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Thread: Should new tyres really be that slippery!!

  1. #1
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    29th May 2017 - 22:01
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    Should new tyres really be that slippery!!

    Hi all, first-time poster - long time reader. I am seeking some advice on new tyres. Last week I took my SV650 into the bike shop for a new set of tyres. When I picked it up the mechanic warned me to "take it easy as new tyres can be slippery". I thanked him for his warning and sage advice and hopped on my bike and rode it 20m to the nearest interseciton and stopped at the stop sign to turn right. There was nothing coming from either direction and so slowly eased the clutch out to pull forward into the middle of the road. As I got to the middle of the road the back wheel suddenly lost traction and slid out to the left. As I instictively turned into the slide to try to correct it the bike jerked back to the left, flipping me off over the front and onto the road with my bike crunching down next to me on it's left side. The road was dry and there was no visible oil etc although I wonder whether the white painted centreline caused a loss of traction. It felt like all of sudden I was riding on ice or soap or something. I picked myself and my bike up and wheeled it to the side of the road where I regained my composure before doing the walk of shame back to the bike shop to book the bike in for repairs. I honestly don't think I could have 'taken it any more easy' than I did pulling out of the intersection unless I was to get off and walk the damn thing home. I use my bike for commuting and have never been into any sort of stunts or wheel spins etc so please don't think I was some sort of idiot who tried to drop of burn out or something - I simply pulled out from the intersection and the bike whipped out from under me. I have now made an insurance claim wth the cost of repairs almost reaching the cost of my insured value of $5K and so running the risk of having the bike written off...but I loved that bike and don't want to lose it!! Can any of you experienced and knowledgable bikers out there advise me of where I stand in terms of any responsibility from the bike shop to ensure that my bike can actually be ridden on new tyres? or whether there is some reason that I am misssing that caused this to happen? The bike shop response was great in the sense that they checked I was ok and offered me short-term loaner bike, but I am still left wondering how this can happen and what I could have possibly done to avoid it. I have been riding for about 5 years, had my full license for about the last 3 years and have had the SV650 for about 2 years and never had any issues with it.
    One thing that I also wonder about is that originally the bike shop owner quoted me for Conti Road Attack 2 tyres which I was happy to buy, but then when I arrived to pickup the bike he told me that they were unable to get the Road Attack tyres and so upgraded me for free to a much better and more expensive tyre - which he called a Z8 ?? I figured I was getting a great deal so thanked him for the upgrade. Could this have been why the tyres reacted the way they did?? Any replies would be greatly appreciated. The bike shop have been helpful to date and I hope the insurer doesn't sink my hope of getting my bike back.

  2. #2
    How many tyres are changed each year, and how many bikes crashed as a result ? Must be in the 10's of thousands.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Motu View Post
    How many tyres are changed each year, and how many bikes crashed as a result ? Must be in the 10's of thousands.
    Yeah I know, thats kind of my point! Surely something else was involved other than just new tyres. I mean to me 'take it easy on the new tyres' means don't go riding fast into corners or doing sudden acceleration or braking - rather than don't let the clutch out for the next 80kms. Crying in my beer...just saying.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rizzo View Post
    Yeah I know, thats kind of my point! Surely something else was involved other than just new tyres. I mean to me 'take it easy on the new tyres' means don't go riding fast into corners or doing sudden acceleration or braking - rather than don't let the clutch out for the next 80kms. Crying in my beer...just saying.
    i picked up a guy off the road in wellington who'd just left the shop on a new bike, the shop cleaner had sprayed wax all over the bike including the tyres....
    normally they're pretty good, in fact very good, did you actuall run your fingers across the tyre to see for your self how slippery they were before you rode?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by jellywrestler View Post
    i picked up a guy off the road in wellington who'd just left the shop on a new bike, the shop cleaner had sprayed wax all over the bike including the tyres....
    normally they're pretty good, in fact very good, did you actuall run your fingers across the tyre to see for your self how slippery they were before you rode?
    Nope can't say I did. In hindsight it would probably have been a good idea, but tbh I don't think it would have made any difference to the way I rode it, and I kind of trusted that the bike shop wouldn't let me ride off on a bike that would slide out from under me at the first intersection. Thanks.

  6. #6
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    21st December 2006 - 14:36
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    Back in the 80s they used to coat new tyres to prolong shelf life (or so I was told). It was this coating that was slippery. It could be hell leaving cycletreads when the workshop was upstairs. Especially in the wet. The exit was a painted concrete ramp.

    I could be wrong but I don't think they do that anymore. For my money the white line was likely the culprit. I've had that happen a few times. So far I've managed to stay rubber side down.
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  7. #7
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    tyres are made in moulds. they use a release agent to make them not stick to the mould.

    a product designed to make hot rubber NOT STICK.


    shoulda done a burnout to burn the shit off.


    yes, they can be slippery, add some traction-free road markings and you've got... this.

    glad there was no traffic to mow you down.

  8. #8
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    5th January 2007 - 14:58
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    It's irresponsible of the shops not to wash the mould release substance off after fitting the tyre.
    Wash a new tyre with brakleen & have a look at what's on the rag once the brakleen has evaporated.

  9. #9
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    27th September 2007 - 12:32
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    Sorry to hear.

    I agree... i always do a quick wipe over with some warm soapy water.

    Fresh tyres & wet roads are recipe for disaster.

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  10. #10
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    You might have been ok with the Contis as they are already scuffed (sort of) when new.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by sidecar bob View Post
    It's irresponsible of the shops not to wash the mould release substance off after fitting the tyre.
    Wash a new tyre with brakleen & have a look at what's on the rag once the brakleen has evaporated.
    I'd be a bit hesitant to put any solvent on the tyre...
    I vote Akkle, new tyre plus white line equals problem.
    Probably wouldn't have happened after another few hundred metres.
    Always buy tyres in fine weather and lean progressively further as they scrub in, I prefer a slow winding road with tight corners and good seal.
    And no cliffs.

  12. #12
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    You done fucked up. The shop is 100% not at fault. The guy warned you they were slippery, everyone knows they are slippery.

    If you had of held the throttle on instead of shutting it off, you would have done a sweet drift instead of a gymnastics routine.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Honest Andy View Post
    I'd be a bit hesitant to put any solvent on the tyre...
    I vote Akkle, new tyre plus white line equals problem.
    Probably wouldn't have happened after another few hundred metres.
    Always buy tyres in fine weather and lean progressively further as they scrub in, I prefer a slow winding road with tight corners and good seal.
    And no cliffs.
    I'm with bob, brake clean will not damage the tyres. Racers have one lap to scrub tyres, and in the bad old days much brake clean was expended with no damage to the tyres.

  14. #14
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    I had some Rosso 2's cut lose on my on my Gixxer once when I rode away steadily, I just kept the throttle open and let it do it's thing.
    Within a few ks the centre was all good though it just takes steady heat and friction to burn that shit off, which it sounds like you never got the chance to do. That plus the white line equals yeehaawww and a sad SV650 owner.

    If they write it off you should buy it back off them and race it

  15. #15
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    1st March 2017 - 06:23
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    Fair enough. Brakekleen is meant to be ok for the rubber brake parts so I can see it wont harm tyres. And you've used it personally and reckon it works, so I might try it next time
    But would you still say that scrubbing them in on a road is still the best way? Especially when you have more than a lap to do it? Or do you reckon to give them a lick with the brakekleen first to get the worst of the slippery stuff off first?
    High miles, engine knock, rusty chrome, worn pegs...
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