Help with front tire

[bradman]

Help!

My PR 2 front tire has lots of tread on it, but almost in the center there is a hard ring type thing around the tire. Could I increase or decrease tire pressure to help with the wobble while I'm riding? My pressure runs from 38 to 42.

Thanks,

Brad

 

[sullivan]

Just sounds like the typical center compound. Sides take the hit. At least you don't have the original 021 tire on that we all bitch about.

 

[puppychow]

40/42 seems to be the consensus. Maybe that will help. Although, I am no expert, just regurgitating from others anecdotal experiences.

 

[wfooshee]

Of course, if it's hosed it's too late to adjust pressures . . . .

 

[03HiYoSilver]

My PR 2 front tire has lots of tread on it, but almost in the center there is a hard ring type thing around the tire.

Brad,

It would seem you did not check your air pressures often enough. There are some Tire Companies, though rare, that have Tire Shavers. If you call around you might be able to find one that can Shave Your Tread so it is uniform.... we have a company here that does this and has done wonders on my Car/Truck tires that are improperly manufactured out of balance.

Good Luck with your fix...

 

[bradman]

My PR 2 front tire has lots of tread on it, but almost in the center there is a hard ring type thing around the tire.

Brad,

It would seem you did not check your air pressures often enough. There are some Tire Companies, though rare, that have Tire Shavers. If you call around you might be able to find one that can Shave Your Tread so it is uniform.... we have a company here that does this and has done wonders on my Car/Truck tires that are improperly manufactured out of balance.

Good Luck with your fix...

Thanks to each of you, I'll follow up on tire shaving, not a bad idea.

Brad

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Here's what they call it from their website:

Tire Truing - Increase tire wear, fuel economy, and benefit your suspension with our tire truing service. Most tires, due to high spots on the tire, are not perfectly round. This is called “out-of-round” and can negatively impact your tires’ wear and car’s performance. We gently shave the high spot off the tire, returning it to its optimal condition.

 

[Roy Epperson]

Help!

My PR 2 front tire has lots of tread on it, but almost in the center there is a hard ring type thing around the tire. Could I increase or decrease tire pressure to help with the wobble while I'm riding? My pressure runs from 38 to 42.

Thanks,

Brad

Good suggestions already provide. One is missing, your front suspension settings. If the rebound is too tight or loose, the tire will not follow the surface and will "hop" after striking a bump cause wear spots. If the preload is wrong, a similar problem and result. To a search for HaulingAshe's recommendations and "how to".

 

[Graham Downunder]

First up I tried this on a Vstrom and it improved the front tire ,so do so at your OWN risk.

I raised the forks in the Tripple trees by 10mm (3/8 inch) this speed up steering and as a side effect smoothed out the tire . You could try 5 mm and see how that works for you, but it did take about 500 miles before it worked on my bike.

Suspension set up is important along with running about 42 psi .Heavy late braking can also have an effect on the tire so if you are doing this expect tire wear like you have.

 

[SkooterG]

Heavy late braking can also have an effect on the tire so if you are doing this expect tire wear like you have.

No doubt that, but imho, it's any moderate to heavy braking while leaned over at all that really does a front tire in.

 

[madmike2]

Heavy late braking can also have an effect on the tire so if you are doing this expect tire wear like you have.

No doubt that, but imho, it's any moderate to heavy braking while leaned over at all that really does a front tire in.

OR.... Those of us who are "man-sized" and then load the bike for travel will load the front tire more than others. Couple tht with the fact the the FJR is a heave creation and riding...er...uhm...briskly through corners tends to wear the front tire into a "V" profile, leaving the harder center of the tire as a crown.

I just replaced my front PR2 @ 12K miles...because I've been having far too much fun on mountaionus and curvy roads, as opposed to the 15K+ miles I got out of the last one.

YMMV!

 

[FJRBluesman]

MM2 - Please define "man size" as SkooterG, OM, Beemerdons, Johnny80s (J80s is a freak of nature) and Bust may think they are in the "man" catagory but are really not...

 

[TILAM]

I've run through several sets of PR2's and all have cupped to some degree. I guess I have a habit of heavy front braking and have always atributed it to that. Avon Storms did it too. Last set lasted almost 11,000 miles so I'm not complaining too much. Big bike, lots of weight and riding it like a sport bike, what do you expect?

 

[madmike2]

MM2 - Please define "man size" as SkooterG, OM, Beemerdons, Johnny80s (J80s is a freak of nature) and Bust may think they are in the "man" catagory but are really not...

Simon, I think bemmerdons qualifies....SkooterG: not so much. Aren't Greg and Ba-a-a-arry about the same size?

In general...."man size" (by my definition) is about "that much" smaller than "Ape Size".

Therefore, anyone who easily qualifies for the Los Robustos moniker is probably "man size".

We're not talking egos or imaginary appendage (Read: yer junk!) lengths, but the physical dimensions of one's physique.

For instance, I'm 6'2"x32" inseam @ 265 lbs (currently).

That means when I sit on my FJR the bike & rider plus fuel (w/out luggage packed) are pushing 1/2 ton. Add to that my "ever attached" fuel cell....

 

[Aasland]

Bradman, I see you are in North Carolina. You have twisty roads which implies you are spending significant time on the sides of your tires, as opposed to the center.

Here in the midwest we have the opposite problem, i.e .the center is worn and the sides have lots of tread left. For us .. the PR2's center to side hardness ratio is perfect in our area.

I wonder if areas which are less topographically challenged than Minnesota warrant a different tire choice than the PR2's?

If anything, a trip across South Dakota should wear down that center part of the your tire ;-)

 

[JET]

Bradman, I see you are in North Carolina. You have twisty roads which implies you are spending significant time on the sides of your tires, as opposed to the center.

Here in the midwest we have the opposite problem, i.e .the center is worn and the sides have lots of tread left. For us .. the PR2's center to side hardness ratio is perfect in our area.

I wonder if areas which are less topographically challenged than Minnesota warrant a different tire choice than the PR2's?

If anything, a trip across South Dakota should wear down that center part of the your tire ;-)

Maybe we should set up a "tire exchange" program to even out the wear for everybody!