Welcome, Guest
Username: Password: Remember me
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2

TOPIC:

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 12:58 #797309

  • KZQ
  • KZQ's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Walking Behind the Corn May Not Be All That!
  • Posts: 4747
  • Thank you received: 1271
I've become aware of a law called the Tread Act. It's a federal law that speaks to defective tires, among other things. I've been told, by folks repeating stuff they've heard, that the law says you may not sell a motorcycle, or car, that is equipped with tires older than five years. I've read the Tread Act and cannot find anything that mentions five years. I'm still looking. If anyone has any better information on this five year business, I'd like to hear it.
In the mean time I found this bit by Motorcyclistonline.com that at least talks about how to read the age of a tire:
www.motorcyclistonline.com/do-motorcycle...ZFDfAL6V10ogAXROitCY
Regards
Bill
www.KZ1300.com
Riders:
1968 BSA 441 Shooting Star, 1970 BSA 650 Lightning, 1974 W3, 1976 KZ900, 1979 KZ750 Twin, 1979 KZ750 Twin Trike, 1981 KZ1300, 1982 KZ1100 Spectre, 2000 Valkyrie, 2009 Yamaha Roadliner S. 1983 GL 1100
Projects:
1985 ZN1300

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 13:30 #797314

  • slmjim+Z1BEBE
  • slmjim+Z1BEBE's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Enjoy Life! IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE!
  • Posts: 1105
  • Thank you received: 583
This is the only thing we've been able to find.

www.tirebusiness.com/article/20140721/IS...tire-age-safety-rule

Lots of field lore out there, but so far nothing legal.


Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE
A biker looks at your engine and chrome.
A Rider looks at your odometer and tags.

1972 Z1 x2
1974 Z1-A x2
1975 Z1-B x2
1993 CB 750 Nighthawk x2
2009 ST1300A

www.kawasaki-z-classik.com
An enthusiast's forum focused exclusively
on all things Z1, Z2 and KZ900.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 13:38 #797316

  • Scirocco
  • Scirocco's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Premium Member
  • Never change a running system
  • Posts: 3921
  • Thank you received: 1892
Modern (soft) motorcycle tires should renew every 5 years, they will lost a lot of performace and grip.
Technical inspector deny the inspection sticker here in Germany.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 14:09 #797321

  • hardrockminer
  • hardrockminer's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Sustaining Member
  • Posts: 2908
  • Thank you received: 1008
Tires have the date of manufacture stamped on them. Going on memory but I think 7 years is the recommended life.
I have several restored bikes along with a 2006 Goldwing with a sidecar. My wife has a 2019 Suzuki DR 650 for on and off road.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 14:15 #797322

  • KZQ
  • KZQ's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Walking Behind the Corn May Not Be All That!
  • Posts: 4747
  • Thank you received: 1271

slmjim+Z1BEBE wrote: This is the only thing we've been able to find.

www.tirebusiness.com/article/20140721/IS...tire-age-safety-rule

Lots of field lore out there, but so far nothing legal.


Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE


Thanks Jim,
That's the most definitive information I've read so far.
Don't get me wrong I'm not advocating for vintage tires but nor am I a booster for more government regulations.
Bill
www.KZ1300.com
Riders:
1968 BSA 441 Shooting Star, 1970 BSA 650 Lightning, 1974 W3, 1976 KZ900, 1979 KZ750 Twin, 1979 KZ750 Twin Trike, 1981 KZ1300, 1982 KZ1100 Spectre, 2000 Valkyrie, 2009 Yamaha Roadliner S. 1983 GL 1100
Projects:
1985 ZN1300

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 17:10 #797330

  • Quigleyje
  • Quigleyje's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 65
  • Thank you received: 5
I work for Dunlop and we can not ship tires that are more than 3 yrs old and tires that are older than 3yrs are scrapped.
81/84 kz/zx550

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 22 Jan 2019 20:40 #797341

  • KZQ
  • KZQ's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Walking Behind the Corn May Not Be All That!
  • Posts: 4747
  • Thank you received: 1271

Quigleyje wrote: I work for Dunlop and we can not ship tires that are more than 3 yrs old and tires that are older than 3yrs are scrapped.


Hi Quigleyje,
Thanks for the information. I'm assuming that's Dunlop's policy, perhaps a liability insurance requirement. I'm betting that the NHTSA doesn't require that of you.
Regards
Bill
www.KZ1300.com
Riders:
1968 BSA 441 Shooting Star, 1970 BSA 650 Lightning, 1974 W3, 1976 KZ900, 1979 KZ750 Twin, 1979 KZ750 Twin Trike, 1981 KZ1300, 1982 KZ1100 Spectre, 2000 Valkyrie, 2009 Yamaha Roadliner S. 1983 GL 1100
Projects:
1985 ZN1300

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 23 Jan 2019 05:27 #797354

  • Nessism
  • Nessism's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Sustaining Member
  • Posts: 7255
  • Thank you received: 2658
I work for an aerospace component supplier and we won't ship any rubber components such as O-rings unless they have 80% shelf life remaining.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 23 Jan 2019 08:12 #797363

  • old_kaw
  • old_kaw's Avatar
  • Offline
  • User
  • Posts: 932
  • Thank you received: 269

Nessism wrote: I work for an aerospace component supplier and we won't ship any rubber components such as O-rings unless they have 80% shelf life remaining.


Sorry Bill, I am not trying to hijack your thread.. it's relevant. :-)

What do they consider the shelf life to be on rubber components and NOS rubber items, Ed?


Also, do you have any insight on NOS clutch material compared to fresh clutch plates? Does it have a shelf life?
1981 Kawasaki Kz1000K1
Located in the Saint Louis, Missouri Area.
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 23 Jan 2019 09:18 #797365

  • Nessism
  • Nessism's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Sustaining Member
  • Posts: 7255
  • Thank you received: 2658
Shelf life depends on the material and storage method. For the stuff we sell in aerospace there is a MIL-SPEC document which is a pretty good guideline. Our material guys decide after that. As for clutches, no clue. Most likely unlimited if stored correctly in the original packaging.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Barry1, old_kaw

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 23 Jan 2019 10:07 #797370

  • Dr. Gamma
  • Dr. Gamma's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Sustaining Member
  • Posts: 1221
  • Thank you received: 664
Some dealers sometime have tires in stock that are over three years old!!!!! Look at the DOT numbers to make sure you are buying a tire that has not sat in stock for many many years!!! The bigger the dealership, bigger the turn over of inventory. Even watch the mail order stores too!!!! I have noticed that the sticky performance tires for bikes seem to develop a series of sidewall cracks after 2 years or so. The Metzeler Comp K's used to do that a lot back in the 80's and 90's. The sticky Pirelli's did the same thing back then too!!!! Even the sticky Avon's I put on my GSXR a few years back have a few sidewall cracks starting to develop on them.

As far as gaskets and rubber o-rings. I have a huge collection of Kz1000 gaskets I bought around 1982 to 1984. I used them in my last engine build for my Kz1000 Superbike two years ago. The valve guide seals are just as old that I used in my cylinder head. This motor is oil tight with not even a drip out of it. Plus there is no sign of oil trails in the ports from pulling oil pass the valve guide seals.

All my Kz1000 gaskets are the very old gaskets that contain asbestos. You can tell them by the greyish/black color. Not those later gaskets that were like a brownish color and with the 11060-???? part numbers. I think it boils down to how the gaskets were stored when it comes down to how good they still are for sealing. I keep all my old gaskets in sealed plastic bags, laying flat in a sealed up box. I also keep them in an area at a constant temperature too.

All my gaskets are the old asbestos type gaskets.


1972 H2 750 Cafe Racer built in 1974.
1976 KH400 Production Road Racer.
1979 Kz1000 MK. II Old AMA/WERA Superbike.
1986 RG500G 2 stroke terror.
1986 GSXR750RG The one with the clutch that rattles!

Up in the hills near Prescott, Az.
Attachments:
The following user(s) said Thank You: old_kaw

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Motorcycle Tires how old is too old? 23 Jan 2019 11:50 #797376

  • bluej58
  • bluej58's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Sustaining Member
  • The chrome don't get you home
  • Posts: 2484
  • Thank you received: 511
We had the local Suzuki shop install a set of Dunlops on my wife's first bike.
I had to take the rims off the bike and bring them in only to get charged more then 500 bucks for 3+ year old tires that showed dry rot by the end of the season.
We traded it in for her latest bike at that time and when they started to haggle on price the dry rot came up , I informed them that they had sold those tires to us 8 months earlier.
we still made 200 bucks over what we paid for the bike a year earlier off of craigslist and she put around 12,000 on her.

Now I buy my tires from a motor cycle super store and do the installs myself , all of the tires I buy online are on sale and less then a year old
About $ 225.00 per bike.
The tire changer and balancer have paid for them selves

78 KZ1000 A2A
Attachments:
The following user(s) said Thank You: Dr. Gamma, old_kaw

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Last edit: by bluej58.
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2
Powered by Kunena Forum