How to measure tread depth

Baffler186 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 May 2013 Karma :

High,

My rear tyre (pictured) is on the 1mm limit but only in the centre 1/4 i.e. the main contact patch (and yes, it's very squared off because I ride in straight lines). The remaining outer quarters are both on about 2.2mm

So how do you know when you need a new tyre? The "rules" say that you must have at least 1mm across 3/4 of the tyre, but does that mean you can average it out by going below 1mm in the centre if the outside 3/4 still have plenty left?

I know they are a very budget tyre, but they've only lasted 3k miles. Could anyone suggest a more hard wearing tyre (performance is irrelevant)?

cheers
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
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InquisitionCh... · Nova Slayer Joined: 02 Jul 2014 Karma :

I use Michelin Pilot Road 3's. Personally I think they are the dogs doo-dads. They've got that 2CT technology thing. IE: Hard compound in the center of the tyre and softer on the edge for cornering grip. Ive had mine on and done about 6500 miles and they're still going! If yours are wearing really quick from straigh line riding, maybe check them out Thumbs Up

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mentalboy · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 May 2012 Karma :

Teflon-Mike · tl;dr Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :

Q1/ What are you 'saving' by NOT changing the damn things?

As far as I know you need minimum tread depth accoss the centre 1/4.... its what a 150mm wide tyre, so you should have about an inch ad a half in the middle of at least 1mm. Shoulders where you have more than that doesn't really matter, its the middle bit that count's AFAIK.

BUT, doesn't matter..... back to Q1, you have just described a tyre that is not the 'best' to start with, worn to the legal limit, and worn irregularly. Whether its 'legal' or NOT... WHAT do you think you are saving by NOT swapping it out?

What do they cost? A 'Decent' matched pair of tyress for that ought be about £150, fitted. £50 a tyre 'loose' if you spoon them on the rims at home. Full tread depth, no squaring or shoulder, and nice new, sticky, rubber that will stick to tarmac and bite through all the crap we have on top of t this time of year, and do so for at least another 3K miles if not more.

A pair of 'Budget' Cheng-shts or whatever's coming out of eastern asia these days on e-bay? Might get it down to £60 a hoop; probably not have such wonderful rubber so eager to hold onto tar, and likely not last any longer; but at least they have legal tread ad are ore like to that what you got, and not worn into a brick shape, wont be causing instability or riding on a knife edge when you try leaning past the corner.

How many extra miles do you hope to get out of this tyre? Another 500? Another 1000? Eve if it were 'best' rubber... that s oooh.... £20's worth, at the VERY most you might be 'saving'

Is it worth the nerve edings, riding with a known 'iffy' tyre, to save, what the price of a pizza? Piece of mind? PLEASURE even of having confidence in the tyre and not having it wiggle, wobble or wander on the road camber or banding or tilting to turn? Is it worth the risk of coming off?

Of ALL the bits on a motorbike, TYRES are the one thing least worth skimping on.

Good tyres are the BEST thing you can do to make a bike 'better'; from the actual grip they give, to the confidence that grip gives you.

Buy new, save the 'worry'.

What's the point having a 'nice' high performance bike if you cant use that performance cos you are scared the tyres will let go?

Might as well go back to Chiky 125's if you want to save the pennies!
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Fizzer Thou · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Aug 2011 Karma :

My local tyre place in Sidcup (SMC) wanted £25 per loose wheel to fit the tyres that I bought from the 'net.Plus new inner tubes if the ones that I had were deemed to be unuseable.

So I too learnt how to fit and balance my own tyres.

As for long lasting tyres,I had a Pirelli Demon for my Exup which was a real pig to fit and it lasted two trips to the south of France and two trips to Assen.And it still had loads of wear.The lack of grip in the wet was enough to make me change this and sold it to someone who needed it for the same price as I paid for it originally Wink

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Baffler186 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 May 2013 Karma :

Thanks, they are maxis , free from the dealer but the invoice said 72 quid. I just wondered if, for the sake of convenience, a 150 pound tyre would last twice as long as a 75 quid one. But I guess not. Like I said, performance isn't a priority as I don't ride hard, but for me I want durability just so I don't have to change them every 9 months.

teff - I have not even had so much as a slip on these tyres, even in the wet, just because I am extra careful around bends, there's too much diesel and drain covers around me to do much else. You shouldn't just assume that everyone hoons around with their knee down, there are actually some people who are as safety as you are! Still, I take your point about not scrimping on tyres, which is why I'm fine about getting an expensive one,but anything with more grip would be wasted on me.
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WULFSTAN · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Sep 2010 Karma :

Fizzer Thou · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Aug 2011 Karma :

A friend had Pirelli Demons on his VFR750F as well and had no problems.It may well be that the tyre I bought had been stored incorrectly or was old/old stock.

It is strange that tyres give a definite feedback.I can tell the differance between 35 and 36 psi in the front tyre on the Exup.With the Michelin PR3 on the rear of my R1 the feedback is differant to that which I get from the Pirelli Diablo Corsa 3 that I had on there before the Michelin.

We all have our preferances and I have sampled most tyre makes over 39 years.What I will not ride on are tyres made in chinkyland Thumbs Down

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mentalboy · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 May 2012 Karma :

YBR Ric · Spanner Monkey Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Karma :

Tread depth must be considered as a continuous band.
Having a tiny bald bit in the middle does not make for a continuous band no matter how wide the tyre.

Fizzer Thou · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Aug 2011 Karma :

Except some tyres do not have a tread pattern in the centre

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Pirelli-Diablo-Supercorsa-SC_zps8b66979f.jpg
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YBR Ric · Spanner Monkey Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Karma :

Probably why they later updated it with this bit - Original tread pattern must be taken into account when assessing tread wear...