Tyre Age, How Old Is Too Old?

[oollit]

The rear tyre of my CBR600F is now officially as bald as a coot and is completely illegal, due to being worn down to the wire in one spot. I don't think i flat spotted the tyre under braking but it looks as if i have.
Anyhoo, i was going to get a set of Battlax BT-021's fitted before i set of for Ireland in the summer, but i didn't want to fit them until about May so that they still have plenty of life in them for the trip down to Cork.
I thought i would fit a part worn rear tyre to keep me going for the next month or two and i have been offered a Battlax BT-010 with plenty of life in it. The only problem is that it could be quite old as they started making them in 2000.
I have heard people recomend 7 years as being the maximum life span of a tyre, but is this figure realistic?

The bike has a set of Pirreli Diablos at the moment, and i am not thrilled about riding on mis-matched tyres but due to financial comitments it is either use a mis-matched part worn or no bike until May.
I am not a fast rider and i use the bike for collecting parts from around town and commuting when it is dryish. I do like a good blast every now and again though and i don't want to bin the bike over a knackered tyre that should never have been fitted.

[Dickie]

Impossible to say really. The thing that will degrade a tyre, other than actually using it, is exposure to UV light. So, since this tyre has been fitted to a bike, it's fair to assume that it's been exposed to UV. There'll be a date code somewhere on the tyre, so if you can decipher it then you'll be able to tell when it was manufactured,but not a lot more than that I'm afraid. I doubt the manufacturer would set a specific limit in case they left themselves open to litigation.

On a Bridgestone tire purchased in Nov 03:
DOT ENU2 VBB3503 = produced 35th week of 03

[02iomtt]

I have BT 021s on my bike it's a GSXR 600, they have been to the Nurburgring and back and some more and they are still like new (tread depth wise). I'd just fit them now.

[oollit]

Been and looked at the tyre today, it was made in 2001 so i walked away.
Shame as it was in decent condition and would have done me for a couple of months no problem.

I think i will just have to go down the new tyre route, and order a set of BT-021's.

I was quoted £188 from Sillets but they don't deliver to the ferry so i will have to get quotes from Shetland Transport to pick them up.
I am surprised that Sillets don't deliver to the ferry, as there is nowhere in Shetland carrying any stock of bike tyres so i would have thought Sillets would have been the first port of call for anyone up here needing a tyre, as they are the nearset big tyre place. Maybe everyone is ordering off the internet from the big mail order firms.

[02iomtt]

Try http://www.streamlineshippinggroup.com/

My mate should be able to do you a good deal. If you're interested call Justin Roberts 07771 748 680.
Tell him Rob gave you his number.

[Zax]

Been and looked at the tyre today, it was made in 2001 so i walked away.
Shame as it was in decent condition and would have done me for a couple of months no problem.

I think i will just have to go down the new tyre route, and order a set of BT-021's.

I was quoted £188 from Sillets but they don't deliver to the ferry so i will have to get quotes from Shetland Transport to pick them up.
I am surprised that Sillets don't deliver to the ferry, as there is nowhere in Shetland carrying any stock of bike tyres so i would have thought Sillets would have been the first port of call for anyone up here needing a tyre, as they are the nearset big tyre place. Maybe everyone is ordering off the internet from the big mail order firms.

If you buy the tyres from Rob I will easily drop them off at the ferry for you if you let me know what the craic is.

Need to know where to drop them off, who they are going to and how it is all arranged . etc .

[oollit]

Thanks for the generous offer Zax,it is most appreciated.

I have had a good look around the internet over the weekend, and i think i will be going for the online option with M&P Direct for the tyres.

I am also needing a new set of paddock stands too and M&P can do the tyres for £184.98, front and rear Oxford paddock stands for £59.99 and £10 for the shipping. £244.77 all in seems like a good price to me so i might as well stretch myself by getting it all at the same time and save on some delivery costs.

I will have to have a quick peep in the bank account tomorrow and see if i can find any money hiding anywhere.

Has anyone got these paddock stands? and if so are they any good?

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/9017 ... nds/Oxford

Or this could be another option...

http://www.mandp.co.uk/productinfo/9019 ... Two-Wheels

[Coddy]

The Oxford Paddock stands will be more than good enough.
Certainly not the quality of Harris stands, but they are twice the price of the Oxford ones.

[oollit]

I have gone ahead and ordered a set of BT-021's from M&P on Sunday afternoon.

I was going to order the set of 2 Oxford paddock stands but i couldn't find them anymore so i went for the set with the workshop seat on wheels option instead.
Came to £232.97 delivered to my door.

Missed 2 fine days already so i don't want to miss many more.

Hopefully the 021's will be fine when i set of for Ireland in July or August as i don't want to have to change tyres twice this season.