Interesting tyre wear on my RF front wheel

**riffer** · 16th March 2006, 10:17

Well, I'm getting a new front tyre today - Metzeler Z6.

The previous tyre, a Metzeler Z3, has lasted 10 months and 12,000 kms.

It's quite triangulated. Looks like the camber of the road really affects the front tyre.

Do you other RF900 owners get this sort of wear too>?

**Blackbird** · 16th March 2006, 10:28

I used to get severe triangulation on some earlier front tyres I had on the 'bird. There are two causes that I know of but there may be more and no doubt there will be other learned contributions but here's my two bob's worth. Under-inflation is one possible cause at it causes the tyre to deflect whilst leaned over and cause excessive wear. The main cause on the 'bird however was deflection caused by weaker than optimum sidewall construction and this has lessened since I fitted tyres with stronger sidewalls (In my case, the "B" load rating Azaros). I still get triangulation to some extent as it's inevitable with a heavier bike that spends a fair bit of its life cranked over. From your photos, I don't think that you have an awful lot to worry about.

**emaN** · 16th March 2006, 10:41

yep.

and mine are always bang on pressure-wise (i'm rather anal 'bout that!)

got a Strada on now (only had 1 (superb) ride on it tho') so i'll be keeping an eye on how this one wears out...

**idb** · 16th March 2006, 10:50

Had the same on my old Honda.
It developed quite a chamfer actually.
I thought it might be something to do with having only one mirror and the resulting wind effect.
Dunno really though.

**merv** · 16th March 2006, 12:08

Camber on the road and perhaps you have a tendency to take right hand turns a bit harder may wear it on one side like that, but are you sure the wheel alignment is spot on as that may do it too? Otherwise you should get similar wear each side.

**ManDownUnder** · 16th March 2006, 12:39

No such probs here. Running a BT020 front and rear, on pressure (when I bother checking)...

**riffer** · 16th March 2006, 12:44

Originally Posted by merv

Camber on the road and perhaps you have a tendency to take right hand turns a bit harder may wear it on one side like that, but are you sure the wheel alignment is spot on as that may do it too? Otherwise you should get similar wear each side.

I have a reconstructed left knee (ACL, both laterals) and I take the right handers a lot harder than the lefts, unlike most people.

Never really considered it until recently when the subject was brought up.

**madboy** · 16th March 2006, 13:38

My last front that I just replaced was rooted on the right hand side, but quite okay on the left. I put it down to my riding style where I have a strong tendency to hang off the bike on left handers, but frequently don't hang as far on right handers. Perhaps subconscious fear of oncoming traffic. So it means the tyre gets worked a lot harder on the right than the left.

**Sketchy_Racer** · 16th March 2006, 14:57

Bah!!

Im gonna have to post some pics of my CBR tyre...

Its a realy really bad triangle!!!

**Jantar** · 16th March 2006, 15:02

Try reading a forum from USA... They have the same issue with tyres cutting out more on the left hand side. Most likely cause is road camber.

**MacD** · 17th March 2006, 22:04

Yes, my last two front tyres triangulated badly, a D208 and a D218. I've got an Avon Viper on the front now and it seems to be wearing much more evenly, even after a track day and a return trip to Wellington and back. I presume it's mostly dependent on how the carcass of the tyre flexes under stress from the reasonably heavy front end of the RF? I keep a close eye on tyre pressures too, so that is unlikely to account for the different wear patterns in my case.

Interestingly, I also have a bung left knee (ACL - not reconstructed) and prefer RH turns to LH, although I don't notice a huge bias to the wear on my tyres. I've never quite understood why people prefer lefthanders, as if you run wide it's likely to be into the path of an oncoming Pajero!?

**TonyB** · 18th March 2006, 05:57

Veeeerrry Interesting.
I've got one of these on the front of my FZR1000. The right side has worn heaps more than the left side- just like yours Riffer. This is despite doing a lengthy track day (anti clockwise track) and riding back from Glenorchy with a strong Souwester- coming from the left. I ride close to the centre line, so I don't believe it's camber. Plus the rear tyre has even wear. Perhaps it was a bad batch of tyres?

**DEATH_INC.** · 18th March 2006, 07:48

The RF had a rep for killing front tyres.....often as fast as the rear.

**Edbear** · 18th March 2006, 09:37

[QUOTE=Blackbird]I still get triangulation to some extent as it's inevitable with a heavier bike that spends a fair bit of its life cranked over.QUOTE]
Clicked when I noticed your 'location'! Don't you love the Coro? Noticed a lot more rides organised there lately. Thought a smaller, lighter bike would be more suitable for that area. How do you find the 'Bird on it? Must be hard work! My upper body gets a real workout on the 'F' around there! LAst time I had to bleed the brakes afterwards! Gotta go again!

**Blackbird** · 18th March 2006, 09:52

Hi Ed

We have a house on Coro Harbour - that's why I'm always up there at weekends! (And my wife thinks we bought it for the views, haha). Try to send Mrs Blackbird up in the car by herself as much as possible so I can do the Friday night run from Tokoroa on the 'bird.

Yep, the weight is a bit of a handful but a 6mm ride height spacer under the rear shock helps a lot. I had a run-in with 3 motard-type bikes up the Thames coast last year and they were all over me through the corners. The only way I could hold them off was using massive horsepower in second gear along the short straights and cheating by overtaking cars late on the straights to shut the gate

! I'd actually like to try a Speed Triple up that road - would be awesome!

Safe riding.

Geoff