6700 miles on a front tire?

[Hello Kitty]

Walt happened to notice today that my front tire is in need of replacement. It's got 6700 miles on it. It's the tire that came with the bike - Metzler something or other. The rear looks spectacular. WTF? I'm used to going through back tires almost 2 to 1 vs the front.

Something different about the FJR? Or is some kind ****** tire that Yamaha sells the bike with cause it's cheap?

 

[exskibum]

Nah -- that's about typical for OEMs. At least you got the Metzler that outlasts the super ****** BT-whatever B-Stones that have also been supplied OEM. Got 5,000 out of the OEM Stones on the front of my '05 -- scalloped terribly, and was holding onto the bars tightly for the last 500 for all the shakin going on before I spooned on some Michelins. For comparison, I get about 9,000 out of a set of PR2s -- both done about the same time from edge to edge.

 

[FJR Bill]

I've read specs somewhere that the weight on the rear and front tires are equal on the FJR. Most bikes have more weight on the rear. I too have been surprised at the front tire wear which for me is about equal to the rear. On my other bikes I usually replace the rear twice before replacing the front. Not so much on the FJR.

Bill

 

[Hello Kitty]

Okay, I feel a litle better now... I'm running PR2's on the FZ6, so maybe I'll go ahead and get those. I'm gonna leave the rear on for now cause it really looks just fine - I'd even say it doesn't look like it's got 6700 miles on it. After my blow out during the IBR and subsequent bike-totaling crash, I'm a bit hyper-sensitive to tires these days....

Just wondering if I should order 2 fronts and one rear. I mean, it's not like I ain't gonna use them. With the GS gone, I'll be forced to start riding the FJR more. Such an awful, awful thing, I know. :lol:

I gotta search and see what folks are using for TPS, I now want one that I can mount on the dash for real time display. Might have saved my ride...

 

[SkooterG]

That's not normal, but as was said, the OEM tires are far from the best choices out there. What pressure are you running? Are you a heavy front brake user? Where was the tire worn the most? Any cupping?

Except for one set of Pilot Road 2s, I have ALWAYS gotten more life from the front than the rear tire. Sometimes the front has gotten pretty worn and started cupping not giving me the best performance however.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Yeah...Usually when my rear is gone, the front still has 'some' life left in it, but they are so close, I just pull them both off at the same time.

This bike is hard on tires, which makes them sensitive to correct air pressure. Also, as Skooter said, there's no telling with the OEM POSs they mount on these bikes.

 

[MrTwisty]

I've NEVER gotten that many miles out of a front or rear tire. Feel fortunate. 4-5K is normal for me, but my bike is allergic to slab. I can't seem to make it go there.

When I first got the bike, I was wearing the front faster than the rear. After a while, I started wearing them about evenly. Now, I wear the rear faster. Go figure.

 

[SkooterG]

I've NEVER gotten that many miles out of a front or rear tire. Feel fortunate. 4-5K is normal for me, but my bike is allergic to slab. I can't seem to make it go there.

When I first got the bike, I was wearing the front faster than the rear. After a while, I started wearing them about evenly. Now, I wear the rear faster. Go figure.

True. Tire mileage is all over the place for differnt owners. For you folks who obviously lack right wrist discipline 4-5k miles on a set of tires is normal. I have NEVER gotten anything close to that low. I usually get 10-12k on a rear, 12-14k on a front. MY last set of PR2s was 16k front and 18k rear. But they were WELL worn and handling like complete *** for the last several thousand miles of their life. I won't take them that far again.

 

[ULEWZ]

I have about 2500 on my factory bt021 and the front is cupping so bad I can't take my hands off the bars without the front end wiggling.

 

[Constant Mesh]

SkooterG, do you have wet roads where you ride? Stray sprinklers, maybe?

You can probably wear your tread right down to the carcass without concern about wet road handling.

 

[SkooterG]

You can probably wear your tread right down to the carcass without concern about wet road handling.

That's right! Do it on a regular basis.

 

[Good2Go]

I'm running PR2's on the FZ6, so maybe I'll go ahead and get those.

Good choice. Those are my favorites for piling on the miles. I'm at around 13k on the set I mounted in Seattle, with at least 2k left. I ran 40 front / 44rear psi on this set and ended up with a lot less squaring off than I normally see at this mileage.

I gotta search and see what folks are using for TPS

Doran for me. It's very accurate, but doesn't have bells & whistles like a temperature display.

 

[RadioHowie]

14K on my last PR2 front....

YMMV

 

[escapefjrtist]

I got about the same mileage (6800) out of my OEM Metzlers on the '06. Front was *looking* more ragged than the back until careful inspection revealed it was about to cord. Moral of the story here is... don't trust the way a Z6 back tire looks because it might be close to cord. YMMV

--G

 

[Dorian]

Walt happened to notice today that my front tire is in need of replacement. It's got 6700 miles on it. It's the tire that came with the bike - Metzler something or other. The rear looks spectacular. WTF? I'm used to going through back tires almost 2 to 1 vs the front.

Something different about the FJR? Or is some kind ****** tire that Yamaha sells the bike with cause it's cheap?

Don't feel too bad, I only got 3825 miles on the new original OEM Bridgestone front tire.

 

[wmadoty]

I just changed my Front OEM BT-021 at 4,800 miles, still running the factory back. I went with the BT-023 GT. Rode about 500 miles on the new front tire and I think I like it. One little slide on a sandy curve, the front slipped out then the back did the same. Scared me but the bike handled it without drama.

Rode in the rain for about 20 miles at 70+ and no problems.

 

[Fred W]

I'm gonna leave the rear on for now cause it really looks just fine - I'd even say it doesn't look like it's got 6700 miles on it. After my blow out during the IBR and subsequent bike-totaling crash, I'm a bit hyper-sensitive to tires these days....

Be very careful with the Metzler rear tire. They can be trickey. It doesn't appear to be badly worn and then 100 miles later you can be into the cords. If you are hyper-sensitive to tire issues, you might be better off just trashing both Z6's and putting something longer wearing on both ends.

Just wondering if I should order 2 fronts and one rear.

If you do go with the PR2's you should be getting more even wear front to back, and considerably more miles than the Z6's. I'm using the back tires up a little faster than the fronts, but that's because I do not ride slab all that much and I'm wearing the (softer) sides off of the rears first. Since I do my own tire changes I just change one end whenever I need to and there is no compulsion to change in sets.

 

[Aasland]

Be very careful with the Metzler rear tire. They can be trickey. It doesn't appear to be badly worn and then 100 miles later you can be into the cords.

Quite a true statement.

On my VFR, running Z6's, it looked fine in Charleston, WV. In Louisville (KY) the first layer of rubber was through and it was getting greasy. Being a Sunday and on the way home (interstates) and no twisties and no rain I just rode it and checked it. By Indy it was showing cords. But I made the remaining 500 miles home on the cords.

 

[Papa Georgio]

I have B-Stone on the front with 10k on it. I should get another 2500 out of it. Tire pressure is so important, that I check it every week.

When you get new rubber you might want to add a set of 83 degree valve stems so you can check pressure and add air without fighting.