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2009 tire mileage

My guess would be 12k on the front and 10k on the rear. Does you 09 have the reverse tread pattern on the front ?
 
Just ordered the new 408 for the front. Existing front cupping bad, and the back is starting too also, but not as much, should be able to get the rest of the season out of the back. 09 FLHRC, 12,000 kilometers. Dealer had a look at the front tire and suggested for the road conditions in eastern Canada that that was pretty good wear.
 
I replaced my front tire today (D407F) that has lots of tread, but the middle of the tread was scalloped (cupping?). I noticed it while backing into my garage that the front end was going up and down like something was on the tire. On closer inspection, it was plain to see the tread wasn't even in the middle of the tire. I purchased a D408F and mounted it today. I noticed there was no dot on the side wall to mount by the valve stem. I called my HD dealer and he said he gets quite a few in without the dots. Since it didn't have a dot, I took the wheel and tire after mounting it, and had it balanced. It took 2 and 1/4 ounces of weight at one place on the wheel to balance it. The bike has never rode this smooth. I wonder now that maybe the wheel and tire was out of balance from the factory, and that is what caused the tire to wear so. I've noticed on this tread that most of you say you only get 10 to 12 k miles on your tires. Before this 09 ultra, I had an 04 that I regularly got 25 to 30 k miles on the front and 15 k on the back tires. I now have 11k on the 09 and it looks like the rear is going to easily make 15K, and hopefully now the front is balanced, it will do better. One other thing, the weight they put on the wheel to balance it goes on the side of the rim and are ugly. Have anyone heard of a wheel weight that will work better on the 09rims?
 
I'm passing through 5200 miles on my '09 Ultra (3 months old) and the front tire currently measures 4/32" and the rear is at 6/32". I've been keeping the pressures for front and rear at 40psi. No signs of cupping on the front yet.

Figure I'll make measurements and record readings every 1K or so and see how the tires are wearing.

Take care,
Dave
 
Had my 407 front replaced with a 408 and balanced at 10K, cupped bad on my 09 Ultra. Dealer covered everything. They also used a neat wheel weight that sticks on the center of the wheel between the cast spokes on the rim and is black. Kind of a "V" shaped piece. Seems to be stuck on there real good.
 
Composite tire by definition implies complexity of different natural and manmade materials. That said, virtually all tires use composite compounds in the rubber tread, it is a petrol product basically with exotic belts and bias/radial plies, be they aramid, carbon fiber, steel, polyester, rayon or nylon. Only the maker' production and R&D team know for sure, but todays tires are trully the product of many many hours and labor. I am surprised that when all boils down, the performance crowd gets maybe 5k out of their rears, tourers get 12k out of theirs and the ocasional easy rider can squeeze bout 15k, but usually a road hazard, wear problem, compound degradation (cuts or cupping) end it earlier than it should. Usually change 2 rears for every front, but let your experience be your guide...mileage is just a number, and if you had your tires on more than 5 years, change'em anyway if there is evidence of cracking or the date code tells you the mileage is not reflecting their useful life. UV and ozone degradation is why the tires turn brown rather than black...and your putting tire dressing on 'em or tire black does not mean the business end is still good.

Just keep an eye on the inflation pressure, if over the life of the tire it is worn in the center and edges are fine, lower average pressure 3 lbs or so the next time, or you just are a long distance straight up rider...no harm no foul. If yours are worn on the edges and the center has tread you have been running underinflated and may want to raise average pressure 3 lbs or so or you have been corrnering a lot, again kudos for a job well done if you are close to even and got the smiles per mile out of it. Enjoy the ride...it gets better as the mileage piles on and you are extracting the best those tires have to offer...(your bike if it could is smiling as should you).
 
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Just to let you know, calling Milwaukee got results. They put new shocks on and covered the parts and labor. I'm running 18# now with just me, and in some situations it's still a hard ride, but, it is NOT bottoming out like before.
Squeaky wheels get greased.....
Good luck,
Blue_highway
 
I have an 08 Electra Glide Classic I have 17,000 miles on the front tire and it still looks good. I changed the rear tire at 15,000 miles.
 
I have almost 16,000 on both factory tire's. The back is still in fair condition and the front is cupped really bad. I am still trying to get the front replaced under warranty, I'm doing all I can to keep from buying the front one but they will both get replaced at the same time.

Steve
 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:::: one of my tires was way off balance and needed more weight.... gthe tire man marked and de-aired broke bead and moved 180* and less weight was needed to balance it.... (no dot on tire)
 
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