New Tires - Manufactured Date - What is Fair and Reasonable

[Marc_imp]

Being a relatively new rider (past 5 years), I am starting to buy new tires for my motorcycles. My question is about what we can expect, as new tire purchasers, on new tire date codes.

Through an online tire retailer, I just today received a set of Metzeler Z8's for my CB1100 (2013), and a set of Metzeler Tourances for my F650GS (2012). The date codes on the Z8 tires are 0415 for the rear and 4417 for the front, and the Tourances are 0416 for the rear and 0516 for the rear.

This makes the rear Z8 a three year old tire and the Tourances are both 2 year old tires. Is this fair and reasonable and to be expected from a "new" tire?

Marc

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Being a relatively new rider (past 5 years), I am starting to buy new tires for my motorcycles. My question is about what we can expect, as new tire purchasers, on new tire date codes.

Through an online tire retailer, I just today received a set of Metzeler Z8's for my CB1100 (2013), and a set of Metzeler Tourances for my F650GS (2012). The date codes on the Z8 tires are 0415 for the rear and 4417 for the front, and the Tourances are 0416 for the rear and 0516 for the rear.

This makes the rear Z8 a three year old tire and the Tourances are both 2 year old tires. Is this fair and reasonable and to be expected from a "new" tire?

Marc

Yes. If you mail-order the tires, especially. If from a local dealer you can always ask for newer tires but within five years is considered acceptable if the tire was in proper storage.

Honestly, I've mounted four sets of Z8's on four different bikes in the last year, I love the tire for everything. I've never even looked at the date code on those or any other tire excepting the Q3's I used on my track bike, which is now sold. For the track, no more than one year old. The street, beyond three might be older than I'd like but would not worry about it.

[Cormanus]

I only learned about the date codes on tyres recently from this forum. Made me look at the ones I have on my bike. I discovered the front PR3, on which I've travelled upwards of 20,000 kms, was made in 2011. Maybe I'm lucky, but it's fine.

[Marc_imp]

Thanks Ulvetanna that's reassuring. Also happy you like the Z8's.

[the Ferret]

It would be more of a concern for me if you were only riding something like 2500 miles a year or less, in which case they would be out of useful date before out of useful tread if you get my drift.

[Ulvetanna_imp]

It would be more of a concern for me if you were only riding something like 2500 miles a year or less, in which case they would be out of useful date before out of useful tread if you get my drift.

Et tu, Ferret?!

"if you get my drift"

Well-spoken.

[Marc_imp]

Any estimate of the useful mileage that one could expect from the Z8's on the CB1100? I don't put that many miles on my bikes in each year. Maybe starting with a 2015 tire is a bit old for me.

Would it be reasonable to ask for a newer replacement? Or is that asking too much?

[the Ferret]

Marc it really depends on your aggressiveness as a rider. An aggressive rider might see 4-5000 miles, a non aggressive rider 5-7000 miles would be my guess. I've only used the Metzlers once a dozen years ago. Hopefully someone with some recent experience with them will chime in.

How many miles a year do you normally ride?

[LongRanger_imp]

Z8's tend to last about 6000 miles on my F800GT, a bike that's about 100 lbs lighter than a CB1100. I don't think you need to be overly concerned about the date of yours -- they're not going to fail.

[the Ferret]

LR is right they won't fail, what happens as tires age is they harden and lose elasticity. When that happens the ride quality suffers and in some cases, as in riding on rain slicked roads, the traction suffers slightly.