I just made two 400 mile highway trips in the last few weeks and I have a definite flat spot on the center tread of my tire. There is still plenty of life left in that tire and as far as I can tell, the squared offedness hasn't impeded my cornering much if at all. Sure, the tire doesn't look so pretty from behind anymore but it still seems to feel just fine when i get the bike leaning over. NOt as good as a fresh tire, I'm sure but I wouldn't say it feels hazardous or unpredictable. I still have a slight chicken strip and I haven't touched a knee yet but I work those corkscrews and cloverleafs pretty hard for a street vehicle. That bike sees some reasonable lean angles.

Just wondering if anyone would offer their opinions of center tread tire wear and how/if they feel it effects their cornering while sport riding. Thanks for your input.

Rook my issue has been rain. Gets a bit dicey on wet roads. If you are doing long trips your odds of getting caught in the rain are high. Big risk. I just removed my tires for that very reason and I don't do long trips.

when I rode up i-5 for about 1k miles It squared off the back tire a bit but it handled fine iin the rain and when i got to twisty roads it rounded off the square. That tire is just fine. I think rain and long trips are a fun part of riding. Just got back from a 300 mile ride to Talkeetna Ak. No rain though just sun.

Thanks Rom. I try to avoid rain but getting caught in an unexpected downpour happens a few times/ year. Low tread on the center doesn't leave a path for the water to get squeezed out between the tire so you are a lot more likely to hydroplane. I have taken my chances and just ride extra slow if it's wet-- square tire or round.

Any issues with cornering on a squared off tire, anyone?? I want to get out and try and make that baby round again!! lol "GOoD LUCK with that", huh?

alaskarider wrote:

when i got to twisty roads it rounded off the square.

HAHAH,---my problem is that the twisties are a 45 minute ride away down a pretty straight highway. By the time I get done riding back home, any roundness that was restored is flattened back out. LOL

When I got a flat strip on my busa the only dif I noticed was at slow speeds, like turning at a traffic light. The bike wanted to fall over. At the time I just thought it was the bike because it got worse very slowly. It got bad enough I had to be ready with the throttle to bring it back upright. When I finally put tires on it it was like a new bike!

You know how I fix that?You start by Holding the front brake,reving the engine up and doing a circle burn out and tilting the bike to the side a little to "round"it out again!!!Left and right!!!Keeps em round and makes cool street art!!!

* Last updated by: ninjamaster on 5/23/2010 @ 10:20 PM *

I like ninjamaster's remedy.

Actually I use the pussy approach to fix that,,I take a right angle grinder with a 60 grit pad and lift the tire up, spin the wheel and knock off the sharp edge. Works like a dream, my rubber is usually laid in a straight line on the road, not to many twisties by my house. I usually do it about 3 times during the life of a rear tire.

* Last updated by: TaintedTattoo on 5/26/2010 @ 11:07 AM *

angle grinder on a tire... ok thats a new one

hey rook when you apply ninjamaster technique make sure you capture that on video and share with us lol

I guess the square rubber will have to go bye-bye again. Just went out to find a flat after 3000 miles and AFAIC, that tire could have lasted at least a couple thousand miles longer. I don't know how I actually wore that first tire out without getting something stuck in it. The next two were both ended prematurely by a steel bristle off a sweeper truck.

avon storms are wearing like steel so far. i love em

^^Yeah, Scott--and they have a really nice looking tread pattern IMO. Only thing is I have a feeling they wouldn't be the best tire for hard cornering which is something I like to do. I think I'm sold on a softer, multi compound tire like BTO-16s for now.

BTW, it was a chunk of glass that ended the life of this last tire. It doesn't take much. ha-if I have another flat real soon, I might just try a set of storms.