my bike IS my ride. i ride 24/7/365. pisses me off to have ta ride in a car or truck. ridin keeps me sane. 30k this year. 3 tires. read an article where a top Dunlop rep said to keep the rear at 40 and frt at 38 on the HD touring bikes and thats what ive done. do i check my air pressure every time I ride? please. .... i check it a couple times a month and im always givin the tires a visual very time i walk past the bike. im all for saftey. only two wheels there. but im not going ta be **** about it either. my 300 dollar helmet slips outta my hand i aint gonna replace that either. im gonna brush it off and put er on my noggin.im not bashing anyone that wants ta be more meticulous-everyone has thier own routines(hopefully)

and sugarbear: dont take everythang to heart. with the exception of one or two not worth namin everyone here on the forum has been a wealth of help/knowledge and encouragement to those of us who can take some constructive criticism. ride safe

 

I was reading in manual (yeah, some cowboys can read) that alignment needs to be checked periodically. After installing ids I didn't see any adjustment on my bie, but I suppose it could be tracking wrong. I have a buddy with softtail with wide rear tire only gets 5k per rear, dealer says this is normal, but when I ride behind it sometimes appears to track off. May be worth checking.

 

Thanks Iguess I will have to quit being so sensitive you are right I have picked up a lot from the guys on this forum, also got a lot of laughs from some comments. Maybe I should check them more often. I have my pilot license too and did a through pre inspecton on the plane but a bike isn't quits so critical. Thanks again I will get my head out of my rearend.

 

Sugarbear,

Do you use the rear brake alot? Assuming your air pressure was always good and assuming you're not on unusually abrasive pavement surfaces and as you say you don't "Hot-Rod" it, then perhaps alot of rear brake usage? Otherwise I'd also say this is very poor wear/mileage for a Dunlop.

My last rear Dunlop on my E-Glide had 16,700 on it. I personally get better mileage out of Dunlops than I do Metzelers (only got 9500 or so on my last rear Metzeler). I commute 135 miles a day in So Cal - all freeway cruising, so I get phenomenal mileage usually - almost 28,000 on my last front tire. For me 5500 on a rear tire would be a disaster considering the miles I rack up - expensive!

 

How much weight are you carrying and what do you believe is proper tire pressure?

 

I use the front brake more than the rear but I do use the rear. Most of my riding is two up and keep 40 lbs. in the rear tire. I hadn't thought about it but alot of the riding on this tire was the BRP and that pavement is kind of rough. After everything some people have said it probably isn't the tire I was probably putting wear on it myself with the way I ride, I didn't think so but maybe I was wrong. I will see how the next one does and if that doesn't get any better everytime I need an oil change the tire will be worn out and I will just trade bikes kind of like the old joke the ashtray was full so trade the car

 

Yeah, a new tire per oil change would ruin me! That would be a new rear tire every 8 to 10 weeks max - eeeeek!!!

Now the comment on tracking is a possible culprit i never thought of. Though i think it would evidence itself by cupping and funny wear patterns on the tire. Look into that angle as this would certain play hell with tire wear.

 

I just did the same thing at about the same miles but if anything, mine was just a bit more worn - around 1Kleft. Maybelocal gravel (or whatever they put in there)with asphalt where you live S-Bear?

 

My first Dunlop stock tire went at 5,500 miles. That was in the first six months I had the UC. The trips were a couple out to the mountains of WV, Myrtle Beach Bike week, trip to Virginia Beach and lots of local riding. My dealer said it was a little early but he had seen other wear. He asked me to keep 40 psi in it all the time. I had always done that. It was never off of 40 psi from the time I brought it home new. I watched both tires tread wear so it was no surprise when I was below 2/32 left! The second tire lasted about 6,500 miles. That was over a 3 week trip from Rapid City, SD to Washington, back through Nevada, Utah, Colorado and back to Virginia. Put Michelin Commanders on the bike, front and rear, this time (the front was still doing great at 12,000 but wanted to go with blackwalls this time, so replaced both with Michelins). Also did the IDS at 12,000. I understand the rear tire is to wear longer with the IDS. Have only put about 1,000 miles so far, so can't tell the wear yet. Will be going back to Myrtle Beach in May and to Newfoundland, CA in June, so I will know this summer what kind of mileage I will get with the new Michelins and the IDS.

Jim

'07 Ultra Classic