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I'm thinking you wouldn't see an odd pattern on the rear, since you are trying to correct the tracking by deflecting the front. Mixing tire types and construction are a no no. but replacing the front with something that wears better, and has the same type of construction shouldn't be too much of an issue. The big thing I can see is the tire profile has been altered by wear. Putting a new tire on the front might not make any difference, but I'd really like to see the profile of the rear. If it's flattened out in the center and getting car like, it could lead to a stability problem. A harder front tire, just for the sake of argument, will limit your braking traction, and could effect your cornering. I got my W with Avons on it. I replaced the front with a Metzeler ME33 Lazer and the rear with an ME55 Metronic, world of difference. The ME55 didn't last very long, so now I have a Conti-Go on the rear, and it's doing just fine...now I can drag the hero knobs without making the chassis unstable or sliding across a turn....Just a thought...check the build date on the tire...old tires can wear unpredictably.

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Posted by kw-retrorider

- November 16, 2013, 15:02:48 PM

Troll: Thanks for your comments. Yeah, can't say I'm thrilled about this and was surprised to find it as I was planning winter work. For perspective, the rear tire has a solid 4/32 + in the center of the tire. So expect I would have gone at least one more season of about 3000 or so miles. Not as good as you Michelins, but closer to 10 or 12k miles. Dealer at the time said..."if you're riding alone, you should be fine....I think I want to chat with him again.
- My first thought is the tires are soft and I want to go to something harder.....any harm in mixing tire brands and putting something firmer on the front? (If I have to, I'll change both)
- Second, I will take some independent measurements as you suggest....but if the back wheel was off, wouldn't there be an odd wear pattern on it too? There is not, it is even and on center.
- Third, on the chain....I have been doing it myself (you will recall the proper measuring of slack and now coming up tighter with the adjustment), but I have not been using the marks on the frame. The Kawi dealer put the tires on and I usually take up the same amount of flats on each side....of course that assumes it was right when the dealer did it.

BTW, I do the W650 myself too and have driven about the same amount of miles.....no odd or premature wear on the W.....but it's a W....ya know....just sayin'

Thanks again...I knew you'd have something to say....have read many of your posts on tires...anyone else?

Posted by Troll

- November 16, 2013, 09:53:58 AM

I have about 14,000 on my Michelins, with even wear all across the tire, and a lot less wear than you have. In that mileage, it has worn only 2/32 of an inch. I ride hard, and I ride fast....and do 1,000 mile days, so if there were going to be problems, I would find them. Here are a couple of pictures. I, too run 28 psi. You could almost say I was obsessive about tire maintenance...With the pictures you posted, I can see 2 possible problems. One, and perhaps the least likely one, would be severely crowned roads in your area, or perhaps a constant prevailing wind...the second would be rear wheel alignment. I would suspect that as a probable cause. Most people use the little marks on the swing arm to adjust the chain. That works ok as long as they are accurate. My preference would be to measure the axle to swing arm pivot distance, and either remark the swing arm, or find some way to measure from a point that is REALLY the same on both sides. I use a caliper to measure the distance on my W-650....my Drifter has no adjustment. Notice, in the second picture how the tread profile has not changed since new. I put these on a year ago last August. Depending on what they look like by July, I may replace them before next Drift-In....I'm estimating them to have about 20,000 by then.

Posted by kw-retrorider

- November 16, 2013, 08:12:29 AM

Could not find any discussion on this, so starting a new topic.

I ride solo and am running Dunlop D404 tires front and rear. They were installed new two years ago. The rear tire is fine....even wear, plenty of tread depth. The front tire has off center (to the left) wear that is down to the tread marks or less. Mileage is only about 7,000 miles. I am good about keeping 28psi front and rear in tires per the manuals. There are no other handling issues.

Read a good article about this off-center wear at www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html

That said, apparently this type of wear is common on cruisers. This is my first Drifter:
- Has anyone else had this type of tire wear on the front?
- Is this short amount of service life normal for the these bottom of the line Dunlops?
- Thought rear tires wear first because of weight distribution?
- Aside from putting another Dunlop on the front to keep the tire characteristics matched....can I put another brand on the front, like the Metz 880 you guys seem to have good luck with, or must the front and rear be matched?

Happy to received any thoughts on this. Photos included.

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