Front tire scalloping

[mdglaw]

My bike has 9300 miles. I need not only to replace rear, but the front since it is scalloped or uneven wear. My dealer says this is due to speed which frankly makes no sense to me at all. For a rocket captain I am pretty slow. 4k of the milage was across the country and frankly the bulk of my mileage is highway. Northeastern roads guarantee many potholes and uneven surfaces.

Has anyone else suffered this issue?

Mike

 

[Captain Rich]

Mike, I have a little of that on my front tire as well...found it during my 10K service. My dealer called it 'cupping' and said it occurs from the tire not being properly inflated and wearing just outside the normal pattern (cupping from the stress of entry/exit in the turns). My riding sounds similar - I'm usually on the Interstate (wore the rear tire to a flat spot dead-center on the tire) and mostly under 100mph.

 

[Jimmy Rocket]

I had a similar experience with my Goldwing: I replace the front tire and rode the bike for a few hundred miles. I returned to the same dealer for a brake job. He pointed out the cupping on my front tire and said if I wanted a replacement he would send the tire back to the mfr. I said I'd think about it and he said don't think until the tread wears down because thereafter he'd be unable to replace it. He implied it was a manufacturer's defect.

Aren't the tires on the R-3 rated for something like 140 mph? How can the tire go "cuppy" due to speed then?

 

[night rider]

Hi Mike:
I too have had front tire cupping on several bikes. Same as Capt Rich has said, I have been told and I do believe it is due to low tire air pressure. For whatever reason I must constantly add air to both of my tires. I don't think I have a nail in the tire but maybe a very slow rim/wheel leak. Do you have any front end wobble? I just now started a wobble coasting down from 45-35 MPH with my hands off the handle bars.

Chriss
GOOD RIDING............

 

[hoganator]

I to had both tires going soft on me thought I ran over a hand full of nails or something :shock: I looked for a while with a spray bottle and found both valve cores slowly leaking I put 3 different new cores in each still leaked :!: So I put new metal caps with rubber washers in them end of leak Will have new valve stems installed when I change tires till then I carry a magnetic tire gage stuck on the bike and check often but no air loss with the metal caps I caught it before they started cupping but I did have a rear wobble before I caught it

 

[TurboFan]

Agree its the pressure, not the speed. (Does your dealer ride? :lol: :lol: ) Once there is any cupping, just replace it. When the tire has an imperfection like this, the high spots bounce the tire and it comes down into the low spots, accelerating the wear. Not only does it get worse relatively fast, but you are getting a lot less 'stick' because of the 'air time'. In the life of the motorcycle, an extra 1,000 miles out of this, now malfunctioning tire is an insignificant part of your operating costs. Replace it, and be happy.

 

[mdglaw]

New Info

Actually I did some more research and found the following with confirmation from other sites. Apparently cupping is normal and it is interesting that the left side in the US is more common which is the case with me.

See http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/tirewear/

I also keep very accurate and close tabs on my tire pressure, I have had very little problem with tire pressure. Helpful hint for those with corbin bags. I put a red sticker on my wheel below the rear valve which allows me to easily find the valve for checking and filling the tire. I use an Accu Guage which allows one to add or bleed air with the guage on the tire. I purchased a 5 gal air tank on ebay for short money which allows me to touch up my tires without bothering with the compressor.
Mike

 

[RocketSteve]

Mike,

we get the same 'cupping' in the UK - but the wears on the right side, some here recon it's because of the road camber, riding on the left and some think it's also caused by roundabouts... which I don't believe you have in the states?
The article sounds logical & reassuring.

Steve.

 

[Stormrider]

Mike,

we get the same 'cupping' in the UK - but the wears on the right side, some here recon it's because of the road camber, riding on the left and some think it's also caused by roundabouts... which I don't believe you have in the states?
The article sounds logical & reassuring.

Steve.

Yes, are wear pattern is on the left side, just the opposite of yours. The general consencus here is that your leaned over on an angle in a turn and turning right would be short for us and a turn left is rather long as you go thru the intersection. This would be just the opposite for you. So your tire wear would be on the right side.

 

[Stormrider]

Hi Mike:
I too have had front tire cupping on several bikes. Same as Capt Rich has said, I have been told and I do believe it is due to low tire air pressure. For whatever reason I must constantly add air to both of my tires. I don't think I have a nail in the tire but maybe a very slow rim/wheel leak. Do you have any front end wobble? I just now started a wobble coasting down from 45-35 MPH with my hands off the handle bars.

Chriss
GOOD RIDING............

I had the same problem and had to add air the very next day after buying the bike. I thought they may have just not aired up the tires as the bike had only one mile on the odometer when I recieved the bike. This means they did not take the bike out for a test ride. I looked for a nail or something and didn't find it. Finally found it after premature wear and cupping. The nail was hidden inside the tread. Sure is a nice feeling to get a new tire on and feel that grip!