What's the average life (in miles) of mc tires

[JeepWJ19]

New tires came in the mail for my 2002 Honda CBR600 F4i. I had the Continental Contimotion tires for about 10k miles (18k to now 28k miles). I will be replacing the tires soon as the chicken strips are forming.

I have other sport bike riders say that's a good amount of miles on them. I don't ride nearly as aggressive they do so that may be a contributor.

Was wondering how many miles other sport bike riders are getting out of their tires.

(I only ride when it is sunny. Anywhere from 40*F+)

 

[FermeLaPorte]

I had continentals. I always felt the threads lasted just good enough, but I always needed to re-fill them.

 

[mrsilv04]

Define "average".

Tires simply won't last as long when the rubber is peeling back on them, as seen after 3 hot runs through Deal's Gap, last week.

 

[Electrajoe]

Not bad for MC with 3 runs on the Gap
Looks like junior's run .
Get the revs up next run.

 

[Stevie]

2800 miles on my first set of Bridgestones that came on my Ninja 1000. I wear out my fronts first as I am a very late breaker and trail brake. My Dunlop Q3s are wearing better and really feel great.

 

[02SE]

Way too many variables to say definitively. The type of tire (sport-touring, sport, sport trackday type tires, track tires, racing slicks) then you have your riding style, the bike they are mounted on, the surface of the roads you're riding on, etc, etc.

I've rarely gotten even close to 10k on a set of tires mounted on a Sportbike. The closest would be a set of Sport-Touring tires that I used for, you guessed it, Sport Touring around the country.

 

[hpb]

10,000 miles (16,000km) is outstanding life for tyres on a CBR 600. But as others said, there are so many variables, riding style being one of the biggest ones. My Honda NC 750S has 12,000km on its current rubber, and they're just about done.

 

[JeepWJ19]

Thanks. Average probably wasn't the right choice of words. Definitely lots of variables, was just trying to get a feel of how others were doing with their tires

 

[Chris142]

The dot knobbies I had on my klr were Lucky to last 600 miles before they were too cupped to use

 

[LoneRanger]

I get about 5000 miles out of tires, doesn't seem to matter what brand but only been Pirelli and Michelin. Pirelli's on the Guzzi as OEM and looking like they will go about the usual 5000.

 

[Smoky14]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Define "average".

Tires simply won't last as long when the rubber is peeling back on them, as seen after 3 hot runs through Deal's Gap, last week.





You are starting to wear those "chicken strips" now really lean into the corner, lots of traction left just outside the groves.
Smile it's fun!
Smoky

 

[alarmguy]

Not a sport bike but just had to reply as I decided to have my front tire replaced just yesterday on Saturday.

Bought bike new, 2014 Road King, front tire now almost a full 4 years old, 23,000 Miles (not a misprint) even though I might have been able to finish out the year with it, I had it changed as we do a LOT of interstate travel and through some hair raising storms at times so I rather sooner then later.
So at 23,000 miles I figured it gave me a good life and replaced it with another HD OEM.

I did have to replace the rear tire almost two years ago with 14,000 miles on it, maybe could have squeezed 17,000 but it was cupped and for the reasons above, replaced it with an OEM.

I dont play games with tires, always make sure to have good rubber on the bike and I do have to admit, its a nice change getting this kind of mileage out of them, compared to my metrics.

 

[AVB]

Those old Dunlap 401 & 402s always seemed to last forever.

 

[gman2304]

2009 Harley Superglide, ridden conservatively. My rear Dunlop American Elite lasted for 11,000 miles, the American Elite front, installed at the same time, is at about 50%. I was hoping to get 15,000 miles out of the Dunlop, but it didn’t happen. I installed a new Michelin Commander rear last week. Both tires get good reviews. Time will tell whether the Michelin will be better, mileage wise, than the Dunlop.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
The dot knobbies I had on my klr were Lucky to last 600 miles before they were too cupped to use


Cupping can be a possible air pressure issue.

 

[Silverado12]

I only seem to get about 5,000 miles from Dunlop K591 tires, but they're Dunlop's grippiest tires for H-D. I'll trade long life for grip.

 

[alarmguy]

The stock Harley OEM (D408F) for me and others, fantastic tires, super long life, the life that many metric owners only can wish for on a touring bike.
Not talking about a sport or light weight sporty bike. Talking 800 + pound touring bikes so your experience maybe different.

Almost unheard of getting over 23,000 miles on a stock front tire (I could have went longer but being we do ride in rain at times I wanted it changed) and over 14,000 on a stock rear.
I doubt, actually I am sure there are very, very few people, (if any*L*) that have rode a bike in the extreme weather conditions that I do/have so I think I am qualified to state, these are rock sold, great all around tires, including rain performance. HD (D408F)

From mountain roads, 2 up with a weeks worth of luggage in pouring rain to 5 hour long trips in severe storms on the interstate, wind, rain, lightening, FUNNEL CLOUDS. It was brutal and do not look to repeat it but we got through it, its a little comforting to know we have ABS too. No longer would I consider a bike without it.

Because of the great wear on these tires and the times of riding in really (not kidding) extreme storms we have rode in, I am married to the OEM tires and I never felt that way about any tire on my metrics. Actually, never rode in any weather conditions like I have with this bike, not by choice but it happened, its not a garage queen so we do try to intelligently watch weather reports and radar, most cases it works out and we seek to minimize the extremes for sure.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy
The stock Harley OEM (D408F) for me and others, fantastic tires, super long life, the life that many metric owners only can wish for on a touring bike.
Not talking about a sport or light weight sporty bike. Talking 800 + pound touring bikes so your experience maybe different.

Almost unheard of getting over 23,000 miles on a stock front tire (I could have went longer but being we do ride in rain at times I wanted it changed) and over 14,000 on a stock rear.
I doubt, actually I am sure there are very, very few people, (if any*L*) that have rode a bike in the extreme weather conditions that I do/have so I think I am qualified to state, these are rock sold, great all around tires, including rain performance. HD (D408F)

From mountain roads, 2 up with a weeks worth of luggage in pouring rain to 5 hour long trips in severe storms on the interstate, wind, rain, lightening, FUNNEL CLOUDS. It was brutal and do not look to repeat it but we got through it, its a little comforting to know we have ABS too. No longer would I consider a bike without it.

Because of the great wear on these tires and the times of riding in really (not kidding) extreme storms we have rode in, I am married to the OEM tires and I never felt that way about any tire on my metrics. Actually, never rode in any weather conditions like I have with this bike, not by choice but it happened, its not a garage queen so we do try to intelligently watch weather reports and radar, most cases it works out and we seek to minimize the extremes for sure.



There are lots of people that ride long distances, in all (often extreme) weather conditions...

Now your Ted Simon, Helge Pedersen, Nick Sanders, and riders of their ilk, are truly exceptional.

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted By: alarmguy
The stock Harley OEM (D408F) for me and others, fantastic tires, super long life, the life that many metric owners only can wish for on a touring bike.
Not talking about a sport or light weight sporty bike. Talking 800 + pound touring bikes so your experience maybe different.

Almost unheard of getting over 23,000 miles on a stock front tire (I could have went longer but being we do ride in rain at times I wanted it changed) and over 14,000 on a stock rear.
I doubt, actually I am sure there are very, very few people, (if any*L*) that have rode a bike in the extreme weather conditions that I do/have so I think I am qualified to state, these are rock sold, great all around tires, including rain performance. HD (D408F)

From mountain roads, 2 up with a weeks worth of luggage in pouring rain to 5 hour long trips in severe storms on the interstate, wind, rain, lightening, FUNNEL CLOUDS. It was brutal and do not look to repeat it but we got through it, its a little comforting to know we have ABS too. No longer would I consider a bike without it.

Because of the great wear on these tires and the times of riding in really (not kidding) extreme storms we have rode in, I am married to the OEM tires and I never felt that way about any tire on my metrics. Actually, never rode in any weather conditions like I have with this bike, not by choice but it happened, its not a garage queen so we do try to intelligently watch weather reports and radar, most cases it works out and we seek to minimize the extremes for sure.

LOL! I ride often with David Willett who is well known in Harley circles for putting tons of miles on his motorcycles. Harley gave him a new Electraglide in 1999 for his old 1987 Electraglide with 417,000 miles on the clock. His old Bike is in the Harley museum in Milwaukee. His new 1999 has over 300,000 miles so far. I asked him last week what is the farthest he has ridden in the rain, he thought for a few seconds then replied he rode from Atlanta to Houston once in the pouring rain! He runs only Dunlop tires and Harley conventional oil in his bikes. He also rides Suzuki Burgman’s and put 160,000 miles on his last Burgman. His current 2015 Burgman has only 64,000 miles. If you google “David Willett Harley” you can find some interesting articles about him. He called me at 7:30 this morning to see if I was going to ride today. With a forecast of 80% chance of rain I told him I would have to pass. He laughed and said he was going to ride and he would see me next week. BTW, he was born in 1933 and will be 85 years old next month!

 

[alarmguy]

"He runs only Dunlop tires and Harley conventional oil in his bikes"

and you see how crazy we all get over oil and tires?

I feel no need to experiment with using tires other then the OEM on the Road King, they deliver everything I want, longish life, good traction, good wet weather performance. Works for me,

Oil, never used a full synthetic in any motorcycle. For one reason only and that is, no reason too. )
Though I dont use Harley Conventional Branded Oil because quite honestly I dont use it like I would not use any car, truck vehicle manufacturers oil, high dealer mark ups.

I do use Mystik 15/50 semi syn which is an HDEO. Harley oil is formulated like an HDEO and the Harley manual also says to use an HDEO diesel oil if HD oil can not be found. Amazingly, the Mystik oil is produced by Citgo, the same manufacturer that makes Harley oil.

I do use the Formula+ in the primary and transmission, no need to use anything else, bike shifts like a swiss watch, was just thinking that yesterday, did a 4+ hour round trip to the beach, freaking bike just runs awesome, amazes me all the time, ALL THE FREAKING TIME, average speeds yesterday, 2up, beach stuff packed on, straight interstate, 90+ degrees anywhere from 77 to 85 MPH, bike just barrels through everything.
Of course on the run home, hit the traditional thunderstorm and just keep moving, though I do slow down of course, yesterdays storm wasnt as big, lasted only about 15 minutes and its kind of fun when that happens, makes the ride interesting and cool, man it REALLY got cold for a while, then back into the heat, dried us off.

As far as your friend, well, Harley doesnt give me free motorcycles and I need to work to pay for mine *LOL*