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How long are tires good?

Discussion in 'General' started by omatter34, Jan 6, 2021.

  1. omatter34

    omatter34 Well-Known Member

    I've been away from the track for a while and have quite a few Michelin takeoffs and even some new tires still in my garage. At this point, I'd be willing to give the take offs away, but will just trash them if they are "too" old. I'm guessing most are about 2 years old. They've been kept in my garage which doesn't fluctuate temp too much here in FL.
     
  2. pickled egg

    pickled egg Tell me more

    For one lap less than the one that puts you on your head ;)
     
    sdiver, ToofPic and omatter34 like this.
  3. baconologist

    baconologist Well-Known Member

  4. asab1728

    asab1728 Member

    Have to look at the born on date. Also the type of tire makes a difference. Slicks vs dot (street). Some people say max is 5yrs, other guys say 3yrs if stored properly. Basically indoors or climate controled garage. I would check manufactures recommendations and always keep in mind a set of tires is cheaper then wadding your shit up with the possibility of a hospital visit.

    Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
     
  5. omatter34

    omatter34 Well-Known Member

    They are all race compounds, some slick and some dot.

    I don't plan on using them, but would give them away or sell them cheap unless they are better off in the dumpster.
     
  6. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    I had mounted a brand new set of Dunlop slicks on my 749, then I got sidetracked and didn't race it for 2 years. The bike sat in my garage on the stand the whole time. I then got a wild hair and decided to race the bike, so I took it to Homestead and got within .5 sec of my PB on them, zero issues. My garage is in FL like you, so probably fluctuates between 75 and 90 degrees.

    Once they are heat cycled I would be more wary. But I've run some really old take offs before to do some shakedown laps (when racing Ducatis you have to make sure it's going to run before you invest in tires) and once scrubbed and up to temp, there was some good sticky rubber there.

    Dunlop said in the Ken Hill podcast that they often set lap records towards the end of the tire's life, so they last a long, long, time. However I don't think that counts for heat cycles with months in between. It sucks because they can't tell you "the tire will be fine" for liability reasons, but in reality, it probably will.

    This of course comes from the guy who starts every weekend with a new set for mental purposes. :crackup:

    YMMV of course.
     
    TurboBlew, omatter34 and cav115 like this.
  7. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    I ran a 10yr old set of D209s at jennings with no issues. They were stored in my hall closet.
    Id probably put them on CL or OfferUp to get rid of them so you dont have to pay any disposal fees.
     
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  8. fastfreddie

    fastfreddie Midnight Oil Garage

    Pfft, 2 years is nothin'. Run the unused ones. Do you not think you're good enough to figure out whether you should be usin' 'em or not? Only one way to find out...put 'em on.
    Take-offs? Sell 'em to the dragrace/TDJ squids if you don't want 'em.
     
    TurboBlew likes this.
  9. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

    TurboBlew likes this.
  10. 2blueYam

    2blueYam Track Day Addict

    If just 2-3 years and stored well then run the new ones and sell the take-offs to a track day junkie or even on a budget racer. Even if it is $20 bucks a tire that is better than nothing. I just bought a 5 year old takeoff 180/55 SC2 slick that is in excellent shape, stored well, from a source I trust and will probably get at least 3 track days out of it on my SV.
     
  11. Bburns912

    Bburns912 Well-Known Member

    I won some races last year on 18 year old front tires :)
     
    969 likes this.
  12. sdiver

    sdiver Well-Known Member

    You mean when bike is 20lbs lighter, more same-rubber is on track and final finishing positions are being sorted?

    If the tire was truly better, teams would be lining up for race takeoffs for qualifying.
     
    SpeedyE likes this.
  13. SpeedyTide

    SpeedyTide 'Bama's Bad Boy

    You called!? :D

    omatter34 - Mount'em, grip'em & rip'em!!

    Haven't been riding in a quite a while, and already have a stash - older than yours, so don't need'em. :D
     
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  14. SpeedyTide

    SpeedyTide 'Bama's Bad Boy

    Y'all know me too well!!

    'Sup Dan-O!?!?
     
    Sabre699 likes this.
  15. tophyr

    tophyr Grid Filler

    Tire technology will obsolete the tire and make it undesirable to run, before the compound itself changes noticeably due to age.
     
    omatter34 likes this.
  16. MotoGP69

    MotoGP69 Well-Known Member

    I ran several sets of 8-9 year old Michelin slicks a couple of years ago that were stored in my basement. Still felt great!
     
  17. sanee

    sanee Well-Known Member

    what size michelin take offs? i need a set of street tires for my rc51. Let me know if you wanna throw em my way :)
     

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