Caution with new tires........

[Shane]

It sounded more like he blamed the tires at first according to the title! In 40 yrs. of riding I have never dropped it because of new tires! Even when I raced, 1 to 2 moderate laps and they were ready to go. Sometimes all you get is a warm-up lap on a new tire. On the street they should be ready to go after 10 mi. for sure, I don't care what kind of tires they are! I think it was just a case of heavy throttle hand myself! Glad he's OK.

Well said.

Another lesson to be learned from the racetrack.

Shane

 

[zorkler]

since i purchased the fjr i use a wire brush to do the job

 

[HotRodZilla]

I don't know about this. Yes, you need to be careful with brand new tires, but people go off the deep end IMHO.
When you have brand new tires, you need to be light with throttle input for a few miles when leaned over. It's that simple. The "50-100 miles" is complete bullshit in my experience. I have my tires broken in after about 5-10 miles. I have never sanded them, nor have had I had any problems. And I go through a lot of tires.

This is what I do: After mounting the new tires, while traveling down the road I weave back and forth (within a single lane). The weaves are small at first, and slowly progress to bigger ones and greater lean angles. The goal is to scrub, or roughen the tire's surface in a progressive fashion from the center to the outside. That's it. Most likely, they are fully broken in within a mile or two.

All the problems where people have crashed with new tires that I have personally heard of have been due to moderate to aggressive throttle input while leaned over within a mile or two of tire installation.

Don't fret over this too much. Don't be an idiot either.

I gotta go with SkooterG on this one. I have always been cautious with new tires and have never had a problem, but on the day I bought my FJR, it started raining as I pulled it out of the dealership. We were in Durango CO, and rode on brand new bike, with brand new tires to Silverton in a downpour. Never a slip as far as the tires were concerned. Just like on any other day, keeping that right hand in check is veeeeeeeeeeery important.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Maybe if you go real fast the first time out you can get that dangerous breaking-in period over with and you'll be safe quicker.

 

[user 8909]

When first new before riding I will scrub them down with Simple Green but when breaking them in, I usually just take it slow and careful for a tank full or so, always being cautious when they are cold, reguardless.

In the past with new tires I have only put 1/2 the amount of air pressure in them a buzzed around the neighborhood for a bit at low speeds, zig zagging and a few sudden stops.

Just found being cautious works as well.

With that said, these new PR2's I just installed are the slickest new tires I've ever seen, I may take the advice above and put some sandpaper to these.

 

[bmwhd]

I don't know about this. Yes, you need to be careful with brand new tires, but people go off the deep end IMHO.
When you have brand new tires, you need to be light with throttle input for a few miles when leaned over. It's that simple. The "50-100 miles" is complete bullshit in my experience. I have my tires broken in after about 5-10 miles. I have never sanded them, nor have had I had any problems. And I go through a lot of tires.

This is what I do: After mounting the new tires, while traveling down the road I weave back and forth (within a single lane). The weaves are small at first, and slowly progress to bigger ones and greater lean angles. The goal is to scrub, or roughen the tire's surface in a progressive fashion from the center to the outside. That's it. Most likely, they are fully broken in within a mile or two.

All the problems where people have crashed with new tires that I have personally heard of have been due to moderate to aggressive throttle input while leaned over within a mile or two of tire installation.

Don't fret over this too much. Don't be an idiot either.

I gotta go with SkooterG on this one. I have always been cautious with new tires and have never had a problem, but on the day I bought my FJR, it started raining as I pulled it out of the dealership. We were in Durango CO, and rode on brand new bike, with brand new tires to Silverton in a downpour. Never a slip as far as the tires were concerned. Just like on any other day, keeping that right hand in check is veeeeeeeeeeery important.

Jeebus! That road scares the crap out of me in a cage when it's wet. Wow, what a way to break in some tires!

 

[FJRGuy]

The 44 feet is a really precise number and most people are absolutely horrible at giving numbers for distances unless they have really good measuring references.

Hmmm.... good thing he had all those marks on the road and likely a tape measure in the garage.

With that said, these new PR2's I just installed are the slickest new tires I've ever seen, I may take the advice above and put some sandpaper to these.

Good to know! Just bought 2 pair and now thinkin' maybe a few minutes with a foam sanding block would be worthwhile.

 

[TruWrecks]

I have taken brand new tire on the track on my Busa. Not a single issue with slipping around. My FJR tires are scrubbed almost all the way to the edge with 36 miles on the ODO. It's not about the tires. It's about being smooth on the throttle and brakes until the tire warms up. I try to be smooth on the throttle and brakes all of the time regardless of the tire conditions. I guess that's why I can get 5000 miles out of sport tires on my Busa (except the Avon Viper Sport).

Repeat after me, "Smooth throttle and brakes, for a better rider it makes" (Yoda speak)

 

[SkooterG]

Smooth throttle and brakes, for a better rider it makes!

 

[lnewlf]

Weld grinder works good-gets rid of chicken strips too..

 

[HotRodZilla]

I gotta go with SkooterG on this one. I have always been cautious with new tires and have never had a problem, but on the day I bought my FJR, it started raining as I pulled it out of the dealership. We were in Durango CO, and rode on brand new bike, with brand new tires to Silverton in a downpour. Never a slip as far as the tires were concerned. Just like on any other day, keeping that right hand in check is veeeeeeeeeeery important.

Jeebus! That road scares the crap out of me in a cage when it's wet. Wow, what a way to break in some tires!

Ha! Don't let the big talk fool ya. I had just traded in a Honda VTX 1800 and was very used to that low seat height. I was scared shitless way up on this new tall FJR riding in Hellatious rain. My buddy on his Beemer and I basically kept our eyes on the white line and rode cautiously. Then we passed a truck that had gone off the road on the inside of one of those big switchbacks probably 10 minutes before we got there. It musta been 500 feet down the embankment. When we finally got to Silverton, I was glad to be there.

 

[GunMD]

Smooth throttle and brakes, for a better rider it makes!

Thanks, Yoda.

 

[TruWrecks]

Smooth throttle and brakes, for a better rider it makes!

Thanks, Yoda.

You're welcome. :glare: