Tyres and wear pattern?

beaver

beaver

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Hi All.. just a quick one... I've been looking at my front tyre today and can see I've got a nice flat in the middle from the motorways, but I can also see where the flat hits the rounded bit of the tyre, one side its a radius, but the other side is a much sharper radius... Any thoughts on this?.. can't see any adjustment anywhere on the bike?.. checked back wheel to front when perfectly level (both back and front are spot on with a spirit level on the discs)... using string spaced on the front discs to give the same widthe as the back wheel... I then ran them string to the back wheel and tapped it on. measuring over 500mm of the wheel front to back, I had a 1mm out of alingment to the front... I'm sure this can't cause it.. let's face it, there is only 50mm hits the road so 0.1mm there? so I'm thinking this is as good as it gets...
Any ideas?... back one looks okay??.. Cheers
 
I put. Brand new tourances on my gsa 11 weeks ago, I have ridden 7,000 miles in Europe and 1,500 miles in the UK since then,
My rear still has some life in it, the front on the other hand is almost bald on the left hand side, loads of life in the middle and right hand side,
I put this down to road camber on the continent and a lot of time spent in the mountains,
It's not the first time this has happened and the gsa is the only bike I've ever owned that wears the fronts out quicker than the rear if not 1 to 1,
Edit to add ,
I've also noticed if I do more miles in the UK the right side of the front tyre wears quicker than the left.
 
Thats what I was thinking TBH.. the bike did 10K one year.. wonder if it included a big European trip that caused the issue?... It's about time for a new one so not a problem... just strange to see?... Had it of been the other way around I would have put it down to camber in the UK.. but sat on the bike looking forward, the sharp rad is on the RHS?... all very strange?

Yes.. checked the rear wheel.. its withing 1mm, same with the tyre...
 
beaver said:
Thats what I was thinking TBH.. the bike did 10K one year.. wonder if it included a big European trip that caused the issue?... It's about time for a new one so not a problem... just strange to see?... Had it of been the other way around I would have put it down to camber in the UK.. but sat on the bike looking forward, the sharp rad is on the RHS?... all very strange?

Yes.. checked the rear wheel.. its withing 1mm, same with the tyre...
Click to expand...

If it's on the right from uk riding that's what I would expect, mine is bald on the left, nearside, after all those miles abroad.mostly a+b roads which tend to have a lot more camber than main roads
 
No.. the sharp rad is on the RHS.. the more rounder rad on the LHS... I would have thought camber would give you the more rounded rad?...
 
beaver said:
No.. the sharp rad is on the RHS.. the more rounder rad on the LHS... I would have thought camber would give you the more rounded rad?...
Click to expand...

Don't think so. Think about it. The right side has squared off more because it's in contact with the flatish tarmac the left is mostly in intact with road cornering more. That's why mine is flatter on the left as I've done most of the miles in Europe. It's nice a round shaped of the right side.
 
ok.. time for a new front.. see how it goes.. just as long as there is no problem with the bike and this is normal... cheers !!
 
My Conti Trail Attack 2 rear was fairly evenly worn but it suffered a lot of motorways. Handling was ok even in rain as the sides had decent tread.
The front had much more wear on shoulders than down the middle. R side a little more than L side.
 
Yup.. strange why they do this?.. wonder if its some Gyroscopic effect caused by the motor.. or may be the used of a single sided arm?...
 
beaver said:
Yup.. strange why they do this?.. wonder if its some Gyroscopic effect caused by the motor.. or may be the used of a single sided arm?...
Click to expand...

If the wheel moved about enough to affect the tyre wear Im sure we would notice.

It's most likely road camber. High side effectively leads more than the left as its tilted left even when riding upright. We also tend to corer faster going right because its easier to see around the curve and trees/bushes etc can get worryingly close if you pin it on a left-hander.
 
Bendy toy said:
If the wheel moved about enough to affect the tyre wear Im sure we would notice.

It's most likely road camber. High side effectively leads more than the left as its tilted left even when riding upright. We also tend to corer faster going right because its easier to see around the curve and trees/bushes etc can get worryingly close if you pin it on a left-hander.
Click to expand...

I prefer left-handers, and running tracks/cycle tracks, etc are that orientation because most people are happier leaning left.

Al
 
so would that result in what I'm seeing?... bigger rad on the LHS (looking forward) of the tyre and a much sharper rad on the RHS?... if it were camber, would it not be the other way? (UK roads)
 
I definitely ride the motorbike more slowly around left hand bends usually because there is not enough visibility to go as quickly as on the same curve to the right. Looking at my boots the right has a chamfer worn on the toe sole area. Left does not. I'm sure a European rider will have the opposite. Turn radius to the right is longer than the left (for the same bend) but I'm sure its a road visibility thing.

beaver said:
so would that result in what I'm seeing?... bigger rad on the LHS (looking forward) of the tyre and a much sharper rad on the RHS?... if it were camber, would it not be the other way? (UK roads)
Click to expand...

Sharper radius should mean its worn more so more obvious step from the less worn centre band. Dual compound tyre might exaggerate the effect as it wears.
Camber has to be part of it. Slope falls away to the left so wheel to road lean angle is less when going left than when going right. Wheel angle to true vertical is the same either way. Traffic islands offer good visibility all around so you can get around quicker - more angle more tyre wear on the right and the camber adds to it.
 
Guess the best thing is to fit a new tyre.. never seen it on any of my other bikes, but not done the straight line distance for many years.. so charging about on the Bandit will equalise out I guess.. Okay.. will take your word for it and stop measuring the bike to see if its bent ;)
 
My previous tyres were Conti TKC-70 - the ones with a semi knobbly tread. I'm used to seeing the front tread blocks with a rearward chamfer but these wore with a strange scalloped effect. Since then Ive replaced the front shock and fitted the Trail Attack. That's worn normally so shock/damper/suspension issues could also do strange things.
 
beaver said:
so would that result in what I'm seeing?... bigger rad on the LHS (looking forward) of the tyre and a much sharper rad on the RHS?... if it were camber, would it not be the other way? (UK roads)
Click to expand...

That's why I said mine has worn more on the left as I have done 7.000 miles in Europe in the last 3 months
I get more wear on the right if I do more miles in this country.
 
Just talked to the owner before the last today... he is Germany and looks like he did about 8K that year.. he used it a lot in the UK, but also in Germany.. so not sure where its happened.. but guess its in there somewhere.... :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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