steveoreno
Well-known member
This has pretty much been said but religiously check your tires pressure as often as possible once you get your new set. I check mine before every ride whenever possible this will enhance tire longevity.
Pilot Road 4 GT tires disintegrating?!
- Thread starter B-girl
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TomInPA
Well-known member
If I'm doing my math correctly, those tires have over 9000 miles on them. I don't know what your expectations are, but that is pretty good wear for tires on a heavy sport touring bike. They aren't disintegrating or defective, they are just predictably worn out.
escapefjrtist
Searching for Dry Roads
Saw the same wear pattern on a PR3 once...tire was just worn out!
As the collective has indicated, keep the tires pumped up good and tight and religiously check the pressures. Even running the front tire with low pressure for a couple thousand miles will prematurely wear it out and cause wear issues later on.
Good luck!
--G
As the collective has indicated, keep the tires pumped up good and tight and religiously check the pressures. Even running the front tire with low pressure for a couple thousand miles will prematurely wear it out and cause wear issues later on.
Good luck!
--G
You need to read, understand, and follow this thread.Yup.. this is a double. Oddly both times I tried to post the site gave me an error.. I logged back in and ta-da! Two posts when I thought there were none.
Mods feel free to delete.
bruinFJRguy
Well-known member
You beat me to it by a bit. But I was going to go with alignment. I have not had an FJR long enough to have delved into it, but does the rear tire adjust like chain-driven bikes? (I'll check tomorrow morning when I go outside.) If the rear is off a bit it could affect how which side of the front has more wear, but I don't know for sure.
But, yeah, 9k seems pretty decent. Of course I also got about that out of a $150 set of Shinko Ravens on the FZ1 a few years back.
The front tire normally wears faster on the left side in countries that drive on the right(opposite to your wear) because you are turning for a longer amount of time when making left turns than making right turns.
Heat is the enemy of tire rubber. The longer or harder you are turning, the more heat that is developed, the faster the tread will wear. Higher pressures reduce the heat buildup. Lower pressures make the tires heat up more. I suspect that because of the low pressures you were running, heat was building up excessively when making the sharper angle right turns vs the longer left turns and resulted in the uneven wear.
Either way, don't sweat it. The tire wore fine for one that was run at the pressures you did. Run them at least 40 Front and 42 rear and you'll get more mileage and more even wear.
FWIW - Running the above pressures I get around 12-13k miles from a front tire, 8 - 10k from a rear, but I replace them individually when the tread is about gone. I do not wait until they are all the way down to the cords.
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eflyguy
Well-known member
As stated, it's not unusual for one side to wear faster than the other. There are many theories as to why but just accept that it happens. Certainly not a defective tire.
I usually wear out the right side of my fronts like your tire. It must be the gravitational pull here in the Pacific Northwest. 
Actually, in my case the problem is that I commute on my FJR and my normal route just happens to involve more right turns that I can hot rod on vs left turns. Too many fun spoiling cagers on most left turns for some reason.
Actually, in my case the problem is that I commute on my FJR and my normal route just happens to involve more right turns that I can hot rod on vs left turns. Too many fun spoiling cagers on most left turns for some reason.
samamoto
Well-known member
I'm new to PR4 GT but my PR3 had exactly this kind of pattern and "issue" but I didn't get to see the cords. While thread was in place it was wearing out steady but slow, as soon as I went below the wear bars it was going out like crazy. My theory, different and softer compound below not meant for road use. Nothing that would be completely unexpected.I usually wear out the right side of my fronts like your tire. It must be the gravitational pull here in the Pacific Northwest.
As for the coupling and right side wear. Someone else mentioned the tires wear most when hot and working hard. If you ever look at track bike tires they are worn on edges and center is almost new. I attribute (again my theory) coupling and right side wear to highway ramps in my case. I have way too much fun with them, lean the bike, push it, enjoy and 8/10 they are right turns. Long and fast turn that allows the tire to warm up a bit and work as they should. I doubt that has anything to do with any mechanical issues on the bike, there would have to be some sort of vibration at certain speeds, patchy wear, pulling to one side or funny noise IMHO.
El Toro
Innocent Bystander
I don't think I've ever gotten 9000 miles on a set of tires for a 130+ hp bike of any kind. Usually about 8000 is the limit for me. I run pressures that match the factory spec. I like the way the bike handles better with those pressures compared to the higher pressures that are often recommended by people who would like to get longer life.
Possibly another issue here is that you don't really know how many miles were on the set when you bought the bike. They could have been swapped over from another bike to make the sale easier. I bought 2008 and 2009 FJRs last Fall and both had their original tires installed. Both sets looked nearly new. Both were hard though. I replaced the tires on the 08 with Pilot Powers and I replaced the tires on the 09 with Pilot Road 4 GTs. I was expected maybe 2500 miles for the PPs, but I sold the bike before I got to that mileage. They looked good when I sold though. I kept the 09, and have been very pleased with the PR4GTs. They seem like a very good tire for the FJR.
And then there is the issue of the state of repair of the suspension, steering head, and wheel bearings that could also contribute.
I have a friend with a 1993 ST1100. It cups and scuffs up tires and has done so since he acquired it in 2003. It looks to me like it might have been whacked at one point. The kickstand doesn't touch right compared to what I remember from my own ST1100 suggesting slight frame damage. I've always thought that his tire wear issue might be related to alignment, but I've never brought it up. He's way too proud of that bike for me to rain on his parade.
Possibly another issue here is that you don't really know how many miles were on the set when you bought the bike. They could have been swapped over from another bike to make the sale easier. I bought 2008 and 2009 FJRs last Fall and both had their original tires installed. Both sets looked nearly new. Both were hard though. I replaced the tires on the 08 with Pilot Powers and I replaced the tires on the 09 with Pilot Road 4 GTs. I was expected maybe 2500 miles for the PPs, but I sold the bike before I got to that mileage. They looked good when I sold though. I kept the 09, and have been very pleased with the PR4GTs. They seem like a very good tire for the FJR.
And then there is the issue of the state of repair of the suspension, steering head, and wheel bearings that could also contribute.
I have a friend with a 1993 ST1100. It cups and scuffs up tires and has done so since he acquired it in 2003. It looks to me like it might have been whacked at one point. The kickstand doesn't touch right compared to what I remember from my own ST1100 suggesting slight frame damage. I've always thought that his tire wear issue might be related to alignment, but I've never brought it up. He's way too proud of that bike for me to rain on his parade.
I've checked your profile and no info on your gender, weight or riding style. If you are average weight and do not ride 2 up there is no need to run GT tires. My friend is running PR4 non GT's on his 2012 FJR and we just returned from a 4200 miles ride from CA to Texas. I am running PR2's. We both have just about 10,000 miles on our PR's. We both maintain 39-40psi in front and 42psi in rear. We ride one up only. We both weigh about 150lbs. My PR2's are 2/3 worn to the wear bars. His PR4's are about the same. I have no unusual wear pattern while his front PR4 has some feather edging on both sides. I suspect that was caused due to the amount of high speed straight highway riding on this past trip. The centers of the tires took most of the wear exposing the softer shoulder rubber on the PR4. I believe the PR4's have more layers of softer rubber than PR2's which have dual compound. If I were you, I would stay with PR4's and be vigilant about tire pressure. If the dealer is installing the new tires, have them check wheel bearings and steering head torque. It will not hurt and should be checked anyway.
SacramentoMike
Not Safe For Work
Um, so that means when you ride home from work, you're making more . . . left turns?I usually wear out the right side of my fronts like your tire. It must be the gravitational pull here in the Pacific Northwest.
Actually, in my case the problem is that I commute on my FJR and my normal route just happens to involve more right turns that I can hot rod on vs left turns. Too many fun spoiling cagers on most left turns for some reason.
danh600
Well-known member
"If you are average weight and do not ride 2 up there is no need to run GT tires."
Give me a few more months and I think I am going to disagree with this. I wore out a set of GTs. Now I am on a
set on Non-GTs. I think I am going to get about 75% of the mileage out of the non-GTs compared to the GTs.
I think the small up charge on the GTs might just be worth it for the extra mileage.
I do have to admit I haven't notice any difference in the handling when comparing the two.
As they say your mileage might vary.
Give me a few more months and I think I am going to disagree with this. I wore out a set of GTs. Now I am on a
set on Non-GTs. I think I am going to get about 75% of the mileage out of the non-GTs compared to the GTs.
I think the small up charge on the GTs might just be worth it for the extra mileage.
I do have to admit I haven't notice any difference in the handling when comparing the two.
As they say your mileage might vary.
TomInPA
Well-known member
The whole left vs right wear may have more to do with right turns in the U.S. being consistently tighter radius than left turns. Some people make up for that by running faster in outside left turns, but most that I have seen wear out the right side a bit quicker.Um, so that means when you ride home from work, you're making more . . . left turns?I usually wear out the right side of my fronts like your tire. It must be the gravitational pull here in the Pacific Northwest.
Actually, in my case the problem is that I commute on my FJR and my normal route just happens to involve more right turns that I can hot rod on vs left turns. Too many fun spoiling cagers on most left turns for some reason.
Nanahanman
Well-known member
High mileage and low pressure asside, that is a very odd wear pattern.
Worn to threads on one side and tread left on the other? Hmmmmmm......
Something else is wrong with the front end.
Uncle Hud
Just another blob of protoplasm using up your oxyg
To the Original Post ...
If the tires were on the bike, but stored during your Canadian 8-month winter, they could be several years old with degraded rubber.
If the tires were on the bike, but stored during your Canadian 8-month winter, they could be several years old with degraded rubber.
redneckj
Well-known member
I clicked on post one time before and it posted 12 times. Is that the record?You need to read, understand, and follow this thread.Yup.. this is a double. Oddly both times I tried to post the site gave me an error.. I logged back in and ta-da! Two posts when I thought there were none.
Mods feel free to delete.
No. I had to suspend a person's posting ability as they clicked on something over 30 times clogging the forum to a crawl.I clicked on post one time before and it posted 12 times. Is that the record?You need to read, understand, and follow this thread.Yup.. this is a double. Oddly both times I tried to post the site gave me an error.. I logged back in and ta-da! Two posts when I thought there were none.
Mods feel free to delete.
Cav47
Adventure Seeker
Is it possible that the right side of the tire was exposed to the elements while it sat for an extended time? Sunlight degrades tires right? Heat too? Maybe the bike was stored next to a high heat source? Milk house heater maybe set on the right side of the front tire in a shed or garage up there in there in Siberia. Chemical spill?? Doesn't someone's dog always pee on their tires??
Or apply Occums Razor to the problem. Air up your tires properly. DAMHIK!!
Either way don't ever let a tire get that bad again or someone might think you are Wheaties twin brother!! LOL
Or apply Occums Razor to the problem. Air up your tires properly. DAMHIK!!
Either way don't ever let a tire get that bad again or someone might think you are Wheaties twin brother!! LOL
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