Check my previous thread for a full story...
https://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=7275A360-BF81-650C-2B1A7F749E2B08DB

Well the bike is up and running and she runs good. I used dawn dish soap and a scrub brush to wash the tire. Applied a generous amount of dawn soap by hand all over the tire and scrubbed with the brush. Rinsed thoroughly then repeated the process two more times. Finally I sprayed brake cleaner on the tire in small sections and rubbed with a towel. After it was dry, the rubber had that sticky feel to it.

Since then I have rode about 60 miles (mostly highway) and have been taking the turns very cautiously. However I'm honestly scared that the rear is going to slide out on me if I get deep into a curve and apply throttle. Maybe I'm just nervous from the oil. I'm trying to ease into the turns and slowly go a little faster as time goes but still nervous lol.

Am I just overreacting? Is this tire perfectly fine now since I washed it?

If they can clean crude oil-soaked pelicans with that stuff (Dawn) it should be ok on your tire. The brake cleaner, not so much. If you have that "sticky" feeling from a non-gumball street tire, there has been some deterioration of the rubber, either from the oil or the brake cleaner or both. Take a wire brush to the tread surface until the rubber feels dry and clean.

Go find a street, do a burn out up the middle and on both sides like they do at the drag strip and you should be good to go from there.

I would have no concerns at all as long as the oil isn't a reoccurring phenomenon and your not dragging a knee. I know how you feel though. I get my rear tire greased up a little from turning it with my dirty hands every time I clean the chain. I never bothered to wash it off but never had a problem.

I'm like rook. Usually get a little oil on the tire while lubing and never had any problems. Obviously be aware to take it easy for a couple miles but yeah nothing to wash off or whatever.

A little oil or a little grease off your hands is not a spray of brake cleaner. The dish soap would take care of any oil, but what takes care of brake cleaner? The sticky feeling ells me some of the rubber is partially liquified from the solvent in the brake cleaner. If you guys think it's ok to ride like that, you are free to do so. Personally, I would not. If you cruise around like a Harley rider, it probably wouldn't make any difference. The way I ride on the roads I travel, it's not worth the risk.

Well it wasn't a little oil in my opinion. About 1-2 quarts sprayed all over the rear of the bike which covered the entire rear tire.

I've read the burnout is a good thing to do but I've never attempted one. With my luck I would probably Drop the bike lol

Danno,

A Google Search is what led me to the brake cleaner. Quite a few different forums have similar topics about oil on the tire. Many people have said brake cleaner was fine use....

Dave Moss recommends brake cleaner for removing hand grips (of course, you do throw those away after removal). Rubber is very inert. They use it for test tube stoppers with all sorts of chemicals. You know the difference between sticky "dissolving" and sticky, "grips your finger when you press and drag across the tread". Read the can, does it say "do not use on rubber parts?" If not, I wouldn't worry about this. Keep an eye on it.

Sorry, didn't read thread you posted above. Oil all over the wheel? Well sure, you gotta wash that off. I think the brake cleaner was overkill but I doubt it hurt anything. OEM brake lines are rubber on pretty much all vehicles, ain't they? Are there rubber seals for the brake pistons?....I'm sure there must be. No problem. I'd be more concerned about what it might do to the paint.

"With my luck I would probably Drop the bike lol"...LOL!Is right.Me too...yer not alone.

Well it wasn't a little oil in my opinion-bentz69

Yes, I was actually referring to the others who equated it to greasy fingerprints. Oldtimers used to use brake fluid to shine the sides of their tires, but I've never hears of using brake cleaner on tire treads.

They use it (rubber) for test tube stoppers with all sorts of chemicals.-Rook

Totally different rubber than tire tread. Pure rubber is tree sap. Tire rubber snd test tube stoppers; apples and oranges.

soft/gooy, bad. grippy, squeaky....that's a good tire.

bentz69, the reality is, it doesn't matter how well you clean the tire/remove the oil, if you don't have faith in the tire it'll mess with your head and your riding. So if you're still worried about it, spend the extra $250 and buy a new tire.

Thanks guys..I'm sure it's fine like everyone has said. Just need to get over it