Brand new tire disintegrating after less than 500kms

Matt Rain

Matt Rain

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Took the bike on the DVP earlier today and the front end felt weird. I pulled over on the shoulder and was amazed to see that my brand new tire is splitting/cracking/fraying from the center groove. That sticky-looking mass next to the groove is actually rubber - there are a bunch of them all around the tire and I can peel them off with some effort.

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The tire looked perfect when new - it was manufactured in early 2014 (tire code 1114)

What the hell happened? I have the same make and model in the rear and it's still rock solid after 6,000 kms.
 
Hard to tell from just a photo, but I'd suspect it's from the road - did you drive over a recently patched crack? They inject cracks with a rubber product and sprinkle sand on top...
 
That's just part of the issue though. I can put my finger in the groove and easily lift and rip out bits of tire. There's also a crack running along the middle.

The tire is clearly failing.

Also, my rear doesn't have a continuous groove in the middle, and looking at photos on Google, I don't think the front is supposed to look like that either.

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These look familiar... Avon AM26s?
 
Brian P said:
What's the tire pressure ...

Take it back to where you bought it ...
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I keep my front at around 30 PSI, rear at 32.

Been talking with the dealer, they'll give me a new one.

TwistedKestrel said:
These look familiar... Avon AM26s?
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Yep.

The one thing I'm thinking is that there may be something stuck under the front fender that cut into the tire right down the middle.

Also, I'm supposed to run a 90/90 in the front, but this is a 100/90, same as the tire that was on there before (a Dunlop GT501). Could rubbing against a flimsy plastic fender cause such damage? Seems unlikely.
 
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Yes, it could do such damage ... but if this is the problem, it would be very obvious upon inspection. No object rubbing the tire? then that's not the problem
 
Matt Rain said:
Also, I'm supposed to run a 90/90 in the front, but this is a 100/90, same as the tire that was on there before (a Dunlop GT501). Could rubbing against a flimsy plastic fender cause such damage? Seems unlikely.
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From what I recall with my own experience with those tires (which I was generally VERY happy with) they run pretty warm. Something rubbing against the tire could heat it up past the point of holding themselves together.
 
Yeah, this tire felt amazing when new. Been running the same in the rear with no trouble at all.

I'm now thinking that it was just that - the tire's taller profile and its tendency to run warm made it expand enough that it rubbed against the fender and it melted. What I've been peeling off from both sides of the center groove is undoubtedly tire material.

Ima get a 90/90 as a replacement.
 
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You would think you would have noticed something stuck under the fender. I know on mine a Michelin 120/70 would just clear and small bits of stuck gravel would scrape and I'd hear it. When riding it would fling off. I run Pirelli 120/70 mostly and they clear just fine.

Let me know if you need a new fender. I've got a brand new FJ600 one in the garage.
 
Matt Rain said:
Dude, I will definitely buy it off you. Mine is cracked towards the back.

Will PM you once I get the bike on the road again.
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If your fender is cracked it may flex more than it should. The wind at highway speeds may be pushing the front part of the fender against the tire.


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Yeah, that all makes sense. I just measured the old tire and the current one, both 100/90s, and this Avon is a good 1/4" wider than my old Dunlop.

Oops.
 
How many ks do you have on the front tire? Just throwing something out there if you didn't find the fender cut it up could there be an alignment problem or issue down on the axle with the pinch bolts? Just a thought
 
Mileage is in the thread title. :) Pretty sure it's a fender issue. Bike handled great until yesterday's highway run.

There isn't much clearance between the front of the fender and the cold tire.

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Glad you noticed and pulled over. This thread might have been 'tire blowout on dvp' otherwise.


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Got my new tire today. 90/90 is so much smaller than 100/90, holy carp.


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