This bikes got some balls! How long will the fun last?

[The Lorax]

When I bought mine, it had old, cracked, flat rubber on it. I got it running (poorly compared to how it runs now) and took it around the block. I live on the border of the country so as soon as I got off my street, I was in the sticks (not litterally) I was coming to a corner and slowed to turn, made my turn and acellerated out of it. I though the rear tire had broken traction and that I was leaving tracks behind me, but then it got more and more squirrley. bu the rime I got within a half mile of my house, the rear tire was just about comletely flat. I limped it home and didn't ride it again till I got new ruuber on it. scared me enough that when I got the new rear tire mounted, I put a knife through the old front still on the bike so I would not be tempted to ride until I got the new front on also. be careful, very careful. blow outs are bad. be safe.

[mason79]

i'm not defending my desicion at all, i'm just frugal as hell, there may be a backlash, the p o, kept the bike inside and i think but not sure ozone eats away at rubber, this was not the enviroment my tires were in. i think he has tubes in them maybe that is an extra layer of safety?


that said, i bought the new tires and will find the time to off the front wheel, i had that baby off for drilling discs, lubing steering head, front wheel bearings, 3 times not counting the pinch bolt snapping off debacle, and finally got it running from a bad sync, that was 2 long weeks of searching for an answer, i need a wrenching break.

[HobbyMan]

Thats why my Dad and I have six motorcycles. Work then ride the SAME day

[OpFlash]

hey Dad2g5 glad that your ok ive decided that im not taking her out till the new spitfires are mounted!

[Crazcnuk]

It's actually the sunlight (UV) that really eats tires up. I am sure they dry out over time as well, but i have never had trouble on tires that are 10yrs old or more.


The tires on My Monte Carlo were put on in 1997, and I drag raced it up until a few years ago. Last fall I took it out on the highway for a run before I put it away for the winter and one or more of the tires is seperating. It shakes like a paint mixer between 90-110kph.

On my 73 GT-750 the tires are likely at least 15yrs old if not more, they may be original, it only has 16,000 miles on it. I took it out and it hopped pretty good at 80mph, so I wouldn't ride it very far on these tires.

Basically, as long as they are not really badly cracked up, and they still balance fine, I don't have a problem. Usually tires will start to go out of balance long before they actually blow out.

[mason79]

i don't know what you mean by going out of balance, you mean wear funny hence effecting balance?

well i can't for the life of me find any weights on my 18 year old balance job and had a ride reaching 110 mph and 70 to 80 in the turns,with planedick, without a hint of misbehavin'

i can't wait to see what the spitfires will do

[Crazcnuk]

No they jump up and down while your cruising down the highway. They can get so bad they shake your teeth out.

It's caused by the tires seperating, internally. The belts are actually coming apart from each other.