So I just got done having my 5K service done on my 09 Fat Boy, and my front tire is already at 4/32nds and my rear tire at 3/32nds tread depth. I guess the front tire isn't all that bad, but the rear tire being down that far already has me a bit concerned. Most of my riding consists of highway travel to and from work, although on the ride home I do tend to hit several red lights. I've never peeled out and only had to brake hard on a handful of occasions. Any thoughts on why the back tire is down so far already? I've got 85 to 90% left on my front brakes, but only 50-55% on the back. Obviously I'm using my rear brakes way more than the front...could that be the cause of the tire wear too? And yes, this is my first bike...if you don't count the POS Suzuki I had about 20 years ago that was...well....a POS.

 

Downshifting at too high a rev, or w/o rev matching, can cause the rear tire to momentarily "chirp" or skid. Do that enough times and it will accellerate tire wear. I would also check that inflation pressure is not too high or too low.

 

I would say check the air pressure.

 

Rear tires usually only last about 8-10k.

 

I replaced mine at 8k. The rear was at the marks, the front was cupping. Same kind of riding. A dealer here was having a 30% off sale on tires so I jumped on it. Probably could have gotten another 1k out of them.

Also the rear brakes drag a bit so they can wear out before the fronts. There are some threads here about cleaning the rear brake pistons to help with the drag. I got 9k out of my front brakes. The rears were replaced at 8k.

 

On my original tires - new 2009 Rocker - I got 8737 on the rear tire and replaced the front at the same time - dealer had a special going. My second rear tire I got 9757 and it looked like I could have gotten more out of it but the front tire was cupping pretty bad so I replaced both. I am on my third set of tires and today before the ride I noticed that at 4270 miles the rear is down to 4/32 so I might get 10k out of it if the front holds up.

I check the air pressure all the time and keep 40 in the rear and 30 in the front. Service manual calls for 38 without a passenger and 42 with a passenger for the rear.

I am on my third set of brake pads for the rear and I am still using the original pads on the front.

 

I appreciate all of you who answered my post about my tires and brakes. I talked to a buddy of mine in Vegas who used to have a Fat Boy and now owns a Street Glide. He told me pretty much the same thing that y'all did. He also mentioned that on his last set of tires he got 20K (no it's not a typo) on them. After telling him how I ride most of the time, he suggested that I not be in such a hurry to get up to speed, that the extra torque I'm putting on the rear end is probably what's causing them to wear so fast...but that the rear brakes and tires always wear faster because of that. I have chirped the tires twice in the 4 months I've had the bike, because of having to stop very quickly. Other than that I guess it's just the desire I have to get to wherever it is that I'm going...not because I have to hurry...I just don't like to dawdle I suppose. You would think a 50 year old man wouldn't worry about stuff like that so much, huh?

Thanks again for the responses.

 

Thats about average for the 200 rear... If U have read anything in here, lots of members getting 4-7 k out of them......

 

You just cannot ride the Hog like grandma (no offense to seasoned ladies). Part of the fun is goosing it every now and then. Pretty much all motorcycles eat tires. It makes up for all the fuel they save. The annoying part for me is the sh*tty rear caliper design allowing for drag. The word I got from the dealer is this design dates back to 2000 and it is just the way it is. If they are going to keep this crappy design they should drop the price of the brakes. I might go with Lyndall's next.

 

i do a lot of in city driving and I get 5K off the rear tire and brakes. Now at 20K the front tire is still good and the brakes are ready to come off. The rear got new pads and tire. I walked out of Cycle gear for 188. Tire 122, mount 20, ECB pads 30. Pulled and remounted the wheel myself.
My problem besides all the stop and go is the slow speed manuvers. Dragging the rear to take the tourge jerk out (Trail braking) at the stop lights and stop and go traffic. People I ride with can't believe how slow I can get without having to put foot down. And how at stop lights I can stand and stop and go without foot down.