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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Killroy on April 16, 2016, 11:39:25 AM
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A friend passed my 2015 SR and told me that my tires where worn out. I thought he was kidding.
At 4000 miles, the rear (Pirelli Diablo Rosso II) looks good but the front is not far from the wear bar. I know the depth on the front is not deep brand new, but dam.
The wear is mostly from cornering.
Is the bike front heavy?
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My experience on my 2014 SR (which I use on the road and track) is that the front wears faster than the rear. On the front I get to the wear markers on the side earlier than the center of the tire. I expect the greater side/edge wear from the track riding but like you am a little surprised that the front wears noticeably faster than the rear.
I would have thought the extra power of the SR would be harder on the rear but the front cops a beating around the corners and under hard braking so I suppose it makes sense the front would wear faster. My SR also cuts power after a few minutes on the track (due to motor overheating) so that tends to preserve the rear tire.
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It should also be mentioned that I have not done any track days.
I don't use a lot of brake on my daily commute over the Santa Cruz Mountains on HWY 17, which has a lot of long sweepers climbing and descending. I'm going above the speed limit, but I'm not dragging anything or getting to aggressive. Too much traffic and occasionally speed traps.
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I had a set of PR3's on my 2014 SR and was surprised to see how fast the front tire wore out compared to the same tire on my 650 V-Strom. On the V-Strom I usually replace one front tire for every two rear tires. I think there is more weight on the front of the SR due to the battery which causes faster tire wear compared to other bikes.
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Might be the difference in the power characteristics of an electric motor vs. a gasoline engine. Tires have been built around gas engines for decades. Electric motorcycles are relatively new. I suspect once we start seeing more and more electrics on the road, the tire manufacturers will find it profitable enough to design tires specifically for electric bikes.
Clutching and shifting introduce little "shocks" to the tire carcass... something your (and eventually OUR) Zeros never experience. I suspect the same goes for my CVT-driven scooter, as I go through front tires on that faster than rears too.
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I have 8K miles on my original IRC Road Whiners. The rear looks like it will last another 1,000 miles before hitting the wear bars and the front still looks like new with only negligible visible wear.
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Might be the difference in the power characteristics of an electric motor vs. a gasoline engine. Tires have been built around gas engines for decades. Electric motorcycles are relatively new. I suspect once we start seeing more and more electrics on the road, the tire manufacturers will find it profitable enough to design tires specifically for electric bikes.
Clutching and shifting introduce little "shocks" to the tire carcass... something your (and eventually OUR) Zeros never experience. I suspect the same goes for my CVT-driven scooter, as I go through front tires on that faster than rears too.
Yeah, I thought about that with a buddy, but I font thing that is the case.
Yet, the absolute miles on the front looks like its going to be poor.
The Zero is relatively light compared to other sport bikes and I'm only 160 lb myself.
Maybe a wider tire front tire with more rubber would be good and you could replace the tires in a set.
I know on bicycles, the front tire last at least twice as long. I usually rotate them.
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A harder compound front would give you more tire life at the expense of ultimate traction. Everything is a compromise and there's no such thing as a free lunch.
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A friend passed my 2015 SR and told me that my tires where worn out. I thought he was kidding.
At 4000 miles, the rear (Pirelli Diablo Rosso II) looks good but the front is not far from the wear bar. I know the depth on the front is not deep brand new, but dam.
The wear is mostly from cornering.
Is the bike front heavy?
On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
Can't speak for the 2014 yet.
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My '15 SR's front tire is also wearing quicker than the rear. I'd love to put some Pirelli Angel GT's in the front, but I don't think they make them in the right size.
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I use Angel GTs and they are great! However, you are right. They don't come in the right size, so I got 1 size bigger.
Front - 120/70R17
Rear - 150/70R17
The tolerances are close, but there has been no rubbing. The only difference is that the bike leans a bit more on the kickstand since it is a bit taller. I replaced the kickstand with a DS kickstand and that is working nicely for me.
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I use Angel GTs and they are great! However, you are right. They don't come in the right size, so I got 1 size bigger.
Front - 120/70R17
Rear - 150/70R17
The tolerances are close, but there has been no rubbing. The only difference is that the bike leans a bit more on the kickstand since it is a bit taller. I replaced the kickstand with a DS kickstand and that is working nicely for me.
Good to know. How are the Angel GT's wearing? How is the handling compared to the Rosso's?
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Thank you Ben for that info, I was thinking also about changing the genuine tires to 1 size bigger, but maybe 150/60 will keep the same diameter, and correct speed/odo indications. I love the handling of the diablo rosso, how are the Angel GTs ?
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I had PR3's put on my 2014 SR when I picked it up and the rear was a 150. I thought it handled well until I decided to go back to stock size with the Diablo Dorso II's. I was surprised how much more flickable the bike was in S turns. Would not go back to a 150.
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My SR is a 2014, so I didn't start out with Rosso's. I chose the Angel GT's because they should last longer and give me better traction than the original tires. I like them better than my original tires, but I don't recall the stock tire on 2014's right now.
My primary use of the bike is long range summer journeys, so flicking through corners is not my biggest concern. They handle well and I have much more confidence in their grip than the original tires. I really like them and they have worn well. It would be nice if Zero increased their tire size so there would be more options available.
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My SR is a 2014, so I didn't start out with Rosso's. I chose the Angel GT's because they should last longer and give me better traction than the original tires. I like them better than my original tires, but I don't recall the stock tire on 2014's right now.
Stock tires for 2014 S and SR are IRC Road Winner.
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I think they use such narrow tires for weight savings. Now that I know you are using the Angel GT's successfully, I will definitely be putting them on.
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On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
I replaced the rear at 10000, and again at 22000. The front made it to 22000 before replacement. Stock IRC tires. Amazing YMMV, I guess it all must be riding styles/conditions?
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On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
I replaced the rear at 10000, and again at 22000. The front made it to 22000 before replacement. Stock IRC tires. Amazing YMMV, I guess it all must be riding styles/conditions?
Your bike didn't come with the Diablo Rosso II's, which are sticky but short lived. I just hit 6,000 miles and both tires have about 1000 miles left on them, with a noticeable flat spot in the rear.
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On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
I replaced the rear at 10000, and again at 22000. The front made it to 22000 before replacement. Stock IRC tires. Amazing YMMV, I guess it all must be riding styles/conditions?
Riding style definitely will affect; heavy acceleration and regen will affect wear. Rider weight will affect some too; I'm probably 210 in full gear.
I did replace the rear the second time when it picked up a nail, but it would have been due for replacement within a thousand miles anyhow.
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I had PR3's put on my 2014 SR when I picked it up and the rear was a 150. I thought it handled well until I decided to go back to stock size with the Diablo Dorso II's. I was surprised how much more flickable the bike was in S turns. Would not go back to a 150.
Just as a counter opinion, I sought out a "flatter" tire profile because I felt my 2014 S was twitchy and unstable in turns (likely due to the steep frame geometry/lack of trail), and thought the Pilot road 4/3 (PR4 front/PR3 150mm rear) improved handling significantly--the bike can now hold a line and is more stable and predictable. It's all relative to what you prefer (which is often related to the bikes you've ridden before)--your "flickability" is my instability. I took the bike to the track with the PR3/PR4 combination and although it wasn't ideal (in that the PR3 rear appears to have less shoulder contact patch than a pointy tire like a Diablo Rosso), it performed fine for me with no sliding. The PR3 or PR4 are unbeatable in wet weather and are long-lasting, albeit pricey.
Note that the 150 rear also raises the seat height, spedometer appears to be more accurate based on radar signs, but the bike feels slightly slower off the line (could be my imagination...)
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Anyone that has not already done so should get there suspension sag and dials turned by a pro.
I'm ~160 lb, and I had to cut a lot of spacer to get the sag within spec.
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I just hit 6,000 miles and both tires have about 1000 miles left on them, with a noticeable flat spot in the rear.
At 6,300 miles, I've got threads showing on the rear. I can afford a new set of tires but damn, the timing isn't very convenient.
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I can't stress enough the severity of a blow out at speed, there is a little triangle on the side of the tires, follow that across the center of the tires, it's the wear bar, if it is level with the tread replace the tires, period, if you see thread your life and others are at risk, don't be a cheap dick head
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On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
I replaced the rear at 10000, and again at 22000. The front made it to 22000 before replacement. Stock IRC tires. Amazing YMMV, I guess it all must be riding styles/conditions?
Your bike didn't come with the Diablo Rosso II's, which are sticky but short lived. I just hit 6,000 miles and both tires have about 1000 miles left on them, with a noticeable flat spot in the rear.
Yes, getting 4-6k out of a sport tire like the Diablo Rosso II is pretty typical on ICE bikes. My PR4 front tire (which I think typically goes 10k+ miles on the front) is getting some ridging after about 6k miles on the Zero and I'm wondering if the front wear is simply a dependence on the front braking the bike instead of the normal engine braking that occurs on ICE bikes.
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I can't stress enough the severity of a blow out at speed, there is a little triangle on the side of the tires, follow that across the center of the tires, it's the wear bar, if it is level with the tread replace the tires, period, if you see thread your life and others are at risk, don't be a cheap dick head
I typed that post immediately after discovering the wear, so it is just a slight patch and not like I've been riding on it like that for weeks like that dude I saw on a stretched GSXR750. I agree, the tire is dangerous and will be replaced very soon. My only gripe is the timing and the fact that the front wears as fast as the rear.
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Just saw this article regarding electric/hybrid cars and thought I'd post it here for discussion:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html)
One of the complaints listed for electric/hybrid car owners is increased tire wear.
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Just saw this article regarding electric/hybrid cars and thought I'd post it here for discussion:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html)
One of the complaints listed for electric/hybrid car owners is increased tire wear.
They attributed it to weight, not the awesome 106 ft. lbs. and regenerative braking. The whole study sounded dubious to me. They claim that only 1/3 of emissions come from the engine on an ICE car.
We found that non-exhaust emissions, from brakes, tyres and the road, are far larger than exhaust emissions in all modern cars. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html)
So if non-exhaust emissions is the real culprit, then the whole emission regulations thing is a scam? Or an attempt wasted in vain?
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I also question the methodology. If you're talking about weight, then what about all of those stupid overweight SUVs on the road that not only weigh two tons or more, but also get LOUSY gas mileage.
And particulate emissions from the brakes? Magnetic regenerative braking doesn't create any particulate emissions. I'm wondering if the oil industry didn't fund this "research..."
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Just saw this article regarding electric/hybrid cars and thought I'd post it here for discussion:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html)
One of the complaints listed for electric/hybrid car owners is increased tire wear.
They attributed it to weight, not the awesome 106 ft. lbs. and regenerative braking. The whole study sounded dubious to me. They claim that only 1/3 of emissions come from the engine on an ICE car.
We found that non-exhaust emissions, from brakes, tyres and the road, are far larger than exhaust emissions in all modern cars. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3579878/Electric-hybrid-eco-friendly-cars-air-toxins-dirty-diesels-say-scientists.html)
So if non-exhaust emissions is the real culprit, then the whole emission regulations thing is a scam? Or an attempt wasted in vain?
This is some bullshit. Lumping tire wear particles in with gases is a literal false equivalence. Smog and warming effects have a very direct relationship with atmospheric pollutants, not dirty road surfaces.
The sensible response to understanding the effect of tire and brake wear is to go fix those issues, too, not say that EVs are a wash. I'm guessing that conclusion drove the study and the write up.
Material advancements aside, these issues are addressed by improving vehicles and particularly electric vehicles using regenerative braking and aerodynamics that reduce power needs at speed.
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This is some bullshit. Lumping tire wear particles in with gases is a literal false equivalence.
Not only is it pure bullshit, it's wrong by orders of magnitude. A motorcycle tire weighs, what, 20 pounds, and you lose at most a couple of pounds of rubber in its 5-10,000 mile life? In the meantime, an ICE motorcycle burns what, at least 50-100 gallons of gasoline, which weighs at least 300 pounds. That weight is MULTIPLIED by 3 when converting to carbon dioxide (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/contentIncludes/co2_inc.htm (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/contentIncludes/co2_inc.htm)), so that's a half ton of CO2.
Haters gonna hate, liars gonna make shit up.
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Tire Wear and Brake Wear has been of interest to the EPA for a while - Some of us we may recall the asbestos days. (and a few may even recall the impact on inner city school grades of automotive brakes delivered lead).
The EPA has standards for these particulates and which includes determinations of the percentage that goes airborne.
Just a few of many sources of this information:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/sbai_pres.pdf (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/sbai_pres.pdf)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315878/ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315878/)
While emissions from the tailpipes have been dropping - the emissions from brake and tire wear have been generally constant. So an opportunity to represent the ratios is an ever shifting scenario does exist - look at the EPA MOVES report for 2050!
Picking up this report and launching it to the headlines as to villainize EV is as always the every present game of controlling public perception.
The optimistic part is that the "fix" isn't less EV - it is opening up other tire compounds, and new braking methodologies to all vehicles.
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This video sums it up for me:
https://youtu.be/epEUvHqf_M0
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Update: I'm at ~4500 miles on the stock tires and the front tire is almost at the where bar and the rear has tread that is twice as deep.
I guess I have to do some smoky electric burn outs so that the rear tire can catch up. 8)
Months ago I did have some local pros set up the suspension, but maybe the suspension needs some more work. The tire wear is are repetitively smooth grain and I don't see any weird wear like cupping. The front tire is a little more course grain.
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Anybody try the Dunlop Sportmax GPR 300?
http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com/tire-line/sportmax-gpr-300/ (http://www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com/tire-line/sportmax-gpr-300/)
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On my 2012, I replaced the rear tire at 6000 and 13000 miles; the front tire was also replaced at 13000 miles, though it had a bit of wear left.
I replaced the rear at 10000, and again at 22000. The front made it to 22000 before replacement. Stock IRC tires. Amazing YMMV, I guess it all must be riding styles/conditions?
Its getting closer to tire shopping time and I still find it weird that in your case with the 2012 Stock IRC Road Winners you get twice as much front tire wear, but I am getting twice as much rear wear with the 2015 stock Pirelli Diablo Rosso II.
I would like to hear from more Zero riders with minimum tire wear of over 10,000 miles. That would put tire cost around 2 -3 cents per mile.
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I ended up replacing my front Pirelli Diablo Rosso II at ~6000 miles. Its hard to tell from the picture, but on the front all the wear bars are gone, some of the grooves are gone and the groove depth is really shallow.
The Rear has the same miles on it, but it looks like it is going to last another 3000 miles. That is the reverse of what normally happens.
I ended up replacing just the front with a Bridgestone bt-45. I'm sure its fine, but it seems narrow, and the sides are so steep, I will never use the edge.
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That is the reverse of what normally happens.
Its the reverse when you're comparing it to high power ICE bikes.
When you compare it to low power motocycles, the brakes are more powerful than the motor.. and the front wears first.
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Michelin PR4 front with ~ 6.5k miles on it.
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Michelin PR4 front with ~ 6.5k miles on it. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0)
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The tire looks gone on the shoulder to me.
You are running the larger than stock 120/70 17, rather than the stock 110/70 17. You cant get the PR4 in stock S/SR sizes. You could get a stock size Michelin Pilot Street Radial.
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Several of the posts here show wear on the side of the tire, from cornering, not along the center where it would be from braking. So in these cases I think your logic does not seem to be apply.
The SR is front heavy, I think. The seating position is more forward than on some other bikes. The battery is near the front tire. That's probably why the front springs/preload is so big (too big even for a 200lb+ rider).
My SR is still relatively new at just below 1,500 miles, so I don't know how the tires will wear on it. I don't corner aggressively but do accelerate quickly quite often (mostly use it for daily commute). So for me the center wear should be the worst, I expect...
That is the reverse of what normally happens.
Its the reverse when you're comparing it to high power ICE bikes.
When you compare it to low power motocycles, the brakes are more powerful than the motor.. and the front wears first.
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Several of the posts here show wear on the side of the tire, from cornering, not along the center where it would be from braking. So in these cases I think your logic does not seem to be apply.
The SR is front heavy, I think. The seating position is more forward than on some other bikes. The battery is near the front tire. That's probably why the front springs/preload is so big (too big even for a 200lb+ rider).
My SR is still relatively new at just below 1,500 miles, so I don't know how the tires will wear on it. I don't corner aggressively but do accelerate quickly quite often (mostly use it for daily commute). So for me the center wear should be the worst, I expect...
That is the reverse of what normally happens.
Its the reverse when you're comparing it to high power ICE bikes.
When you compare it to low power motocycles, the brakes are more powerful than the motor.. and the front wears first.
the front wheel turns the bike too. lol
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Michelin PR4 front with ~ 6.5k miles on it. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0)
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The tire looks gone on the shoulder to me.
You are running the larger than stock 120/70 17, rather than the stock 110/70 17. You cant get the PR4 in stock S/SR sizes. You could get a stock size Michelin Pilot Street Radial.
So originally I had the PR4 120/70-17 together with a 150/70-17 rear PR3 to slow down the turn-in and improve the stability of the bike, which it did. I was experimenting with the front width assuming that the 120 would have a flatter center versus a 110mm front, but maybe that is backwards? In any case, the PR3/PR4 profile is nice and round and that did the trick.
The PR4 is a dual compound tire and so the wear pattern is more about the soft shoulders of these tires. I guess the assumption is that most riders don't use the sides that much. About 5 of 12 miles of my commute are on windy roads. But really the percent of distance I spend in turns is tiny versus the distance I spend going straight, so I can only conclude the sides are much much softer than the middle compound. I guess the side tire surface is going through more friction in a turn so it's not just distance?
I just installed new tires today and now I realize how bad the front was worn. The wear on the front was definitely causing issues when cornering, the bike just wasn't smoothly falling down into the turn, and was going into a slight wobble. I had to get back on good tires to realize the difference, as the handling has slowly degraded over time and I've just adapted to it.
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What tires did you put on this time?
I just installed new tires today and now I realize how bad the front was worn. The wear on the front was definitely causing issues when cornering, the bike just wasn't smoothly falling down into the turn, and was going into a slight wobble. I had to get back on good tires to realize the difference, as the handling has slowly degraded over time and I've just adapted to it.
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150mm continental road attack 2 evo rear with a metzeler m7 rr front 120mm. Just did a 70 mile detour to pescadero after work to break them in. They feel great.
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Michelin PR4 front with ~ 6.5k miles on it. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/hnrh8inpj8r9mdn/20160711_213420.jpg?dl=0)
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The tire looks gone on the shoulder to me.
You are running the larger than stock 120/70 17, rather than the stock 110/70 17. You cant get the PR4 in stock S/SR sizes. You could get a stock size Michelin Pilot Street Radial.
So originally I had the PR4 120/70-17 together with a 150/70-17 rear PR3 to slow down the turn-in and improve the stability of the bike, which it did. I was experimenting with the front width assuming that the 120 would have a flatter center versus a 110mm front, but maybe that is backwards? In any case, the PR3/PR4 profile is nice and round and that did the trick.
The PR4 is a dual compound tire and so the wear pattern is more about the soft shoulders of these tires. I guess the assumption is that most riders don't use the sides that much. About 5 of 12 miles of my commute are on windy roads. But really the percent of distance I spend in turns is tiny versus the distance I spend going straight, so I can only conclude the sides are much much softer than the middle compound. I guess the side tire surface is going through more friction in a turn so it's not just distance?
I just installed new tires today and now I realize how bad the front was worn. The wear on the front was definitely causing issues when cornering, the bike just wasn't smoothly falling down into the turn, and was going into a slight wobble. I had to get back on good tires to realize the difference, as the handling has slowly degraded over time and I've just adapted to it.
I never thought that the RS bike was to quick or slow stock. I did do a lot of work to get the sag right. So much work, that I suggest everyone check there sag if they have not done so.
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Coming from bikes with a more relaxed geometry I think I've been used to bikes that simply hold a line while in a sweeping turn. In contrast, on the Zero S I feel like I actually have to expend mental energy to steer the bike around a turn. It feels twitchy and overly sensitive to rider input. I've gotten used to it (after 7000 miles) and the PR3/PR4 tires have helped, but that was definitely my first impression.
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I'm short, so I like the smaller tires, but the selection of normal size tires like the PR4s are good.
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Coming from bikes with a more relaxed geometry I think I've been used to bikes that simply hold a line while in a sweeping turn. In contrast, on the Zero S I feel like I actually have to expend mental energy to steer the bike around a turn. It feels twitchy and overly sensitive to rider input. I've gotten used to it (after 7000 miles) and the PR3/PR4 tires have helped, but that was definitely my first impression.
My S handles pretty much exactly like the Buells I've owned. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because that's where Abe Askenazie got his start before moving to Zero.
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I think it would depend on the speed during a turn and probably other things. I remember a thread about the SR having a tendency to turn-in when leaned during a turn, so I was looking for it this morning on my way to work. Indeed, if I just let go of the handlebars during a turn at a slow-ish speed, around 30 mph, the front wheel was turning into the turn, resulting in the bike trying to go wide/straighten-up. I would not say I feel it when I'm just turning, but letting go of the handlebars illustrates that point.
That said, I had a 55L top box on the rack with about 6lb in it (so nothing too heavy). And I have to try the same experiment without the box and at different speeds to know if that tendency continues and if it gets stronger or weaker... But it is like the front wheel wobble thing - you let go off the handlebars and it happens, you put just a slight touch, and it is gone, so one may never feel it or mind it in normal use.
Coming from bikes with a more relaxed geometry I think I've been used to bikes that simply hold a line while in a sweeping turn. In contrast, on the Zero S I feel like I actually have to expend mental energy to steer the bike around a turn. It feels twitchy and overly sensitive to rider input. I've gotten used to it (after 7000 miles) and the PR3/PR4 tires have helped, but that was definitely my first impression.
My S handles pretty much exactly like the Buells I've owned. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because that's where Abe Askenazie got his start before moving to Zero.
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@Kocho Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't a bike in motion want to stay in motion and if you release the handlebars at any time it will try to straighten up?
I know my front tire, since it is dual compound, will scallop over time. This causes the front end to wobble at certain speeds as it gets worse and as your loads are not even.
I have a 36L top case on the bike which sites right on the passenger seat and it carries at least 25lbs on most trips sometimes more! ... I don't notice any difference with 20k on my front tire when I release the handlebars going say 75mph ... it still tracks straight as an arrow. I haven't tried to release the steering when leaning the bike over with a lot of weight in the top case yet. But the bike does straighten up if I loosen up on the bars as I think physics dictates it should.
I remove my rear tire around 10k miles just as I start to hit the wear strips and keep them as backups for a couple years then recycle them later.
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I ended up replacing my front Pirelli Diablo Rosso II at ~6000 miles. Its hard to tell from the picture, but on the front all the wear bars are gone, some of the grooves are gone and the groove depth is really shallow.
The Rear has the same miles on it, but it looks like it is going to last another 3000 miles. That is the reverse of what normally happens.
I ended up replacing just the front with a Bridgestone bt-45. I'm sure its fine, but it seems narrow, and the sides are so steep, I will never use the edge.
I replaced the original stock Diablo at ~10,500 miles :o with similar depth of wear recently with the matching Bridgestone BT-45. Because of my normal commute is windy, I was able to avoid the center flat spot of a bike that is normal for a bike that is used mostly for commuting.
The front Bridgestone BT-45 looks like it is wearing similar to the my last Diablo, which had most of its wear ~50% to the edge of the tire. You can see that in the grooves that have been warn away in the pictures.
I'm still wondering if the SR is front heavy. I cruise on HWY 17 in the Santa Cruz mountains at ~ 65 to 75 MPH even in the turns depending on traffic. Faster in the straight. Good thing the speed traps are not really good at trapping me. 8)
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I've put well over 1000 miles on the 150 size Pirelli Angel GT rear and it is very nice. I plan to try 150 sized Michelin Pilot Power 2CT's next. I had them on the R1 and it lasted for quite some time with good feel.
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I changed my DSR rear tire at 13000 miles but somehow my front tire is still fine after 16500 miles (one year into ownership), though I would not mind switching to a sport touring tire when it goes. Drag-reduction tweaking does seem to reduce tire wear.
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I replaced my stock Road Whiner rear tire at 10,500 miles when it hit the wear bars. At 11K, the front Whiner seems to have lots of center tread left, but the tread at the mid-sides is starting to look a little bare. I give the tire another few thousand miles before I end up with a deep center groove and no tread next to it. ??? I recall similar front tire wear on my 1986 Honda VFR F700FII. It didn't matter what brand of tire I was using, it always wore the same. ???
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I ended up replacing my front Pirelli Diablo Rosso II at ~6000 miles. Its hard to tell from the picture, but on the front all the wear bars are gone, some of the grooves are gone and the groove depth is really shallow.
The Rear has the same miles on it, but it looks like it is going to last another 3000 miles. That is the reverse of what normally happens.
I ended up replacing just the front with a Bridgestone bt-45. I'm sure its fine, but it seems narrow, and the sides are so steep, I will never use the edge.
I replaced the original stock Diablo at ~10,500 miles :o with similar depth of wear recently with the matching Bridgestone BT-45. Because of my normal commute is windy, I was able to avoid the center flat spot of a bike that is normal for a bike that is used mostly for commuting.
The front Bridgestone BT-45 looks like it is wearing similar to the my last Diablo, which had most of its wear ~50% to the edge of the tire. You can see that in the grooves that have been warn away in the pictures.
I'm still wondering if the SR is front heavy. I cruise on HWY 17 in the Santa Cruz mountains at ~ 65 to 75 MPH even in the turns depending on traffic. Faster in the straight. Good thing the speed traps are not really good at trapping me. 8)
I'm still having problems with fast tire wear on my front tires for my commute over Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz mountains.
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10500 miles on the '16 DS before I swapped the rear tire (to an Avon Trail Rider), front tire still has some life @ 11,100 miles...
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I must ride a lot more aggressively than most of you. I only got 3,000 miles out of the Road Whiner before I started getting comments about having a slick. I couldn't get the damned thing off so I cut it off with an angle grinder. Even though the center was completely squared off and slick, there was nearly a half inch of rubber before it would have gotten to the threads. Then I was pissed because I could have done one hell of a burnout on that sucker. Lesson learned, always do a smokey burnout before changing a tire. This solves two issues. One, it warms the tire up so it'll actually come off, and two, you won't regret not having done a sick burnout in your driveway.
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As far as front tires go, it looks like I'll get 7,000 out of the Road Whiner, which is also what I got with the Diablo II.
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On my 2015 I get about 12,000 miles out of a front tire and 8,000 miles out of a back tire, but I usually run both until I see cords show.
On my 2012 Vetter bike I got about 10,000 miles out of a front tire, and what would have been about 24,000 miles perhaps out of a back tire, but I'd always have the wheel bearings start grinding or popping at around 20,000 miles so the last 2 tire changes were just wheel changes with a new tire installed.
Alan Smith who rides a fully streamlined Ninja 250 also gets about 25,000 miles on a back tire.
I think it's because instead of needing about 15,000 watts to go 75 mph, it only takes about 5,000 watts and you are barely twisting the throttle to maintain highway speeds and so the back tire doesn't have to work as hard to push you through the wind.
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On my 2015 I get about 12,000 miles out of a front tire and 8,000 miles out of a back tire, but I usually run both until I see cords show.
On my 2012 Vetter bike I got about 10,000 miles out of a front tire, and what would have been about 24,000 miles perhaps out of a back tire, but I'd always have the wheel bearings start grinding or popping at around 20,000 miles so the last 2 tire changes were just wheel changes with a new tire installed.
Alan Smith who rides a fully streamlined Ninja 250 also gets about 25,000 miles on a back tire.
I think it's because instead of needing about 15,000 watts to go 75 mph, it only takes about 5,000 watts and you are barely twisting the throttle to maintain highway speeds and so the back tire doesn't have to work as hard to push you through the wind.
I've been listening to you at the Motorcycles and Misfits, I love that podcast, and you do a great job there. Are you still employed by Zero?
I don't know about my front tire, but my rear ones wear out quickly because I just can't lay off the throttle. That launch is addictive.
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A friend passed my 2015 SR and told me that my tires where worn out. I thought he was kidding.
At 4000 miles, the rear (Pirelli Diablo Rosso II) looks good but the front is not far from the wear bar. I know the depth on the front is not deep brand new, but dam.
The wear is mostly from cornering.
Is the bike front heavy?
Yes! I had ta similar experience: took my 2016 SR in for the 4K service, was told (showed) the front tire was close to the wear bar. I was told. I'm not happy about replacing the front tire every 4K or so miles; I get about twice that milage on my bicycle's tires!
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I changed my DSR rear tire at 13000 miles but somehow my front tire is still fine after 16500 miles (one year into ownership), though I would not mind switching to a sport touring tire when it goes. Drag-reduction tweaking does seem to reduce tire wear.
I finally changed my front tire at 19000 miles with still a bit of tread left. I also changed the original front brake pads then, also not fully used.
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I replaced my original Road Whiner rear tire at around 11K miles and my front tire looks good for at least 15K or more miles. ???
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Just crossed 9,000 miles on my 2016 "S" and both tires look great. Plenty of tread left.
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Got 3750 km (2350 miles) on my stock tires and my front is down to 1.6mm. The rear is still at 3mm, but had much more profile to begin with..
1.6mm is minimum in Switzerland, so i swap them next weekend. Lets see how the next set behaves, i heard the first one should last longer, but 3750km is not a lot for the front
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Got 3750 km (2350 miles) on my stock tires and my front is down to 1.6mm.
Wow, that's horrible!
Reading through this thread, I'm struck by the diversity of reported tire longevity.
It's not always obvious for which bike (model+year) tire life is reported. I think it's
never reported the weight (mass) of the rider, and seldom what sort of riding s/he does.
All of these (and other factors; what have I missed?) contribute to tire (tyre) life.
Am wondering if we could add some things in the wiki. If BTR is OK with it,
I'm willing to comb through this thread and start a spreadsheet/chart.
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Got 3750 km (2350 miles) on my stock tires and my front is down to 1.6mm.
Wow, that's horrible!
Reading through this thread, I'm struck by the diversity of reported tire longevity.
It's not always obvious for which bike (model+year) tire life is reported. I think it's
never reported the weight (mass) of the rider, and seldom what sort of riding s/he does.
All of these (and other factors; what have I missed?) contribute to tire (tyre) life.
Am wondering if we could add some things in the wiki. If BTR is OK with it,
I'm willing to comb through this thread and start a spreadsheet/chart.
2015 SR
190lb rider
I ride it like I stole it
1st set Diablo II Front & Rear 7000 miles
2nd set Road Whinners Front (still on but will get 8,500 miles probably), Rear 3,000 miles
3rd rear tire Angel GT has 3,000 on it and still going
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Got 3750 km (2350 miles) on my stock tires and my front is down to 1.6mm.
Wow, that's horrible!
Reading through this thread, I'm struck by the diversity of reported tire longevity.
It's not always obvious for which bike (model+year) tire life is reported. I think it's
never reported the weight (mass) of the rider, and seldom what sort of riding s/he does.
All of these (and other factors; what have I missed?) contribute to tire (tyre) life.
Am wondering if we could add some things in the wiki. If BTR is OK with it,
I'm willing to comb through this thread and start a spreadsheet/chart.
Of course I'm okay with it. Google Sheets might be a good idea (mirroring the "total mileage" spreadsheet).
For what it's worth, I weigh 150lbs and my 2016DSR travels a lot at highway speeds and often on rough roads, but not much offroad.
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I have been thinking about putting slightly more road-biased tires on my DSR...something like the Pirelli Scorpion Trail II or Michelin Anakee 3...anyone see any issues with putting a 110/80 on the front instead of the stock 100/90? I think it's a pretty common swap that folks do, but wasn't 100% sure on a Zero.
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and other factors; what have I missed?
Tire pressure.
Ambient temperature.
Regen settings.
Amount of hard braking (front wear) and hard acceleration (rear wear).
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Reading through this thread, I'm struck by the diversity of reported tire longevity.
It's not always obvious for which bike (model+year) tire life is reported. I think it's
never reported the weight (mass) of the rider, and seldom what sort of riding s/he does.
All of these (and other factors; what have I missed?) contribute to tire (tyre) life.
2016 SR
170 ibs
a lot of fast driving&braking, often on mountain roads, what could explain the front wearing down so fast.. Thats also why i need much stronger regen. Hill down, the regen at 100% oftern does not even slow me down..
am now at 3850km, front 1.5mm, rear 3mm (lowest mesurements)