NOS Tyres, tires what do you think?

78jotadave

78jotadave

Hero member
Location
Palm Desert, California. (near Palm Springs)
I have been looking for a new rear tire to replace the Bridgestone BT 45 (130/80) that I have been very happy with. The Bridgestone BT 45 has been replaced by the BT 46, well at least here in the US it has. The prices on motorcycle tires as many of you no doubt have discovered are very discouraging. Anyway, I found a shop selling NOS BT 45's for < less than $100 the tires have been on the shelf for 5 years in a shop with no environmental exposure, but here in the US land of the lawsuit and litigation it is being sold with no warranties and recommended for static display only. To be honest I have ridden on my own bike with tires that I originally bought and were now 10 years old with absolutely vo worries. I'll be honest I replaced tires that had lots of treads left but sidewalls were cracking and tires were older than 8 years old but I never had a problem with them.

What do you think? Buy the 5-year-old NOS BT 45 or not?
 
Much depends on how they were stored. If they were in a dark environment they will have survived better than otherwise.

I keep going with older tires on the bikes I don't push hard. On my sportier bikes I keep em fresh.
 
In my opinion, give ‘em a decent scrub and they’ll be fine.
The problem will be the other end, when they’ve been on your bike for another 5 or more years with less than half the tread left.
 
In the classic car world the problem is that new tyres [@ many $] are fitted and the car sits static for looong periods,
Without use the surface/side walls of the tyres dry out , they need the movement to shift the waxy stuff to the surface and keep the tyre pliable.
The other way recommended is to thoroughly wash with appropriate soap and dry. Then apply lanolin to the side walls.

Don't know if this relates to bike tyres. Could be a bit tricky, and the cure could be worse.
Me personally I'd just spend the extra and buy new tyres.
Just saying I'm happy to be shot down in flames:rolleyes:
 
78jotadave said:
I have been looking for a new rear tire to replace the Bridgestone BT 45 (130/80) that I have been very happy with. The Bridgestone BT 45 has been replaced by the BT 46, well at least here in the US it has. The prices on motorcycle tires as many of you no doubt have discovered are very discouraging. Anyway, I found a shop selling NOS BT 45's for < less than $100 the tires have been on the shelf for 5 years in a shop with no environmental exposure, but here in the US land of the lawsuit and litigation it is being sold with no warranties and recommended for static display only. To be honest I have ridden on my own bike with tires that I originally bought and were now 10 years old with absolutely vo worries. I'll be honest I replaced tires that had lots of treads left but sidewalls were cracking and tires were older than 8 years old but I never had a problem with them.

What do you think? Buy the 5-year-old NOS BT 45 or not?
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Depends how you are using the bike, just for crousing I do not see a problem but if you go to to the limits i. e. on a race track a old hard tire could cause a problem- but I think you will just use it on the road - no issue.
 
Buy em Dave……. You will soon know if they are going to let go! Just make sure your sphincter valve is calibrated before takeoff.
To good an offer to knock back 😉
 
The BT 45 that I am replacing was manufactured in October 2011 so my current rubber is close to 10 years old. The tire is close to worn out (no visible centerline tread) and just starting to show fine lines of cracking in parts of the wall. Most of the mileage was put on in the past 5 years, riding more now I am retired, so buying a 5-year-old tire is for me like getting a new one, I am going to go for it:p Went close to 130mph on this old hoop last year woohoo!
 
If the rubber has been stored new and unused away from direct sunlight I would say it'll be absolutely fine. If it's been used, even just a little, and then stored, that's a totally different story. You can get a pretty good idea of deterioration by simply sticking your fingernail into the rubber. if it's hard and shows little suppleness then it's not gonna be a good tyre and you won't be able to trust it.

As Hooksey says, for $200 you can afford to try them and chuck them if nec - but i doubt you'll need to. And if you do, sell them to someone riding across America on straight roads!! I'd happily fit old tyres for a Nullarbor run.
 
I think tyres come with a protective waxy coating that preserves the rubber. That's why new tyres can be slippery until you wear that stuff off. If that's true than they should be perfectly OK. I have a new BT54 tyre that I've had on my own shelf for a few years. I'll eventually get around to putting it on a bike if I live long enough.
 
Dellortoman said:
I think tyres come with a protective waxy coating that preserves the rubber. That's why new tyres can be slippery until you wear that stuff off. If that's true than they should be perfectly OK. I have a new BT54 tyre that I've had on my own shelf for a few years. I'll eventually get around to putting it on a bike if I live long enough.
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The coating is to help the tyre release from the mould, not as a protectant. But that may be a side-effect?
 
As a tight arse I would take that option if I wasn’t planning to go scratching on the bike. Fit them and just take it easy until you get a feel for how much grip they offer.
I’ve got some pretty ancient Pirelli’s on one of my F500s I just wobble round the corners and hope I don’t have to make too many emergency stops.😕
 
The likely 'failure mode' will be cracking at sidewall and in the tread grooves. If that's a roadworthiness test failure where you live, they might have to be replaced after a short while?
 
Much depends on how you ride.
Old tyres are fine if you don't spend your time scrapping bits of bike in corners.
I went round Francorchamps with a 17 year old front tyre on my SFC.

Paul
 
The DOT code on the front tyre of my 3C is only 3 digits... ;) Still works well enough for general road riding, not sure if I'd trust it on a track though. No cracking, etc to be seen, so apparently been used/stored appropriately.

Sadly, it's almost worn out. It is the last of a pile of 110/70 VB18 ME33 MBS KompK compound Metzelers that I bought around 1998 when Metzeler axed them. Tried a 110/80, but that's going to take some getting used to.

I also once fitted a set of used slicks for the 2005 Bikers Classics event at Spa, they had been laying around for quite some time, with new 18" slicks being unavailable by then. Took it easy for a lap or 2, after that, they performed perfectly!

piet

PICT0819.JPG
 
sfcpiet said:
The DOT code on the front tyre of my 3C is only 3 digits... ;) Still works well enough for general road riding, not sure if I'd trust it on a track though. No cracking, etc to be seen, so apparently been used/stored appropriately.

Sadly, it's almost worn out. It is the last of a pile of 110/70 VB18 ME33 MBS KompK compound Metzelers that I bought around 1998 when Metzeler axed them. Tried a 110/80, but that's going to take some getting used to.

I also once fitted a set of used slicks for the 2005 Bikers Classics event at Spa, they had been laying around for quite some time, with new 18" slicks being unavailable by then. Took it easy for a lap or 2, after that, they performed perfectly!

piet

View attachment 63508
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Hmm, why does it say 'Laverda' on the fairing of the twin-plugged BMW? :unsure:

cheers
bazzee
 
I looked in to the chemistry of tyre degredation when I had a 12 year old car on its original tyres. Apparently it's atmospheric oxygen releasing free radicle particles that causes the 'drying out' and cracking. UV light is a lesser contributor. Occasional use helps to agitate the carbon black (oil burnt in the absence of oxygen, effectively oil charcoal) which lubricates the material keeping it supple. Glossing the surface with oils is cosmetic only. Sidewall cracking is unsightly, when it spreads to the tread area delamination is a real prospect. Probably fine to use at 5 years old but the science suggests that they will crack and potentially harden up quickly, so may be a false economy for a low mileage user.
 
bazzee said:
Hmm, why does it say 'Laverda' on the fairing of the twin-plugged BMW? :unsure:

cheers
bazzee
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"Special thanks to Laverda for....." forgot the rest.

I rigged up a Laverda BTZ ignition for it, worked well except for the enormous current drain. It was running constant loss on a 5Ah battery, so the Bosch BTZ was eventually replaced with an Ignitech, but still using the old Laverda/Bosch pick ups.

Nice and light, bugger flew like shit off a shovel!

piet
 
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