Help! Start of 7000km North Island trip, stuck in Levin with a dud GN250 front tyre

[Toxothrix]

Hi All,

Myself (BMW F650) and my partner (GN250) have just left wellington to do this trip: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...EY&usp=sharing .

Instead, we're stuck in Levin as her front tyre (almost new only 250k on it) has started shedding chunks of tread. It appears to be a manufacturing defect. Unfortunately, not a single bike shop or tyre shop appears to be open anywhere in the region.

Does anyone near Levin have a front tyre that will fit a GN250? More than happy to pay for it.

Cheers,

Brendan.

[DamianW]

That's a bugger. Correct tyre pressure? Under inflated tyre getting too much heat? Pics? If rideable can you get the bike 100km back to Welly and start out again in a few days time?

Edit: See this is your first post and got me thinking. Are you both on restricted licences? If so, and you're not used to doing long ride days then take it easy, pace yourselves and do 3-4 hours a day.

[Ender EnZed]

Before clicking that map link I assumed you had an extra zero in the title. I guess you don't live in Wellington?

[Toxothrix]

Hey, thanks for the advice. Ended up riding it back to Wellington, we'll try again on Monday with a fresh tyre!

We were actually checking tyre pressure when we noticed the damage. It was 2 psi under, which shouldn't be enough to cause this.

We've done about 15,000 km of touring together, and also did the 1000km event a while back. Still planning to take it easy tho, those long days can wear you down.

Will post a photo of tyre shortly.

[Toxothrix]

[pete376403]

out of interest, what brand of tyre?

[lmfbs]

Hi!

This is my tyre. Initially I wondered if it was rubbing on my mudguard, but it's definitely not touching. The tyre, if anyone's wondering, is a Shinko SR210. They're a universal tyre, and very new to me. I rode it for the first time (other than the 20km or so back from the shop last Saturday) yesterday, for about 100km. This morning when we left, it was fine. By the time we fuelled up and checked tyre pressure (<100km) it was looking like that.

After stressing a bit about it, we rode towards palmy, and by the time we stopped just out of Palmy, it was already worse.

We rode home (~100km) and there are definitely more chunks missing now than there where when I first noticed it.

I'll take it back to the shop on Monday and get a replacement - I'm not happy riding on that when the cracks go down to the sea of the tyre and some of the chunks that are missing go below that, even.

It's a bit of a bummer because they had to order that in for me especially, so I'll have to get a bit of less offroady tyre for our trip - we're doing about 1500km of gravel/sand/dirt so I really wanted something more suited, but oh well - better safe than sorry.

[DamianW]

Think describing it as 'universal' is optimistic, it's a budget tyre. Different tool for the job needed imo.

[gsxr]

True Shinko are bottom end of the market. However they should last more than 100 km before starting to fall to bits.So their has to be an issue with the tyre itself.

They are normally fine for lower cc bikes on a daily commute on a budget.

Why someone would ever consider fitting one for a 7000 km trip with some on gravel sand etc the logic escapes me.
Those round black things with wrigly lines on them is the difference between getting home safe or or not coming home at all.

[caspernz]

Monday is a public holiday if I reckon right...

Now thinking back a fair while, my first bike was a GN250, and they do fine with road biased rubber on a dirt road. I'd say the fault is with the quality of the pictured tyre, if all else is in order. Personally I'd be using a road tyre...and not one with the name Shinko on the side.

[lmfbs]

Think describing it as 'universal' is optimistic, it's a budget tyre. Different tool for the job needed imo.

That's their description...and after my experience, I'd kinda have to agree. I've found it a massive pain to get a tyre for a GN250 that's not a city demon, especially something that's a little better suited to offroad, without changing out the front wheel. I think ultimately I'm going to have to get a new wheel for it if I want to do the sort of riding I'm really interested in.

[Ocean1]

Hi!

This is my tyre. Initially I wondered if it was rubbing on my mudguard, but it's definitely not touching. The tyre, if anyone's wondering, is a Shinko SR210. They're a universal tyre, and very new to me. I rode it for the first time (other than the 20km or so back from the shop last Saturday) yesterday, for about 100km. This morning when we left, it was fine. By the time we fuelled up and checked tyre pressure (<100km) it was looking like that.

After stressing a bit about it, we rode towards palmy, and by the time we stopped just out of Palmy, it was already worse.

We rode home (~100km) and there are definitely more chunks missing now than there where when I first noticed it.

I'll take it back to the shop on Monday and get a replacement - I'm not happy riding on that when the cracks go down to the sea of the tyre and some of the chunks that are missing go below that, even.

It's a bit of a bummer because they had to order that in for me especially, so I'll have to get a bit of less offroady tyre for our trip - we're doing about 1500km of gravel/sand/dirt so I really wanted something more suited, but oh well - better safe than sorry.

What size is the tyre? And have you much experience off road?

The damage may well be the result of a manufacturing fault, but it looks very much like mechanical damage, like something is catching the front of the tread blocks. You've checked the guard is clear, but try moving it with your hands, if it's even slightly touching the tyre the contact angle could well be pulling it closer.

[lmfbs]

True Shinko are bottom end of the market. However they should last more than 100 km before starting to fall to bits.So their has to be an issue with the tyre itself.

They are normally fine for lower cc bikes on a daily commute on a budget.

Why someone would ever consider fitting one for a 7000 km trip with some on gravel sand etc the logic escapes me.
Those round black things with wrigly lines on them is the difference between getting home safe or or not coming home at all.

Hmm...interesting - they were recommended to me by a few other riders and the store (TSS Wellington). My understanding is the tyres themselves are on the lower end but fine for light bikes, the company just doesn't put a lot into R&D, but generally what they produce is ok.

In any event, they're the best of a small bunch of terrible options I was given, but I'm not going to be replacing the front with another shinko. I've really enjoyed the shinko rear I've got on. I've done about 2500km on it so far and it's a babillion times better than the city demon I previously had.

[lmfbs]

What size is the tyre? And have you much experience off road?

The damage may well be the result of a manufacturing fault, but it looks very much like mechanical damage, like something is catching the front of the tread blocks. You've checked the guard is clear, but try moving it with your hands, if it's even slightly touching the tyre the contact angle could well be pulling it closer.

18/300. I've only been riding for a year, so I'm a newbie. I've done 30,000km, and about 5,000 of that has been off road. So - not a lot, but I'm comfortable enough off road for sure.
Yep, checked the guard, and even with me pressing down on it and spinning the tyre it doesn't touch.

[Ender EnZed]

Cheap Chinese rubber is pretty standard fair on road going chook chasers with a lot more power than a GN250. It usually does that job well and Shinko is a relatively well known brand in that category.

Might have just been a dud tyre unless GNs take a particularly weird small size.