Hello all

I'm almost ready to put me old R 80 G/s Monolever back on t'road, but was a bit concerned about the tyres.  She currently wears Pirelli MT 50 - 90/90 - 21 on the front, and Pirelli MT 50 110/80 - 18 on the rear.  They are both in excellent condition, with plenty tread and no cuts, abrasions or cracking to be seen anywhere, BUT....they are over 20 years old!  I pumped them up to pressure the other day and drove her about the garden, and they have kept their pressure, BUT....they are over 20 years old.

Anyone have any advice on this, please?  I fancied a pair of Metzeler Tourance, but they don't seem to come in the required size, so if anyone knows of a place where I could obtain those sizes, or recommend a suitable quality alternative.

Thanks meantime

Take care and ride safe

DM ;)                                                                                                                                                                              

I can't help you Dingus on where to get new tyres, but I think its a good move doing so. I had a bike last year which I bought second hand. The tyres looked brilliant with plenty of tread. However I kept loosing the back end, even on the slightest turn at slow speed. The bike was 12 years old and the tyres could have been the originals or 2nd set fitted. It turned out that the tyres had age hardened and there was no real give in the rubber, hence sliding on the back end.

Thanks for that, David....some fella at the BMW Club suggested I try Heidenau tyres (they also advised against using the old Pirellis, as they would have the performance of Lego toy tyres), and after a quick search for suppliers in this country, I found some here:

http://www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk/catalogue/aboutus.php

I'll let you know how I get on 

Ride safe

DM ;)

                                                                                                                                                                             

tyres if not used only have a 7 year life span   bill306                                                                                                                                                                               

Try :
http://www.mytyres.co.uk

These people have most tyres that you require and good on delivery.                                                                                                                                                                             

Try this guy ....

http://www.tyretectrading.com/
                                                                                                                                                                             

well I'm running on 11 year old tyres made in U.S                                                                                                                                                                               

  Good for you V-Rod     But I wouldn't feel comfortable or safe on 11 year old tyres   Regardless of milage or where they were made    How many miles have they done   If I get a tyre to "last" more than 2 or 3 years I reckon I've done well   But each to their own   If "you're" happy on old tyres carry on   Not for me though   With an "average" contact patch being about the size of a credit card   I would always pefer the best I can get/afford   If they are not "top quality" then I modify my riding to take account of that                                                                                                                                                                                 

hi Emzed How many miles have they done 2272 ml   my bike is a 02  so that makes it 11 year old but really its brand-new  pic's on my  profile and I'd just got back from picking it up the date is on the pic's to my tyres are only just scrubbed in really   it's common sense really with old boots but if I was rebuilding an old bike and the tyres looked good I would run the bike get rid of any teething problems then think of new tyres                                                                                                                                                                                     

  Well V Rod, I'd take heed of what Bill306 says if I were you    Tyres will biodegrade over time whether they are used or not   11 year old rubber will not have the adhesion qualities of a new tyre   2272 miles   Is there a zero missing in that milage ?   Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at you for being a "low milage" biker   Each to their own, whether you ride all year, or just high days & holidays,  tyres are THE most important part of a motorcycle   You can spend thousands on the engine & chassis but without good tyres it's all wasted   Less than 2,500 miles in 11 years doesn't mean that the tyres are "nearly new"   It means that you've missed the "best" performance that the original tyres would have provided   Granted they may "look" like new ones but the rubber is 11 years old and well past it's best   A dealer wouldn't be able to sell you such a tyre whether it was legal (tread depth) or not   I don't know what the actual legal position is but I am fairly sure that tyres over 4 years old ( from the date of manufacture ) would be sent back to the factory or warehouse as "old stock" by a professional tyre supplier   I seriously urge you to reconsider your continued use of your "vintage" tyres and invest in some new rubber                                                                                                                                                                               

There's a manufacturing date code on the sidewall of a tyre.
4 digits means it was made this century, e.g. 2708 is week 27 of 2008.
3 digits followed by a small triangle means it's a 1990's tyre,
e.g. 019 is the first week of 1999.
And if it's just got 3 digits, it's from the 1980s and should be in a museum.
I wouldn't trust a 10 year old tyre....

Off at a slight tangent 
One of the main reasons for caravans turning over is down to tyre failure as they do few miles and so never look like they are degraded Ultraviolet light attacks  them whilst they are parked up 
I would not trust any tyre older than  five years whether it be on a trailer car or caravan and certainly not on a bike 
Just my 2p