bars, then it's time to change... if you are doing lots of straight line riding, why not try a dual compound tyre for your next rear, which has a 2" wide harder section in the middle which stands up to wear better? And they rarely cost more... good luck, Del
These days i dont think there is such a thing as a 'bad tyre'...just an inappropriate one for the task...cheers for the heads up mate, recommendation is the best advice..
Well done Josh.. thats the way, and as the miles roll by you'll have plenty of notice to get the money ready for your new boots... take care buddy, and thanks for watching... Del.
Yeah, and thats part of the reason they do it Andy, all i can say is go for the 021 as its the closest to yours, and then upgrade the front when its due...unless you can get a good deal on a pair...also, as mine are due on the Busa in a few weeks...im gonna fit a matches pair of Maxxis Diamonds....read all good things about them and they are mega cheap too..
Hi mate....i think that's a good video..but time is tight these days, and most people have their own cleaning regime...i would maybe do it if a products company sent me some stuff to promote or expose like MucOff etc, but they don't...ill poke it on the list of videos requested and see if we can get to it at some point buddy... take care. Del.
Hi mate, welcome to the fold, it's great to have you aboard... often I think that post-40 is the best time to take up biking as you've got free time and free money to enjoy it properly... I remember as a lad I was always skint, which probably led me to learning how to fix my bikes with scotch tape & string LOL! Thanks mate, Del
Why thank you kindly sir, its a pleasure to be of help, the only way we learn is from word of mouth...weather it be the mouth of a mate, or the mouth of a tutor....so with social media we can get that word out to loads more riders.. and knowledge is power...now you have new info and can pass it on... ride safe chap.. Del
Well done James, its not only safer to rude on correctly i9nflated tyres...but they last longer too....make it an OCD habit at least every two days...keep the tyre gauge by the garage door (I set mine on the light switch so its the last thing I see as I lock...
Hi mate, by all means as long as you use the same tyre, make and model, that's fine... not so long ago the way back tyres used to wear so quick it was two backs to one front anyway ... thanks for your kind comments as well, ride safe, Del
I just want to thank you for taking the time and posting these videos and explaining everything in detail . You are truly a very skillful and highly knowledgeable person . Keep up the videos . I am a new rider just bought a 2013 iron 883 . looking forward to new videos
Very informative video pal, even if was made 3 and a bit years ago the info is still relevant. Coincidentally very time apt as I am just away to change my front but don't recon back needs changed. Cheers
Hi Craig, just need to clarify buddy what exactly you mean by 'hammering'... do you mean vibrating when you ride, not a term I've heard, mate, let me know because I'd love to help if I can... Del
Hi mate, always good to hear from you...glad it could help...its just house keeping aye, and if it saves you money, then all the better... cheers fellah... Del.
There you go mate, never comes along at the right time, glad you got away with the puncture! That could have gone very wrong .. thanks for watching, mate, it's always good to hear from you, we appreciate your loyal support, Del
Thank you most kindly Sir...its always good to hear form you, hope you are both well, good going on the tire log, it helps to be able to predict when that big expense is coming... take care, Del.
Water displacement. There's a SO-CALLED auto "EXPERT" here in Canada that tells people the "easiest" way to check the tread on car tires is to use a Canadian dime, which has an image of the Bluenose II sailing vessel, a Canadian icon. By inserting it upside down, if you can see all of the sail then your tire is worn out. It works, but you need to remember a dime. The wear bar is the easiest way, and you don't need anything but eyes and half a brain! This "expert" can FRO. Good video
Man this is a good video there are so many opinions to when you should replace your tires, on a bike it's a lot different because the risks are higher, playing Russian Roulette with your tires I think is a rally bad idea, they are not that expensive, if your willing to work on other parts of your bike PM then the tires should be as high a priority in my book...They are a recreational vehicle so to speak and with the phrase comes expense no matter how you look at it.
You know I had an idea last night thinking about this, and maybe since you are getting so popular, you could give them the idea, and share the money with meeeeeeeeeee! The idea; add color to the rubber so when it gets to a simi dangerous level of wear, the color starts to show up, from the normal black tire, and take out all the guess work.
It has to have Trend or it has to be extremely Hydro scopic. Wish means it will work with the water to allow it to go ahead and absorb some of that water. But it doesn't take much to overwhelm the hydroscopic effect and make it hydrophobic which means it will start to hydroplane. When it actually lifts off of the pavement. But until it becomes flat enough, it will not do that except at relatively high speeds. That front tire has about two to three thousand miles left. I would conservatively estimate that, and it would be in statute miles, kilometer miles. That would be closer to about 5,000 km. That is provided it's not an unusually soft tire. Which you shouldn't be driving on the road with anyway. I first bought my bike it had a set of messrs on it and I will never put those on another street bike again they were Wellborn at 3,500 miles where I bought the bike at I finally replace them B past-their-prime but I was very careful with the way I rode the bike. Shall I did enough research to finally put a set of bridgestone's on the bike. I've got 8,000 miles on them now, and they are doing quite well.
Trust me after 50 years of riding I can tell you that the last 1000 miles of tread will wear out roughly in 2/3's to 1/2 the distance that the first 1000 miles of use gave you. Using this estimation on my latest set of michelin road 5's I estimated correctly to the closest 200 miles of when i could just faintly begin to see cord trying to raise its noticeable ugliness. That rear tire lasted 7875 miles before removal and I was glad to take it off. Great set of tires and spent many super fast days of riding out in the western United States where speeds can get rather ridiculous for extended periods of time. I always do just what you suggested with a tread gauge at the beginning of a new set and measure at each thousand miles. This is a very valuable suggestion everyone should use!
my tyres on my bandit 600 k4 have gone squared in the center, front more than the back, i bought the tyres 2500 miles ago battlax 016 hypersport, ive mainly ridden for fun on twistys but also about 500 motorway miles and a little over the winter, i think they squared because i had my tyre pressure at 28 & 30 instead of 33 & 36, could tyre pressure have squared them off? also my rear had 3 mil left but the sides of the front is down to the wear line, i thought rears usually wear out first. thanks
Yea mate, you mentioned £240 for the Bandit but I was wondering how much the Busa will cost to re shoe. What are they 190/? It's a big enough hit with one bike, yet alone two. I wish your pockets well matey ;-)
Smashing tutorial, i never get tyred of them... oow sorry but i had to :~) Even on my pushbike kawacrappy kh125, the tyres and pressures got a regular fondle, the rear suffered more because of the elephant driving it :-) Allways handy to know how weight distribution affects tyre wear and pressure levels. Smashing, love the banter :-) Sorry my reply was late :-(
Del, We know you to be a bit thrifty (loved the 17mm Allen key) and have made some great vids on having a go at stuff that some would leave to the garage (fork seals, caliper rebuilds) - yet you'll be off to the tyre shop to get them to do you your tyres. Is there a reason you don't do them yourself? We see how much less expensive the same tyres are to buy, balance weights are available and the kit can be cheap for the home workshop for removal a balancing. The track guys are at it all the time.
Was hoping you would mention the importance of wrapping the tyre the rite way round, seen a guy the other week with his front treads running the wrong way, looked like an old school biker so i never mentioned it haha Surely It should be a V shape to dissipate the water, this guys V's where pointing up :( would that not draw water towards the center ? Cheers moonfleet for all the wonderful vids !
nice vid del , need some advice , whats the deal with cracked tyres ? i take it there not road legal , i crashed my cbr just got a moped and it needs a m.o.t front tyre has plenty of tread but are cracked down the middle in the tread lines , also i got slight back and forth play in my front usd's u got any advice for dismalting usd forks or would it be better to pay someone else to replace fork bushes and seels ? cheers chris
Goodyear every motorcycle rider years ago when they stop building their motorcycle tires. They were easily lasting almost twice as long as any other motorcycle on the market, with adequate grip, performance, and longevity rarely matched by anyting of note today Angela. So far the best tires I have used and then from Bridgestone. Terratech on the hard side, but I won't very happy with their wear pattern for the first eight thousand miles that I have had them on my BMW Cruiser
That question comes up on the motorcycle theory test, as the legend Del has told you, always consult the manual ! Also, when picking new tyres, make sure you check the speed rating on them, as it makes a massive difference on how fast they will heat up ! mine are H-rated as i'm on a low speed 125 haha, if i put high speed tyres on they would never heat up properly !
Bought a few tyres from this mob tyre tec trader, they where that cheap i thought they where going to be copies lol, Fast delivery & good service ! Payed £150 for pirelli sport demons, 110/70/17 & 150/70/17 payed a mobile mechanic £40 to fit local garage quoted me £290, saved £100 I would love a set of pirelli angels but sadly they don't do low speed versions for my 125 lol
Thanks del, this came just at the right time for me, rear batlax has only done 4000 and now its worn out, it doesnt seem many miles for a rear tyre to me ..one thing i am confused is the GSR manual gives the tyre pressure the same for solo riding as well as pillion. is that normal. cheers del.
what is your view on tyre age, i have heard that old tyres should be replaced regardless. obviously if a tyre is showing evidence of perishing it is a given, but a bike that has been standing for 2 years or so? my view is this if it is not square from standing then ride them. what is your view?
Had an old shop mechanic tell me that parking my bike on my concrete driveway sucks the moisture from my tires and said he always recommends getting a nice large rubber mat to park on. He said it will keep the tires from cracking on the side from dry rot. Have you heard/experienced this?
Bloody great advice Del, Gonna head out tomorrow and buy myself on of those little Tread Depth Measurement tools. I think ive got plenty of tread left but i better check them just incase. Thanks for upload, Great Help
This is why I don't math XD I will blame that I've also never managed to drive in locations where all 4 (or 6) tires had to be replaced at the same time, due to reasons where the various warranties cannot be made to cover said cost.
On my commuter bike (ER6-f) my rear tyre is wearing in the middle - so it has a flat spot. The wear indicators are still good, but would you be concerned about the profile of the rear tyre (even before tread depth becomes an issue)?
In my motorcycle test i got told by the instructor to ignoor what tire said on side of it don't inflate to what the tire recommends but to inflate tires to what the motorcycles manual recommends is thus true? Is it a load of rubbish? Hope to hear back soon
Hi I'm buy motorbike mt09 start 6000 miles 2.1.2020 on tyres. Now 7.6.2020 is 12.000 do i need change for new tyres o not yet if not gone less than 1mm
N'uther fuckin brahma of a vid comrade Del! this and the suspension setting vid tonight proper been good for me as both points been on my mind lol your a fountain of practical knowledge and cool ride outs Del,nice one man.
Delboy loving all your vids mate. Could you possibly make a vid on completely cleaning ypur bike and lubricating and all the bits and bobs. Would appreciate it much
Depends on where the car drives ;) That is the saddest part about motorcycles, you may save on petrol costs, but the tires don't like to last near as long as a car.
i would just like to say as a new start to bikes your advice is very welcomed ps iam the wrong side of 40 late starter cheers mate keep up the good work
just about to change my rear tyre on my fireblade, and after watching this and inspecting both my tyres ill replace both with michelin pilot power 3. plus ill buy a tread deph and pressure gauge to keep a record, this is something i would never have done in the past, so great advice delboy cheers
Love so like to observe that the nice thing about not having a front tire that actually wears well. Is it displaces much of the water that the rear tire is going to ride through at least when you're heading straight down the road.
At 8:52 what you are showing is exactly what my tires look like right now. The left side is worn out much more than the right half on my back tire, and the front tire is exactly the same left side tread is almost gone and the right side has some tread.
Hi mate, I think you sell yourself short a little, 10yrs riding every day is an awful lot of mileage, mate, but I am a little surprised you are chewing 2 rears to 1 front. These days tyres are designed to last as a pair with more 'meat' being moulded on rears and harder centre sections to compensate for acceleration wear..I've run through 3 sets of Avon Storm 2's now consistently get 8k from the pair with the front scrubbing out slightly earlier than the rear, maybe give them a try? Del
Wow what a lovely comment! Thank you so much ... it's been astounding how many people gain use from the videos we make, we had no idea when we started that so many people wanted to learn, especially in this world of push button reliability and booking things at the dealer and coffee in the waiting room!... where maintenance and daily checks can often be forgotten as 'bikes just work', all we really promote is 'housekeeping' an safety procedures and we are so glad it's finding an audience! Del
Hi Craig, oh i get it...i cant understand why it would wear square, as in, flat in the middle not on the sides like a rear wears...because fronts wear on the sides first..if its doing that and wearing on the shoulders then sadly thats Busadome brother.. they are a heavy old bike and eat front boots for a pastime..the only rubber i ever hear to last really well is the proper Bridgestone Battleaxe Busa tyres...they were designed for the bikes lardy weight distribution, plus they run at 42psi too.
No Bullshit. Just the Basics. Not only have you saved people a lot of money by now. Youve probably saved someone an injury. AWESOME
Well, in the past I've used old iron bed frame, steel garden table legs, shop fittings (clothing rails etc), bbq trivet, 10guage sheet steel from a shelf inside a safe,sheet metal from a filing cabinet & the engine cage on the Bandit I made from the parcel guard from the cab in my van! LOL! All the above can be gathered from the tip or scrap yards for nothing... metal's metal and why buy new steel stock when you can recycle old scrap? Only new stock I bought was the angle iron for the trailer
I took the left set off to experiment with the result...the theory being that Harley's have a single front disc, and the caliper isnt even as good...also the master cylinder pump, being for 8 pistons should chop twice as hard in the remaining side......and the result is, that there is no discernible difference to having two discs, unless you really want to brake hard and late...which i don't...and the front now has less gyroscopic weight, which is clear from the less heavy steering...i like it.
James, well done mate, there's lots of information there, your tyre pressures are way low there, I would always run 36psi front & 38psi rear, this is the default setting for all middle weight bikes with 17" rims...the under inflation causes the front to wear on the sides as the elipse of the carcass is not retained & on the rear, you've seen, as many are now finding, that tyre companies are designing the rears to last longer as they know that when the front wears out you will replace the pair
hi mate... Yes its the same in the Hayabusa manual, not only same tyre pressure but also same rear suspension preload... i guess they design the bike to be quite neutral and work in all conditions....4k is not too bad for a back tyre, if its a single compound tyre and used a bit spiritedly then you could get even less than that.... but next time why not try a dual compound tyre and go a little easier on the initial pulling away and acceleration...i get about 8k from a back tyre by doing that.
Genius and so typically a BBHR comment.. I am sure you've seen you can get coloured tyres (the green ones for Kawasaki's are mental) and they even smoke that colour when you spin them up and best of all is that all of the different coloured tyres on the market are actually re-moulds as the coloured rubber, being silicone based, isn't man enough to mould the entire carcass from so it's over-laid on an old tyre meaning,they go back to black as they are wearing out!So looks like they beat us to it!
Hi mate, ahhh I understand now... oddly enough it's not that much more expensive - it's the same front as the Bandit, but a 190 for the rear and as the 190 is now getting common on all the big super sport bikes the prices are coming down... plus the guy I go to will do me a deal and on top of that, I am planning to try a pair of cheapo Maxxis tyres as I don't scratch on it and I just want legal rubber, so a pair of those will come in just under £200...!
With this video,I was only pointing out the stage that a tyre gets to when it needs replacing & the importance of inspecting them,etc.,it was pointless talking about the correct fitment of tyres,I would not suggest anybody fit their own tyres unless properly trained in it and know their stuff anyway, in which case they wouldn't make such an elementary mistake and for what it's worth,tyres go one way on the front & the opposite way on the rear,so the V's point to each other at the top-cheers Del
Hello Guy,a buddy of mine runs an MOT station & if I buy the rubber from him, run the bike over there & take the wheels out myself, he'll pop the boots on for free & balance them properly on a machine worth more than my bike! If I had a spare £10k I'd build a workshop with every machine I want, but part of good maintenance is knowing where to draw the line before you enter into a false economy. I have tyre levers, it's no problem to do myself,but it's a good excuse to visit a mate & have a brew!
Hi Chris.. if the tyre is cracked its due to the rubber drying out over time...the reason on those kind of bikes is that they hardly ever wear out, they supply hard wearing tyres from new and that could well be the factory original ... no other solution than to replace it mate... With the forks, they arent hard to dismantle, i cant explain it all on here, but why not get a proper manual as that kind of job is usually covered in detail, and its real easy on little bikes... hope that helps Del.
Ha ah ah ,, i think the only rot was in his brain mate...never heard such rubbish...Tyres will perish over time if left unused for years, no matter what they are parked on..the rubber is a 'curing' solution of epoxy chemicals, and it continues to harden over time..but "concrete sucking out moisture"..thats just comedy mate..maybe he was the guy selling the rubber mats aye.?lol if you use your bike at least once a week, then the tyres will wear out long before they perish..hope that helps. Del.
Indeed you're right my friend, its both stupid and selfish to take the safety checks for granted... you can pick up a nail at any time, ive lost count of the amount of riders who tell me their bike was handling weird and they check the tyres to find 10psi in the front...then argue that they cant understand it as they only checked them two weeks ago......give me strength..!.. the tyres are gonna look mad mate..cant wait.
Hi mate, yeah there are deals to be had, and most tyre garages will work hard to be competitive... the main dealer is always pricey as they dont sell many tyres and dont get the discounts from the tyre companies that a tyre garage gets due to high turnover....well done on finding the mobile guy, they are great.. take care and make sure you scrub them in ....cheers, Del.
Ha ha thanks Pete, yeah, it is never easy to find the money for a pair of boots..but like you're doing, as long as you know they are coming up and have the money ready, you can stay safe... its the worst kind of false economy aye.. take care, Del.
Not quite! But I did see a video of a guy building an R1 to ride to the Arctic and it had a 20" rim in the back with a huge off road tyre in a 4ft swing arm ... proper beserk!
Nope, not even close! ... was gonna but then thought better of it considering the sneaky, slithering attitude of insurance loss adjustors if anything went wrong! ...
Ha ha...you know what they say about Experts..."X" is an unknown quantity, and a "Spert" is a drip under pressure..!!! We have a similar trick ive heard here, drop a £1 coin in the tread and if the row of dots doesn't get covered then its out......but like you said, you just need your eyes and three brain cells... thanks for posting buddy, take care, Del
Oh there will be mate, right outside the doors of the tyre shop tomorrow morning....followed by some coughing and a lot of laughing...!!!!lol.
But there is half as many LOL! ... and 4 tyres for even a budget family car are usually the same as a pair of bike tyres
hi del mike here mate, if you and penny are in chester any time look me bro be nice to see just give me a tinkle ok bro ride safe, serviced me bandit front brakes yesterday taking it to work monday for a change, because dont ride it through the winter use a bicycle for work you see only 5 mile to ride ok mate take care, best wishes to penny to ok ;-),
Hi Mike, thanks for the kind invite mate, I will do!... it's been a strange ol' year but think we'll be back to something that looks like normal by the summer... enjoy your ride to work, and keep safe mate, all the best from us both!
Now thats close Adam...but you're still only half way there...!
Ha ha ha, now they would be ridiculous....very cool mind..!
Quite possibly, but I couldn't possibly admit to anything!
Sorry Del, it's a Scottish ism ha! Was meaning that the front is wearing very quickly. Squared almost and after only 2000 or so miles! Back tyre is decent and wearing evenly. I'm not a super quick rider so I'm surprised at wear on front. I know it's a heavy bike but thought the back would go first? Cheers for reply.
Hi Neil,a good point you raise- rubber is a chemical product & it's properties change constantly, affected by heat, cold & humidity & yes, very much so, a tyre can indeed be well past it's sell by date even though it's not cracked- the only time you'll really notice this is when you ride on them for a day or two, then put new tyres on - the instant difference is astonishing! The worst damage is done by over-heating, harsh use in hot weather can oxidise the rubber & it's starts to go powdery
You are right in many ways, mate, but for some people the bike isn't a toy, it is their only transport...or secondary transport, so that the rest of the family can use the car for their needs and hard working people without money to spare can often not afford to take the 'no expense spared' approach, so they will risk leaving it too late which is why I made the comment about reading your tyre wear so you can predict the approaching expense... thanks for watching mate, cheers, Del
Your instructor was absolutely right....the tyre manufacturer makes that tyre to fit many bikes, they have no idea what bike you have, the tyre will be a different pressure on one bike than another.. so go with the information that is supplied for your exact bike....which as he said..is in your motorcycle's manual.... and no, the chains are light plastic and dont touch the tyre in flight, they just float about in the breeze.. take care chap.. Del.
Hi mate, yep, just running a single front disc, like I said, hardly any difference in the bite and braking power as the master cylinder is punching all it's power into the single remaining Nissin caliper - it was no problem at MOT as long as you have removed all trace of the left hand brakes including the disc, hose splitter, bolts and everything... Del
Unfortunately mate, its not as clean cut as that....5 years used every few days for a short ride would be ok, but five years sat in a damp garage they are toast....and as you wont know what they have done in that time, i would change them if it bothers you.....me personally, im skint, so id ride on them carefully and see how they go and try to get some use form them.. its your call buddy, good luck. Del.
You make a very good point, my friend, what you speak of is simply known as 'vehicle sympathy' or 'mechanical sympathy' and it's not about riding slowly either, a MotoGP rider has to make a pair of tyres last a race and you and me have to make our tyres last a season at least... building up speed progressively, less harsh acceleration, vigilant pressure checks & not braking late will all prolong the life of your consumables including your chain & brake pads too...try some dual compound next time
Hi Simon, rear tyres do wear in the centre, which is opposite to the fronts that wear on the sides...as long as you are inflating it properly and checking it daily it will be fine until you reach the wear bars, then it's time to change... if you are doing lots of straight line riding, why not try a dual compound tyre for your next rear, which has a 2" wide harder section in the middle which stands up to wear better? And they rarely cost more... good luck, Del
These days i dont think there is such a thing as a 'bad tyre'...just an inappropriate one for the task...cheers for the heads up mate, recommendation is the best advice..
Well done Josh.. thats the way, and as the miles roll by you'll have plenty of notice to get the money ready for your new boots... take care buddy, and thanks for watching... Del.
Yeah, and thats part of the reason they do it Andy, all i can say is go for the 021 as its the closest to yours, and then upgrade the front when its due...unless you can get a good deal on a pair...also, as mine are due on the Busa in a few weeks...im gonna fit a matches pair of Maxxis Diamonds....read all good things about them and they are mega cheap too..
Hi mate....i think that's a good video..but time is tight these days, and most people have their own cleaning regime...i would maybe do it if a products company sent me some stuff to promote or expose like MucOff etc, but they don't...ill poke it on the list of videos requested and see if we can get to it at some point buddy... take care. Del.
Hi mate, welcome to the fold, it's great to have you aboard... often I think that post-40 is the best time to take up biking as you've got free time and free money to enjoy it properly... I remember as a lad I was always skint, which probably led me to learning how to fix my bikes with scotch tape & string LOL! Thanks mate, Del
Ha ha..you think?... you'll see...!
Close, but no cigar.. you'll see.!
Why thank you kindly sir, its a pleasure to be of help, the only way we learn is from word of mouth...weather it be the mouth of a mate, or the mouth of a tutor....so with social media we can get that word out to loads more riders.. and knowledge is power...now you have new info and can pass it on... ride safe chap.. Del
Well done James, its not only safer to rude on correctly i9nflated tyres...but they last longer too....make it an OCD habit at least every two days...keep the tyre gauge by the garage door (I set mine on the light switch so its the last thing I see as I lock...
Sorry Andrew, what do you mean?
Hi mate, by all means as long as you use the same tyre, make and model, that's fine... not so long ago the way back tyres used to wear so quick it was two backs to one front anyway ... thanks for your kind comments as well, ride safe, Del
I just want to thank you for taking the time and posting these videos and explaining everything in detail . You are truly a very skillful and highly knowledgeable person . Keep up the videos . I am a new rider just bought a 2013 iron 883 . looking forward to new videos
Well done Mark....make sure you check them at the shallowest point, then above the wear bars too so you know how much you have left... take care, Del.
hi Bill, yeah not all boots have the big obvious blocks....thanks for pointing that out.. Dragon Corsa's are the same
Very informative video pal, even if was made 3 and a bit years ago the info is still relevant. Coincidentally very time apt as I am just away to change my front but don't recon back needs changed. Cheers
In a box under the bench!
Hi Craig, just need to clarify buddy what exactly you mean by 'hammering'... do you mean vibrating when you ride, not a term I've heard, mate, let me know because I'd love to help if I can... Del
Hi mate, always good to hear from you...glad it could help...its just house keeping aye, and if it saves you money, then all the better... cheers fellah... Del.
Wise points, mate on the coupons comment ...and really appreciate an endorsement from a tyre professional, thanks Del
There you go mate, never comes along at the right time, glad you got away with the puncture! That could have gone very wrong .. thanks for watching, mate, it's always good to hear from you, we appreciate your loyal support, Del
Damn right they are Dan, and they last about a quarter of the life of a car tyre too.!
Thanks matey, it pays to listen to Grandpa's old tricks aye....glad you likes itm and thanks for watching... Del
The madness indeed does approach.....abandon sensibility all ye who discover the outcome...for t'will be daft it will..!
Thank you most kindly Sir...its always good to hear form you, hope you are both well, good going on the tire log, it helps to be able to predict when that big expense is coming... take care, Del.
Ayup Al' me duck..... You'll love the tyres mate, they're gonna be mental.... and what did you mean on the Busa?..do you mean how much for tyres?..
Thanks mate, apparently I am related to Irene Handl - glad you like the videos and find them useful, that's why we do it, Cheers Del
Water displacement. There's a SO-CALLED auto "EXPERT" here in Canada that tells people the "easiest" way to check the tread on car tires is to use a Canadian dime, which has an image of the Bluenose II sailing vessel, a Canadian icon. By inserting it upside down, if you can see all of the sail then your tire is worn out. It works, but you need to remember a dime. The wear bar is the easiest way, and you don't need anything but eyes and half a brain! This "expert" can FRO. Good video
Man this is a good video there are so many opinions to when you should replace your tires, on a bike it's a lot different because the risks are higher, playing Russian Roulette with your tires I think is a rally bad idea, they are not that expensive, if your willing to work on other parts of your bike PM then the tires should be as high a priority in my book...They are a recreational vehicle so to speak and with the phrase comes expense no matter how you look at it.
You know I had an idea last night thinking about this, and maybe since you are getting so popular, you could give them the idea, and share the money with meeeeeeeeeee! The idea; add color to the rubber so when it gets to a simi dangerous level of wear, the color starts to show up, from the normal black tire, and take out all the guess work.
It has to have Trend or it has to be extremely Hydro scopic. Wish means it will work with the water to allow it to go ahead and absorb some of that water. But it doesn't take much to overwhelm the hydroscopic effect and make it hydrophobic which means it will start to hydroplane. When it actually lifts off of the pavement. But until it becomes flat enough, it will not do that except at relatively high speeds.
That front tire has about two to three thousand miles left. I would conservatively estimate that, and it would be in statute miles, kilometer miles. That would be closer to about 5,000 km. That is provided it's not an unusually soft tire. Which you shouldn't be driving on the road with anyway. I first bought my bike it had a set of messrs on it and I will never put those on another street bike again they were Wellborn at 3,500 miles where I bought the bike at I finally replace them B past-their-prime but I was very careful with the way I rode the bike. Shall I did enough research to finally put a set of bridgestone's on the bike. I've got 8,000 miles on them now, and they are doing quite well.
Trust me after 50 years of riding I can tell you that the last 1000 miles of tread will wear out roughly in 2/3's to 1/2 the distance that the first 1000 miles of use gave you. Using this estimation on my latest set of michelin road 5's I estimated correctly to the closest 200 miles of when i could just faintly begin to see cord trying to raise its noticeable ugliness. That rear tire lasted 7875 miles before removal and I was glad to take it off. Great set of tires and spent many super fast days of riding out in the western United States where speeds can get rather ridiculous for extended periods of time. I always do just what you suggested with a tread gauge at the beginning of a new set and measure at each thousand miles. This is a very valuable suggestion everyone should use!
my tyres on my bandit 600 k4 have gone squared in the center, front more than the back, i bought the tyres 2500 miles ago battlax 016 hypersport, ive mainly ridden for fun on twistys but also about 500 motorway miles and a little over the winter, i think they squared because i had my tyre pressure at 28 & 30 instead of 33 & 36, could tyre pressure have squared them off? also my rear had 3 mil left but the sides of the front is down to the wear line, i thought rears usually wear out first. thanks
It is indeed 'displacement' or is it expulsion - who cares LOL you knew what I meant!
Yea mate, you mentioned £240 for the Bandit but I was wondering how much the Busa will cost to re shoe. What are they 190/?
It's a big enough hit with one bike, yet alone two. I wish your pockets well matey ;-)
Smashing tutorial, i never get tyred of them... oow sorry but i had to :~)
Even on my pushbike kawacrappy kh125, the tyres and pressures got a regular fondle, the rear suffered more because of the elephant driving it :-)
Allways handy to know how weight distribution affects tyre wear and pressure levels.
Smashing, love the banter :-)
Sorry my reply was late :-(
ha ha ha.good laad.. nowt like getting the value out of them mate...lol
Del, We know you to be a bit thrifty (loved the 17mm Allen key) and have made some great vids on having a go at stuff that some would leave to the garage (fork seals, caliper rebuilds) - yet you'll be off to the tyre shop to get them to do you your tyres. Is there a reason you don't do them yourself? We see how much less expensive the same tyres are to buy, balance weights are available and the kit can be cheap for the home workshop for removal a balancing. The track guys are at it all the time.
Was hoping you would mention the importance of wrapping the tyre the rite way round, seen a guy the other week with his front treads running the wrong way, looked like an old school biker so i never mentioned it haha
Surely It should be a V shape to dissipate the water, this guys V's where pointing up :( would that not draw water towards the center ?
Cheers moonfleet for all the wonderful vids !
nice vid del , need some advice , whats the deal with cracked tyres ? i take it there not road legal , i crashed my cbr just got a moped and it needs a m.o.t front tyre has plenty of tread but are cracked down the middle in the tread lines , also i got slight back and forth play in my front usd's u got any advice for dismalting usd forks or would it be better to pay someone else to replace fork bushes and seels ? cheers chris
Goodyear every motorcycle rider years ago when they stop building their motorcycle tires. They were easily lasting almost twice as long as any other motorcycle on the market, with adequate grip, performance, and longevity rarely matched by anyting of note today Angela. So far the best tires I have used and then from Bridgestone. Terratech on the hard side, but I won't very happy with their wear pattern for the first eight thousand miles that I have had them on my BMW Cruiser
That question comes up on the motorcycle theory test, as the legend Del has told you, always consult the manual !
Also, when picking new tyres, make sure you check the speed rating on them, as it makes a massive difference on how fast they will heat up ! mine are H-rated as i'm on a low speed 125 haha, if i put high speed tyres on they would never heat up properly !
Bought a few tyres from this mob tyre tec trader, they where that cheap i thought they where going to be copies lol,
Fast delivery & good service !
Payed £150 for pirelli sport demons, 110/70/17 & 150/70/17
payed a mobile mechanic £40 to fit
local garage quoted me £290, saved £100
I would love a set of pirelli angels but sadly they don't do low speed versions for my 125 lol
Thanks del, this came just at the right time for me, rear batlax has only done 4000 and now its worn out, it doesnt seem many miles for a rear tyre to me ..one thing i am confused is the GSR manual gives the tyre pressure the same for solo riding as well as pillion. is that normal.
cheers del.
what is your view on tyre age, i have heard that old tyres should be replaced regardless. obviously if a tyre is showing evidence of perishing it is a given, but a bike that has been standing for 2 years or so? my view is this if it is not square from standing then ride them. what is your view?
Had an old shop mechanic tell me that parking my bike on my concrete driveway sucks the moisture from my tires and said he always recommends getting a nice large rubber mat to park on. He said it will keep the tires from cracking on the side from dry rot. Have you heard/experienced this?
Thank buddy, good thoughts. and yeah, a slide on a bike certainly focuses your attention lol!
Bloody great advice Del, Gonna head out tomorrow and buy myself on of those little Tread Depth Measurement tools. I think ive got plenty of tread left but i better check them just incase. Thanks for upload, Great Help
Awesome, Awesome video. Explained so simple and very effective knowledge he has pertaining to tire and wear. I learned a lot...Thanks man!
This is why I don't math XD
I will blame that I've also never managed to drive in locations where all 4 (or 6) tires had to be replaced at the same time, due to reasons where the various warranties cannot be made to cover said cost.
On my commuter bike (ER6-f) my rear tyre is wearing in the middle - so it has a flat spot. The wear indicators are still good, but would you be concerned about the profile of the rear tyre (even before tread depth becomes an issue)?
In my motorcycle test i got told by the instructor to ignoor what tire said on side of it don't inflate to what the tire recommends but to inflate tires to what the motorcycles manual recommends is thus true? Is it a load of rubbish? Hope to hear back soon
Hi I'm buy motorbike mt09 start 6000 miles 2.1.2020 on tyres. Now 7.6.2020 is 12.000 do i need change for new tyres o not yet if not gone less than 1mm
N'uther fuckin brahma of a vid comrade Del! this and the suspension setting vid tonight proper been good for me as both points been on my mind lol
your a fountain of practical knowledge and cool ride outs Del,nice one man.
Delboy loving all your vids mate. Could you possibly make a vid on completely cleaning ypur bike and lubricating and all the bits and bobs. Would appreciate it much
Depends on where the car drives ;)
That is the saddest part about motorcycles, you may save on petrol costs, but the tires don't like to last near as long as a car.
Been thinking on what tyres your going for, I think it could be white wall tyres or more likely semi off road tyres but im guessing. Regards Adam.
i would just like to say as a new start to bikes your advice is very welcomed ps iam the wrong side of 40 late starter cheers mate keep up the good work
I am now buying a bike once again after 16 years in a car.
Great videos. Confidence building stuff.
Welcome back to the fold my friend, enjoy your bike, and ride safe.. Del.
Be careful. Stay alive to ride another day.
You're welcome Eileen.....glad it could help... take care, Del.
What up dude surely the tyre is worn out when there loads of smoke and a bang !! Great vid mate something for everyone.
Before they blow up, I need a new front, Joe bought me a rear.....those things are expensive for 2 tires.
in your video "when is it time to buy new tyres" the bandit has a brake disc and calliper missing just wondered why?
just about to change my rear tyre on my fireblade, and after watching this and inspecting both my tyres ill replace both with michelin pilot power 3. plus ill buy a tread deph and pressure gauge to keep a record, this is something i would never have done in the past, so great advice delboy cheers
pa mcgeown You're most welcome mate, merticiulous and dilligent tyre care can double the life of a pair of boots! Good plan mate... ride safe, Del
Love so like to observe that the nice thing about not having a front tire that actually wears well. Is it displaces much of the water that the rear tire is going to ride through at least when you're heading straight down the road.
I'm really interested what these tyres are! How can you get mad tyres they're all black and round aren't they)
At 8:52 what you are showing is exactly what my tires look like right now. The left side is worn out much more than the right half on my back tire, and the front tire is exactly the same left side tread is almost gone and the right side has some tread.