Mitas tyres

[rouppe]

I have had Mitas E08 tyres on my Suzuki XF650 for a couple of years now. I commute Porirua to Wellington every day, all weathers.

Up until Friday I would have given them an unequivocal thumbs up. I have had good wear, no frights and no flats. The bonus was that they were quite a bit cheaper than Pirelli's or Continentals

However when I went in for a warrant on Friday, the guy notices what looked like a slice in the front tyre. This caused a fail. As it turns out, it wasn't a slice. It was the point at which the tyre was joined starting to come undone! I don't want to think of the result if that tyre had just bust apart...

Then he looked more closely at the rear tyre. At every point where there was a tyre wear tab, the tyre was cracking at the base of the tread next to it.

I don't know whether this is a one-off, or is a result of cheap tyre = cheap manufacturing but I thought I ought to post this as some advice...

I've now put on Conti Escapes

[hayd3n]

what year were they manufactured
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

[rouppe]

No idea. They're gone now.... Maybe I'll check the Conti's!!!

[rouppe]

what year were they manufactured
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

As far as the Continentals go, the front is 2009, the rear is 2008. Good to know this!

[rouppe]

Got the mechanic to check the Mitas tyres.

Rear: November 2006
Front: May 2003

So the front was about 5 years old when it was sold which is probably at the outer end of what is reasonable

[oldrider]

Mitas EO8's went through a period of this early on, I had one and know of others but I thought they had moved on from that problem now!

I rate Mitas EO7 as the best all round rear tyre I have ever used on a venture bike! (they don't make them my current bike size)