How to Break-In New Tires -- Opinions

[Suzuki_Don]

The title says it all. Opinions please?

How many miles are required to break-in new tires before aggressive riding can be undertaken?

What is the best method to break then in: h'way or twisties?

 

[Johno]

Don,

In my opinion a short steady ride through some twisties will scruff the tyres up sufficiently to allow for more aggressive riding. The twisties will allow you to rough up the majority of the tyre surface. All you need to do is break that smooth shiny surface of the new tyre.

Interested to hear what others have to say.

 

[Big Rich]

Big smokey burnout in the driveway?

Kidding. I've heard of people sanding the surface down lightly with paper and/or a green brillow pad. I've always taken it easy on new tires for the first hundred miles or so. I'm curious as to others responses as well.

 

[daturat100r]

The slipperyness of a new tyre comes from the moulding release compound which also preserves the tyre surface till worn and washed away.A gentle 50-100km but I never fully trust a front tyre till it has been used in the wet

 

[sharpy]

just ride it like its wet for 20 klms bt remeber still "green" rubber on the extreme sides

 

[hampshirehog]

Like the others say plus I always use a scourer to wash / scrub my new tyres with soapy water and rinse to try and shift any lingering tyre release agent. Pass if it does any good but I've always done it (at least it shifts any spilt tyre mounting goop).

 

[Nessism]

Don,

In my opinion a short steady ride through some twisties will scruff the tyres up sufficiently to allow for more aggressive riding. The twisties will allow you to rough up the majority of the tyre surface. All you need to do is break that smooth shiny surface of the new tyre.

.

I believe this is correct. It's not a matter of washing off mold release compound. The smooth surface needs to be roughed up, and the only way to do that on the edges of the tire are to lean the bike over.

 

[Guest]

The slipperyness of a new tyre comes from the moulding release compound which also preserves the tyre surface till worn and washed away.A gentle 50-100km but I never fully trust a front tyre till it has been used in the wet

I agree, that moulding release agent needs to be completely gone. New tires are "slick" and I don't think I'd be doing anything agressive until I'm absolutely sure all traces of it are gone. The last of the compound that will go will be the areas closest to the sidewall, no extreme leaning for me. I ride it off, but I think you could wash it off and or rough up the tire.

 

[Steve]

One more reason to "take it easy" for the first 50-100 miles:

Yes, there is a mold-release agent that needs to be scuffed off, but it's also important to remember that the profile of the new tires will be different than the ones that came off. The new tires will be rounder, meaning that the tires will turn-in easier in the turns. This change in handling will take some getting used to.

You asked for opinions. This opinion and a couple of bucks might get you a small cup of coffee.

.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

One more reason to "take it easy" for the first 50-100 miles:

Yes, there is a mold-release agent that needs to be scuffed off, but it's also important to remember that the profile of the new tires will be different than the ones that came off. The new tires will be rounder, meaning that the tires will turn-in easier in the turns. This change in handling will take some getting used to.

You asked for opinions. This opinion and a couple of bucks might get you a small cup of coffee.

.

A very small cup of coffee out here. In OZ everything is overpriced. My tires cost me double what you guys would have paid in the States.

Always value your opinions Steve (even those on the usage of the English language).

And all the opinions of others as well.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

On a slightly different issue, when I picked the wheels (wire spokes) up from the bike shop the owner advised me I should run 34lb in the front tire and 36lb in the rear one. He has owned the shop for over 30 years, he works on all types of bikes, dirt, road, modern and even older bikes as well. He had Kawa Z1R MkII in the workshop when I was there. He also has two CBR400 Hondas that his mechanics race in the modern class here in Sydney.

So I value his opinion, but was just wondering what others thought?

Thanks for the input from everyone so far.

 

[Billy Ricks]

On a slightly different issue, when I picked the wheels (wire spokes) up from the bike shop the owner advised me I should run 34lb in the front tire and 36lb in the rear one. He has owned the shop for over 30 years, he works on all types of bikes, dirt, road, modern and even older bikes as well. He had Kawa Z1R MkII in the workshop when I was there. He also has two CBR400 Hondas that his mechanics race in the modern class here in Sydney.

So I value his opinion, but was just wondering what others thought?

Thanks for the input from everyone so far.

Giving someone tire pressure figures is not the way to go about this. You should use the 10% rule. The tire pressure should rise 10% when they are hot vs cold. If the pressure rises more you are running too little air and the tire is heating up more than it should. If it rises less the tire pressure is too high and the tire won't reach proper operating temps.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Start there and check your pressures by the 10-percent rule. Best option is to know what they will do for yourself.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks Guys, I have seen the 10% rule posted here before and used it on my old tires to get there tire pressure correct which just happened to be the same as the pressures quoted in my '77 Owners manual.

When the tires are scrubbed in I will run the 10% test again and see how they fare.

 

[janner]

Call me mad , but !! I put my bikes on their centre stands and run them in third gear and use a 60 grit sand paper on all the surface until the glaze is gone, for the front , the same, but powered by the chuck of my cordless drill held against the tyre, works for me , and you know its scrubbed in when you crank it into the first corner, cheers jon

 

[7981GS]

I just put a few miles of slower exaggerated turns on them and we are good to go...

Daniel

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The sandpaper trick is out for me as I already have 75 miles on the tires.

I ran it pretty hard on the last 15 or so miles and it seemed to be sticking to the road OK. Although on two slower, tighter corners the bike bucked a bit/changed direction slightly, coming out of the corners. Not sure if this was because I got onto a part of the rear tire that was not scuffed yet or if it was the dual compound effect of the BT45s. I believe they have one compound for straight upright/h'way riding (harder compound) and another compound for when the bike is leaned over (softer rubber) for more grip in corners.

 

[7981GS]

Those BT-45's are great tires.
I have them on three of my GS bikes.
You can take them all the way to the edge and they grip! :dancing:

Daniel

 

[DCrippa]

Ride it till the sticker is gone. I ride em as normal to get up to temp / then pushing it gently / slowly as far as possible and feel if it gives a bit.

Figure 8's in a lot alternating directions and hitting my favorite twisty road usually does it for me...

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks Daniel, that is good to hear. These tires do seem to grip well and I am pleased with them so far. Will have to keep an eye on whether bucking happens again or not, hope not and hope it's not a mismatch between the front and rear tires.