BT021 Bridgestones at 40psi. these have around 5K on them and are just about toast.. Tonight I could feel them "pushing" through the corners getting off/on the highway and so took a peek at them tonight.. just about on the wear bars all the way around with notable "rolling" around treads...
I have never had a front tire that went belly up before the rear, much less a "tour" tire at 5K miles..
not sure how I would rate my "riding style" but I do not think I am all that aggressive a rider myself..
any clues?
1.10 springs/ gold valves 1" sag rebound/compression are at about mid settings with 40 psi on the tires..
Since putting these on I have never really liked the tires (always felt "loose")
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/1gighost/Tires/photo#5229802069660155554">
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/1gighost/Tires/photo#5229802081479355474">
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To start with, I am guessing that your tire pressure is too high.
"Though many sportbike tires indicate 40 psi on the sidewall, I recommend 32 psi front and rear on road and track when cold. If you are two-up with a heavier rider in back (180 pounds or more), use a pound or two more in the rear.
Take the pressure when the tires are cold, then take it again it's hot. It shouldn't rise more than 10 percent. If it does, your tires are under-inflated. If it only rises 1 or 2 pounds, your tires may be over-inflated. For instance, if a tire at 32 psi cold measures 36 or 37 when warm, you may wish to experiment with a slightly higher pressure. If it only indicates 33 psi when warm, you may wish to reduce pressure."
Quote: Reg Pridmore in Smooth Riding the Pridmore Way, page 139 and 140
I have followed this rule since 2004, when his book came out, and a lot of my tire problems have been minimized.
The uneven wear in the front most consider to be normal. The stress on the front tread is very different in the corners, than the rear. To illustrate how this happens, take 4 or 5 lead pencils with erasers and hold them all together, with the eraser side down. Take a smooth surface and holding the pencils straight upright, drag the group of erasers along the surface. You see that the erasers will be moved back from the direction of travel and the leading edge of each eraser will experience the most wear. This is like the treads of the tire, with the leading edge, experiencing more wear than the outer edge, of each tread portion, and on both sides of the tire.
All my tires wear this way in the front, with some more than others. (My PP's are the worst so far for this Cupping type of wear).
I don't feel anything when I am riding, but when I look at them, or feel them, they feel rough.
If I was to change the pressure (up or down) after this wear was started, the cupping would most likely cause some weird handling, as it tries to recut the edges of each tread portions to the new wear pattern.
In looking at your tread wear you are fairly aggressive in the corners. My chicken strips on the back are fairly close to the edge, but my fronts are not near as close. Yours look like they are very close to the edge, so you hit the corners faster and/or harder than me.
Anyway, I have noticed by your posts that you are a very informed guy, so I hope I wasn't telling you things that you already know.
That was not my intent, and the others reading these posts have an opportunity to see my point of view and compare it to others, and pick the ones that they feel are best for them.
I would try the pressure first as your suspension is probably OK.
(I don't care for those tires either)
Good Luck!
