"5 Year Old Tires"

[fish]

Many advise that a motorcycle or scooter tire should be replaced after 5 years of use. (clock starts when tire is installed on the bike)
Some also advise that tires should be replaced after 5 years of age. (clock starts when tire comes from the mold)

Michelin suggests that motorcycle/scooter tires be replaced after 10 years of use.
Michelin says tires in use for 5 years should be inspected yearly by a professional.
Michelin says damaged, plugged, worn to wear limits tires should be replaced.


Members - Surely many riders have pushed their tires past these conditions - so, please post your experience of the motorcycle/scooter tire failing on the road while in use - which was NOT due to a puncture. Personally, I am aware of off-road cyclists experiencing tire failures - but I have never heard of a street bike doing the same. So, your story will be of interest.

Thanks, Fish

[gn2]

Never had a tyre on a bike that long, usually wear them down in a few months.

[Old Grinner]

Great day to elaborate on flat tires. The weather is like something from a Stephen King movie. Everything is about to turn from water to rock hard ice in just a matter of a few hours.



Since you are asking about tire experiences not related to punctures I can only say that back in the '80's I did have a rear tire on my Yamaha 650 that looked like somebody had stabbed it hundreds of times with a sowing needle or something. I think it was a Continental but it was a long time ago so it may have been something else. I remember the Yamaha dealer and his mechanic asking me what I had been riding on . . . it was a weird. Nonetheless I had new tires remounted front and rear.

The only thing I can think of was that when the rubber was curing in the mold it got bubbles or something in it and although it looked OK on the tread surface when it was new the little holes started to appear as the mileage wore on. Nothing popped. It was a tubed tire . . . had the conventional spoke wheels.

A Twilight Zone experience for sure. . ..

[springer1]

Doesn’t how the bike is stored - outside in the sun & UV .vs. in a garage - have some effect on this ?

[Old Grinner]

Doesn’t how the bike is stored - outside in the sun & UV .vs. in a garage - have some effect on this ?

Not sure if you were responding to my post or not but the little holes were on the road side mating surface of the tread . . . not on the walls of the tire. And they were all pretty much the same size. It was just on the one tire . . . the front tire was fine with just normal wear.

As far as sunlight effecting tires I can tell you from first hand experience that on my utility trailer the tire that sees most of the direct sunlight has aged more quickly than the side that sees mostly shade. The cracks and signs of deterioration are clearly visible but on the tire that's mostly in shade it looks in really good shape. That said I plan on getting new tires for it this year and have the bearings greased too.

[Mel46]

Back in the mid 1960s I had a Harley that I rode till there was no tread left on the front or rear tires. Eventually one of them blew while I was on the road. Not much you can do but ride it till the bike stops itself. Since I was in West Texas and there were no ditches, I rode it off of the road and let the sandy dirt slow it to a stop. Then I walked. Even 5 miles in that sun was a long walk.