What tires for my Harley???

Question

I've got a 2001 Fatboy with about 600 miles on it. The tires look like they have plenty of tread left, but they are getting little cracks in them. I don't get it. I squirt Armor-all on them every weekend when I polish the bike, but it still looks like they dried out. What new tires should I buy that won't crack so easy?

Answer 1

ya got a lot of bites even with that gawd awful stinky bait. Nicely done Clutch.

Answer 2

First off, I've never seen a 6 year old motorcycle tire that didn't have some cracking or checking. Heck, my front Dunlop was showing small weather cracks in 6 months.
Secondly, Armor All is NOT the thing to use on motorcycle tires. The stuff is slippery.


600 miles in 6 years?
Armor All every weekend?
For me, that's a definite priority inversion.

Answer 3

Tires crack because the lighter elements in the rubber volitize over time, especially when exposed to intense sunlight. With those elements gone, the rubber gets hard and brittle rather than flexible. What do truck pullers do when they need harder tread on their tires? Throw them up onto the roof of a building in the summer. The head and sunlight harden them up super fast. Six months on the roof is like 6 years on a vehicle.

Answer 4

Tires have a "shelf life" regardless of tread wear.
At 6-7 years old the tires are history even if they have tread left, Replace Them!

For longest life, I like the Metzler ME 880 and for "stick" I like the Avon Super Venom.
If you keep the tire pressure at 32psi or so the tires will not crack before you wear the rubber out ( if you ride it).

And don't Slime the tires.

Answer 5

Opinion, best tires for bike, good ride, long lasting and very good side traction, Dunlop touring elite.
The round profile makes for excellent cornering.
We had averaged about 20k miles with very little wear and virtually no sidewall cracks, but we don't use any tire dressing, just soap and water.

Answer 6

u are gambling with ur life with that armor-all on the tires. once that stuff hits the road, it will be like being on ice, and will put u down instantly. mc tires have tread on the sides also, and that is what is keeping u from getting dumped in the turns. u had best quit using that stuff on ur tires, or u are going to wind up killed. soap and water only.

Answer 7

100 miles a year??? You don't need new tires, you need a bike you're not afraid to ride. If you were out riding that thing, you'd not be worrying about what's obviously dryrotted tires, you'd be buying new ones, because they wore out, not rotted away.
I'm not real big on burn-outs and such show-off stupidity, but I got about 9000 miles on the factory Dunlops before they were toast. I went to Metzlers front and rear on my Dyna, and couldn't be happier.

Answer 8

600 miles, you don't need tires! I do that in two weeks or less.

Dunlops are developed and tested for your bike.

Armor-all does not go on any motorcycle tire, ever. Good way to go down and have to replace all that chrome on your shiny bike.

Answer 9

2001 with 600 miles? Get on the bike and ride man!

Answer 10

I have a 59 BSA road rocket with 4000 miles on the tires. I take my tires off & keep them in the refrigerator, just take them out & put a little crisco on them (it gives them a nice shine) on the 1 day a year you actually ride, I usually pick april first as my riding day or sometimes thanksgiving (turkey day)
hope this helps. remember to always wear a full face helmet an air bag equipted jacket & colorfull full racing leathers so everyone will think your a big bad sports hero.

Answer 11

If you are going to get new tires you can get a fender kit to that will let you run a back tire as big as 180/55VB-18. Remember wider is better so you can transfer the power from the massive V Twin to the ground. While the wheels are off you can get the solid fat boy rims polished or chromed (if you have not done this already).