Modern Vespa

I found this very interesting.

In 1984 I bought a 62 BMW with, based on the mileage on the bike, what was likely the second set of tires on it. The bike been off the road for about a decade but, since I was in college and hadn't extra cash, she went back on the road with those tires. They were fine for the 20,000 km I put on it during my ownership, including being slipped out onto a track once or twice.

That bike was replaced with a 53 Triumph in 1987. Having been abandoned With only 3900 miles on its clock this bike was sitting on its original Dunlops when purchased. I ran this bike hard on the street, often two up, dragging the underpinnings in the corners a few times much to the amusement of my buddies and took it off road a bit, the tires never once giving me cause for concern. They were still on the bike when it moved on two a new home, again 20,000km later.

Was I being an idiot and taking unnecessary chances? Oh, yes... in fact I often wonder how I survived those years. Were those tires still good? Given the beatings I laid on them and their performance, I would have to say yes.

Last I saw the Triumph it was sitting in a military vehicle museum and yes, it was still wearing those stupid Dunlops.

Interesting. If not the final word, some pretty helpful information. Tire life seems to be down the list of things to be neurotic about, or maybe inspires less passion than engine oil

One of the voices in my head is my dad's, depression era farmer voice. If it holds air and doesn't have floppy parts, it's got life in it that has to be squeezed out. He even insisted that "if you knew how to drive" you could get by in winter with bald tires.

The other voice is at the other end of the spectrum (and more PTW-specific) that's trying to keep me alive and happy and minimize risks....

I replaced my BV tires last year as they were a good 7 years old despite low mileage (the previous owner had only put 2K miles on in 5 years). No regrets as I push it pretty hard sometimes and also don't expect to be necessarily owning it 5 years from now. But I also wouldn't have asked my dad's opinion....

I spent most of my professional life in the engineering of automotive components in plastics and elastomers. Treated properly in storage many materials have virtually unlimited life spans. Others would go off in only a few weeks if they were stored unprotected in the top of the warehouse racks too close to the high output lighting. Time is obviously the enemy in the degrading of most materials but what the material is exposed to is the next largest factor.

I'd happily use a tire that had been stored for ten years boxed up in a cool dark, dry place but wouldn't for one second consider one that had spent a year outside in the sun or stored in an old trailer at the end of the bike shop's parking lot quietly roasting alive.

The real problem with using old tires is that we don't know how they've been stored and must therefore be cautious.

You can almost judge an old tire by feeling it.
When I was poor I actually used tires found in the dumpster behind the Honda dealer. I got through college and started a career riding on tired old K70s and SMs. My tubes were tastefully patched to match my jeans. I bought a CL77 with an old cracked hardened Firestone I planned to change soon and lowsided into a guardrail that sliced my knee.

Now I have the means to ride tires that smell like rubber.

I have a Honda C95 in the garage that hasn't been on the road since 66. The tires look and feel like glass. Think I'll change those before I ride it. A friend of mine recently bought a 59 Nash Rambler, the tires were so old and hard they had to be cut off the rims so new ones could be installed. So it does seem there is a limit!

I bring my contribution on the subject ... I have always looked at the residual thickness of the tire tread, of course ... but sometimes if you use the vehicle even in prohibitive weather conditions the age of the tire has its importance. I would never have to say that I lost my life to save money.

When I received my 2009 Yamaha Zuma 125 a few years ago, it had the original tires.

They had around 2500 miles and the scooter had been stored in a storage unit for several years.

They had plenty of tread and looked good so I rode it another thousand miles until it picked up a screw in the rear tire.

Now new Pirelli Angels are on it.

I am pleased with fresh rubber and the smooth ride.

I has a 1965 Lambretta Li125 for a while.

It had been sitting in a garage for thirty years.

Those tires held air so I could push it home, but I changed them before getting it running.

Bill

I normally stop using them when they start to rust ...

You are joking but in Italy there is a large market for used tires! Especially car tires but lately also for scooters but not for motorcycles, those who use the scooter mainly for work do minimal maintenance and lately fit 70% used tires because many here change them by calculating the hardness of the rubber with a penetrometer.

https://www.ebay.it/itm/224651008868?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=724-53478-19255-0&campid=5338727083&toolid=20006&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1VELRN_x8RXGwDGLtmIV6Vg42&customid=IT_11700_224651008868.127670494076~1451255260554-g_Cj0KCQjw_fiLBhDOARIsAF4khR3yyx--2v7ZstR8saW01bYzuzKham6OCCH1P53Fdgur0ALUDZV972UaAkxDEALw_wcB

That's a good vid, thanks for sharing.

Makes sense, good points.

Secret, start with quality right size tires---do own tire work---ride a lot, up to 30,000 miles a year...and you never have to worry about old tires---just getting fresh ones one.

Very useful, thank you.

There have always been those who change out their tires as they age and those who believe you run them until they are ragged. There is no doubt that rubber compounds do harden as they age. How important that is to you probably depends on just how much you expect of your tires. On the other hand, my local tire supplier will not repair or service any tire once it reaches 7 years old. That is the world I live in, so live with it I do.

I don't go far with the car, if the tire retains at least two millimeters of tread from that point on I have to change.
Generally 6 years and 70,000 km. (43,500 miles).
For the scooter the same considerations but a maximum of 12,000 km (7500 miles) and 6 years (currently I do not exceed 2000 km per year).

When I bought my red SH, it had the original 10 year old garage kept tires. The cracks showed and I wouldn't even test ride it. I also live in one of the dastardly states mentioned in the video