Accidents from riding on old tires. Fact or Fiction

Does anyone have any facts on this. I'm talking tires that have a 3 digit or no date code. 20 or more years old.
I have always heard tires over 10 years old are dangerous to ride on, but have never heard of accidents caused by old tires.
I'm not talking about bald, cracked, or rotted out tires, but the ones you find on garage kept, lightly used motorcycles.

I've done some riding on older tires while bringing old bikes back to life, but was always cautious (and apparently lucky). There's enough to think about out there, Once I get a bike running, and know it will get ridden, I change them.

The problem with having multiple bikes is that the tires last many years. When I had 1 bike, the tires lasted about 3 years. With 3 or 4 bikes, they last a decade or more. So I'm often riding on old tires, which are not cracked and have a lot of tread. I can't say I notice any difference from when I put a new tire on, but maybe the change is gradual that I don't notice. I'm not carving any canyons or anything anymore so maybe it matters how you ride. I don't ride in the rain much anymore either, and that is the only time I really get nervous about grip. I'm also nervous about brand new tires for at least a hundred miles or so. I recall one or two getting squirrelly on me when brand new.

I had a new tire 15 years I never put on. I put it on and 200 miles later chunks of tread started coming off. Bought a tire on the way home and changed it. It could have cost me my life. Lesson learned. :whistle:
Steve

I have ridden on old tires in the process of getting bikes back on the road. One time I was doing a test ride on wet streets and the rear wheel was braking loose repeatedly. after i got home and changed my underwear I ordered some new tires.

DoctoRot wrote: after i got home and changed my underwear I ordered some new tires.

Which did you do first?:lol:

I went riding with a friend that bought a v-type honda that had the original 20 year old tires with maybe 2 or 3000 miles on them , they looked good, still had the nubbies
on them.
I warned him to be very careful on the corners but he went just a little too fast on a hard right and slid out right in front of me.
luckily it was early in our ride and he wasn't going very fast at all, only the things that got hurt was a turn signal and his pride.
20 year old tires get hard and do not grab, try slamming on the back brake, see what happens??

Five year old tires on my bike feel like hockey pucks at the slightest lean angle!!!! And they are top of the line tires too.

In the past, I threw away a bike with 10 year old tires. It was like I hit ice. And I was not playing Johnny Road Racer either!!!

Only thing worse than old tires is a fresh coat of Armor All on the tread of your tires!!!!!!

Here is some info which may help:

www.acmecyclechicago.com/notes-from-the-...20it%20has%20to%20be .

I have a 1978 KZ650, and a 1980 KZ1000 that have original tires on them, and last time I rode them (8-10yrs back), being careful, the tires felt and worked ok. I also have my 168,000 mile 1978 KZ650 and the tires were last replaced in 1993. Last time I rode it, probably 7yrs back, I took off down the road one block, turned right, rode one block, turned right and low sided. Uprighted it, rode home the 2 blocks and that was last time I looked at it. I would say old tires are "iffy" for sure. Must be cautious to say the least. I would not worry much until over 15yrs old though.

I was heading home after a DGR ride one year. Not totally sure but I believe my rear tire had okay tread on it and mo more than 3 or 4 years old. I could see a storm on the horizon and pulled of the parkway to take shelter under a supermarket canopy. Grabbed lunch until blew over. Got going again once the storm passed. The roads were still wet. On a long on-ramp getting back on the parkway, I gun it in order to exist the ramp at 70 mph, same speed as traffic. As I accelerate the rear tire cuts loose. Scared the bejeebers out of me! My speedometer cracked over 100 mph. Backed off to regain traction but still needed to get up to my exit speed. Reapplied more power and same thing happens again. This is on 4th or 5th gear mind you going straight. After that I kept going with extreme caution. My point being, even new tires you need to be cautions in wet conditions. Can't get over confident. As far as old tires. I just don't feel comfortable going 70+ mph with old tires and just two wheels. If I get a puncture on a tire, unlike a car tire, I do not bother repairing, I replace it with a new tube and tire. Much cheaper than medical bills.

G'day ckahleer.
I won't ride a bike with tyres over 5 yo. My skin (&bones) are worth more than new tyres.
My old race bike (1957 BSA A10) was retired then converted to road after10 years. It still had the race compound tyres that had only done 1 race. On it's first test ride around the block the front let go on a low speed (1st gear) left hander. Cost another $500 in parts and a week off work with a sprained ankle and gravel rash.
Cheers