Slippery new tyres.

[tri boy]

I'm hoping that most in the 250 forum already know about the inherent danger of "greasy new tyres", but i would like to raise this issue again, as Kanny wasn't aware of the need to "scrub" new rubber in.

The term refers to riding the bike quite carefully, while riding on new tyres.
Initial lean angles should be moderate and increased slowly over the first 100 odd kms, until you are confident that the top skin of the rubber is roughened up by the road.

You may also wish to use a course emery paper to roughen the tread area prior to your first ride on said rubber. Brake clean sprayed onto a rag is also an option, but the emery paper is a better option.

Don't assume that the tyre is right to push hard straight out of the shop. Many very good riders have decked their bikes assuming this is OK. If in doubt, ask the tyre shop for advise.
Hope this helps.

[Ixion]

Gravel. Gravel road is what you need. A brisk 5km on gravel will clean the tyre up perfectly in complete safety.

[dogsnbikes]

Gravel. Gravel road is what you need. A brisk 5km on gravel will clean the tyre up perfectly in complete safety.

Agreed that gravel is the best option if you have it

[tri boy]

Gravel. Gravel road is what you need. A brisk 5km on gravel will clean the tyre up perfectly in complete safety.

Absolutely the best option. However, finding it in suburban centres is quite challenging these days.
Those who rode NZ in the 50s,60s,and 70s will have fond memories of main roads still unsealed.
I have often thought of making a roller system which has an abrasive surface, which would scour the rubber quickly, and have heard that some tyre shops do indeed have such a device.
Any members who work in bike tyre outlets care to comment?

[GaZBur]

It's not just because they are smoothe when new that causes problems. When they make a new tyre they must come out of some sort of mould as there is a film on top that is deady in the dry but even more so in the wet. Even if you can't scrub in your tyres its helpful to at least wash them with detergent. I see guys at the track using long belts of sandpaper to scrub the whole tyre. If there are any tyre experts reading this thread I would like to hear what they do.

[Jimmy B]

No gravel, well we've got heaps of rain...."Scrubbing in" is really a bit of a half truth. It is not the mechaniscal action on the tyre that is important, more the getting rid of lubriucants that remain from the MFG process. Agreed, "scrubbing" will do it and so will easy riding in the wet, pretty quickly too. The water of the road does a pretty good job of ridding your tyres of lubricants, you can have massive chicken strips and the tyre is "scrubbed in"

[vifferman]

The tyre brand makes a difference too - some tyre manufacturers such as Avon no longer use a silicon-based "mould release agent" in the manufacturing process, so the tyres aren't inherently slippery when new.
That's not the only reason to take it easy when the tyres are new. The last few sets I've had, the handling was so radically different that I was oversteering at first, and nearly fell off at the first corner I came to.

However (but!) if you do want to scrub your tyres in and don't have a gravel road handy, what you can do is find a nice empty carpark, and do slow figure-8s, using lots of body english to lean the bike down into the corner. Make them as big as possible, and slowly increase your speed and/or tighten the turns.

[FlangMasterJ]

Poor fella.

[YOUTUBE]FxbHyEIkgdU[/YOUTUBE]

[Supermoto Junkie]

[QUOTE=FlangMasterJ;1334633]Poor fella.

That just about made sick, poor bugger.......imagine doin' that on your brand new bike

[Monsterbishi]

Many very good riders have decked their bikes assuming this is OK.

^^^ A good rider would never assume as such ^^^

Having a old steelo pad handy in your jacket is a quick way to scrub a tyre when leaving a tyre shop.

[zeocen]

Gravel. Gravel road is what you need. A brisk 5km on gravel will clean the tyre up perfectly in complete safety.

Are you talking about loose metal? If so, how come this is the best option? I'm asking honestly as I've been riding my fathers bike while mine has been in the shop for a few months and is in need of a tyre, I said I would take care of it since he has let me ride it for so long. I'm fine with scrubbing in new tyres but going up 850cc from when I last scrubbed in some new tyres might be a bit daunting so I'd rather get it over fast.

I'm guessing the gravel will suffice for the initial part of the tyre, but still be wary of the chicken strips?

Cheers !

[tri boy]

Since gravel is made up of varying grades of rock/stone/dust, its extremely efficient at both roughing up the skin of the tyre, and the dust absorbs any residual molding lubricants. However, one must consider that possible stone chip damage will be done to any fairings/rims/coolers etc on late model road bikes.

The use of emery paper, and brake clean might be the best option for road bikes, as well as the mentioned figure eight riding method.
A little bit of scrub time will make you feel more confident in the new tyres.

[HTFU]

Here is another set of new tyres.

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2745364

Although rider error did have a big part to play.

[discotex]

That just about made sick, poor bugger.......imagine doin' that on your brand new bike

That's the exact vid that I was thinking of when I picked up my brand spanking new CBR with brand spanking new tyres in the wet last week.

As for all the sandpaper and stuff. Yes that'll get some of it off the surface but apparently the mould release bleeds out of the tyres. You need a couple of heat cycles to get it to all come to the surface. Ride, stop, ride, stop.

Personally I wouldn't put any shit on my tyres to get it off. Who knows what you'll do to the rubber in the process. Some stuff might even make them more slippery.

Best bet is to just take it easy to begin with. I find big snaking curves down the road are a good way to get a nice clear strip in the middle then I slowly increase the cornering lean angles over the next 50km.

The main thing is to just get 5-10% of the chicken strips each time so you're mostly on nice grippy scrubbed rubber.

[tri boy]

[QUOTE=discotex;1335219]

Personally I wouldn't put any shit on my tyres to get it off.

Nobody has suggested that you Shit on your tyres. The suggestions that have been offered up have come from several VERY experienced motorcylists, solely for the purpose of increasing the safety of new riders.

These practices have been used for many, many years, and have probably helped to prevent accidents. If you wish to make off the cuff statements related to safety issues, please do it elsewhere.

Take this request personally or not, I don't care, but do not undermine proven safe practices. (you wouldn't be a new motorcyclist, ie less than five years riding yourself would you?)