What happened to my tyre?!

[Vinyardo]

As I rode my bike home from work I noticed it was a bit "wobbly" - so I stopped to check the bike over and noticed this mess on my front tyre:

https://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss3/vinyardo/th_tyre01.jpg

There are bumps all over the tyre

https://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss3/vinyardo/th_tyre02.jpg

And this looks like a hole(?!)

https://s556.photobucket.com/albums/ss3/vinyardo/th_tyre03.jpg

I took it straight to a tyre shop where the guy said "It's buggered, you need a new one"

Can anyone elaborate on what caused this?!
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[Vinyardo]

No, it was in a bike shed so not even in the sun!

I'm getting new tyres in the morning cos I don't fancy riding around on these for much longer!!

Is it likely the tyre will just go "BANG" if it gets too hot?! I guess cheapo tyres are a false economy
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[Ben_m]

[veze]

i agree, do you re-search before you buy your tyres aswell, so you know exactly what you want and exactly what you epect your tyre to do, otherwise they will just sell you the stickyest, most expensive thing theyve got and tell you its a touring tyre.
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tlm50,mt5,sr50. rs125 extrema, cbr 400rr nc29 suzuki gs500e.Honda cbx250 rs . FJ1200 .fz6,fjr1300

[Jrod]

Try posting smaller pictures.

[Vinyardo]

[D O G]

What type of tyre is that?

[Vinyardo]

Don't know what type it is - it is a "ContiForce". I only got it fitted in the first place cos it was the only one the budget bike shop had in stock that would fit on the Bandit.

It is only about 7 months old - done maybe 4000 miles.
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[D O G]

Interesting.

I thought the tread pattern was familiar.

I had the same tyre on my last bike, an FZR 600, and had no problems with it at all, even in the Australian heat and I did a trackday on it too. I knew a couple of guys who used them on their Blackbirds with no problems either.

Continental are a well established, German, tyre company. I like Conti tyres in general, but that one is utterly fucked.

If I were you, I would definitely keep the tyre and get in touch with them (Continental) - that really should not be happening. Providing it is within normal wear limits then you may be in luck and get a free set of boots or something.

[Vinyardo]

I think it's "Contiforce" not Continental - unless you mean they are the same company?!
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[Jrod]

Contiforce is a type of tyre made by Continental.

[D O G]

Indeed it is. I wouldn't say its a budget tyre either.

[Vinyardo]

That is interesting, I presumed it was a cheap one!

Maybe I'll keep it as evidence then
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[Vinyardo]

Ok - mystery solved!

Just picked up the bike with new tyres fitted (and a much lighter wallet ) - The fitter checked the tyre after taking it off and said the date-stamp was about 4 years old!! It seems that the bike shop I got it from had it sitting around for years before selling it to me

Just to top it off, the shop I got it from has closed down and vanished so nowt I can do about it now I guess... Oh well, live and learn!


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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[Feasty]

Surely that shouldn't have caused a problem though!? I'm sure the front tyre on my bike has been on there for at least 5 years if not 10 by now!!

Or is it that the tyre could have got like that by being left lying against a wall or something for a long period of time?
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Vinyardo]

Maybe it was not stored properly then - but how badly does it need to be stored to disintegrate within months of use?!
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[D O G]

I'd still take the tyre if possible and contact Continental - I reckon you would get some free stuff out it.

As for the 4 year age - I'd doubt that would be a massive problem - my first bike had tyres that old and never had a problem. What I understand happens is that the rubber does harden a bit with age, and extreme age causes it to crack and perish.

4 years is not extreme.

What tyres did you have fitted, out of interest?

[veze]

i agree, my old 1994 aprilia had ancient tyres on it beacuse they guy i bought it of didnt use it, so the tyres could of been anything up to 8 years old, i tried to trace them up but they were well obsolete. but still, like stated before, old rubber perishes and goes brittle so to say and cracks, which is a deffo mot failure. it wouldlnd do that with age, id get in touch with continental. they arent a budget tyre, from what ive heard they are a very good tyre for the dosh, because i looked into getting some for my old bike. bike review sites are a godsend because people post up all the kit theyve tried and tested.
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tlm50,mt5,sr50. rs125 extrema, cbr 400rr nc29 suzuki gs500e.Honda cbx250 rs . FJ1200 .fz6,fjr1300

[Vinyardo]

The new tyres are Bridgestone Battlax - I'm hoping these'll last a bit longer!
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[temeluchus]

I had a Bridgstone BT020 go bad on me in a similar fashion-it partially delaminated on the sidewall. There were little blisters with air in em on the right hand side of the tyre.

May simply be faulty manufacture. The factories have produced untold millions of the things so a dodgy one will come along now and again even from a top maker like continental.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[Matthie]

My front tyre on my old GPR 50 did that, had massive bulges in the middle around it. Think it was caused by the pressure, the old owner was a chav and had those crappy light dust caps and it had siezed on there so I couldn't pump it up.

Caused me to lowside on it twice, once while KD.
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***Previous: GPR50, FZ750 *** Current: Monkey bike, yella SV 650 ***

Tutton says: I hate random hardons, they are so weird...

[Kickstart]

Hi

Another vote for 4 years being nothing.

To be honest not sure how many of our bikes have tyres under 4 years old.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Vinyardo]

Hmmm, not an age problem then - I guess I need to get on to Continental and see what they think!

Cheers for all the replies guys
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--| Current bike: |--
--| Previous bikes: Honda CB500 -- KTM Duke 390 -- Honda CBR1000RR7 Fireblade -- Honda CBR600 FX -- Suzuki Bandit 600 -- Yamaha TTR250 -- Suzuki GN125 |--

[The Artist]

My rear tyre is from 1977 I believe. Tubed so a bit better but tube may be from back then aswell.

[jumpzy]

sounds like it could be just high pressure wat sort of psi do u run
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10 feet drops, stoppies and 20 feet skids all on a 50cc