How Long Dunlop Tires Last

Last Updated on 06.08.2024 by hrushetskyy

How Long Do Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Last?

As early as 1920, Dunlop brought its first tire manufacturing business to the United States. Up until today, Dunlop is the sole tire manufacturer who has produced tires in the United States. Because of this, the company has developed a great and sound insight regarding the need and wants of most motorcycle enthusiasts from coast to coast. They have consequently used these insights to design and manufacture the most innovative tires in the whole of United States.

Whether you prefer on road or off-road motorcycle riding, Dunlop has the best motorcycle tire to complement your riding style. From the road blazing Sportmax’s up to the most popular D404 and D402 series, they have it.

Like an automobile, your bike has a regular maintenance schedule listed in the owner’s manual. Have these services performed by an authorized dealer unless you are an accomplished mechanic.

Here, we will discuss at length how long do motorcycle tires last, maintenance and care tips, and what to look for should you decide to purchase a new set.

How long will my tires last?

The lifespan of your tires will depend on several factors like the following:

• Usage
• Storage
• Loads
• Inflation pressure
• Driving condition
• Abuse
• General maintenance.

When should I change my motorcycle tires?

1. Wearing. This is the most common reason and sign that you have to change your tires. This simply means that the tires can be risky to use, or at most, not usable at all.
2. Jagged tread wear. The shape of the tire is very important in determining whether or not it is still suitable for use and for keeping. If you see an uneven wear that is squarish in shape and also when the tires get worn out starting from the middle tire portion, then that’s a sign.
3. Scalping or cupping of the tire. Another type of a common wearing is tire cupping or scaling. This simply means that the front tire is unevenly worn. In this condition, the tires are worn in the area of the tread. This is very dangerous because this can lead to handling issues. This type of wear depends on poor set up of the suspension. If you see your motorcycle tires cupping from the sides, then that means its time to change.
4. Too many holes or slashes. If there are plenty of holes/punctures or slashes in your tire, then that only means it needs to be changed.

How do you Select the Perfect Replacement Tires for Your Motorbike?

The surest and the most accurate answer to this question will come from a tire manufacturer. If you don’t want a fast answer, you can also check your motorcycle owner’s manual.

Every tire manufacturer has a comprehensive list of all the approved and recommended tires for most, if not all, motorcycle brand and model. You can access this list by searching on their websites, flyers, or leaflets and official records from these manufacturers’ shops and showrooms. These pieces of literature are also made available during company events and dealership activities.

The owner’s manual also comes with information regarding original size tires and tire types.

The bottom line is to only take the advice of professionals—both tire manufacturer or motorcycle manufacturer alike.

Tire’s service life: How long will my motorcycle tires last?

A tire’s service life will depend on factors like how you store it, the load that it typically carries whenever you travel, the pressure of the tires, the condition of the road, weather conditions, general maintenance, and abuse.

However, determining the exact date of the maximum service life for your tire is impossible. As we already touched on, there are so many variables involved that will affect the lifespan of the rubber. What is stated in the manual is based on approximation. But for safety reasons, it’s not recommended that you use the tires up to the maximum allowable limit.

Reversed front and rear patterns

Most Dunlop motorcycle tires have reversed front patterns because of the different forces acting in different directions. All Dunlop tires are being tested to check whether or not they have satisfactory wet performance. The most important thing to note is to mount the wheels in the direction indicated on the sidewall.

Tire cupping

Tire cupping simply means regular wearing and tearing of your tires. Being a common occurrence among all tires and all vehicles, tire cupping may not be totally avoidable. There are countermeasures to delay the damage, however.

For 4-wheeled vehicles, it is advisable to rotate your wheels once in a while to even out the damage caused by normal wear and tear. Unfortunately, you don’t have this option in motorcycles. The reason for this is the fact that front and back tires are not substitutable.

There are few damage mitigating options available to you:

• Keep your motorbike in good condition and focus on your front and suspension.
• Evade rigid braking if you can.
• Slowing down and braking abruptly causes the tire to grip and wear. When you put on the brakes to the front tire, the weight over-exerts the tire and upsurges the tendency for cupping and jagged wear.
• Make sure to keep your tire compressions within the allowable limits stated in the manual. Under inflation and overcapacity of motorcycle tires are substantial causes of wear.

Note that the moment the tires show signs of cupping, the above-mentioned steps may not improve the tire conditions.

Though the tire manufacturers are doing their best to minimize tire cupping, the owner, must also play his part. Follow the aforementioned steps even if your tires are not yet old and used.

What is the Best Tire for My Motorcycle?

We all wish there is a simple and universal answer to this as people get to ask this a lot. Then again, there is really no right and final answer to this question because tires vary, in the same way that bikers/riders vary.

These are the factors that you should consider in finding out which tire is best for you.

• Your personal preference— what do bike type do you like and how will you ride it
• Looks, brand, and style you are looking for
• Budget

Can I alter the size of my bike tires?

Legitimately, it is always recommended to stick with the size recommended and suggested by your manufacturer. There are a lot of experts involved in making the tires and they managed to boil it down to the exact science. Any recommendation should not be taken lightly because there are years and years of research behind it.

Motorcycle Tires: Do they expire?

So you ask, how long do motorcycle tires last?

Just like a good beer, all tires are timestamped as to when they were created and manufactured. Aside from their stamped born date, they also have an expected lifespan. They age differently depending on the nature of use and the type of environment they are used in

The wheels’ born-on-date, also known as Date Code, is a set of numbers, usually four digits only, indicating the week and the year the tire was manufactured.

If your bikes are older than the 2000 models, the code will show and present similar information but will be read and seen differently.

Again, just like beer, tires will have a better shelf life if it is stored well. Let it out in the excruciating heat of the sun, beer will only last a week while the tire might last a year. Put it inside a pantry or a sheltered warehouse, the beer might last for several months while the tires will last several years.

However, if stored in a refrigerator, beers will last for years. In the same vein, tires stored in better climate and controlled-temperature environments can make the tires last for up to six years.

When should I change my motorcycle tires?

1. Wearing. This is the most common reason and sign that you have to change your tires. This simply means that the tires can be risky to use, or at most, not usable at all.
2. Jagged tread wear. The shape of the tire is very important in determining whether or not it is still suitable for use and for keeping. If you see an uneven wear that is squarish in shape and also when the tires get worn out starting from the middle tire portion, then that’s a sign.
3. Scalping or cupping of the tire. Another type of a common wearing is tire cupping or scaling. This simply means that the front tire is unevenly worn. In this condition, the tires are worn in the area of the tread. This is very dangerous because this can lead to handling issues. This type of wear depends on poor set up of the suspension. If you see your motorcycle tires cupping from the sides, then that means its time to change.
4. Too many holes or slashes. If there are plenty of holes/punctures or slashes in your tire, then it’s a sign that it needs to be changed.
5. Age of the tire. Most tire makers recommend that the tires should not be used after five years. The reason for this is that the oils in the rubber vanish over time triggering the rubber to toughen up.

Taking care of your tires can become challenging at times. This is especially crucial if you’re into extreme sports or if you enjoy using your motorcycles under extreme weather conditions. These activities are not prohibited though. For as long as you take care of your tires, clean it up, maintain it, and bring it to the shop, all else will work.

Why is it important to take care of your motorcycles?

• To avoid accidents. Owning a vehicle, be it a motorcycle or a car, means that you are responsible for your life, the lives of the people who ride with you and those whom you meet on the street. If you don’t take care of your motorcycles and you just leave it all up to chance, most often than not, you put everybody else’s welfare in jeopardy.
• To avoid costs. Prevention is better than cure. Cliché as this may sound but this still holds water. It’s always better to be cautious and act earlier than react and find yourself in a deep mess later. This is particularly true when owning a vehicle. If you invest aggressively in maintenance and care, chances are, you will always keep your vehicle in good running condition. You are also sure that it won’t cause you any harm or damage to the streets.

Here are some basic tips to follow to keep your bike running at its best.

• Always be mindful of the tire pressure. Be certain you have a superior air pressure gauge.  Inspect your tires before you ride and maintain appropriate and decent tires so that we won’t be caught off guard.
• Change the oil and check fluids. Motorcycles and cars are very much alike. They both require an oil change and correct fluid upkeep at consistent intervals to keep them in good physical shape.  The suggested intervals for an oil change are once every 3 months or once every 3,000 miles.
• Preserve the chain – Chain tension is very significant on a motorbike, essentially the same with lubrication.  Numerous riders will lube their chain earlier than a scheduled ride. This is a decent thing to do. You can review the chain rollers for broken rollers and can also inspect the notch at the same time for “bent” teeth. Use either of these: spray wax chain lubricant or gear oil.  Be very cautious here that the rear wheel doesn’t get tilted from an inappropriate adjustment.
• Check the battery – Naturally, a motorcycle battery should be checked and monitored during its oil change.  Guarantee electrolytes are at par with our level, and review for blows or complications from the tremor.

Taking care of your motorcycle, though not always easy, but it’s actually more beneficial and cost-effective in the long run. On top of that, it makes things safer and easier for you. You save on the frequent changing of tires you also get to save more because you don’t get involved in accidents and road problems.

If you want to seek professional help in taking care of your motorcycle and tires, the best thing to do is to visit the nearest tire shop today. United Tires specializes in used tires, which are screened and checked to the highest standards for safety. It’s the best of both worlds. You save a lot compared to buying a new set of tires but your safety is guaranteed.

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