This may be old news on this forum but the information is important.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

In short, treadlife alone is not an indicator of tire safety. Tires that are older are at much higher risk of catastrophic failure. Check the manufactured date code as listed in the video. The code is the same on both car tires and on MC tires.

You never can be too careful...

But to each his own.

R. Todd

 

Times are changing,when I first got married,and living on love,my car and bike tires came from junk yards.Too much weathercracking throw in a tube.Today certainly can afford new tires,one of my muscle cars tires are over 30 yrs old,not the least bit worried about those.Obviously it sits a lot,still do no concern me at all other than tire pressure.It is all about what we are comfortable with.

 

Worst thing that ever happened to me was at least partly the result of old tires -- broke loose at 65+ on a wide sweeping turn, slid into the other lane and hit a car headon. 4 months in the hospital, a year in traction, so many blood transfusions it nearly killed my father (only source of compatible blood, rare blood type). That was a long time ago. Old tires will never be a cause of anything in my life ever again.

 

thanks kumite.this is good to know.

 

I know that I will check the manufactured date on any new tire that I install. Since I ride around 15K per year... I will wear out a fresh tire long before it became aged and subject to tire tread seperation. Since many folks put on low miles on thier bikes it would be especially important for them to checkt he mfg date to ensure safety.

But to each his own.

R. Todd

 

aged tires will show signs, mostly of "dry rot" little cracks on the sidewall. If you have an old tire, just check out the sidewalls for cracks. If you see cracks it is dry rotted and needs replaced. simple as that

 

+1 on that!

 

My tires will live the same way I do: I will wear out sooner or later but I promise I will never rust out or dry rot.

 

Watch the video. Brand new never installed tires will be hard and prone to seperation without the fist bit of dry rot.... or at least that is what I took away from the video.

I agree however that dry rot and excessive spider cracks are a great indication for quick replacement

But to each his own.
R. Todd

 

**** after i read this thread i checked out the tires on our car as we bought them last year.yup they were ok as they were 20th week 07.but **** the sidewalls are showing signs of cracking.wtf.o well i guess it happens to newer tires too.we don't go to far with it so we will keep an eye on them.hell i guess i will go back to where we bought them and give them hell.thanks again for the heads up though.