A question about stock OEM Bridgestones

[ohiorider_imp]

I'm still riding on the tires that came on my 2014 CB1100. They are Bridgestones, (don't recall the model.)

What I've noticed, at 5200 miles, is that the rear tire appears to still have substantial tread.

The front, on the other hand, looks like it needs replaced. The center of the tire tread seems almost used up.

Any ideas? I do use the power of the front brakes a lot when stopping. The rear brake is used more for controlling the bike thru low speed turns, as a way of modulating the power to the rear wheel.

In the past (go back 30 or so years) I typically replaced a rear tire twice as often as a front tire. As time progressed, I replaced both front and rear at the same mileage.

The CB1100 is the first bike I've owned in 'modern' times that wore out the front tire, while leaving more than adequate tread on the rear tire.

Bob

 

[rickcb]

I experienced the same issue and replaced both tires at around 6k miles. The rear had plenty of tread left.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I did not like the Bridgestone OEM tires at all on my 2013 and 2014.
There are much better tires out there in my opinion.

 

[peterbaron]

I did not like the Bridgestone OEM tires at all on my 2013 and 2014.
There are much better tires out there in my opinion.

+1
For 2013 I had PR3, and for 2014 I have, Front-Dunlop/110, Rear-PR3/160 = happy enough

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Bob, the front OE Bridgestone BT54's do wear rather quickly. It's not your riding style. I'm usually through mine in about 4000 miles. There are many threads on the forum about these tires. They don't have a very deep tread when new, which contributes to their short lifespan.

 

[satchit]

Same experience here. Front tire replaced at ~6000 miles with Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs.
Rear tire (Original Bridgestones) still adequate at ~8000 miles.

 

[flynrider]

Me too. I was confused as you were. I'd always worn out rear tires long before the front was ready to be replaced. I asked the same question when my front OEM was bald at 6K miles. It's just a quirk of that particular tire.

I switched to Michelin PR3s and managed to get 15K miles out of the front and slightly less from the rear (as expected).

 

[tuareg]

Same here. I replaced the Bridgestones for the same reason, at 8000 kms(~5000 miles). I think a lot of factors contribute here; like skinny front tire+heavy bike+very good (and combined) brakes+less Bridgestone rubber to start with on the front.

 

[Randy B]

The front is very thin right out of the mold, but the rear is quite beefy by comparison. I think I ran my first front to 9000 miles and I replaced my first rear at 15 or 16000. I'm not sure, but it's posted here somewhere.
As far as the quality of the tires, even though the front is tread thin, I will use the BT54 as long as they make them. I hit a chuck of concrete in the middle of the lane one morning on my way to work in the twilight on a sweeping left hander and blew the tire at 75 mph. I didn't know the tire was completely flat until I pulled off the freeway...about 22 miles down the road. Yes the steering was heavy, but the tire didn't look flat and I didn't get pulled around much if at all.
When I swapped out the tire I was surprised to find no shavings inside the tire. It was perfect except for the hole from the concrete block.
That sold me on the factory Bridgestone tires.

 

[Rocky_imp]

I had the same experience and there was a discussion here about these "good enough" tires from the factory some time ago.
They are completely safe, but are molded with a thin tread that wears out very quickly.
If I recall, I think we concluded that as a cost-cutting measure a deal was struck with Bridgestone to produce front tires with less rubber - or something along those lines. I stand to be corrected.
I replaced mine with a T-31 Evo that has lots of meat on it. The rear is still going strong.

 

[peterbaron]

Me too. I was confused as you were. I'd always worn out rear tires long before the front was ready to be replaced. I asked the same question when my front OEM was bald at 6K miles. It's just a quirk of that particular tire.

I switched to Michelin PR3s and managed to get 15K miles out of the front and slightly less from the rear (as expected).

My original Bridgestone lasted:
Front = 16000 km (BOLD), Rear would be about 25-30000 km

PR3s, Front about 25000 km, Rear about 400000 km.
Mostly hwy/long distance ridden, no commuting.

 

[Cormanus]

Me too. I was confused as you were. I'd always worn out rear tires long before the front was ready to be replaced. I asked the same question when my front OEM was bald at 6K miles. It's just a quirk of that particular tire.

I switched to Michelin PR3s and managed to get 15K miles out of the front and slightly less from the rear (as expected).

My original Bridgestone lasted:
Front = 16000 km (BOLD), Rear would be about 25-30000 km

PR3s, Front about 25000 km, Rear about 400000 km.
Mostly hwy/long distance ridden, no commuting.

Really? How many kms?

 

[Randy B]

Me too. I was confused as you were. I'd always worn out rear tires long before the front was ready to be replaced. I asked the same question when my front OEM was bald at 6K miles. It's just a quirk of that particular tire.

I switched to Michelin PR3s and managed to get 15K miles out of the front and slightly less from the rear (as expected).

My original Bridgestone lasted:
Front = 16000 km (BOLD), Rear would be about 25-30000 km

PR3s, Front about 25000 km, Rear about 400000 km.
Mostly hwy/long distance ridden, no commuting.

Really? How many kms?

Really? How many kms?


400,000 km....
I threw the comma in just for clarification.

 

[Bheezy27403_imp]

She's a big girl. Chewed up my front in the first couple runs in the mountains. Throw some Avon's on and your good to go.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

I wish this post had been made sooner. Tomorrow I have an appointment to remove my worn out Dunlop tires for Bridgestones.

 

[peterbaron]

Me too. I was confused as you were. I'd always worn out rear tires long before the front was ready to be replaced. I asked the same question when my front OEM was bald at 6K miles. It's just a quirk of that particular tire.

I switched to Michelin PR3s and managed to get 15K miles out of the front and slightly less from the rear (as expected).

My original Bridgestone lasted:
Front = 16000 km (BOLD), Rear would be about 25-30000 km

PR3s, Front about 25000 km, Rear about 400000 km.
Mostly hwy/long distance ridden, no commuting.

Really? How many kms?

Really? How many kms?
You really NAILED me today with 400000 km...
...just forget to add that I was counting my ca$h when writing this...., sorry nothing left over
40,000 km
:beerchug:

I wish this post had been made sooner. Tomorrow I have an appointment to remove my worn out Dunlop tires for Bridgestones.

cancel bridgestone for more expen$ive PR3s = you will not regret it....unless you refer to 4000000 km :rofl:

 

[the Ferret]

The PR3's on my bike have 11,076 miles on them as of this afternoon's ride. The rear has had a plug in it for awhile now. They are about due for replacement. I have a new set of PR3's (120 front/160 rear) in the garage waiting to go on as soon as I wear my current set out.

 

[bflint]

Same experience here. Front tire replaced at ~6000 miles with Michelin Pilot Road 4 GTs.
Rear tire (Original Bridgestones) still adequate at ~8000 miles.

What PR4 model/size did you buy?

 

[Cormanus]

satchit, what size PR4 did you put on the front?

 

[jimgl3_imp]

not sure how i missed this thread till now, but here's my .02

you've got to keep air in those Bstone front tires. mine came with dunslops so i don't know, but if the front says run 36, need to run 38 or even 40 if it's cool out, especially if the pavement is cool.