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1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  chuck_VTX F 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone:

New to the VTXOA and to the forum. Starting riding motorcycles when I was 10 years old (Honda 50) moved up to yamaha XS400, Kawasaki 440, Honda CB900 and then to a Yamaha VMAX. Then when I was 24 sold it all and stopped riding two wheels (self-preservation I guess). After a twenty year hiatus, I have finally convinced the wife that motorcyles are not all that bad, and we now have two trikes and two bikes.

I am writing about my two-wheeler which is a 2008 VTX1800T, which I have had for two years, purchased with less than 4k from an elderly gent. It seems to eat front tires for lunch. It dispatched the oem dunlap after 4500 miles. I figured odd, but tire was old and oem's are usually soft to make new bikes ride nicer. So I sprung a little extra for a set of Michelin Commander II's ( the rear was still good, but I was changing the rims to chrome, so I figured I would change the set).

I now have just over 3000 miles on the Michelins and the front tire is down past the wear indicators on the left side. I know that the left side wears faster than the right, but the middle still has lots of tread. The right side also has more wear than the middle. The tire also shows two pronounced flat spots on either side. I know I have a preferred lean angle but after 3000 miles??

Surprisingly the rear tire is like new. My experience in my teens and early twenties, was two rear tires to one front. I know my riding style has changed (A LOT!!) but I don't understand the front tire wear. It is almost like the bike is pushing the front tire going around turns. Are these bikes known for this effect? Or is there something wrong with mine? I should note that the tire size is a 140/75-R17, not the 150/80-17 recommended by honda. Would this difference in tire size be contributing to the issue?

Looking for any advice or insight. The cost for a new tire (while significant) is not going to break me, but the shop costs and the aggravation of being without my bike adds to the hurt. I also worry that if there are significant lateral forces on the front tire to cause this type of wear, is it safe to ride in the rain or on less than ideal road surfaces.

Thanks for any and all comment

botwood1967
 

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#2 ·
Most common cause of poor tire wear is low or high tire pressures. Keep the pressure up at 38-40 psi and you'll get more life out of them. Honda's recommended 33psi is too low and this I got from Dunlop reps at a Honda Homecoming event. As far as the wear patterns you are seeing, yes it is common on many bikes and many tires, read this for more;

http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html
 
#3 ·
Welcome New Person..

Very common... air pressure.. 40 and 40... double tire life.

do a search on here.. Hundreds of post on this very subject..
 
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