Author Topic: Do these (old) tires need to be replaced? (Read 4750 times)

gar · « **on:** September 14, 2006, 06:08:29 PM »

Have these aged and cracked too much to be safe? They have great tread, and the bike has 8,800 miles. I don't actually know how old they are...they're Continentals, and I believe the original tire on the '75 cb550 is Bridgetone.
I would prefer NOT to replace them (and save $$$)--but I don't want a blowout at 60mph either.

If I DO have to replace them, is it a DIY job? Would I not have to have the wheel balanced?

mrbreeze · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2006, 06:11:16 PM »

Oh!!!!!......hell yes!!!!!!!

mrbreeze · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2006, 06:16:59 PM »

When you buy new tires,ask if they mount them and how much.Its cheaper if you just bring in the wheel.I bought my last tire at a bike parts department store (called Road Rider). I think a regular dealership would charge alot more. At Road Rider,I not only got a great deal on the tire but got it mounted & balanced for only $15 more.

upperlake04 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2006, 06:17:57 PM »

gotta agree - I wouldn't gamble on them. Even if there is plenty of tread left, the rubber has aged (cracks) and has probably lost alot of elasticity. That means traction is comparable to wooden doughnuts. If they are dry and stiff, they will be difficult to stretch over the rims. I had to hacksaw/tinsnip/grind to remove the old rear from my bike.

gar · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2006, 07:25:58 PM »

Thanks guys... I've run a search in the tech forum, and I get the impression its quite a bi*ch to get the tire on. I guess I'll call the dealer and (gulp) get the price for new tires, tubes, and tire flap. I'll get the old tires off. I have a hacksaw, as a few people mentioned :-)

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2006, 07:47:00 PM »

Daves_76_SS · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2006, 09:53:09 PM »

I just replaced both of the tires myself on mine. It really isn't that difficult. Just a little time consuming.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2006, 09:58:41 PM »

don't believe a word he says!

it's not THAT expensive...

Boomologist · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2006, 10:08:42 PM »

I wouldn't ride on those tires for a city block.
I have experienced a blow out on the rear one time from hitting something in the road. Was only going 35 mph but thought my life was over when it suddenly drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic.
Your life depends on those two tires and it's not worth risking it.
A blow out on a bike is not like a blow out in a car.

Loudpipe · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2006, 06:51:48 AM »

About how much does it cost to have a shop mount tires for you?

Boomologist · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2006, 07:21:25 AM »

Many shops here will include that in the price of the tire.

super pasty white guy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2006, 07:49:18 AM »

After calling more that a few shops in my area, the going rate is $25-75 per tire. And one place has a really odd pricing structure- a percentage of the tire cost (15-20%, i think).

Dave

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #12 on:** September 15, 2006, 09:38:05 AM »

Quote

And one place has a really odd pricing structure- a percentage of the tire cost (15-20%, i think).

Must be harder to mount those real pricey tires.

Gordon · « **Reply #13 on:** September 15, 2006, 10:34:26 AM »

$25 per tire is about what I normally pay for mounting, including balancing. Don't forget you'll need new tubes and rim strips, too, which will be another $10 per tire.

gar · « **Reply #14 on:** September 15, 2006, 12:29:55 PM »

The dealership in town (I don't have any other bike shops in town) charges $35/wheel if the rims are brought in, $70/tire if you bring the bike in.

mrbreeze · « **Reply #15 on:** September 15, 2006, 07:07:46 PM »

Damn bro...thats pretty steep.I guess if you live in a more rural area,its gonna cost more for stuff like that.I wonder if you mounted the tire yourself and just rode it to some place else that could maybe balance it on the bike. Man....$35...I'd be pissed if I had to pay that much.I used to mount my own out in Wyoming but never balanced them. No wonder I think $15 to mount & balance is a deal.

aptech77 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 15, 2006, 07:29:59 PM »

My bike guy charges $20. Not bad. I would change those.

nickjtc · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2006, 06:19:43 PM »

If you've got lots of time and patience, and a good set of tyre irons and rim protectors, have at it. The worst that can happen is that you have to take the wheel/tyre to a shop and have them do it over.

Also, when you buy new tyres look for the 'date stamp' on the sidewall so you know that the shop is selling you fresh tyres, and not ones that have been sitting around for a few years. If the tyre is over 2 years old you should leverage a large discount, since it only has effectively 3 years or so of 'life' left in it. The same applies to all automotive tyres.

Look for the letters DOT moulded in the sidewall (only will be on one side of the tyre). Somewhere to the right of the letters you will see what looks like a moulded-in ID plate, in which will be possibly some letters, but definately 3 or 4 numbers. If 4 numbers the first two will be anything up to 52. they represent the week of the year that the tyre was made. The last 2 are the year of construction. So, for example: 2603 would be a tyre made in the 26th week of 2003. If there are only 3 numbers the same applies, but only the last digit is the year, and the tyre was made in the last century.

chippyfive50 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2006, 06:30:15 PM »

you will be AMAZED at the way your bike feels after you replace those.... well... a little more time and pressure and they will bediamonds.....
Here in Cincinnati, I have a really experienced shop do the mount and balance for 16.00 a wheel. I almost feel bad....

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2006, 06:37:05 PM »

Make some phone calls and see what they will charge. Doesn't have to be a Honda shop! One Honda dealer charged me $17 to mount and balance. The other wanted twice that much. I took him the tire, a new tube and rim strip. My rim had a fair amount of rust inside. I used a wire brush and my Dremel then sprayed it with Loctite Extend Rust Neutralizer. That stuff turns the rust areas black. If you haven't mounted a tire you will in all likelyhood puncture a tube. Then you have to dismount the tire again, buy another tube, and maybe do it all over again. If the dealer punctures your tube, they buy you another. Plus the dealer is going to do a better job balancing which you might even skip.

You can do it but you will be glad you spent a few more bucks and had it done!

seaweb11 · « **Reply #20 on:** September 16, 2006, 06:54:49 PM »

On the wifes 350 I just took in the wheels. Bike was apart anyway

On my recent rear tire acquisition for my 750 it was $200.00 for a new Spitfire. Rode the bike in and went to the Pub for lunch

Seemed reasonable.

I would not spend an afternoon cutting off a used tire and muscling a new one on
and then begging the bike shop to balance it for cheap. "Maybe that's why some shops won't work on older bikes"

Just not a skill I want to learn. I have a limited amount of brain cells left and I figure for every new thing I have to learn I loose something else and I haven't learned a lot of important other #$%* yet???

I rode away from the shop "carefully" ......I fell years ago in front of a bike shop after a new tire and don't intend on duplicating that move again

My comments here do come from the point of view of a guy not in college or living at moms. For you guys....you still have plenty of cells at your disposal. Learn, learn learn.

cbjunkie · « **Reply #21 on:** September 16, 2006, 07:34:24 PM »

sw,
well put.

mrbreeze · « **Reply #22 on:** September 16, 2006, 08:37:18 PM »

Good advice Seaweb

racing33 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 16, 2006, 09:08:36 PM »

when I got the bike I have now it had tires on it like in your pictures. I replaced both of them myself. When I bought the front tire I also got two tire irons for motorcycle wheels, and I used strips of belt leather for rim protectors. The front tire was super easy to change. The rear tire did get some swear words thrown at it but in the end it turned out good. I will never pay someone to change my tires for me. I even change my own auto tires.
Bruce

mrbreeze · « **Reply #24 on:** September 16, 2006, 09:22:49 PM »

You da man Bruce!!!!!

seaweb11 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 16, 2006, 10:16:44 PM »

Quote from: racing33 on September 16, 2006, 09:08:36 PM

when I got the bike I have now it had tires on it like in your pictures. I replaced both of them myself. When I bought the front tire I also got two tire irons for motorcycle wheels, and I used strips of belt leather for rim protectors. The front tire was super easy to change. The rear tire did get some swear words thrown at it but in the end it turned out good. I will never pay someone to change my tires for me. I even change my own auto tires.
Bruce

You go Bruce

jgary · « **Reply #26 on:** September 18, 2006, 07:05:20 AM »

I changed the front tire this weekend. I've changed bicycle tires as a kid. New rim strip & inner tube too. Ruined the inner tube learning what not to do, then picked up another from the dealer, and with my newfound knowledge had the whole assembly back on the bike about an hour later.

John.

putnaja1 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 18, 2006, 07:26:11 AM »

Quote from: jgary on September 18, 2006, 07:05:20 AM

I changed the front tire this weekend. I've changed bicycle tires as a kid. New rim strip & inner tube too. Ruined the inner tube learning what not to do, then picked up another from the dealer, and with my newfound knowledge had the whole assembly back on the bike about an hour later.

John.

Cool! I just finished changing the tires on mine this weekend. The dealer wanted 175 bucks to mount and balance both tires.. And that's NOT including the price of the tires, and that's just bringing in the wheels.. What a ripoff.

Quote from: racing33 on September 16, 2006, 09:08:36 PM

when I got the bike I have now it had tires on it like in your pictures. I replaced both of them myself. When I bought the front tire I also got two tire irons for motorcycle wheels, and I used strips of belt leather for rim protectors. The front tire was super easy to change. The rear tire did get some swear words thrown at it but in the end it turned out good. I will never pay someone to change my tires for me. I even change my own auto tires.
Bruce

I was just thinking about this on my drive into work, as my front tires are shot on my car. Is there any good homebrew way to balance the rims once you mount them?

Jason

drlarryw · « **Reply #28 on:** September 18, 2006, 07:52:16 AM »

YIKES! Were you serious? Maybe some Armorall would make them just like new. Vaseline? Thanks for the amusement.
Larry

Loudpipe · « **Reply #29 on:** September 18, 2006, 05:33:31 PM »

Where can tire irons, rim protectors, and rims strips be had, and for how much?

Dennis · « **Reply #30 on:** September 18, 2006, 06:15:45 PM »

Quote from: Loudpipe on September 18, 2006, 05:33:31 PM

Where can tire irons, rim protectors, and rims strips be had, and for how much?

I've purchase them from independent dirt bike shops, authorized dealers and the on line retailers. I know that Dennis kirk and Chaparral Racing (and many other on-line suppliers) carry them. Look under tools or tire tools in the paper catalogs or website. They really are easy to find and quite inexpensive from the discount suppliers.

mrbreeze · « **Reply #31 on:** September 18, 2006, 10:27:49 PM »

Quote from: jgary on September 18, 2006, 07:05:20 AM

I changed the front tire this weekend. I've changed bicycle tires as a kid. New rim strip & inner tube too. Ruined the inner tube learning what not to do, then picked up another from the dealer, and with my newfound knowledge had the whole assembly back on the bike about an hour later.

John.You da man too John!!!!!

nickjtc · « **Reply #32 on:** September 19, 2006, 08:09:09 AM »

Quote from: Dennis on September 18, 2006, 06:15:45 PM

I've purchase them from independent dirt bike shops, authorized dealers and the on line retailers. I know that Dennis kirk and Chaparral Racing (and many other on-line suppliers) carry them. Look under tools or tire tools in the paper catalogs or website. They really are easy to find and quite inexpensive from the discount suppliers.

I prefer the ones with the more rounded tips. The more pointed tips allow you to get at the bead of the tyre more easily, but if you slip they tend to gouge the rims more readily.

News:

Author Topic: Do these (old) tires need to be replaced? (Read 4750 times)

upperlake04

Daves_76_SS

Boomologist

Boomologist

racing33

drlarryw