Alarming front tyre wear

[DP1400]

Guys - I`m currently running on `standard` matching Bridgestone BT021`s and always maintaining my tyre pressures to 36 front & 36-42 rear. Until this last weekend everything was fine, albeit the bike has never been as `planted` on bends as others i`ve owned, the front-end never inspiring full confidence on slow bends/roundabouts. However, i`ve learned to live with that putting it down to the `14`s mass.

Last weekend, `Mrs Dave` and I, together with an unusually heavily stacked luggage rack, did a relatively short 260mile round trip of which 95% was 70-100mph motorway riding. No problems, other than a skittish 70mph front-end slide in the wet on the M20/M25 link slip. I put that down to the lashing rain following the recent month of dry weather.

Today I rode the short distance into Canterbury (in the dry, no luggage and one-up) and was really concerned how the bike was handling slow corners - she just fell into the turns! The front end felt totally `alien` to the rest of the bike. My immediate thought was that i had an over inflated front tyre......i`ve experenced a similar issue before due to that on my Bandit `12.

Long story short, upon returning home I inspected the tyre and was amazed to see it was `trackday worn` on both sides (predominantly the offside), whilst the centre was ok, albeit somewhat `coned`. In effect, it visibly looks angular when viewed from above!

My question is, has anyone else had similar experiences with erratic front tyre wear, or am I just freaking unlucky? For the record, both tyres have only done a couple of thousand miles, and before this weekend, both looked brilliant visually!    

[Globalrider]

so called Duel Compound - I used to run those on my 1200S Bandit - it was new - and noticed bad cupping - like you I always run at 36F 38/42R depending on luggage etc.
Never got to the bottom of it so changed to Bitchlins. PR4 and now 5 better tire but then I don't go around at a 1000mph any more.
Was it a very hot day? did you check the pressures before the run? is the head bearing worn? Could be a number of things and collective causing the issue. Any vibration before when taking your hands off the bars?
hope you find the problem!   

[grog]

Have seen that 3 times with front Bridgys. 2 Hondas and Triumph. Worn out of shape, cupped. All at less than 5 th ks. Never used them myself.

[Mick_J]

Recently posted the same thing on the BMW forum as my R1200 went the same way on it's Metz Z8's.  Front looked like a toblerone while the rear was bald in the centre with shit loads of tread either side.  A few lads came back with similar issues and have changed make, quite a few suggested altering pressure but not much else.  Seems that some tyre do it while others don't, first saw it on my wife's SV a while back, she was on metz as well (I think).  Beemer is on second set (don't ask why) but I am using different pressures to see what happens.  I have looked at loads of vids on the subject and scoured plenty of "expert" opinions but nothing explains why it should happen.  If you find a reason for it please let me know.

[Kiwifruit]

Cannot offer any suggestions regarding your front tyre wear but l find the front wants to run wide on slow corners and roundabouts too.
l use the rear brake and the throttle, l find this keeps the head of the bike tucked in. Works for me.

[Hooli]

Mine did that for a few years on any tyres I fitted.

Steering bearings, fork oil (check the fork settings, my preload had drifted on one side) and wheel bearings. One of those fixed it, but I was never sure which.

[MarkN]

I had a 2006 Kawasaki z1000 from new which was fitted with these as standard and the same thing happened to me, front tyre was almost to a point and it seemed to happen quite quickly. Don't remember what mileage it had done when it happened. I was told, can't remember who by now, that it was a fault with this model of Bridgestone tyre. Must admit it put me off and have never fitted them to anything since. I think they were replaced with 023's

[DP1400]

A sincere thanks for all your feedback and thoughts on this guys. Much appreciated. We`re doing a `gentle` 160 miler tomorrow and i`m going to reduce the front pressure by a couple of pounds beforehand to see if that helps the handling overall.
Meanwhile, I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas - i hadn`t considered front suspension adjustment/combination checks etc. Great idea Hooli, thanks.
In the longer term, I`ll be replacing my tyres with a non-Bridgestone label!

As ever,  Guys.

[KiwiCol]

2 more cents worth from downunder, you have to think basic. 

The only time tread wears off is when that part of the tyre is on the road.  Straight up highway riding, we're all in the centre of the tyre, so only time the sides wear is when we lean it over, which isn't for that long a time compared to the upright position (Irish excluded from this). 
So given it only wears when leaned over & that's only for a short time & we have high tread wear, that has to indicate a soft compound (high wear but good grip) on the sidewall.

Now it all depends how far up the sidewall & in toward the centre the soft component comes, obviously some manufacturers are bringing the soft component up too far, giving good planted feel at very moderate lean angles but with corresponding high 'sidewall' tread wear.
This is good for them (they think) as they get to sell another set of tires. Up to you if you go back & get another set, lots will, as it's easier to stick with what you know than change to something you've not personally tried before.

Mitchys 4 & 5 are good on our bike & so are Pirelli Angles (A spec, B Spec GT)  Thes manufacturers seem to have it sorted as to the ratio & placement of the dual (or triple) compounds.  Absolutely other manufacturers will have as well, but these 2 brands have a great following on our bike, because they work for 90% of guys.

Let the bun fight (or tire fight) begin!!

[grog]

Angel GT are dual compound rear but single front.

[Hooli]

Mine had this problem on Angel GTs, so they aren't the cure.

Whatever the cause was, it made the front end lack grip to the point I could feel it slide as I used any power to drive out of a bend. That was the point it chewed the front tyre as it was being pushed sideways up the road.

I've just clicked that the problem improved when I went to a 55 profile rear as the bike didn't take as much effort to hold in bends. Mine is a little low at the rear due to XgayR fake Ohlins so that won't have helped either with the standard setup as it'd have increased the rake making it harder to turn.

[grog]

Angels not the cure but sure last longer than some, at least for me. Ive never had a problem with them last 6 years. My last front went 16th ks. Was out of shape on rhs towards its end. The 3 Bridgys i mentioned were really bad at 5 th ks. One was 3th but that was Exedra on a Rocket with a mate on extremely twisty road to his house, lot of weight on that tyre.

[VladTepes]

Bridgestones are a great choice.... for a CX500 

[Irish in Oz]

Bridgestones are a great choice.... for a CX500 

I run Bridgestone BT45's on a lot of my classic bikes and find them very good.

[Globalrider]

Yes - I have BT45s on my two '84 VF1000F Interceptors - they work well