[Bipeflier]

Ok, in over 40 years of riding I have never left on a long trip without new skins on the bike. This has resulted in throwing away some usable rubber over the years.

I am about to embark on a west coast trip, 5-6,000 miles in a week. The Bridgestone on the front was installed just before Rockies Gold last Sept. and has about 1/2 tread depth left (.170" new vs .080 now). It has 9800 miles on it now.

Do I risk it as common sense says it should be good for 7-8000 miles more or do I mount the new one before I leave?

I figure if it goes away I can surely find a shop in California or Colorado that could mount up something.

At the price of tires I just hate throwing away money.

 

[XCOP]

Ok, in over 40 years of riding I have never left on a long trip without new skins on the bike. This has resulted in throwing away some usable rubber over the years.

I am about to embark on a west coast trip, 5-6,000 miles in a week. The Bridgestone on the front was installed just before Rockies Gold last Sept. and has about 1/2 tread depth left (.170" new vs .080 now). It has 9800 miles on it now.

Do I risk it as common sense says it should be good for 7-8000 miles more or do I mount the new one before I leave?

I figure if it goes away I can surely find a shop in California or Colorado that could mount up something.

At the price of tires I just hate throwing away money.

Depending on the reading of your statement "5-6,000 miles in a week".

If you are leaving in a week for a 5-6,000 mile trip and not under time constraints I would run the current tire and replace if needed enroute.

If you are planning on traveling 5-6,000 miles in a weeks time, I would start with a fresh one.

 

[Bipeflier]

To clarify, leaving in a week for a 6000 mile trip. Plan on taking 2 weeks to do the loop.

 

[31261]

I would probably would run with it, carefully watching wear/tread depth and tire pressure on a daily basis. Rationale: I don't like wasting tires/money or buying new tires until I have to either. I tend to run tires just into the wear bar, figuring that the engineers designed to tire to run to that point.

 

[Ed Kruse]

My last BS front tire went 21000 miles and was just at the wear bars. I have rub several others to 16-18000 without getting to the wear bars. The BS front tire seems to wear slower during the second half of the tire. This is contrary to many other tires I have run.

 

[SlowJoe]

Change the tire and save it. You're gonna have to buy one someday. Today the new tire comes with free 'Peace of Mind.
Tire-$200
Peace of Mind-Priceless.

 

[1800wannabee]

Change the tire and save it. You're gonna have to buy one someday. Today the new tire comes with free 'Peace of Mind.
Tire-$200
Peace of Mind-Priceless.

+1. I have a Bridgestone with 7400 miles setting in my shed. I took it off prior to a 6000 mile trip. I get 10,000-13,000 miles on a 709.

 

[Bipeflier]

Update: We are about 4k into the trip and in Utah now. So far, so good!!

Still haven't reached the wear bars and it looks like it will make it back to Missouri with some center groove left!!

 

[gr8phun]

I have a $22,000 Wing plus an extra $2600 dollars in add ons.
I'm not going to try and an extra $20-25 dollars worth of wear out of my tires.

I want every 1/32 of a inch of safety in the rain I can get.

I always change before they wear down to the bar.

Which is why I run with run flats.

 

[SteveU]

Ok, in over 40 years of riding I have never left on a long trip without new skins on the bike. This has resulted in throwing away some usable rubber over the years.

I am about to embark on a west coast trip, 5-6,000 miles in a week. The Bridgestone on the front was installed just before Rockies Gold last Sept. and has about 1/2 tread depth left (.170" new vs .080 now). It has 9800 miles on it now.

Do I risk it as common sense says it should be good for 7-8000 miles more or do I mount the new one before I leave?

I figure if it goes away I can surely find a shop in California or Colorado that could mount up something.

At the price of tires I just hate throwing away money.

Might be an idea to get a spare wheel & mount a new tire before taking trips such as these & using the worn down tires for local rides until they are down to where you are comfortable riding them. That way you are not throwing away useable rubber & at the same time not having to stress about whether a tire will make it on a long trip. Once the kids get a bit older & we are able to travel a bit that is what I'm planning on doing.

 

[kmassey]

:agree:

Change the tire and save it. You're gonna have to buy one someday. Today the new tire comes with free 'Peace of Mind.
Tire-$200
Peace of Mind-Priceless.

 

[laen]

change the tire

 

[srobak]

No point in changing the tire before it is due - that's just pissing away money. Anyone who does is welcome to send me their take-offs, postage due (D250's only, thanks).

If it is going to wear out several thousand miles into your trip - you should be able to gauge as when it is getting close... call ahead to a shop you will be in the vicinity of and make an appointment for your bike. Most shops will do these in fairly short order for out-of-towners and travelers. Drop off the bike, go for a walk around town and a bite to eat, go back and get the bike and keep going down the road. Simple planning and logistics takes care of any "problem" this might pose - and doesn't waste good rubber in the process. Yes, I do this process often.

 

[new jersey lefty]

When in doubt, change.

 

[Bipeflier]

Well I appreciate all of the opinions. As orginally stated, the tread depth indicated it should last the 6000 mile trip.

We completed the trip today, short of the 6000 miles by 600. The tire did fine, still not quite to the wear bar indicators so the wear rate is apparently pretty constant on the Bridgestones.

I am glad I tried it and very glad it worked out.

In the future I will ride them until they are worn out!! YMMV

 

[bozodriver]

run with it just the way you are .. "if need" you can always get a new one on the road.
Enjoy your vacation ... :lol:

 

[Gizmo]

Well I appreciate all of the opinions. As orginally stated, the tread depth indicated it should last the 6000 mile trip.

We completed the trip today, short of the 6000 miles by 600. The tire did fine, still not quite to the wear bar indicators so the wear rate is apparently pretty constant on the Bridgestones.

I am glad I tried it and very glad it worked out.

In the future I will ride them until they are worn out!! YMMV

I'm glad all worked out for you on the trip.

Now, to belatedly add my 2 cents worth, I'll just say that it seems that whenever I've had tire trouble it was during the last 1/2 of the tire's life. Also, I've misjudged a tire's life expectancy before and ended up buying new tires along the way...often a very expensive proposition and a significant time delay. So, it's happened to me more than once that I've had a half-worn tire when it was time to embark on a long ride. These days, I'll install new tires and bank the old ones for a time when they will come in handy.