I bought a New SERK last May and put just about 8000 mi. on it last summer. It had the "up grade" and that definately fixed a couple issues. I am extreamly pleased with it but have a question about tires. My front one is worn out in the center and has a "ripple" effect down the middle. The back one is good for another 3-4000 mi. yet. What should a guy put on--The same thing?

 

You should have gotten more than 8k out of the front. This is a weird problem as usually it's the rear that wears faster than the front. Can't tell you what to put on. I've got experience with both Metzeler and Dunlops. Generally, the Dunlops do not wear as fast as the Metz's. Good luck.

 

Thanks, ON the last bikes I've owned thats what I've found--about 20,000 on the back and 10,000 on the front +or- .I'm rather fussy about tire pressure so don't think that was contributary. How about the mixed rubber compound in the Dunlops? JN

 

That makes no sense at all. I can get 5000, maybe 7500 miles on a rear tire. On my last bike, I changed the rear 3 times and it still didn't need a front tire. Your front tire should probably get you 20,000 mile range. The rear should be way less. The tire where the power comes from will always wear quicker...just like a front wheel drive vehicle has the front tires wearing quicker and a rear wheel drive, the rear wears quicker. You have an extremely strange situation.

What tire do you have on the front of your bike? Is it the D407F by any chance? I thought they were only on the 09 models, but it could explain the problem. Here's a bulletin about those tires: http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.p...;attach=101648

Other than that, I don't know how you could be wearing out a front tire before the rear one goes.

 

Where can I get one of those 20,000 mile rear tires?????

About 8000 is the best I have ever done on my rear tire, and 21,000 on the front.

 

Tires hold the road by friction...the harder you push the bike the more friction is used to hold it in the turns...easy flat road miles with a conservative throttle will make the same tire last 2X hard riding. I have a bult in tire wear guage on my bike...it is my smile...the wider the smile the lower the tire life....damn, now i know why my face always cramps when on a long ride! Jim FXDSE2

 

I don't care how well you treat a rear tire, on a motorcycle, you're not going to get 20,000 miles on one and you say you have done this on more then one bike?
Do you possibly come from a different planet, that has less gravity then Earth?
Tom

 

Hey thanks fo all the replies! I was gone for a while so couldn't reply fast. TO those that can't believe my mileage--Congrats!! I screwed up and put the cart before the pony! You are absolutely correct--I used to get about 20 on the FRONT and 10 on the BACK (duh) anyway it DID have the Dunlop D407F on the front and I'm going to follow up on that. You are also correct about the larger smile and less tire wear but I have'nt been stopping Quite that hard! Anyway, thanks to all who posted! JN

 

Wear down the centre suggests pressure is too high, or you are hanging it out and drifting a lot when cornering!