do tires perish?

irideforlife said:

My new to me 2004 wing with less than 2500 miles still has it's original tires in very good condition. No cracking and so on. Do I need to change them due to age. Worried they may have lost grip.

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Most tire manufactures recommend replacing your tires after ten years, some say after 6 years. Over the years chemical reaction in the tires can cause the tires to become unsafe, this can lead to catastrophic tire failure. Environmental conditions like exposure to sunlight and coastal climates, as well as poor storage and infrequent use can quicken the aging process. Your tires are pushing that 10 year mark, to be on the safe side I'd replace the tires even though they show very little wear.

I would just ride it like it was meant to be ridden and plan on replacing the tires soon. Unless you are saving it for a museum piece.
gumbyred

gumbyred said:

I would just ride it like it was meant to be ridden and plan on replacing the tires soon. Unless you are saving it for a museum piece.
gumbyred

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If you do decide to keep running keep an eye on them for seperation and chunks of rubber coming out,

irideforlife said:

My new to me 2004 wing with less than 2500 miles still has it's original tires in very good condition. No cracking and so on. Do I need to change them due to age. Worried they may have lost grip.

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I would replace them to ride the bike just for piece of mind.
But, I would keep them, original tires are collectible to guys who restore older bikes, and they can bring in a good price!

Ride Safe,
Goodoni

Thanks, the bike has been dry stored so will prob use them and replace when I have the money.

If they don't show any cracking I'd use 'em. No sidewall or tread edge cracking or any signs of cracks in the thread grooves and I'd say good enough.

Much of age damage is NOT visible to the naked eye. Many people run 20 year old tires dozens of times and never have an issue. I have personal experience through me or family/fiends with at least 6 tire failures due to age. You do not know all the history of the tire since it is new to you (was it run low pressure before you owned it, road hazard damage internally, etc) so it is a gamble. Ride them all you want, but if it was my bike I would replace them sooner rather than later. But then, I prefer to spend a little money now and not roll those particular dice with my life.

I had a bike that had sat for 20 years in a backyard on it's original tires, I ran them for about four years and they never showed any wear on them. Of course I am sure the tread would have gripped the road like the iron band around a wagon wheel, and they were not under the load that a Goldwings tires are either.

Please don't follow that bad example, use good judgement and keep an eye on them. If they grip well and look good then they should be fine, however the manufacturer who is only interested in selling more tires, and protecting themselves, want you to buy new tires every three to five years.