Rear Tread Wear

[GLG]

Hey guys – I’ve had the bike for about 3 yrs now and commute to work almost every day on it. I still consider myself a newbie and learning every day.

Original OEM Bridgestones with 9K mi as of this morning at the gas station.

Thoughts on how the rear is wearing and guesses about how much more life I have in it? Sorry, I didn't have a chance to measure the tread depth. In the middle wear pattern, several of the tread grooves are quite worn. Down to about 1/8 in.

I'm rather diligent about tire pressure - 36 & 42

 

[elizilla]

Getting pretty near the end.

The tires are made with little ridges in the bottom of the tread. When the tire wears down enough that those ridges are at the surface, it's done. They call those ridges the wear bars.

I only got about 9K from my OEM Bridgestones, and I'm easy on my tires compared to many I know.

If you're going to be parking shortly for the winter, I'd wait and get fresh tires in spring. But if you're going to be out there in dicey conditions over the winter, do it now.

 

[Phil Tarman]

+1 to what Katherine said!

 

[charlie b]

They do have about another 1-2k on them. Follow Katherine's advice.

Me? If it wasn't winter approaching I'd go the miles. I will wear a tire down to the bone if I am just commuting on it and there is no bad weather.

 

[GLG]

AWESOME, thanks everyone!

I try to commute in the winter as much as the weather will allow. I think I'll try the Michelin Pilot Road 4s.

 

[Comanche]

. . . I think I'll try the Michelin Pilot Road 4s.

If you go with PR4s, expect much better mileage than you got with the OEM tires.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

Those wear bars show up with about 1/8" left of total tread. So if you're very close to 1/8", your tires are done. You can expect significant loose in wet weather performance from when the tires are new when you get around 3/16" or less of tread left. Start looking sooner than later for new tires.

 

[junglejim]

New tires are cheaper than motorcycle parts and hospital bills. And they ride much better too.

 

[JohnC]

My advice: don't scrimp on tires.

I would start setting money aside now for new tires.

 

[charlie b]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if PR3's or 4's were in a size that fit my bike (I would not have to change tires so often). They grip well, long lasting and they are quiet. But, you don't have to spend a ton of money to get decent performing tires. I run Shinko's on my Goose and never had an issue with them, from peg scraping to wet road riding and even ice. They run me about $70 ea (sometimes even less). Yes, if you want to run like a racer a lot then they might be found wanting, but, for everyday riding and touring they do the job well.

The down side is I only get about 8k mi out of them.

 

[Warren]

I looked at he Shinko Verge and Verge 2X which are their dual compound sport touring tires and they do not come in the 150 size needed for the rear

 

[karl]

Getting back to the OP,s question. You got great mileage out of the very soft hyper-sport tire that comes with the bike. Tread on any tire is there to deal with water, Liquid or frozen. The center wear you show in your photos is enough to make the bike feel "off" when you lean into a turn. Getting that new bike feel back is worth the price of new tires in my view. I don't ride mine down to the cords typically. They become more likely to get punctured as the bulk of the carcass wears. The feel you get from any new tire of any brand will be worth the hassle.