Time to change the rear tire

[Cameron]

I just posted regarding a dead battery but also noticed that the center of the rear tire was showing "significant" wear. This was due to the fact that the steel belts were quite visible along the entire circumference of the tire. The bike is used mostly for commuting into center city on relatively smooth surface roads. I've done one long ride out to Montana and back across some of lower Canada last summer. The odometer indicates just over 13K on the original rubber and I had replaced the front at 11,500 back in the Fall. Thought I'd get closer to 15K before needing to replace the rear, but my wishes have been dashed.

Question - I anyone using any kind of tire pressure indicator? I'm thinking about one of those screw-on valvestem things that stays green as long as the PSI stays above a set amount and shows red when it drops below the indicated pressure. It would be much easier than checking the pressure with a handheld tire guage, which I wouldn't do nearly as often as looking at the indicator on the valve stem.

 

[banjoboy]

Cameron, I've got the valve stem pressure indicator. When I bought mine at a car store, the max they had was 36 psi, which works for me. It's easy to see that it is at least at that pressure. BTW, if you got 13K on OEM tires, you've done extraordinarily well as many of us only got about 8K on these tires.

Terry

 

[bicyclist]

If that's the original rear tire, you're lucky to have gotten that much mileage out of it.

Those screw on things are not safe. They work by compressing the valve in the stem. When they fail, and they do fail, you lose tire pressure. Even the good electronic tire pressure monitors have issues. They have a sensor mounted inside the tire which transmits to a readout on the dash. The sensor is battery powered, which means that eventually the battery will fail and it can't be replaced. In order to preserve battery life, the sensor has a switch that closes when the wheel spins. The switch can develop problems, causing intermittent operation.

One thing you can do is replace the rubber valve stems with some good 90? metal ones. That'll make it a lot easier to check the pressure with a tire gauge. Besides, you need the exercise.

 

[Cameron]

I shall ensure the shop puts on a 90 degree valvestem. Hadn't thought of that. Luckily, when I got the front tire, I bought the rear as a set but just had the shop hold the rear pending its need. I think I can safely say "It's time."

 

[jackgermain]

My gut says the rear tire should have been changed around 8K miles. Going to 13K seems a bit dangerous to me - just my opinion as obviously I did not see the tire and you have eyes on it. If the tire got to the point of "significant" wear before changing than is it possible it got to the point of "needing to be changed" way before that? I am just glad that did not experience any tire problems while on the road.

 

[bicyclist]

I shall ensure the shop puts on a 90 degree valvestem.

There are two kinds. One is a metal tube sticking out of a rubber base. You don't want that. The other is all metal, sealed with an o-ring. That's the ticket.

 

[Chuck 500]

Riding styles and loads have lot to do with tire wear. I am light, 150 lb, and ride "gently". I put 12,500 miles on the OEM BT20s. The wear bars were showing but certainly no cord. I replaced them with BT23s. At 28K (on the bike not the tire) or about 15K on the tires I ran over debris in the road and ruined them. No flat, did not lose any air but both were damaged inside. Replaces with more BT23s and now have 40K on the bike (about another 12K on the tires). The front is wearign well with little to no cupping. The rear is fairly flat in the middle but no wear bars even close to showing.

For me at least, the Bidgestone BT023 seems to be a good fit between handling, longevity and price.

Keep the shiny side up,

Chuck

 

[Chucksklrst]

Just a friendly maint Tip. Remember, every time you replace the rear tire. Clean and Re-lube the drive splines with Honda Molly 60 or equivalent. The Book specs the lube out at 40% Molly min. If you have the shop R&R your wheels ask them to see their Honda Molly. If they cant show you and say they just use Axel grease, it is time to give them some of your Honda Molly or go somewhere else. The splines should really be checked every 8k when a major service is done but I know alot of you are running rear tires alot longer. So am I. I have 11000 miles on my ST1300 PR3 right now. Fortunately it is going to get changed in about 800 more miles. It will be time for a major service and the splines will get lubed then.

 

[JohnC]

... This was due to the fact that the steel belts were quite visible along the entire circumference of the tire.

I guess everyone else is too polite to say anything, but that is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Cameron]

I fully realize the hazardous situation I had obliviously placed myself in. Considering my snowy, slushy commute last month and the numerous times I've ridden through precipiation, my guardian angel must have been working overtime to keep me upright. Thus, the reason why I'd like to have an easier way to check the tire pressure. As it turns out, the pressure was significantly lower than it should have been and likely contributed to the quick wear since the front tire was changed in the Fall when I purchased the pair but the rear didn't need it at that time.

I'm scheduled to take the bike in tomorrow morning and I have mentioned the need to grease the splines and to change out the valvestem. Hey, where does one order the metal 90 degree valve stem with O-ring gasket?

 

[Phil Tarman]

It's amazing how quickly the cord becomes visible on a tire. In January of last year, I rode to Texas and back for a funeral. When I got back it was obvious that the time had come to have my rear tire changed. But I couldn't get in to get the work done for a week and a half. In the meantime, a friend and I made a 150 mile ride. At the end of that it was really obvious that the rear was on its last few miles, but no cord was showing. I rode in to Sun Honda and by the time I covered that 72 miles steel cord was showing on about 25% of the tire. If snow hadn't stopped my ride home from Texas in Limon, I would have had 83 more miles on the bike and I don't know if I'd have made it to Sun.

 

[charlie b]

Based on tire wear and performance I will get nothing but PR3's for my NT. After 7000 miles and they are just starting to show a bit of squaring in the back. It is hard to believe but it is true. I did get a bit over 10k with the Avon Storms (they were showing belt when I changed them) and about the same from stock. And thee PR3's seem to hold corners better. Only tried them in a drizzle once.

The PR3 performance has me thinking about larger wheels for the Guzzi so I can fit PR3's to it as well (it has 16" wheels).

 

[Rocky]

I love my PR3s, made the bike feel so much better that the stock tires. I can not yet talk about longetivity as the tires are still pretty new, but handeling and trction feel GREAT!

 

[bicyclist]

Hey, where does one order the metal 90 degree valve stem with O-ring gasket?

Google K & L valve stems.

 

[Rmcapozzi]

I just installed these on the NT. Much easier to check the air pressure and more durable and able to attach a stem mounted TPMS should I want to in the future. (I've been using the Doran stem mounted sensors for over 3 years and 60k miles with zero issues on my other bike).
Got them from KurveyGirl.com. (You want the 11.3mm size) Super fast service. Had them 2 days after placing my order!

 

[Cameron]

Got the bike back on Saturday afternoon and took it straight home. Bicycle ride Sunday morning and took the girls back to college in the afternoon/evening. This morning it was snowing - expecting 2-5 inches but it should melt by tonight. Still, as I know the tires take a few miles to wear off the slick top layer, I didn't want to chance it this morning, so I rode the rails again. Looking forward to getting back in the saddle tomorrow. That will make 11 days without a real ride - the longest in the last 8 years. Please help me make these withdrawal symptoms stop!!

 

[DirtFlier]

When I bought my 90-degree stems from No-Mar, they called them "10 mm" size which is probably the actual diameter of the stem. My guess is that 11.3 mm is the size of the hole in the rim. Just semantics!

One improvement I made was to use a thin flatwasher under the nut because I felt it made it much more secure than tightening that nut onto the bare alum. I also applied Loctite on the nut. If you're doing the rear wheel, remember to apply Moly 60 to the driven splines.

Just cleared my driveway of snow. It was only 3"-5" deep and my main worry about letting it lay there is ice forming overnight.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Thanks, Rob. Those aren't cheap but I like the angled stem. I'll be putting a set on my NT next tire change.

Here is what the silver stems look like on the wheels.

 

[bicyclist]

Here is what the silver stems look like on the wheels.

Interesting; I pointed mine toward the left side because I'm right handed.

 

[Chucksklrst]

I point mine stems to the right side, as when bike is on the sidestand it is easer to check the tire pressure.