So after not using a tire for a little bit, I've noticed they tend to turn a little blue. Why is this? What does it mean? Tire no longer good?
A racing tire compound is a complex chain of molecules. Over time, heat, ozone, and air cause the compounds to break down causing the surface of the tire turns blue. That blue layer is a sort of dead layer of rubber on the tire. It will be scrubbed off next time you ride. If the manufacture date on the tires are within a year and your tires haven't vulcanized/hardened, then your tires s/b fine.
It seems that cold causes the bluing more than age. Stored in a warm environment then barely turn blue at all but outside in the cold for a couple of weeks and they turn very blue. If it makes you feel any better, you can wipe the blue off using carb cleaner.
Its a cold thing.... When i lived in ny-all my race tires did that. Now that im in florida, It takes a lot longer, and when I do notice it, its a lot less pronounced.
Darkside- 4 weeks? I put 2 days in this week. Granted. it's only 7.39 miles (approx) each way to work, but... ...and I just went to the Post Office at 4pm to mail some crap today. Rain? It's Seattle. Haven't seen too many seattleites trolling this site for a while, used to seeing you on the wmrra boards/list. See you at Pacific in April! phil WMRRA #217
I'm still there just not a lot of action going on ont he WMRRA list/forum. the biggest reason I haven't put any miles on is all the xmas stuff that is blocking the bike, and I'm working on getting my race bike done up for 2006.
Is this answer too late? Anybody that reads Motorcyclist mag now knows that the tire turning blue is from the oil coming out of the rubber. Keeps the tire flexible. It doesn't mean the tire is shot. In fact the tire turning blue actually means it still has some life in it. It was in wither the Feb or March issue.
