Cupping

[Scythian]

OK, I take good care of my tires--inspect and check the pressure before every ride. I could tell if anything looked odd, or worn out.

That being said, what the hell is 'cupping'.

I see this a lot on the forum here, and beyond guessing it is some kind of odd and undesirable wear pattern, I don't know what it is.

What does it look like?

What causes it?

How do I prevent it?

Thanks.

(Now, if you know what that is, maybe you can tell me what an 'over the top' golf swing is? --I see that in print all the time with the assumption that everyone knows intrinsically what that means....)

 

[Ignacio]

I think Dunlop's Website explains several of your questions with pictures and some alternative explanations here.

All from the top 10 Googling of the term "motorcycle tire cupping".

 

[Scythian]

Hmmmm.... Not terribly helpful.

From Dunlop site:

"You may not be able to entirely avoid cupping. Tire cupping or irregular wear is a somewhat common occurrence on all vehicles."

So it's just 'irregular wear'.

'Cupping' is an awfully specific name for something that general. From reading this forum, I would guess that it meant a specific type of (preventable) uneven wear....

Happy Cupping!

 

[radman]

https://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

15 seconds of google can yield hours of reading enjoyment. Try it sometime.

 

[Scythian]

I wasn't interested in what other folks say 'cupping' is.

I was curious what the denizens of the FJR Owners Forum Right Here thought it was....

I can probably find any technical answer to any motorcycle question on Google, so why not just get f'in rid of this tech forum. It's a waste of bandwidth....

I think X-mas is making you guys grumpy....

If it's just tire wear, why call it 'cupping'? Why not call it 'rimming'? Or something....

 

[radman]

It's not just tire wear-it's unusual tire wear. My Stones at 6000 vibrated at speed, turned in oddly at slow speed (almost like the Avon wiggle) and had generally turned to shit. When cupped, not all of the tread is in contact with the road, this is how you are able to see it, as the tire will show 2 distinctives shades of coloring, lighter in the area no longer in contact. Drive into a garage with a dusty floor (body shop dust would be perfect) and the distinctive pattern will show up perfectly. And I am, as are others here, one of "the others". Guess I don't know WTF it is you're looking for, as our opinions and descriptions are no better, no worse than the ones in the provided links.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Radman, your pics and explanation seemed clear enough, I guess some guys :asshat: just don't get it.

:jester:

 

[Scythian]

When cupped, not all of the tread is in contact with the road, this is how you are able to see it, as the tire will show 2 distinctives shades of coloring, lighter in the area no longer in contact.

Thanks for the longer answer.... I think that answer is better than the ones I could find in the links.

Are those portions no longer in contact parallel to the direction of travel, or perpendicular?

Are the portions no longer in contact the 'cups' in the thread referred to in the name cupping?

 

[shuswaper]

It`s called cupping because localized spots on the tread, wear significantly faster than on the other areas of the tread. It most often occurs on one side (or the other) of a tread block.Hence the normally smoothe, curved surface of the tire becomes bumpy...the tread block pattern has become "cupped". Looked at another way, you could say it is "scalopped". Turn a tea cup upside down...you now have a general shape that the tread block pattern turns into. When it gets bad, you will feel a vibration through the bars and the tire will "howl" at around 30-50 kmh. The FJR is a notorious cupper. The extent varies between brands of tires. The B.Stones 020`s may be the worst. The Avon Azzaro may be the best. This is argueable.What is not argueable: if you want to reduce the rate of this "irregular" wear, have your front tire inflated to a minimum of 40psi. It will run cooler and last longer overall. I know, because like many others, I have had to deal with cupping as well. I do believe, it`s the braking forces that scuff off the rubber into the "cupping" pattern. Perhaps someone else can pick up the baton here. :assasin:

 

[Scythian]

Hey, cup you! Joker....

I was curious why the **** it was called something dumbass like 'cupping' instead of 'striping', 'banding', 'fisting' or 'rimming' or whatever the ****.

Thanks for giving me shit for asking a ligitimate goddamned tech question on the goddamned tech forum.... Dicks.

 

[Ignacio]

I wasn't interested in what other folks say 'cupping' is.
I was curious what the denizens of the FJR Owners Forum Right Here thought it was....

I can probably find any technical answer to any motorcycle question on Google, so why not just get f'in rid of this tech forum.  It's a waste of bandwidth....

I think X-mas is making you guys grumpy....

If it's just tire wear, why call it 'cupping'?  Why not call it 'rimming'?  Or something....

And what makes us more likely to have an answer than a tire manufacturer or concerned person that bothered to detail on website?

Part of being a successful contributor to this forum FNG is to add value by contributing to the body of FJR knowledge as much as asking detailed questions. Yours were basic questions indicating you didn't know anything about cupping and should go hit the basics first.

If you wanted the etymology of the term "cupping" then maybe you should have asked that. Now that would be a challenge worth of this group. I don't know the answer to that, but can imagine it wouldn't be called rimming because tires didn't start historically on rims--they started on wheels.

Or maybe the British (creaters of weird terms like spannes and bonnets) had a prediliction for tea cups.

Hey, cup you! Joker....
I was curious why the **** it was called something dumbass like 'cupping' instead of 'striping', 'banding', 'fisting' or 'rimming' or whatever the ****.

Thanks for giving me shit for asking a ligitimate goddamned tech question on the goddamned tech forum.... Dicks.

And mellow out. Personal attacks aren't tolerated here. See the other message you've gotten personally my friend.

 

[Scythian]

Yeah, the 'cup you' part was way over the top....

 

[shuswaper]

Hey Scythian...you remind me very much of our ole friend TXFJR from the other sites! In any event, how long have you been riding the FJR? :assasin:

 

[Scythian]

Hey Scythian...you remind me very much of our ole friend TXFJR from the other sites! In any event, how long have you been riding the FJR?

Hahahah.... That's a good thing, I hope. I'm not TXFJR. I'm a New Mexican.

I've ridden a '05 ABS since late July--4K miles.

Before that, I repaired and rode a CB1000Custom--the one with two transmissions--for 45K miles. Before that, it was all dirt bikes and dual-purpose Hondas.

The FJR is the perfect bike for me and it has the best online grass-roots support (aside from this whole current cupping fiasco).

I'll never utter the word again...

 

[Thug]

Scythian

You have to realise there are a handful of members here that seem to be able to say a do what they like (from observations over many months) without reprisal (remember it's not your house so the rules will change as the house owner sees fit) so don't worry about the taunts too much they cannot help themselves. I don't think they were breast fed when they were kiddies.

Most of the gang here are pretty good and have a great bank of knowledge as you have just found out, there are some who are cockheads who just like to insult, some who give you the answer and then insult you, and then there are the rest who are more than happy to help.

You will notice the cockheads will feed off each other, you know, let's hang shit on someone and give em heaps for no other reason, the type that would never have the guts to say it to your face if they ever met you. But on the whole it's good place most of the time.

Enjoy!

 

[twowheelnut]

Cockheads???? Really, Thuggy, at this level, 'poopy-heads' is more apropo, duncha think?

 

[Scythian]

OK, since some of you guys were mean to me, and others of you took away lots of my warning points..... :angry:

I'm not going to let you ride the Turquois Trail here in New Mexico. :lol:

I won't let you ride HWY 550 from Bernalillo to Farmington. :bleh:

And you guys, you know who you are, are definitely not going to get to ride to Taos with me on Friday

('cept Thug, he's nice) :lol:

It's 56deg F here in New Mex and no signs of cupping or rimming....

 

[Bounce]

forget it

 

[Scythian]

>>different than the accepted, standard term?<<

If it is such a standard accepted term, what does it mean? What does it refer to?

How can I tell my tire is 'cupping' instead of just 'wearing irregularly'

Huh?

How can I prevent it?

Does it happen to all tires/motorcycles or is the FJR more prone to it?

How many miles should I expect out of my tires before it is inevitable?

Tire pressure? Does that have an influence on this 'cupping'?

Lemme know, since y'all are so fuckin smart and know all about these things and being an FNG, I don't....