MC Tire tread depth

[Fred W]

This one is probably destined for NEPRT greatness.

I had to get the anal annual state safety inspections done on my 3 bikes yesterday, so I looked up the NH state regs on when they would fail a tire for insufficient tread. The answer was anything less than 2/32" of tread at any two locations on the tire. Seems reasonable right?

Naturally, I went out to the garage and measured all the tires in question with my handy dandy tire depth gauge, thoughtfully provided by my employer to check the tires on their company car. Whew... the Strada on the front of the FJR was right at the 2/32" minimum. 3/32" on the back Roadsmaht and 3/32" on the front Dunflop on the VFR. The other 3 tires are all new so no sweat. Hustled the bikes down to the local inspection place one by one and after forking over 3 fresh Jacksons I'm good for another 12 months

Yeah, I feel much safer now. <_<

So, I've just now been doing some further contemplatin'. Seems that a brand new 180/55x17 Roadsmaht is supposed to come with 9/32" of tread. Well I have a brand new set of replacements sitting here, and I'm here to tell you, the new Dunlop has got 8/32 and not a bit more. And the new front Strada has 5/32" new. The spec sheet on Pirelli's web site is FUBAR so I don't know what it's supposed to have. And I'm thinking to myself: Wow, self... that front tire comes with 5/32" and the state says to ditch it at 2/32"? What's wrong with this picture?

The wear bars don't show flush until 1/32" and I plan on running them both down that far (at least) for sure. But imagine how much longer that front tire would last iof it came with the same amount of meat we get on car tires. Even performance CTs come with 10/32" and the grand touring tires are even meatier than that. I suppose there's some really good performance reasons to not have so much squirmy tread on a front tire, but dang it... then don't tell me to replace it at 2/32"!!

4, 3, 2, 1...

 

[jmarran]

Iggy must be in the bathroom.

Still considered "Technical".

 

[Ignacio]

Sounds like it should be a conversation between you and your state legislator. Classic 10th Amendment issue.

 

[Fred W]

Perhaps. What is the minimum tread depth in Kali? Wear bars?

 

[r1byker]

Perhaps. What is the minimum tread depth in Kali? Wear bars?

First, no inspection. Second, it would be wear bars if one got stopped for a traffic violation and the cop decided to look for anything and everything to fill up the lines on the ticket.

 

[Fred W]

Wow, really? I just ass-u-med that every state did MC inspections just like auto inspections.

All the states I ever lived in did, and I've lived in quite a few.

I keep havin' to move on before they catch up to me, ya know...?

(sigh) I guess Kalifornia really is motorcyclin' mecca...

 

[Geezer]

Many states do not have annual motor vehicle inspections. California does not have inspections for cars or motorcycles. They do have other ways of checking for safety and smog compliance.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Fred,

Did you have this same problem last year with your inspections?

There has been a new push to Increase Minimum Tire Depths:

https://fleetowner.com/equipment/tiretracks...th_tread_depth/

https://www.dunntire.com/Learning_Center/Tread_Depth/

This is probably what is happening to you in your state.

 

[HotRodZilla]

California does not have inspection for cars? Really??? As smog conscious as they are, I would have thought they would. Then how the hell do they know if a car has proper "California emissions"?

We have emission inspections in Albuquerque for cars, but not motorcycles, and you only have to get one done every 2 years if you live in Albuquerque. Its kind of stupid, but whatever.

When you got your bikes inspected, did they actually measure the tires? Just wondering if the inspection guys would hold you to that 2/32" rule. MC tires have a lot more tread left at that level.

 

[johnny80s]

In california you have to go every two years and get a smog check. They don't check the car for safety violations just emissions.

 

[happyPuppy]

WA has the same as CA. Just Smog not safety. When I was a kid in CA they did them and it created a huge uproar and they stopped them. CA has stickers that it is a CA car , and they check when you register it via the VIN.

 

[exskibum]

Sounds like it should be a conversation between you and your state legislator. Classic 10th Amendment issue.

Ahhh, but Iggy -- the commerce clause of the US Constitution would give Congress the ability to regulate such things IF they should find (and if the Court agreed if challenged) that this affected interstate commerce (a generally very broad means of enabling Congress in a variety of areas). IF Congress decided to do that, then it is also possible that their regulation could be intended to preempt state action in the field covered by the federal legislation. Enough of that 10th Amendment violability issue, though -- you're probably right that Congress simply chose to leave this to the states.

I agree that addressing this to the one's state legislative representative would be the likely route to a solution (if they're so inclined). OTOH, it could be that (like California and the Fed govt) there is enabling legislation from the legislature to regulate vehicular safety and equipment and that the executive branch (e.g., dept of transportation) then promulgated the regulations to accomplish that within the legislative guidelines. I.e., the governor's office might also be a place to write to address what appears to be an unreasonable regulation and either has its source in the legislative enactments or the executive branch's regulations pursuant to those enactments.

Hey, this IS NEPRT!!

 

[Auburn]

The nice thing here in WA according to a nameless WSP (WA State Patrol) friend, is that tires here only have to be labled DOT approved (he was talking about motorcycles only...don't no about cars/trucks). Slicks, if they are DOT approved would be legal...no tread depth measurement.

He listed a long list of RCW's (Revised Code of WA) that lead to other RCW's and WAC's (WA Ammended Code) that make the slicks legal.

That was a couple of years ago and things could have changed since then.

 

[Crash Cash]

What exskibum said.

And even if they don't find it affects interstate commerce, Congress can say "hey, if you don't want to change your tread depth standards, then I guess you don't want any of this $10bn of road maintenance money either!" That's a neat skirt around the 10th, too. They're not "forcing" the state to do anything, but it sure as hell can't afford to lose the road money. That's how they got the 55mph law through, IIRC.

Florida used to have vehicle inspections in the '80s. I don't know if it covered motorcycles, but I remember the square stickers on people's windshields.

 

[Fred W]

California does not have inspection for cars? Really??? As smog conscious as they are, I would have thought they would. Then how the hell do they know if a car has proper "California emissions"?
We have emission inspections in Albuquerque for cars, but not motorcycles, and you only have to get one done every 2 years if you live in Albuquerque. Its kind of stupid, but whatever.

When you got your bikes inspected, did they actually measure the tires? Just wondering if the inspection guys would hold you to that 2/32" rule. MC tires have a lot more tread left at that level.

Yeah, I am very surprised for the same reason. I just assumed that, with as pollution conscious as CA seems to be, there would be annual inspection requirements such as those that exist in all of the Northeast states.

All vehicles up here are required to get an annual state safety inspection. In New Hamshire only OBDII cars and trucks (1996 and later) are required to pass any sort of emissions test, which amounts to hooking up to an OBDII code reader and making sure there are no pending emissions codes. So motorcycles, since they are not OBDII compliant, are exempted from emissions testing.

The safety inspections on cars are rather thorough. They generally take about 45 minutes to an hour to complete as the do go over all the car's safety systems pretty thoroughly. Although it is a PITA, there is some merit in keeping people too stupid to know any better from driving around in completely unsafe shitboxes. And of course the repair industry just loves it...

OBDII cars cost ~$45 per year (prices vary by inspection station) for safety and emissions checks. Pre '96 cars are generally $25-35 for safety only, and motorcycles usually $20.

And yes, they will most definitely fail a vehicle for less than minimum tread depth. Been there, done that. I now carry my handy dandy tire depth gauge just in case there is any "controversy".

One intrinsic problem with the inspection system is that most licensed inspection stations also happen to (conveniently?) be repair facilities (service stations, dealerships, etc.). Not all state inspection stations do bikes. Most that do are in the industry, i.e. motorcycle dealers or repair places. I figured out (after being reamed for a new back tire at a dealers) that the best place to take a bike for a state inspection is a gas/service station that is licensed to do motorcycle inspections (there are a few), as they have no interest in failing a bike, since that will not drum up any new business for them.

 

[Fred W]

Fred,
Did you have this same problem last year with your inspections?

There has been a new push to Increase Minimum Tire Depths:

https://fleetowner.com/equipment/tiretracks...th_tread_depth/

https://www.dunntire.com/Learning_Center/Tread_Depth/

This is probably what is happening to you in your state.

Thanks for the links. Here's an interesting (and germane) excerpt from the 2nd one:

There is no national law governing minimum tread depth, but 42 states consider 2/32 inch the minimum legal tread depth. California and Idaho consider 1/32 the minimum, and Arkansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina and West Virginia have no standards on tread depth.
 
In Canada, the minimum tread depth of 2/32 inch for cars/light trucks is a
federal standard
, enforced by local police under the authority of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, according to information from the Rubber Association of Canada.
 
However,
in Texas vehicles with tires below 3/32-inch tread depth cannot pass the state-mandated safety inspections
, according to Phillip Nussbaum, president of A to Z Tire & Battery Inc. in Amarillo, Texas.

So, in Texas, will they fail a front motorcycle tire when it has worn less than half way? :blink:

 

[dcarver]

Go talk to OCFJR. He has the solution for you!

 

[Fred W]

Go talk to OCFJR. He has the solution for you!

:lol:

Not for the front one he don't!!

 

[meosborn]

Break out the utility knife and get rid of the wear bars. You might want to take care you don't slash the tire though.