Ford has used Firestone tires for a 100 years. I doubt if automobile assembly plants really give a crap.
(I have had several Firestone tires and everone of them has went bad before they wore out).

 

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I'm surprised that an HD Dealership would sell tires that old. Did They want You to sign something releasing Them from liability?

 

The dealer probably got a deal from a supplier.

 

I work for Ford and every tire is scanned, if the date code is older than 1 year it is sent back to the supplier.

 

I would mount them up to 2-3 years old. I burn through them in 6 months so it wouldn't be on the bike long.

 

Just because manufacturers won't use them after they are one year old does not mean they are no good after a year. Some vehicles sit on a lot for years before they are sold and the manufacturers are always subject to law suits so they do what is best to protect themselves.

The USA is conducting studies but currently have no rules regarding tire age. However this is from England.

The British Rubber Manufacturers Association (BRMA) recommended practice issued June, 2001, states "BRMA members strongly recommend that unused tires should not be put into service if they are over six years old and that all tires should be replaced ten years from the date of their manufacture."

 

This "stale date" thing has got me wondering about tires on my trailer. We usually take a vacation 1 or 2 times a year, load the car and tow the HD (with more junk strapped on the trailer that won't fit in the car). Not a lot of miles on the trailer, but it was bought in 2006. Does that mean the tires should be replaced to keep from tire failure? We all better take a look at our tires!

 

This spring while washing my trailer I noticed cracking on both tires. Severe cracking. I replaced both and decided to keep them covered in-between trips. I put white vinyl tire covers over the new tires. Man it took a few days but those white covers turned brown. From now on I keep them covered and let out some air for winter storage.

 

Trailers are one of the biggest victims of stale tire failure. People put a couple hundred miles a year on them and figure they'll last a lifetime at that rate. When not in use keep them covered, keep the air pressure up and rotate the tires every couple of months to prevent flat spots. Also check for cracking and deteriorating rubber. Trailers are more suseptible to accidents because of the added weight and the addition of extra axles. People that tow a couple times a year are also not as competent at handling over sized rigs.