Is this unusual wear?

[Dr. Strangelove]

This is the front PR3 with just under 12,500 miles.
I have another on order, but is this unusual wear? related to dual compound? normal? Would you ride these for another 1500 miles? The "tall edge" toward the center is about 2+mm and the lower edge laterally is <1mm and in some areas flush. The sidewalls have lots of tread and are not an issue. No noticeable handling issues in the dry.

and


The rear was replaced at 10.5k miles and was starting to slip a little on tar snakes.

Thanks

John

[grwrockster]

Looks normal to me. Still some meat left before the wear bar, and higher wear on the LH part of the tyre (tire) there is to be expected as you ride/drive on the right.

I'd not be concerned at all based on your pics. I just wish tyres here would last as well - it seems tyres in europe are either faster-wearing anyway or we have much more abrasive surfaces (or we have a lot more bends and speed changes meaning the rubber gets beaten up more?). I can't get more than about 5 to 5.5k miles so far out of any rear I've tried, although i do get a bit more out of fronts on my Rockster.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Thanks.
The left side looks the same as the right.
New shoes won't come for a week, and I have that time off.

To be clear, you think I have some good miles left on the front...looking at about 1500, some slab, some twisty--N Arkansas

[brico]

"Looks normal to me. Still some meat left before the wear bar, and higher wear on the LH part of the tyre (tire) there is to be expected as you ride/drive on the right."

I am a bit confused with above statement. Why would the left side of the tire be more worn out than the right one by riding on the right side of the road?

Are you joking?

[Dr. Strangelove]

because of the crown of the road would produce slightly more pressure there so slightly more wear. IOW, if the road slopes from the crown to the curb at an angle of 1 degree--and I have no engineering background to know what a typical slope angel is, but I'd bet it's more than 1 degree- then to be upright your bike would be 89 degrees to the road from the left. So, you are riding more on the left side of the tire, hence more wear on the left.
edit--you can see that in the top picture

On second inspection the right side has fared slightly better.

I called Michelin and spoke to their tech support. They said there should be significant more miles in the tire, but to look, at the wear bar sites for a change in color of the rubber to a lighter color. This would signal that the top layer of rubber is worn and the "secondary" rubber is showing through. The secondary rubber is softer and its visibility is a sure sign to replace the tire

[Sunbeemer]

Looks OK to me, too. But if you wanted to get a reasonable estimate of the mileage you could expect before the Tire Wear Indicator (TWI) surfaces, you could calculate it if you can find out the depth from the tread surface to the top of the tire wear indicator on a new tire (TWI new) and subtract the measurable depth to the top of the indicator on your tire (TWI present), then divide the difference by the mileage on your tire now (12,500) to get a tire wear rate (units could be in "mm of tread/mile"). Then divide that number into TWI present to figure the mileage you could expect at the same rate of wear from your present tire before the TWI surfaces.

Mathematically represented: (TWI present) / (TWI new - TWI present) / 12500 miles

For example, say you found out from Michelin that a new PR3 has 4 mm of tread above the top of the TWI and your tire's measured depth from the tread surface to the top of the TWI is 1mm, so you know your tire is wearing at a rate of 3mm per 12500 miles and since you have 1 mm left before the TWI is flush with the tread, you should be able to ride the tire another: 1mm / (4mm-3mm)/ 12500 = 4166 miles before the TWI meets the road.

A caveat is most tire makers recommend replacing the tire before the TWI rubber hits the road, maybe 1mm before, which would mean in the above example that your tire is already toast!

[Airman]

Your tire wear looks like normal freeway wear to me. I seldom get more mileage out of a front than that, but when thay get flat like that sometimes the handling gets weird. I rode my last set for a week with the belt showing, so you're surely good for another 1500.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Arkansas has the best motorcycle roads in the country for the roads per se.
I am reminded of that with every trip up here.

The tire: so far so good. But yesterday on Ark123- not the insanely twisty part-I thought I felt a little slippage, but it could have been gravel??? Nothing crazy though. It got my attention because when the rear was replaced I felt nearly every tar snake
But no tar snakes yesterday. Stella! performing well. Mileage 43-50.
About <200cc oil use in 800 m?
Going to head to push mountain road today, maybe the best sweeper road in the country? Certainly on the short list.
Later

[BoxerSteve]

"Looks normal to me. Still some meat left before the wear bar, and higher wear on the LH part of the tyre (tire) there is to be expected as you ride/drive on the right."

I am a bit confused with above statement. Why would the left side of the tire be more worn out than the right one by riding on the right side of the road?

Are you joking?

It's no joke, motorcycle tires do wear more on the left side in countries that drive on the right, and vice versa. Others on this forum have noticed it, and I've seen it on my own MC.

Common Motorcycle Tire Wear Patterns

[momentman]

My opinion - time to replace the tyre

[grwrockster]

My opinion - time to replace the tyre

My opinion.... If the tire is still legal in terms of tread depth (for where you're gonna ride it - e.g. the limit is more strict in Germany than here in UK), and the tire is in good condition - then why replace it until it is necessary? The only time I would say it is different would be (as has been stated) if there isn't the life left in the rubber for a planned tour.

[Sunbeemer]

Stella! performing well. Mileage 43-50.

Ride on, Stella!

About <200cc oil use in 800 m?

Is it time for an oil change?

[Dr. Strangelove]

Yes. Oil change when I get back.
One thing I've noticed about oil consumption on these rides, and it may be imaginary. It seems that the first day or so, when I am riding slab and sustained speed uses more oil than subsequent days when I am really pushing her thru twisties and sweepers.
Heading home today.

[Sunbeemer]

...when I am riding slab and sustained speed uses more oil than subsequent days...

That's interesting. I wonder why?

I've noticed when my oil (Castrol GTX 20W-50) needs changing the level starts dropping. This varies from 1700 miles up to 3000 miles. I think as it breaks down it thins out and slips past the rings and burns. The good thing is if I can't change it right away at least it gets some fresh when I make up the loss.

[Dr. Strangelove]

did a little 557 mile ride today from Jasper to New Orleans; yes, I am tired. Checked the oil level when I got home and it was pretty much the same as when I added the almost 200 cc on Monday, and that was before two days of slamming her through some of Arkansas' finest (the finest in the country, that I've seen)
So, Rich, my experience is opposite of yours. As my oil wears, I use less?

The tires were fine the whole trip. I will post a picture of the wear bars tomorrow.

Drained all three oils when I got home, after a shower. I'll put her back together tomorrow. Getting ready for a big ride to Zion? Antelope Canyon? in a few weeks so this was a shakedown.

Gonna check the valves and do throttle bodies in next couple of days, and change out the front tire; have to wash her too

[Sunbeemer]

Glad you had a good trip and sounds like you have an even better one planned!
I know I speak for many when I say we look forward to your fabulous photos and hearing your adventures.

And maybe the 200ml was condensate boiling off?

Ride on, Doc!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Thanks for the kind words, Rich.

So this is the number of miles I did since I posted my question re unusual wear-- that turns out to be usual wear.


so nearly 2k miles. The PR3s felt solid with that wear on the front the whole time. I did not test them in the wet, and actually, I never test anything in the wet except my rainsuit; why tempt fate.
These are before and after shots.

before after


before after

you can see how the lateral wear bar on the left is more worn that the one of the right side of the tire--that crown of the road thing at work. The "lip" on the medial edge of the wear bar is prob now a little more than 1mm

and one other after shot


That wear represents nearly 2000 miles and that's how the front looks at 14,238 miles...not too shabby, you think? And that was on tire eating chip and seal roads of N and NW Ark. The roads had been scrubbed clean of most debris by recent heavy rains, so I think they were at their traction best.
The PR2s wore almost this well, and were very fine tires, but I think I have to admit the PR3s are better in ride comfort and durability. Handling in the dry is slightly better. Handling on rough surfaces is noticeably better that with the PR2s, and the PR2s were not bad.
People say in the wet they are just fine, but I have never tested them other than Point A to Point B and avoiding leaning as much as possible

I really think I may have more miles on the front, but I need to change it out in the next week or so, for the upcoming ride.

John

[Sunbeemer]

That is impressive mileage for your trip and your tire!
I won't be waiting that long for my next new shoes, and I know what I'm getting...thanks Doc!

Did you really get 557.5 miles out of a tank?

[Dr. Strangelove]

no, I didn't reset. No, April's fools there. I wanted the mileage door to door Jasper to my house. I was getting 190-200 before I filled. That big mileage was Saturday thru Wednesday.

[Biff's R]

I have never had more than 8500 miles on a set of tires. I am going to replace my PR2 with the Bridgestone 023 in a week or two for a trip to western NC. I will keep the PR2 for backups, but there isn't enough meat on them to make the trip. I have done the West Virginia Turnpike once in the rain on worn out tires, and won't take the risk again. Nothing like riding sweepers with trucks at 80 mph in a downpour with no tread on your tires. The pucker factor was high.