| Author | Message | ||
     Rsh |
Bought new tires today for my XB9R. Dunlop D208ZR's. On the way home making a right turn at an intersection not even going 25 mph the rear end starts sliding, I back off on the throttle and WHAM instant high side it was like I was riding on ice. The shop where I got the tire's isn't even 3 miles away from my house and I know from reading and past experience to take it easy with fresh tire's but this was so crazy and happened so fast I still can't believe it, I am so pissed. The damage to the XB looks to be minor at this point, left front turn signal gone, the left handle bar bent and slightly dented the frame, oil cooler scoop slightly scuffed, left foot peg gone, minor scuff at the very end of the swing arm. The worst of it is the primary case, the casting broke where shift lever bolts into the case. I feel fine overall, my ribs on my left side feel like they are stiffening up a bit. My equipment did it's job. A few nicks on my helmet and no road rash whatsoever. A guy that was behind me and witnessed the whole thing pulled over to help out, turned out he was a sportbike guy. He had nasty things to say about the 208's anyway he had a pickup truck with a ramp and tie downs and offered to take me home I declined at first thinking I could ride the XB but with the handle bar bent as it was I would not be able to turn let alone shift and took him up on his offer. When we got to my house and unloaded the XB we talked for awhile, I offered him $20.00 for the assistance since thats all I had left after buying the tire's he declined and went on his way. What a day. Thanks for letting me vent. | ||
| Dynarider |
The release agents in the tire can be greasier than pig snot. Glad you are semi-ok. I usually take it real poky for about the first 100 miles or so. | ||
| Bradj |
 I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. I was visiting with a young guy that works at an H-D Dealership this afternoon. We were talking Buells. He told me a similar story...brand new XB in the dealership parking lot putting around...dry pavement, nothing dramatic...rear wheel kicked out. I had a couple a frights when I first started riding my new XB...the wheel kicked out slightly in two situations where I couldn't explain why...speed was very conservative, minor curve, clear and dry pavement, etc. It took me a few hundred miles to get confident in the bike's ability to take curves after that. I later learned it was probably the new tires. It never would have occurred to me that brand new tires would be so dangerous until I read about it on a internet forum...this one maybe? I also recall reading somewhere that you can use sandpaper to rough up the sidewalls a bit before you use the tire the first time. I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt and I'm sorry your bike was damaged. | ||
| M1combat |
Thank you for posting... Hopefully whoever reads this will have better luck. I know I'll be scrubbing my new tires before I have them mounted... | ||
| Darthane |
That blows...just for the record, though, I loved the D208s on my XB9R. Closest I ever came to dragging a knee on that bike was with those tires in the rain! Take it easy, heal up well, and above all get the bike fixed quick! | ||
| Loner |
Sorry to hear about your mishap. Glad your ok and I know how those rib injuries feel. All Dunlop 208's have a sticker wrapped around the tire warning the user to ride easy for 100 miles to "scrub in"the tires. If you don't change the tires yourself you'll never see this sticker and your shop personel should warn you of this situation. I've been running 208's for a year or so now and have nothing but good to say about them. Yes, I have broke loose both front and rear on occasion but was riding at 10/10ths and found the limit. They are slick as "hog snot" at first but after a run in of 50 miles or so they are a good tire. Later, Loner.... | ||
| Noface |
Rsh, Glad to hear the YOU are ok. I had a similar situation last summer with new tires. I had about 50-75 miles on a new set of Michelin Pilot Sports. I thought I had scrubbed them in good enough. I met a few friends of mine at the local dealership and we set out for an afternoons ride. About a half mile leaving the dealership, at a busy main intersection we're stopped at the light. Light turns green, away we go turning left. I shifted to second, leaned into it to turn left and the front washes out from under me. BAM! I'm on the pavement with no warning. It happend lightning fast. The bike slid about 20', and myself about 15', hot on it's tracks. I guess I didn't have them scrubbed in good enuff eh?  I was luckier than you in that I only broke the shifter peg and ground up the plastic bar end. Oh... and my left knee had two small patches of rash, as well as a spot on my left hip about the size of silver dollar. I can see all the soccer mom's that were stopped at that intersection going to the local mall telling their kids in the backseat "You see! THAT's why you're NOT getting one of those when your old enough to drive!" It's bad enough wiping out in front of half dozen of your buddies, but having 50 or so spectators at a busy intersection really put's an edge on it! LOL. Get your bike fixed and get back on there. Just be sure you scrub those tires better next time  | ||
| Metalstorm |
I can relate. Three years ago I went down on my Sporty the day after having new Avons put on it. And worse still, I had a passenger. No serious physical injuries except some road rash but the mental scar remains. I havn't been as good a rider since. Get your bike fixed ASAP and get on it. The sooner you get back on the saddle the better you'll be. | ||
| Xbduck |
Rsh, I'm sorry to hear about your trouble, I'm also glade you are O.K. Folks, this web site is truly educational. I didn't even realize this was an issue till I read this. You've answered a question I didn't even know I should ask. Rsh, I hope you gain some comfort in knowing you have helped another rider. Good luck on your repairs. | ||
| Fuzz331 |
I'll be changing tires pretty soon and appreciate the heads up. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. | ||
| Mitchelob |
Bummer...we all need to be reminded how fast and unexpectedly "shit happens". I think maybe I'll take it a little easier today on my Sunday ride, thanks. | ||
| Rocketman |
One of the preventative measures you can take is to try and get some serious heat into the new tyre. 100 miles seems like a long time manufacturers precaution to me never the less however far you ride on fresh rubber you need that heat be it 10 miles or more. Brad's right about the sandpaper - scrub them tyres - further still avoid sharp turns or take them with extreme precautions - that's how I got caught out and I can tell you a walking pace highside can do some serious damage and not just to your bike (although I was uninjured)! Rocket  | ||
| Austinrider |
Funny how this topic came up. When I was in the dealership yesterday I asked one of the guys there (Riders Edge Instructor, and racer) abou this. He told me he takes a grater or something and scrubs the tire in. I had some Sportech M-1's on my bike. I found that even after 200 miles the tires still slid, on the extreme outter edge where I had not worn them in yet. Granted this was at a track, and after the next lap it was not an issue as I had reached the edge of the tire. I know Im going to invest in a good device to scrub the tire and from now on when they get put on I will have them scrubbed first. Glad you are okay | ||
| Cj_xb |
Glad to hear your okay and your gear helped out !! It is nice to hear these stories to give you a heads up, when I get new tires I'll be careful to remember all these posts !! CJ  | ||
| Prof_stack |
My local m/c tire dealer ALWAYS says to go easy on the new tires for 50 to 100 miles. Besides the higher profile of new tread, the slickness is an issue. Sorry about your fall, Rsh (and the others), but big thanks for posting. | ||
| Chainsaw |
I use rubbing alcohol to clean the mold release agent off the tire. I then scuff it up using some coarse sandpaper, all this before I have the tire mounted on the rim. After that I go for a hundred mile ride to complete the break in. My nearly bald rear 208 slides a bit when it's wet or when I'm riding in sub-freezing temps. Gonna put Diablo's on in another week or so. | ||
| Shotgun |
Best way to scrub in a new tire? Find a gravel road with deep gravel. Five miles of riding thru gravel like that will eat off all slick stuff. Then check to see if your belt picked up any rocks. | ||
| Whodom |
I saw a post on one Buell board- guy said he used "Goop" to take off the mold release agent. They sell this stuff at WallyWorld to take latex paint off your hands and various surfaces, so I don't think it's a very harsh chemical. I've never tried it, but it might be worth looking into. | ||
| Snowdave |
I had the same thing happen to my M2. Luckily it was only 5 mph coming out of my driveway so there was no damage to speak of...other than my ego. Everytime I have gotten tires installed at the dealer, the release agent has been completely removed and the tires are sticky from mile one! I installed these tires myself and it was my own fault for not knowing about release agents. I then used alcohol on the tires and had no more problems. I would say that this is an example of a good dealer vs. a mediocre/poor one. | ||
| Sportyeric |
A Cycle World reader offered the suggestion last month to use Goo Gone. | ||
| Hippo888 |
In the 25+ or so new sets of tires I've ridden, the only problem I've ever had was on the XB9S. After getting a new rear, I went >smack< so fast onto the pavement I couldn't believe it. Probably a combination of tiny bike with relatively huge, low-down, instantaneous torque. My ankle is still healing, nearly 3 months later. Glad to know no one's gotten really hurt yet. Paul in MI | ||
| Kaese |
I have always been told 200 miles was the magic number. What the real problem is the crap they use to unstick the tire from the molding when manufactured. Kart racers have been using a tire cleaner for years to get that crud off the tires so the tires would work like they should. Alcohol is probably the magic crud remover. May be able to find it at your local speed shop. | ||
| Opto |
If you do 100 miles on the highway on a brand new tyre you can see the release agent on the sides of the tyre, a gummy almost waxy sort of substance that seems to have just oozed out of the rubber. Scary stuff, I don't remember it being like this 20 years ago. | ||
| Blake |
You easily can scrub in new tires in less than five miles. Just take to a clean twisty road (no greasy city intersections!) repeatedly accelerating hard and braking hard while upright and gradually increasing lean angle in turns. The hard acceleration puts heat into the rear; hard braking heats the front; gradually increasing lean progressively scrubs sides while not putting majority of contact patch on unscrubbed rubber. Some new tires don't have mold release. Dunlops may. The Bridgstones BT020's I'm now running had no slippery film/release coating. Just put 'em on and ride. |
