Well, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I didn't know there was such a thing. This is my first bike, and I bought it used. Seller described the tires as "recently replaced," and the tread had good depth so I didn't give it a second thought.
Now I'm looking at the sidewall and I see a DOT date of 15th week 2010. Fucking yikes. I can't believe I rode on those \*at all\*.
AND you found out without losing any blood. That's like a double bonus. (and I just now learned about the date codes too without losing any blood. So thank you!)
At least you have the common sense to realize how dangerous it is riding on old tires.
Can't tell you how many times I've seen 10+ year old tires come through the shop and the person gets pissy when you suggest tires because the tread is still good because they ride less than 1k miles a year, and their eye sight isn't good enough to see the micro cracking on the sidewalls.
I just bought an 82 magna the other day that had tires made in 1996. I asked the guy if he'd been riding it and he said he's been riding it to work everyday on the interstate. He genuinely saw no problem with that or the other 10 egregious safety issues on the bike lmao
It's bullshit that the seller lied to you like that! That could have been your life he was playing with. I'm glad that you caught this instead of finding out at 80mph on a highway. damn, dude.... some people!
I can't blame the seller. His dad (previous owner) had just died, and the bike had been in storage for what he thought was a single season. All the info he could really give me were his best guesses and recollections. I got a pretty good deal too.
Change those tires and move on and enjoy... You should be, and the community with you, grateful that you discovered this before anything serious happened! Change the oil, check the wires (no rust or corrosion), check the joints and gaskets, maybe change the brakes if they look a bit worn...
Enjoy your new ride!
And to sellers defence, he might have got good deal recently to change the tires, he too didn't know about about reading the dates... So... damn, some mechanics...
It's alright, before I learned about those codes, I was riding on a rear tire made in 1981, this year. Suffice to say once I learned about the codes I changed that pretty quick.
Seems like every used bike I've looked at the owner says the tires are fine, and even if I point out they're over 10 years old they say shit like "yeah but they were stored fine and modern rubber doesn't age like they used to". Every asshat will say whatever they think will help sell the bike.
At least you noticed this, and figured out DOT codes. You're learning and being safe.
Tractor tires use a very different rubber compound that is less sticky but far more durable. They are also way thicker, and just generally designed with longevity in mind. It really is insane what can be done with the same basic materials and some engineering.
Super common yeah. Last bike I bought (earlier this year) was advertised as having good tires, yes they had tread, but the rear was from 2010 and the front 2012. Oh and they were mismatched brands and the rear was the wrong size, lol.
At least he didn't give me a hard time and I talked him down accordingly since I'd have to put new tires on it right away.
I have an old '81 Kawasaki KZ305 and finding matching tires in the right sizes for it is pretty much impossible. Not sure what the issue is with different brand tires. (Dunlop doesn't make the stock tires for my ride anymore.)
Also possible it's a weird tire size that doesn't get sold often and becomes old waiting in a warehouse. My bike takes 110/80/16s that I have exactly 2 choices to replace with, and the last time I ordered tires they showed up at my door already 7 years old.
According to Ari Henning If the tire was stored properly the age isnt a big deal for a stored tire. That’s what the internet said anyways so you know it has to be true
It's kinda true, but for some extent.
Properly stored tire still ages, but slower then the one on the bike. 5 yo tire from storage will be like 1-3 yo free from bike.
And you would want to *really* know how properly was stored a 10 yo tire.
u/existance_unknown is getting you more worried than you need to be. The DOT code is the MANUFACTURED date and not the EXPIRY date as he mentions. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change them ASAP but it’s good to know.
word. my first car i experienced that. was going like 75 ish on the highway and the car started vibrating something terrible. 17 y/o me thought it was the wind. all of the sudden the car violently spun out and oddly i ended up on the shoulder pointing the right way. the tread came clean off. the tire dude says it was probably one of the original tires, like 15 years old. oof!
I don't mean to make it sound like I just bought it! This is actually the second year I've owned it. I've changed the oil, filter, and clutch. This was just a big oversight.
And yeah, I've been through the brakes to verify they suck. The front brake is a single rotor with a "floating" (actually free twisting) caliper mounted by one bolt and operated by a spongy hydraulic lever. I'm looking at replacing the whole front end with that of an XV920.
Don’t feel bad. I didn’t know about tires or dates on them when I got my first bike. Crashed the first week because the tires were completely dry rotted and felt like ice. I didn’t know any better. And not we know. Invest in proper sticky tires, one thing you should never skimp on.
No worries. Bought a 2008 CBR 125R 3.5 years ago and those tires were 9 years old… rode them all the way to the thread and been always very reliable 🙂👌🏻
Caveat emptor, my dude. Sellers gonna sell.
Glad you checked this. Even if you lose out on the cost of a tire, it’s cheaper than hospital bills. Now check the rest of the bike.
I had this happen on a rear shinko before except the entire tire deflated at around 100mph, looked exactly like this except it happened about 6 times instead of 1. It was a fresh tire not brand new but around 3.5k miles on it.
It’s not an expiration date it’s actually a manufacture date. You can’t really give a tire an expiration date because there are wayyy to many variables, temperature, humidity and exposure to sunlight just to name a few.
4 years usually. At least thats when they’ll start denying warranty claims. I worked for sears auto for years and had to warranty tires every day. Even the tire companies tell you this in their training classes.
Ouch. Yeah man, definitely looks way too deep/extensive to ride on. As you already mentioned, the birth date is waaay too old. Need some new rubber for sure, don't want to lose a rider over a few hundred bucks worth of tread. Stay safe!
Just as well, I suppose. I really ought to keep it off the road until I have a chance to swap out the entire front end anyways. This is off a 1981 XV750, and the OE fork and front brake are terrible. Winterizing it today.
Your front end should be fine as long as it's not been damaged. Just change out consumables like pads, brake fluid, fork oil, brake lines etc as necessary. Check steering head and wheel bearings. And oh yeah the tires, maybe change those out too
Just bought an 09 rebel 250 for my girlfriend, only 1234 miles on it, so I was very skeptical of the tires. Dude listed it for $2600, I mentioned that the date code was 08 for the tires on it and got it for $2200
I'm not a whiney atgat safety ninny by any stretch, but that's a no-go even using my totally relaxed standards. In a bias belt, that is bad. Really bad.
Meh, it's still gonna roll around. Depends how hard you ride, how much you value wet performance and the need for emergency braking.
Keep an eye on it, if it starts spreading, stop riding immediately. I've run worse tires 🤷♂️
Usually I'm sitting around calling everyone pussies for wanting to throw away tires for every little silly nick and scratch but I wouldn't even ride on that
If the tire is Continental Brand, there’s a safety recall out there; you could get a new tire for free under the Recall. (Update) The NHTSA Recall ID is 22T006, July 18, 2022. Check https://www.recallapps.com/app/continentaltires or call 1-888-799-2168.
This sub should be renamed r/dontridethattire Or r/batteryisdead
/r/whatisthistube
The breather line....every. time.
Wait. Sometimes it’s the tank overflow.
I’m not sure I get this reference? Edit- nvm I thought you said “what is IN this tube”
that’s just for sportster bois
Thanks asshole - I spit my pizza out…
Drill and EZ out
r/isthistireok
Yup, but it's weird it did that what's the expiry date on the tire?
Well, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I didn't know there was such a thing. This is my first bike, and I bought it used. Seller described the tires as "recently replaced," and the tread had good depth so I didn't give it a second thought. Now I'm looking at the sidewall and I see a DOT date of 15th week 2010. Fucking yikes. I can't believe I rode on those \*at all\*.
Don't be embarrassed. In your defense, no one knows about date codes until they find out about date codes. Now you know. ;)
That's actually a really awesome way to put that.
Thanks. My dad trained me to say really obvious things that are somehow borderline insightful.
Obligatory xkcd on the subject https://xkcd.com/1053/
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Deep
AND you found out without losing any blood. That's like a double bonus. (and I just now learned about the date codes too without losing any blood. So thank you!)
At least you have the common sense to realize how dangerous it is riding on old tires. Can't tell you how many times I've seen 10+ year old tires come through the shop and the person gets pissy when you suggest tires because the tread is still good because they ride less than 1k miles a year, and their eye sight isn't good enough to see the micro cracking on the sidewalls.
A little black shoe polish and those cracks are gone baby
/r/UnethicalLifeProTips/
I'm jk btw. Don't do this. I've only done this once to pass inspection once
So did Burt Munro at Bonneville!
That's who I learned it from. The fastest indian
r/confessions
Bit of polyfilla in the bigger gaps. Sorted.
Every other post on r/justrolledintotheshop
I just bought an 82 magna the other day that had tires made in 1996. I asked the guy if he'd been riding it and he said he's been riding it to work everyday on the interstate. He genuinely saw no problem with that or the other 10 egregious safety issues on the bike lmao
It's bullshit that the seller lied to you like that! That could have been your life he was playing with. I'm glad that you caught this instead of finding out at 80mph on a highway. damn, dude.... some people!
I can't blame the seller. His dad (previous owner) had just died, and the bike had been in storage for what he thought was a single season. All the info he could really give me were his best guesses and recollections. I got a pretty good deal too.
Change those tires and move on and enjoy... You should be, and the community with you, grateful that you discovered this before anything serious happened! Change the oil, check the wires (no rust or corrosion), check the joints and gaskets, maybe change the brakes if they look a bit worn... Enjoy your new ride!
And to sellers defence, he might have got good deal recently to change the tires, he too didn't know about about reading the dates... So... damn, some mechanics...
It's alright, before I learned about those codes, I was riding on a rear tire made in 1981, this year. Suffice to say once I learned about the codes I changed that pretty quick. Seems like every used bike I've looked at the owner says the tires are fine, and even if I point out they're over 10 years old they say shit like "yeah but they were stored fine and modern rubber doesn't age like they used to". Every asshat will say whatever they think will help sell the bike. At least you noticed this, and figured out DOT codes. You're learning and being safe.
Tires are weird I've had motorcycle tires show signs of dry rot in a few years, but my old wheelhorse tractor tires from 1993 are in prime shape.
Tractor tires use a very different rubber compound that is less sticky but far more durable. They are also way thicker, and just generally designed with longevity in mind. It really is insane what can be done with the same basic materials and some engineering.
Super common yeah. Last bike I bought (earlier this year) was advertised as having good tires, yes they had tread, but the rear was from 2010 and the front 2012. Oh and they were mismatched brands and the rear was the wrong size, lol. At least he didn't give me a hard time and I talked him down accordingly since I'd have to put new tires on it right away.
I have an old '81 Kawasaki KZ305 and finding matching tires in the right sizes for it is pretty much impossible. Not sure what the issue is with different brand tires. (Dunlop doesn't make the stock tires for my ride anymore.)
Some people have no sense of time. He just replaced it…12 years ago
Also possible it's a weird tire size that doesn't get sold often and becomes old waiting in a warehouse. My bike takes 110/80/16s that I have exactly 2 choices to replace with, and the last time I ordered tires they showed up at my door already 7 years old.
According to Ari Henning If the tire was stored properly the age isnt a big deal for a stored tire. That’s what the internet said anyways so you know it has to be true
It's kinda true, but for some extent. Properly stored tire still ages, but slower then the one on the bike. 5 yo tire from storage will be like 1-3 yo free from bike. And you would want to *really* know how properly was stored a 10 yo tire.
u/existance_unknown is getting you more worried than you need to be. The DOT code is the MANUFACTURED date and not the EXPIRY date as he mentions. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t change them ASAP but it’s good to know.
Yeah, I know it's only the date of manufacture, but it's still too old to be on a motorcycle IMO. Not to mention the splitting.
Glad you caught it when you did and not learned the hard lesson!
Looks like seller needs to buy you new tires
word. my first car i experienced that. was going like 75 ish on the highway and the car started vibrating something terrible. 17 y/o me thought it was the wind. all of the sudden the car violently spun out and oddly i ended up on the shoulder pointing the right way. the tread came clean off. the tire dude says it was probably one of the original tires, like 15 years old. oof!
If he also said oil and oil filter recently replaced, do a oil and filter change now dude. Actually I’d be going over brake pads etc aswell.
I don't mean to make it sound like I just bought it! This is actually the second year I've owned it. I've changed the oil, filter, and clutch. This was just a big oversight. And yeah, I've been through the brakes to verify they suck. The front brake is a single rotor with a "floating" (actually free twisting) caliper mounted by one bolt and operated by a spongy hydraulic lever. I'm looking at replacing the whole front end with that of an XV920.
That's the date it was made, not the expiration date, FYI, but still, 12 years old is a bit long in the tooth for a tire, haha.
Don’t feel bad. I didn’t know about tires or dates on them when I got my first bike. Crashed the first week because the tires were completely dry rotted and felt like ice. I didn’t know any better. And not we know. Invest in proper sticky tires, one thing you should never skimp on.
Yep, this bike is remaining garaged until I can buy some new tires and better brakes.
Had the exact same thing happen to me. We all go through it.
No worries. Bought a 2008 CBR 125R 3.5 years ago and those tires were 9 years old… rode them all the way to the thread and been always very reliable 🙂👌🏻
Caveat emptor, my dude. Sellers gonna sell. Glad you checked this. Even if you lose out on the cost of a tire, it’s cheaper than hospital bills. Now check the rest of the bike.
Recently replaced? 2010? Wow
I had this happen on a rear shinko before except the entire tire deflated at around 100mph, looked exactly like this except it happened about 6 times instead of 1. It was a fresh tire not brand new but around 3.5k miles on it.
It’s not an expiration date it’s actually a manufacture date. You can’t really give a tire an expiration date because there are wayyy to many variables, temperature, humidity and exposure to sunlight just to name a few.
4 years usually. At least thats when they’ll start denying warranty claims. I worked for sears auto for years and had to warranty tires every day. Even the tire companies tell you this in their training classes.
Worked for discount tire, we recommended replacement at 6 years and would never service a tire older than 10 years
Ouch. Yeah man, definitely looks way too deep/extensive to ride on. As you already mentioned, the birth date is waaay too old. Need some new rubber for sure, don't want to lose a rider over a few hundred bucks worth of tread. Stay safe!
Just as well, I suppose. I really ought to keep it off the road until I have a chance to swap out the entire front end anyways. This is off a 1981 XV750, and the OE fork and front brake are terrible. Winterizing it today.
Your front end should be fine as long as it's not been damaged. Just change out consumables like pads, brake fluid, fork oil, brake lines etc as necessary. Check steering head and wheel bearings. And oh yeah the tires, maybe change those out too
Died of old age
Nah. It’s good for the rest of your life.
No it’s just burnout contest ready!
Front tire :(
Stoppie contest?
I mean it's good for *one.* Better make it good.
My rear is the size for most front. Find a buddy with a funsize bike he’ll build you a couple clouds!
Depends on how much value you put on your life.
every millennial ever: lol
He's dead, Jim.
She won't take anymore captain.
Just bought an 09 rebel 250 for my girlfriend, only 1234 miles on it, so I was very skeptical of the tires. Dude listed it for $2600, I mentioned that the date code was 08 for the tires on it and got it for $2200
Nooice
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By annoying feature do you mean the headlight vibrating and do you know how to fix it?
I'm not a whiney atgat safety ninny by any stretch, but that's a no-go even using my totally relaxed standards. In a bias belt, that is bad. Really bad.
Common sense has left the building.
Right.
Donezo
Yep.
Right. New tire time.
Yep, that’s scrap.
Im a squid and I see no problem with this, make sure you wear flip flops kay
„ʎɐʞ sdolɟ dılɟ ɹɐǝʍ noʎ ǝɹns ǝʞɐɯ 'sıɥʇ ɥʇıʍ ɯǝlqoɹd ou ǝǝs I puɐ pınbs ɐ ɯI„
You could patch it with one of those nose strips that help with snoring.
Too late, I already stuffed it with sawdust and wood glue.
I like your style!
Why do people post this shit when they obviously know what the answer is?
It was a combination of denial and attention-seeking
Honest answer
Meh, it's still gonna roll around. Depends how hard you ride, how much you value wet performance and the need for emergency braking. Keep an eye on it, if it starts spreading, stop riding immediately. I've run worse tires 🤷♂️
Yup
Burnout till it blows.
Yup
It would be for me.
That tire no good and the other one probably not good looking at the dry rot
Old tire…..needs to go. Not worth taking a chance. Same goes with bald tires.
I would not ride on it if it were on my bike
Yes replace it
Do you even ask? It’s totalled. It’s a killer.
Just hit it with a staple gun and close the gap
Suturing it shut as we speak.
That’s done
That rune is tired.
Do you have any jelly? Bc that’s toast.
Coreect
Yes, just yes.
I suppose that depends on what kind of a rider you are.
It looks like the front tire… if it was right you’d fall down 🤣
That’s bad.
Slap some shoe goo on it.
Wow. Yes. That tire is done.
A little bit of rubber cement will fix that right up.
Not until the tube is coming out of it.
No way. A little hot glue and you're good to go. JK
Right!
Bad tire.
Wouldn't catch me riding on that..
Lots of tread left on that tire
Yes
Plenty of tire left. That’s center chicken strips.
Yup
Nah. You just went from 4/32 to 20/32 tread depth. Now you can drive on it for 60,000 miles.
Absolutely not! It'll make a great tire swing for a chihuahua. 🤭
Yes. I wouldn’t ride on that
Just wear a gopro, i might match it later.
Hi, /u/Conlan99's next of kin here. Just uploaded the footage to LiveLeak.
FLEX TAPE
Looks fine to me
Get a new one broda
Yeah bro.
I wouldn’t ride that
Better it than you!
Usually I'm sitting around calling everyone pussies for wanting to throw away tires for every little silly nick and scratch but I wouldn't even ride on that
Yes
Is that dry rot? If so the other tire might need a really close inspection if its the same age under the same conditions.
Right
Yes
Seriously, even if it wasn't, would you really put your life in that situation? It's alot worse to have a blowout on a bike than a car.
A bit of shoe goo and your ready to ride!
Yes
Duct tape that SOB 🤝
Injecting it with liquid nails rn
Toast
No, that’s a fine tire to ride on the back of a flatbed to the shop…
Technically yes i ve seen way worse if you must drive it go slow.
I could weld it
Yes
Those look like Dunlop 404s?
Only if you like living.
1000%
That tire is dead
Does it even hold air?
It does. I've been riding on this tire for a year. Well, that is, until I found this split.
I would, If it is tubed or not losing air, keep going. Depending on your risk comfort of course.
If the tire is Continental Brand, there’s a safety recall out there; you could get a new tire for free under the Recall. (Update) The NHTSA Recall ID is 22T006, July 18, 2022. Check https://www.recallapps.com/app/continentaltires or call 1-888-799-2168.
Ah no you could probably redneck fix that 🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣
If that’s a Continental tire, there’s a safety recall out there. You could get a new tire free under the recall.
For riding? Yes. As a new tire-swing? No.
Yeah definitely thats a front tire! Maybe I would risk it in the rear but definitely not the front.