Sanding down tyres

[Akiraprise]

Hi,

I got a new rear tyre on my bike and got told to 'sand down my tires' - what does this involve, i presume using sandpaper on the tyre to get rid of the shine, how much do i need to sand off?

If not how long do i need to 'scrub' it in for - how many miles etc?

[Sparks!]

Just ride it!! Take it easy for about 50 or so miles.. Only new tyres I've ridden on was with the R6, no idea why I was ever worried about it.. just take it easy, was leaning over like normal within 50 miles!! Just take it easy and you'll be fine!
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[conpants]

big huge rolling burnout dude, and you are on your way

[jay12329]

Yeah jsut got out for a ride of 50-100 miles get some heat into them and you will loose the shine and gain grip. I scrubbed my new fron on a 100miles m-way trip in the pouring rain!
J

[bish777]

Modern tyres scrub in pretty quick, just dont try any Barry Sheene style scratching till youve done some miles lol
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GSXR1100J

[mchaggis]

It shouldn't really be a problem unless it's raining. Just take it easy and work up greater and greater lean angles as you go along to progressively scrub further and further towards the edges of the tyres. 50 miles should do.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Davo]

I just ride it easy(ish) for 100 miles, just progressively leaning (e.g. taking corners more aggressively) the bike into corners.

[Akiraprise]

Ah thanks for the replies, I was just told 'Oh no you shouldn't be leaning that far on a new tyre' by a 'friend' which kinda scared me, however I've not felt the tyre slip yet.

I think I've probably done over 50 miles since they were put on so i'll start doing some more leaning - and now its backing hot weather makes it so much easier

[loply]

I'd be interested to know how slippery a new tire really is, it sounds to me like one of those things thats passed on from person to person, but never actually tested.

Probably someone will post a story now and make an idiot of me, but just a thought anyway
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[mchaggis]

AFAIK it's mostly to do with the silicone grease stuff they use in their molds to presumably help get the tyres out of the molds/ stop the rubber from sticking to the molds. I've not heard any anecdotal stories about it ever being a problem in the dry, but when wet the silicone works wonderfully as a lubricant. The curing might also result in the outer surface of the rubber becoming plasticky and hard and producing lower adhesion altogether, so you have to wear through the outer layer to get to proper grippy rubber.

But, like you say, it could just be a story with some basis in truth but which gets exaggerated as it's told. It also probably has some basis in tyre manufacturers avoiding litigation by refusing responsibility if someone drives/ rides over-enthusiastically in the wet.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[cagiva gezzer]

My method is to throw it into a corner knowing that it will slide like a bitch and be ready for it and bring it back in. As long as you're expecting it its not too bad.

Brown trouser moment for the first time, but after that its rather fun.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[ZRX61]

[mchaggis]

If they do in fact remove all of the lubricant/ release agent when they've taken the tyre out of the mould, why do they then recommend a hundred or two miles to run the tyre in? Why do the tyres behave as if they have a lubricant on them? Also, how are you going to hot mould a tyre with a grease on the mould/ outer surface of the tyre without baking some of it into the rubber itself?
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[Wave2k]

sanding down a tyre is a dumb idea

i was going for kneedown the first day i had a new tyre
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
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[Phoenix]

All new tyres have release agent on from when they come out of the mould, and it doubles as a protective coating to prevent the tyre perishing while in storage. They are slippery when new, there's plenty of incidents I've read about, and know personally of where ppl give a new tyre too much throttle and it just looses grip. But I've only ever heard of accidents through giving it too much throttle, not from leaning too far. It makes sense, look at a new tyre, it's shiny and feels plasticky compared to a worn one.

[Mr.Everready]

[quote="ZRX61"}
Absolute bollocks, No tire manufacturer is going to sell tires with ANY kind of coating (especially silicone FFS ) on them from the mould opening themselves up to horrendous lawsuits. It's a myth, always has been....[/quote]

Why do the tyre manufacturers and garages advise a running in period ?
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[Mr.Everready]

From Metzeler :

After fitting, the tyre should not be used with maximum power or hard cornering and not over 60 mph for the first 100-150 miles. This is needed to allow the tyre/rim assembly to adjust properly and most of all to let the compound find his optimum working conditions

ATS :

Running In

This is really important. The number of riders who have crashed on new tyres is legion. Tyres need to be 'run in' before they should be expected to cope with hard riding or braking. The first 50 to 100 miles is critical. Ride smooth and slow for this period and your tyres will perform at their peak for the rest of their lives.

etc.....the list goes on.
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the undemocratically unelected mod of the Scottish section

[mr.z]

I've had several tyre fitters warn me of this, on asking why its allways the same answer, being whatever it is used to release the tyre from the mold...

Best way is just going for a 100mile ride arround your favourite twisty roads, just take it easy and it will be ok within half that...

Just dont ride from the fiting in the wet unless you absoloutely can't avoid it, a mate had several pant filling moments i witnessed, rideing very very carefully and allot slower than i've seen before! it was raining pretty bad but didn't look like much fun...
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Phoenix]

I had to ride my Gixxer with brand new tyres on thursday in the pissing wet with no clutch (so pulling off was lots of throttle and slam it into first), and apart from some sideways stuff pulling away I didn't have em slip, just take it easy, and bear in mind that in the wet you're not wearing your tyres as much so take it easy for long than in the dry during run-in.

[Liono]

I had a new BT020 put on a month or so ago and managed to get the back end to slide a bit on the way home by shifting down into first with the revs a bit too high. Normally this isn't a problem, but the new tyre didn't seem to happy with it. As to the coating on the tyre, there definitely seemed to be something on which looked like a thin, clear film of something as it was starting to peel off when I got it back home.

[Fruit'n'nut]

[G]

I was able to get my knee down on John's vfr with new tyres when he had only ridden five miles.

I am happy to properly abuse my r6 with new tyres after a couple of laps of relatively softer riding.

I've been told that sandpaper is a really bad idea on tyres. The grains of sand get stuck in the tyre and make it wear much faster.