Tire sidewall cracking

The war pony has been running like sugar pie since I reshimmed and carb synched (77KZ650B1). Now it's time to get a new front tire. The old front is sidewall cracking, so it has to go. Other than smear a coat of armourall on the sidewall (will likely happen) and staying out of the sun (not likely to happen), how do you avoid this cracking? Or do they always crap out on the sidewall after X years without any real maintenance?

You didn't say how old *OLD* is...

For the purposes of conversation, ultimately there is no way to prevent cracking, sometimes called "checking", as tire rubber compounds will be affected by both UV and oxidation. Another contributing factor is that tire compounds are a mix of both latex (natural) and synthetic (butadiene) rubbers - so the mutual bonds tend to break down over time.

Armor All is fine for use over the normal life expectency of a tire - 1 - 2 years or so, but it contains butyl alchohol - which eventually aids in crystalization - drying out - the rubber.

Believe it or not - the *best* stuff for long-term rubber preservation is a lanolin-based (animal protein) hand cream. Just goop it on, wipe it down and repeat every so often.

DONT ARMOR ALL THE TIRES. if you get any on the treads it will be just like you are on ice! most likey you will only get a bit on the edge of the tread, but thats where its the most dangerous... when you are leaning over going around a turn.....
just keep them out of the sun when you arent driving it will help too
armor all your car tires, but NOT bike tires. no need for anyone to get hurt or killed because they wanted nicer looking longer lasting tires

77KZ650 wrote:

DONT ARMOR ALL THE TIRES. if you get any on the treads it will be just like you are on ice! most likey you will only get a bit on the edge of the tread, but thats where its the most dangerous... when you are leaning over going around a turn.....
just keep them out of the sun when you arent driving it will help too
armor all your car tires, but NOT bike tires. no need for anyone to get hurt or killed because they wanted nicer looking longer lasting tires

Let me second this! I learned this lesson the hard way. I thought I would spruce up the look of my tires with some armor-all on my previous bike. As I turned out of my driveway, suddenly the rear tire flew out from under me and I laid the bike down.

Armor-All + Motorcycle Tires = :woohoo: :ohmy: :sick: :evil: :evil:

Post edited by: Skyman, at: 2007/05/11 19:12

Skyman wrote:

77KZ650 wrote:
Armor-All + Motorcycle Tires = :woohoo: :ohmy: :sick: :evil: :evil:

Guess I should have said *sidewalls only*, but I kind'a thought that was an understood...

The only time cracking is a problem is when tires sit unused for extended periods in the sun most the time. I still have a 1978 KZ650 and 1980 KZ1000 with original tires that are not cracked, but had to replace the 6000 mile old tires on my 1993 Ford E350 van after it sat 6 yrs in the driveway undriven. I doubt armorall will help a lot, but hard to say.

RonKZ650 wrote:

The only time cracking is a problem is when tires sit unused for extended periods in the sun most the time.

Sorry Ron - I gotta give that one the Of The Week Award.

The ONLY way to preserve rubber for the time periods you're claiming is to either vacuum seal or use a vulcanized coating on it in a temperature controlled environment.

ANYTIME rubber is exposed to oxygen, it deteriorates.

PERIOD.

Ask the Smithsonian conservators about it sometime.

Exactly, yeesh, come on guys! I thought about adding to my post about keeping the Armorall off the tread, but then thought that it was an embarrassingly obvious "no brainer".:whistle:

Thanks for the info. I'll buy the new tire, ride the bike and replace as necessary. I'm not going to worry about a non issue. I was curious though. You really are a freakin motorcycle "Yoda" Pterosaur.

Post edited by: old650, at: 2007/05/12 02:39

Nearly 30 year old tires on a bike? It's possible they're not visibly checked, but I'd bet they're hard and slick now. Besides, with the improvement in tire compounds and technology, why wouldn't a person want to take advantage of what is on the market today?

I'll admit to being a bit of a skin-flint when it comes to tires, but it's important to remember that they are the only thing between you and the bike and the road. Acceleration, braking and steering inputs all take place in those two small patches of rubber and the road. Rather impressive, eh?

N0NB wrote:

Nearly 30 year old tires on a bike? It's possible they're not visibly checked, but I'd bet they're hard and slick now. Besides, with the improvement in tire compounds and technology, why wouldn't a person want to take advantage of what is on the market today?

I'll admit to being a bit of a skin-flint when it comes to tires, but it's important to remember that they are the only thing between you and the bike and the road. Acceleration, braking and steering inputs all take place in those two small patches of rubber and the road. Rather impressive, eh?

That's all true. My 1980 KZ1000 and 1978 KZ650 have only covered about 25 miles in the last 10 yrs so I take my chances Tires are not cracked though despite being old. My moms 1939 Ford sits in the garage and those tires must be 50+ years old and they are not cracked either so I don't know how true it is that they always start drying up and going bad the instant they are exposed to the atmosphere. Mine never go bad. Sure they are probably hardened, I don't doubt that.

N0NB wrote:

Nearly 30 year old tires on a bike? It's possible they're not visibly checked, but I'd bet they're hard and slick now.

Hard and slick now? Hell, they were *hard and slick* when they were MADE, fer chrissakes.

Best thing you can say about 30 year old tires is they don't make 'em anynmore.

Besides, with the improvement in tire compounds and technology, why wouldn't a person want to take advantage of what is on the market today?

Other than a *notorius skinflint*, nobody. :whistle:

A 30 year old set of meats is peachy for a museum display or duckwalking down the street in a *Old Fashined DaZe* (tm) parade, but I, for one wouldn't go betting my ass on a set in the twisties.

Even a set of cheap-ass Taiwanese Challengers is a couple of light-years ahead of that old junk.

RonKZ650 wrote:

My moms 1939 Ford sits in the garage and those tires must be 50+ years old and they are not cracked either so I don't know how true it is that they always start drying up and going bad the instant they are exposed to the atmosphere. Mine never go bad. Sure they are probably hardened, I don't doubt that.

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.... :huh:

Ron:

Follow. * The. * Logic. * Here.

Compare:

1)I don't know how true it is that they always start drying up and going bad the instant they are exposed to the atmosphere.

with...

2) Mine never go bad.

with...

3)Sure they are probably hardened, I don't doubt that.

*What*, for the luvv'a Granny's Green Apples, do you THINK *hardening* is?

I'm sure that in your corner of the Twilight Zone, peppermint gumdrops are still a nickle each, but if you're breathing , there's OXYGEN there - which means your tires ARE hardening which means they're CRYSTALIZING which means they're degrading due to a UNIVERSAL physical process otherwise known as OXYDATION.

Get it?

Ever wonder why back in them *good 'ole daze*, tires CAME WRAPPED IN WAXED BROWN PAPER? It wasn't to make 'em better birthday presents - it was to act as a light and semi atmospheric barrier.

Why, for all that's wonderful about nostalgia, do you insist on spreading such obvious horseshit by the ton?

I don't mind when your incessant speiling deals with cosmetics like original paint - that's a laugher, but it ain't DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS.

But if some kid reads your bilge and believes it enough to yank a couple of "unchecked" tires out of a trash pile, rides 'em hard, blows out a sidewall and scatters himself over the map because you insist on insisting that "mine never go bad", you're out of line and it's time somebody called you on it.

Go ahead. Make a debate out of it.

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2007/05/12 11:50