Old New Tire Dilemma

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by Michael Boeglin, Aug 9, 2019.

  1. Michael Boeglin

    Michael Boeglin New Member

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    Hi, everyone. Just brought home a 98 VFR, clean with high miles. It rides like new, except the front tire is very worn. PO included a box of parts, and in there is a brand new Michelin Pilot Power, but the manufacture date is 2013 (inside the oval reads 0613). It was stored in a basement inside its plastic wrappings, and doesn't feel any harder than the new tires on my other bike. I'll need to pay $50 for mounting around here, and I could be safe and get an actual new new tire for about $140. Do I go ahead and mount the old one and not worry about it, or do I spend a little extra and get a brand new tire just to be safe? I'm not an extreme rider, but I do enjoy pushing hard through twisty roads.
     
  2. RllwJoe

    RllwJoe Insider

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    Six and a half years and stored out of sunlight. I would have it mounted and not worry a bit. Exposure to sunlight, direct sunlight being the fastest way to ruin a tire, would raise doubt in my mind. But it sounds like this tire has not seen the light of day much at all.
     
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  3. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    If it feels good and looks good I think I would run it.
     
  4. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Quite the coincidence, I was wondering the very same thing about a couple tires I had downstairs.
    Same year, and stored in heated garage, off the floor. They look good, feel soft, so I'm giving them
    a shot.

    Of course my mounting/balancing is free, but also wondering like you.
     
  5. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I’ve raced a vintage race bike on 8 year old tires. They gripped fine. Following year put new rubber on and my lap times were slower. They’ll be fine.
     
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  6. bk94si

    bk94si Member

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    For me it depends on how many miles you ride per year. If you only ride 1000 per year, I would get some newer tires. If you ride 5000 or more than you will wear that tire out way before it ever gets too old to use.
     
  7. Michael Boeglin

    Michael Boeglin New Member

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    Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I was planning to go ahead and mount the 2013 tire, but it turns out even my independent mechanic was shy about mounting a tire more than 5 years old. Ended up with a new Pilot Power, only added $75 to the total cost, and for that $75 I won't have that "this tire is ancient" message babbling in the back of my head every time I approach a turn.
     
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  8. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    $75 is a great price for that tire.
     
  9. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    For peace of mind probably a good decision. I’ve just recalled that last year I sold some Bt16 Bridgestones to a guy to fit his gsxr1000. They were stored in the dark but 10 years old. He put them on his bike and said they gripped well. Mind you he just bought a Harley, so maybe he was not a forceful rider lol.
     
  10. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    I'll have to admit that in all the years I've been buying tires, about 55 years total, until about 8 years ago
    I never, ever checked the date code on a tire. I never even knew there was such a thing. I just bought 'em,
    mounted 'em, and rode 'em. I never had a tire fail in any way other than go flat due to nails, and other
    sharp objects. I never raced either though...so there's that.
     
  11. Michael Boeglin

    Michael Boeglin New Member

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    that factors in the $25-lower mounting cost the shop charged for purchasing the tire from them! The tire was an even $100, I think about normal price for a Pilot Power.
     
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