[Scutour]

Back in September 04, at 8k miles I replaced my original rear Brigstone with the Pirelli GTS24-05. 1700 miles later, I now need to replace it again (note: the front tire is still has approx. ¼ thread depth).
So Back to the OEM Brigstones, just ordered from azmotorsports.com on sale at $91.70(rear) and $70.60(front).The improved handling and lower priced Pirelli was great, but I can’t afford to change it every 1700 miles.

 

[Jim]

Sorry to hear about your fast wear rate.

I replaced my Bridgstone @ 5,200 miles (bald in the center), I now have just over 8,100 miles (3,000 miles on the Pirelli). I put it on just before a road trip, when I got back (1,200 miles later) I noticed the sides were more used up than the center. I forgot to check my tire pressure ea. morning. I started with 41 PSI @ 80 degrees F. but later in the trip we would start out @ 40 degrees F, when I got back and noticed the wear I checked the pressure, it was 32 PSI @ 60 degrees F (oops). I still have it on, but it did wear more than it should have, the center in quit a bit higher than the sides, my fault. I think it may be good for another 5,000 or so. I may have a slow leak, I seem to lose 2-4 psi per week, if I don't keep up on it.

The front still has the Bridgestone, and it looks like it's good for another 4,000 miles. When it goes I have a spare (1 front, 1 rear) Pirelli in the basement going on.

 

[Scutour]

Hey Jim,

Are you saying you’ll probably get 5k miles on your Pirelli? If so maybe there is a difference in the composition? What I getting at, is maybe my tire is softer compound than your tire. I did monitor the pressure at 42 PSI. I didn’t think I’d wear it out so fast and it wasn’t even during the hottest temperatures here in JAX Fl..

 

[Jim]

No 5,000 more, 8,000 total.

My Bridgstone started showing wear down the middle @ 3,200 miles. It took 2 months to get the Pirelli, by the then, the center was Bald. I'm having the opposite problem now. The center looks new. I ride 2 up 95% of the time, so tire pressure is more critical to me. I think the cold temps did me in, by lowering my pressure. Since I babysite the pressure, I haven't noticed any additional wear.

Which part wore out ?
The sides or the center?
or Even?

 

[pauljo]

I got 50% more miles out of my first Pirelli than I did with the OEM Bridgestone. In rough numbers, the Bridgestone lasted a little over 5000 miles, the Pirelli lasted over 8000 miles. I always kept the Pirelli at 41 psi.

I really can't understand how Scutour trashed a rear Pirelli in 1700 miles. There has to be some variable here that we are not picking up on.

 

[pauljo]

Scutour,

Are you sure that you had the radial version of the tire? It should have had a -05 suffix. There is also a non radial version of the tire with the same model number except for that -05.

The reason I ask, is that someone else got really poor tire life from a Pirelli on an AN400, and that is not a radial tire. That led me to believe that their bias ply tires might have a problem.

You should be able to find the word "radial" on the sidewall if it is the correct tire.

 

[Burger Bob]

I just checked my rear Pirelli. It has about 1800 miles on it and the wear level seems about the same as on the Bridgestones. It looks as though I have another 3000 miles to go before the tread will be gone. 1700 miles does seem an unusually low number, even for a sports tire.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[robg]

Puzzled

I am really really puzzled.

Whats all this about sub-5k miles tyre life??

With Bridgestones I get 9000 miles on the rear & 21000 on the front.

This is mainly motorway (freeway?) miles & certainly the edge of the tyre is like new when the centre is full worn - so I would have thought riders with more "twisties" would get even more.

By the way, I don't hang about mate - so gentle driving isn't the reason.

Maybe its because we don't get the really hot weather here in the UK or maybe it's a weight thing - post Xmas I come in at 217 lbs so I can't see even your stateside super-sizer making significantly more than that.

By the way, if there is someone out there doing lots of twisties, we can do a profitable swap. You send me your new tyre & I will happily wear the centre & return back to you to wear the outside edges. I will pay postage so you won't be out of pocket. Fair deal?

Cheers, Robg

 

[Scutour]

Paul,

You’re not going to believe this but, I actually only got 1200 miles out of the tire. I made a mistake. My odometer reads 9206 miles.

Here are the numbers. Pirelli GTS24 60r 14 M/C 60H tubless radial

The Tire is 95% gone!

There's gotta be something wrong with the tire.

 

[Scutour]

Jim,

The tire is worn even. I'll try to post picts.

 

[Jim]

It dosen't sound like my numbers, mine end in 05. I don't think it's a Radial. It should say Radial on it

 

[Scutour]

Doesn't the "R" in in 60R stand for radial?
it is marked tubeless Radial on the sidewall.


picture link:

Pirelli GTS24 w/1200 miles pictures

 

[billmeek]

In pic 2 you can clearly see the "tubeless radial" on the tire.

 

[Burger Bob]

Robg,

I think that lighter riders wear out tires faster than heavier ones, due to wheelspin. I have always weighed between 140/150 lbs and I have never got more than 5000 useable miles out of any tire on any bike. It beats me how some members here get such high mileage, but I bet none of them are lightweights! Oops, now I'm in trouble!

Cheers,

Bob

 

[pauljo]

I dunno Burger Bob. I weigh 225 and I get about the same tire mileage that you do. There are a lot of factors that can affect tire life. Weight carried, inflation pressures maintained, riding styles, road surfaces, outside (and pavement) temperatures, average speed, stop & go riding - just to name some. But the wide variances that members are experiencing in tire mileage are simply bizzare - and that goes for Bridgestones as well as Pirellis. I wish I knew the answer - but I sure don't.

 

[Scutour]

I ride solo 99% of the time and I’m 5-10 weigh 260lbs maybe it’s the additional 10lbs that I’ve gained over the holidays :? Either I have to cut down on the Carbs or Pirelli’s !

 

[lycheed]

It’s a QA problem – if you’ve maintained correct air pressure you shouldn’t have wear that fast unless every single mile was at 110% on a circuit. The fact that the wear is in the centre as opposed to the sides tell me that this is not the case.

Manufacturers rarely claim a mileage lifespan figure for tyres as there are too many variables involved in tyre wear to be able to narrow tyre life down to a single figure. Tyre mileage is affected by the type of bike, type of road surface most used, suspension set up, air temperature, road temperature, humidity, riding style and throttle control. The best a manufacturer can hope to do is give you a ball park figure, e.g. I would expect a rear TH01 to last between 4,000 and 10000 miles on a 650. Some may get less, some may get more, but this is what I'd expect the ballpark to be.

It's not just hard riders who tend to get lower mileages. Slower riders who are always on and off their throttles will always get worse tyre life than fast, smooth riders who carry more corner speed and link corners together. When we get poor mileages, sometimes we have to look to our riding style as opposed to the intergrity of the tyre.

I don’t think that this is one of those cases. Good luck with this set of Bridgestones.

 

[lilleyen]

Just a thought.

I've been reading all these posts and thinking, (dangerous I know)

If overinflating wears out the middle of the tires (tyres for you Norm), and underinflating wears out the edges, why don't the riders who are experiencing bald centers (tires not heads), ride with a little less tire pressure, etc.

Edge wearers put in more air pressure, to round out that donut etc.

Wouldn't that even things out a little ?

 

[Scutour]

I do admit to being an aggressive rider, but my riding style hasn’t changed since using the Brigstones. That could explain why I had less miles(8k total) on my original tire than other riders on this site. I do all the maintenance including replacing the wheel and have maintained 42psi on the rear.

I’m going to save the tire with documentation. Just in case.

 

[P.D.Q.S.B.]

I go with the over inflation theory wearing the centre part of the tyre first.
I wonder if there is a table which gives psi increments per pounds extra weight.
I know one of my mates puts extra psi in his tyres so that he doesn't have to check them so often. :roll:

Ian