How old is too old for tires?

[LocoLocal]

Bought some new wheels and was hoping to get some new rubber on them prior to a trip this weekend but wasn't able to get it done. I already sold the old wheels and tires. It's a bike show so I really want to ride the chop, but the tires on the new wheels are 15 years old which makes me a little nervous. They look fine, but still...

Most sites say "change 'em," but I am looking for some chopper wisdom here. So, what do you all think, ride the old tires or drive a truck to a bike show?

[docmel]

Beleive it or not, I have a 2006 Street bob, 7000 miles, with the original tires on it, in a unheated garage. They look and handle great, but again, they are over 15 years old. I guess it depends: How were the tires stored, make of the tire, etc

Frankly, I cant get the nag outta my mind that mine might not be that great of an idea to run. I dont run that bike very often for sure, but when I do, it gets ridden fairly hard and on the mountian roads here in Co.

I HATE getting new tires. Its expensive, and frankly, if you get a set somewhere, like offline, good luck finding someone to mount them for you, which is a post Ill leave today as another subject

[JBinNC]

Difficult question to answer. Old tires from the nineties and older actually hold up very well, but the tires from this century do not. The reason is the changes made in the rubber compounds used, most importantly, I believe, the reduction in the amount of carbon black used. The newer the tire, the shorter the life.

Look at the sidewalls and more importantly the tread area. If you see weather cracking, especially in the tread, take a hard pass. If the tires look solid, they will probably make the trip just fine, but old tires do harden off, so traction may be limited.

It's your hide, use your own judgment.

Jim

[LocoLocal]

I appreciate that, docmel.

These wheels came off of a 2002 with only 5000 miles (bought from a friend parting out his dad's bike). The bike had always been stored in a garage that was semi climate cooled.

I am sure it would be fine but I would feel like an asshat if one blew out.

[LocoLocal]

Difficult question to answer. Old tires from the nineties and older actually hold up very well, but the tires from this century do not. The reason is the changes made in the rubber compounds used, most importantly, I believe, the reduction in the amount of carbon black used. The newer the tire, the shorter the life.

Look at the sidewalls and more importantly the tread area. If you see weather cracking, especially in the tread, take a hard pass. If the tires look solid, they will probably make the trip just fine, but old tires do harden off, so traction may be limited.

It's your hide, use your own judgment.

Jim

Thanks Jim!

I think this is super sound advice. I will check them out but will err on the side of caution.

[Tattooo]

I have a set of original white letter Goodyear tires from the late 70s that I run on a bike. If they are not dry rotted they will be just fine in my opinion. They are the same type tires that came on the bike........ I don't ride the bike that much.

Now with that said, On a daily rider you want to keep nice fresh tires on your bike and don't let them wear down to the tread bars...... When they get down that far you might as well have old dried out tires..........

[DoomBuggy]

Brakes and tires are the two things I try to keep current. If something in the motor breaks and you can't go forward no big deal, if you can't stop or you lose traction, that can be a much bigger deal.

One of the first things I did with the panhead was put new rubber on, but then the old skins were clearly cracked.

Be safe!

[Guest]

if you get a set somewhere, like offline, good luck finding someone to mount them for you, which is a post Ill leave today as another subject

do you not fit your own tires ?... It's so easy to do on a motorcycle, all ya need is a ratchet strap (hardly ever needed), 3 x 18'' tire irons, nylon rim protectors, a bottle of dish soap & a foot pump, it only takes 5 minutes once the wheel is off the bike,

[JBinNC]

do you not fit your own tires ?... It's so easy to do on a motorcycle, all ya need is a ratchet strap (hardly ever needed), 3 x 18'' tire irons, nylon rim protectors, a bottle of dish soap & a foot pump, it only takes 5 minutes once the wheel is off the bike,

HaHaHaHa! Ah HaHaHaHa!

Jim

[seaking]

I've slid sideways into a roundabout on OG '92 sportster dunlops (my other sportster had new tires), then on the same trip back to work I hit limestone slurry and just about bit it on a "brand new" bike, 4k on the clock. Stopped riding it and got new bridgestones on there immediately, never had a slip again.
Dunlops seem real hard to me out the box and hated the stock set on my dyna, Pirellis were night and day--I'd rather pay a little coin for better tires than repair my bike or paint because I took a corner too hard.
I don't know I test the tire's "sticky" by gripping it with my palm, if I can rub my palm across it's not sticky and gets this old shoe sole feel to it. New tires have ratings systems that let you know rain ratings, tire life, etc.

[confab]

One of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X241P3F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079P5FB4D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PT9D8KJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And THEN it is an easy job...

lol!

[Tattooo]

do you not fit your own tires ?... It's so easy to do on a motorcycle, all ya need is a ratchet strap (hardly ever needed), 3 x 18'' tire irons, nylon rim protectors, a bottle of dish soap & a foot pump, it only takes 5 minutes once the wheel is off the bike,

I change my own tires also by hand and always have.......... But it takes a little longer than 5 min......... Damn your good.....

[DoomBuggy]

Takes me five minutes to get the first beer down!

[docmel]

In five minutes Ill be inventing a new language and set a new olympic record for the wheel tossing event. Sorry, but that earliier stated technique typically ends up with a ruined rim or scored bead and fucked up tube . Yeah, I was there doing that over 20 years ago. You ever see the tire size on a 2006 Bob? It sure aint a skinny 21 incher...............