Cracking in front tyre - MOT failure?

old-man-andy

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Just noticed cracking within the tread pattern all around my front tyre (Pirelli Scorpion Trail). Tyre is 12 months old and done 10k miles and has plenty of tread depth left.


tyre01 by Andy P 34, on Flickr

tyre02 by Andy P 34, on Flickr

MOT is booked for next Monday.

Is it an MOT failure?

Cheers
Andy
 
Get it changed,for all the price a tyre is ,it would be stupid to keep riding with a tyre like that.
 
Legal is 1mm across middle 3/4, no? In which case it looks as though it would pass on depth.

I know you say tyre is 12 months old - is that of your ownership or since manufacture? (Which should be printed on side - sometimes shown as DOT yy). I'm just thinking it may have been stored a fair while before supplied to you? :nenau

Either way a quiet word with garage beforehand will take in the tester's opinion which certainly be a more accurate indication of pass / fail than any of us on here can offer as with MoT testers its apparent YMMV...
 
Thanks for all the replies, chaps.

Smythson said:
Legal is 1mm across middle 3/4, no? In which case it looks as though it would pass on depth
Click to expand...

It definitely has more than the legal minimum tread depth.

Smythson said:
I know you say tyre is 12 months old - is that of your ownership or since manufacture? (Which should be printed on side - sometimes shown as DOT yy). I'm just thinking it may have been stored a fair while before supplied to you? :nenau
Click to expand...

Tyre was manufactured in week 10 in 2012 which was approx 8 weeks before fitting.

Smythson said:
Either way a quiet word with garage beforehand will take in the tester's opinion which certainly be a more accurate indication of pass / fail than any of us on here can offer as with MoT testers its apparent YMMV...
Click to expand...

Having spoken to the dealer/workshop who fitted it, they have offered to inspect it this lunchtime, as they said it was unusal to develop cracks/splits in a tyre of that age.

Cheers
Andy
 
Perhaps running them at 80 psi wasn't such a good idea? :)

Those cracks suggest to me some defect given the age/mileage.
However if you've had 10k mile, then I would suggest you just get it replaced. I think the tyre place that fitted them might be pursuaded to do give them to you at cost perhaps?
 
It wouldn't be the MOT man that'd be worrying me if that was my tyre. :eek:

R
 
jimbo said:
Perhaps running them at 80 psi wasn't such a good idea? :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do like running my tyres at low pressure ;)

jimbo said:
Those cracks suggest to me some defect given the age/mileage.
However if you've had 10k mile, then I would suggest you just get it replaced. I think the tyre place that fitted them might be pursuaded to do give them to you at cost perhaps?
Click to expand...

The workshop (local indie BMW specialist) has confirmed the tyre would fail the MOT. They will be contacting the Pirelli rep as it must be a defect given the age.

Metzeler Tourance going on this p.m. as they had one in stock and it would've take a few days to get a Pirelli.

The cracks have only appeared in the past 2-3 weeks because they weren't there when I was cleaning my bike and front caliper about 3 weeks ago.

Anyhow, I will be happy to have a new tyre on there.
 
I had Scorpions on mine from new, and changed them at about 8,000 miles. The front was starting to get little cracks in it like that, but not as long.nI noticed it when I stopped for fuel on the motorway after cruising for hours at 80ish. Went a bit slower after that. Replaced them with Metzeler Tourances.
 
Turns out the technician who fitted the Tourance this afternoon has had TWO Pirellis do exactly the same on his OWN bike!!! Needless to say the workshop will be showing my tyre to the Pirelli rep when he's next in next Friday.

The Tourance feels quite different to the Pirelli - it seems to want to drop into turns and the bike seems to want to stay leant over with the front feeling 'flappy', rather than stand up again; new, unfamiliar tyre+wet roads, I suppose - it should get better as I get used to it.

Andy
 
old-man-andy said:
The Tourance feels quite different to the Pirelli - it seems to want to drop into turns and the bike seems to want to stay leant over with the front feeling 'flappy', rather than stand up again; new, unfamiliar tyre+wet roads, I suppose - it should get better as I get used to it.

Andy
Click to expand...

Isnt that because its a new tyre, the other one was squared off and prob didn't 'drop' into turns nicely like the new one will:nenau
 
The first time I fitted Tourances it felt like you were falling off the edge of the world when you tipped into a corner - lasts about 50 miles and then they're fine...
 
What make/state/mileage is the rear tyre in? that'll affect how it 'tips in'....

Tis nice to have matched new hoops front and rear for that swoopyness feel :)
 
Rushy said:
Isnt that because its a new tyre, the other one was squared off and prob didn't 'drop' into turns nicely like the new one will:nenau
Click to expand...

I would agree to a degree, but on the ride home last night, the Tourance remined me of the 'drop in' of the Metzeler Karoo Ts I had on 18 months ago (they were proper scary at first!) - it's possibly also something to do with the 'chunky' tread pattern.

Jonnie Boy said:
What make/state/mileage is the rear tyre in? that'll affect how it 'tips in'....

Tis nice to have matched new hoops front and rear for that swoopyness feel :)
Click to expand...

Rear is squaring off (10k miles) and probably has 2k miles left - to be replaced by a Tourance in approx 2 months to match the new front for that nice 'swoopyness'.

Mike O said:
The first time I fitted Tourances it felt like you were falling off the edge of the world when you tipped into a corner - lasts about 50 miles and then they're fine...
Click to expand...

This morning's 20-odd mile ride in to work was much, much better :thumb2 - would almost say I'm a Tourance convert :D
 
They all right Tourances (ask Micky of this parish :D ) Bit loose in the wet but there's worse. Swore by em on me 12, wear better than the Anakee2s on me 800gs... might have a go on the Anakee3s next

Anyone usin em on the 8gs yet?
 
I have a set of anakee 3 s on my 800. Had the 2s on previous. Must admit wasn't sure when looking at them nearly went for the 2s again. The anakee 3 s ride real nice and are quiter and smoother on the road. Just hope they do as good miles
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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