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[macstructures]

I purchased a DSR 2016 4 months ago. I had some issues with a tire on my truck and after searching for a new tire for it, I run into the expiration date on a tire. I didn't know that it was on each tire after the DOT info on the tire.

Now I'm checking all the tires on my cars and motorcycles, and the date on the DOT tire is 3314, 33 is the week and 14 the year.

Should I be concern that I bought it new (The motorcycle) with almost 3 yrs old tires? If I call the dealership where I bought it, should they replace them for newer tires or not?

I don't ride a lot... and most of the info that I found suggest that don't use tires that are 5 yrs old.

I bought the motorcycle 4 months ago and "only" have 1200 miles on it.

Thanks.

[hubert]

Imho this is not an "expiration date", but rather a manufacturing date.

Sometimes online tire shops offer "great deals" on some tire models, typically the "old" ones which were rediscovered in the outback of the warehouse.

[NEW2elec]

Most tires are good for about 7 years before they loose their grippy flexibility so it's best to take them out and ride the hell out of them.   
Enjoy.

[Doug S]

I know here in so cal (especially when I lived up in the LA basin), one of the big issues with tires getting old is ozone cracking the sidewalls of the tires. I'd think even moderate riding on occasion would keep the treads scuffed up pretty well, but if you get a crack in the sidewall it's all over for that tire. That can't even be patched to get you home.

[Richard230]

I attended a Michelin tire seminar about 6 years ago and one of their engineers mentioned that their tires, properly stored, were OK to use up to 10 years after the manufacturing date. They also said that they don't use a mold-release compound on their tires so they don't need to be scuffed in when new.  Personally, I have used tires that are 7 years old without any issues that I noticed. 

[macstructures]

When you purchased your Zero did any of you checked the manufacturing/expiration date on the tires? I will expect fairly new manufacturing date (not 3 yrs) on a new motorcycle.

One of my ICE motorcycles has a 22/08 date on it, almost 10 yrs old tire, I usually check the tread on it... but now I'm thinking about replacing it... but the sad part is that technically has 8200 miles. It is a 2008 HD motorcycle with only 8200 miles on it... now that I have the Zero I don't ride the 2 HD motorcycles that I have as often as before... and also I might have to change the tires on the other one... a 2009 HD with 7100 miles... original tires also.

[ESokoloff]

I purchased a DSR 2016 4 months ago. I had some issues with a tire on my truck and after searching for a new tire for it, I run into the expiration date on a tire. I didn't know that it was on each tire after the DOT info on the tire.

Now I'm checking all the tires on my cars and motorcycles, and the date on the DOT tire is 3314, 33 is the week and 14 the year.
..........

About 3weeks ago I replaced both tires on my new to me 2016 DSR that I picked up back in May with 2.8K miles.
Same rear tire as yours with the same date code (3314). The front tires date code is 3514.
I WOULD be surprised if your front tires got a different code.
Likely they (Zero) buys a shipping container of tires at a time and only orders more when they use up their stock.

I'm glad to be rid of the stock tires not due to their age (not a concern to me) but rather for their squarish profile. I
I now have a more conventional round profile that I believe provides fuller contact/traction.

[macstructures]

What type/brand of tires did you purchase?

[dukecola]

Holy crap. I bought a barn find Honda with 900mi, had orig 1977 tires. Road it for a few years before i sold it 2yrs ago. Tires were fine. I'd worry about a tire that is exposed to UV, but stored indoors, I think you'll be fine.

[ESokoloff]

What type/brand of tires did you purchase?

Im cheep so I don't recommend what I do to anyone...

I've had good luck on my 03 BMW 1150RT running Shinko Ravens on the rear but want something a bit more exotic (perceived safer) tire on the front so went with a Michelin Pilot Road.

When it came time to change the Zero's tires I made a choice to stay with a dirt/street tire (as apposed to full street).

Here's what I came up with.....

(F) Continental (TKC 70)
(R) Shinko (TrailMaster)


By the time I changed the stock tires both were substantially worn with the front quite crowned due to my particular roads good riding style.
The first few days of commuting were actually quite scary due to the new characteristics of these tires.
Very strange & Im not new to new tires as I'm averaging about two sets/year.
That said, this was the first new set on this new (relatively) to me bike so hoping not to experience this feeling again.

Funny thing about these tires....

Shinko is a Korean tire manufacturer so no surprise to see "Made in Korea" on the side.
What was a surprise (& a bit of a disappointment) was that the Continental also was made in Korea.
Based on the identical cardboard spacing inserted inside the tires for shipping, I'll say they came from the same factory.

[ESokoloff]

I forgot to mention that I change my own tires & was a bit surprised to see a shiny substance on the beads of the dismounted stock tires.

It was the paint off of the rims
Guess I'm a bit spoiled with BMW's fit & finish.

I lightly sanded down the bead section of the Zeros rims.
Hopefully this will allow the front tire hold air better.

[Richard230]

What type/brand of tires did you purchase?

Im cheep so I don't recommend what I do to anyone...

I've had good luck on my 03 BMW 1150RT running Shinko Ravens on the rear but want something a bit more exotic (perceived safer) tire on the front so went with a Michelin Pilot Road.

When it came time to change the Zero's tires I made a choice to stay with a dirt/street tire (as apposed to full street).

Here's what I came up with.....

(F) Continental (TKC 70)
(R) Shinko (TrailMaster)


By the time I changed the stock tires both were substantially worn with the front quite crowned due to my particular roads good riding style.
The first few days of commuting were actually quite scary due to the new characteristics of these tires.
Very strange & Im not new to new tires as I'm averaging about two sets/year.
That said, this was the first new set on this new (relatively) to me bike so hoping not to experience this feeling again.

Funny thing about these tires....

Shinko is a Korean tire manufacturer so no surprise to see "Made in Korea" on the side.
What was a surprise (& a bit of a disappointment) was that the Continental also was made in Korea.
Based on the identical cardboard spacing inserted inside the tires for shipping, I'll say they came from the same factory.

Continental moved their tire manufacturing from Germany to Korea years ago - for all of the usual reasons. My understanding is that they have a very modern tire manufacturing plant there.  I have been told that Shinko bought out Sumitomo's motorcycle tire manufacturing business and the major brand manufacturers claim that their tire designs are running a generation behind theirs.  Well, what would you expect them to say - since Shinko sells tires much cheaper than they do.   

[macstructures]

Good info and FYI.

Back to my original question... have any of you bought a new motorcycle... then notice hat the manufacture date on the tires is more than a year and has the deal replace them?

[Frank]

I've only ever bought 3 new bike and have never looked at tire codes.  Unless the tires are cracked it is just not an issue.  LSR allows tires < 10 years old if they are in good shape.  Just go riding.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[Richard230]

I have bought lots of new motorcycles and I do check out the manufacturing date on the tires.  Typically I see tires that are between one and two years old. That makes sense. The motorcycle manufacturers have to have tires shipped to them from the factory, which may take several months being packed into a container, shipping to the dock, waiting on the dock for a ship, time on the ocean, time at the receiving dock and customs inspection, truck shipping to the motorcycle factory, off loading into the factory tire storage room, where they sit for a while waiting to be mounted to a new motorcycle.  Then it may take six or more months for the motorcycle to be shipped across an ocean (see above), then to the distributor's warehouse, inventoried, ordered by the dealer, shipped by truck to the retailer, sitting on the showroom floor before being sold to the customer.  That can take a long time and the tires age accordingly.

On the other hand, you would expect that a tire that you order from an on-line accessory company would be fresher. That is usually the case, but not always.  When I order a sport-touring tire from a company like Motorcycle Superstore or Revzilla, I typically see a tire manufacturing date between six months and a year old, but a less popular tire, such as a Zero or my Triumph might use, might be much older. Sometimes, but rarely, I have received tires that are almost three years old.