Questions about "squared off" rear tire

[Dave_in_TX]

I got back yesterday from a 1200 mile trip and noticed that my rear tire is "squared off". Although I've heard of this, I've never encountered it with my previouse bikes which all had bias ply tires. The tire has about 2700 miles on it. Isn't this kind of early for it to happen? the other question is what, if any effect will this have on the bike's handling?

 

Thanks,

Dave

[Lineareagle]

Very possible to square a tire in that amount of time. Depends on the tire, pressure, road surface etc.

You may not feel too much of anything. In severe cases you will feel the tire 'go over the falls' as you corner.

The more twisties you do the better it will feel.

[OoPEZoO]

In severe cases you will feel the tire 'go over the falls' as you corner.

 

That was me back in the summer of '05. I rode from PA to CA with a pack of goldwings and harleys. I took off and hit the twisties as much as possible, but by the time I got to San Fran my rear tire looked like something out of a Gumby cartoon. I would get to a corner, push a little, push a little more, little more push, then all of a sudden I would get over the edge and the bike would tilt up onto the side wall. It was an incredibly unnatural feeling...LOL. I had new rubber installed in San Fran and I swear the bike felt like it was sitting at least 2" taller. Not to mention it was a an absolute dream to ride. It felt like a sports bike compared to what it felt like when I dropped it off.

[Ken H.]

The tire has about 2700 miles on it. Isn't this kind of early for it to happen? the other question is what, if any effect will this have on the bike's handling?

Nope. If a lot of straight line riding is involved, square blocking begins almost immediately. Once it progresses past a certain point you may begin to notice a quicker turn in, fall in to a lean as the tyre transitions past the edge of the square blocked area into its original contour. When it gets to the point where it drives you crazy enough it's time to buy a new tyre!

[Dave_in_TX]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I shouldn't worry about it. I'm hoping to get the chance to ride some twisty stuff this weekwnd.

[Survived-til-now]

I had a fall recently and apart from a greasy roundabout and a trail of a hydrocarbon "something diesel-y" i am sure a contributory factor was that my tyres were at the end of their life and squared off - by end I mean completely road legal but with a definite ridge caused by too much motorway riding. It must have reduced the contact patch to a critical level where other factors caused grip to be that little bit too compromised.

 

Decision - never going to let my tyres get down near the legal limit.From now on I am changing early. I'd rather pay for a new rear tyre twice as often as I need than risk the bike.

[Rags]

If its a Z rated rubber (like Metzler Z6) it happens real fast. It try to lean the bike over a little more than natural on curves to try and offset it.