A bad tire

[swcole]

Well, I spent a week getting the bike and gear ready to take the wife camping down in Port Aransas, TX and at the last second noticed this:
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd389/swcole2003/2011-04-23095457.jpg
Now this is a fairly new tire, it only has 3,000 miles on it and it has already developed a bulge. So we had to take the explorer camping instead and I'm glad we did. After we got back I took the tire off the bike and believe it or not, the bulge grew to this:
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd389/swcole2003/2011-04-26133533.jpg
Not wanting this to burst in my face I removed the valve stem core, there is NO air in the tire but the bulge still did not go down! It seems to me that somehow air got in between some layers of rubber and stayed there.
This is a Kenda Kruz 673 that I bought from Dennis Kirk so I called them, let them know that the tire was defective and I wanted a replacement. I had a return shipping label emailed to me and they are supposed to be exchanging it, we'll see how that goes. I'm very glad that I found this before our trip and not during.

[paul]

That would a been bad. Glad to see you got your camping trip without incident. Did you guys take the little one. Or was this a chance for a little get away. Good to see you still up and running.

[VulcanE]

WOW, that is the first "May-Pop" I've ever seen with tread still on it. From my experiences, Dennis Kirk is great to work with. I hope you get it all worked out. I don't know anything about the Kenda Kruz tires, but I guess any manufacturer can occasionally let a defect get through quality control.

[recumbentbob]

Wow glad you found it at home and not on the road.
I bet that sucker would have really vibrated before it popped.

[ringadingh]

With the pictures you have to show them, I doubt that you will have a problem getting the tire replaced. Even had that happened while on the road Im sure you would have noticed a vibration or wobble starting that would have alerted you to the problem. Ive had a similar bulge develop on my truck tire years ago and when it starts you know there is a problem.

[caddman11]

I'm sure those pics will hurt Kendra sales; can you say "big discount"?

[swcole]

We left the little one at home so we could get away for a bit, we really enjoyed it. Port Aransas is nice but I think we are going to go to the Hill Country for our next camping trip.

The folks at Dennis Kirk so far have been nice, I sent the tire off today so we will see how long it takes for me to get a new one. I'm thinking of sending the pics to Kenda, any ideas?

[rickyboy]

Just wondering if you're going to replace the Kendra with the same? I think I'd want to change to a completely different tire. Stand by and be prepared for the "darkside" to be ringing your doorbell trying to sell you a car tire. Not that a car tire is necessarily a bad thing {just not for me}

[markclark57]

I run the same CT as VulcanE (205/60-16 Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread or GYTT). In a word "Awesome".
OK there's my plug for the Dark Side. =D

[rickyboy]

Oh you won't be the last I'll bet.

[jims]

Wow that is some bubble. Your "precheck" payed off but you certainly would have felt it. I have had to return a problem purchase to D.Kirk and they did okay by me.

[Bull Durham]

Wow, I have never seen any tire do that before, at least not on the tread side. Amazing.

[Yellow Jacket]

I wouldn't switch brands just because of that. It can happen to any brand.

[rickyboy]

I wouldn't switch brands just because of that. It can happen to any brand.

Good point Bob, but I think if it were me, I'd be trying something else, unless they wanted to keep my business with a free new tire.

[redjay]

Personally, if I were to put the same brand of tire back on the bike (Kenda ?) I would always be worrying if the same thing was going to happen again, at speed. You were lucky this time that you spotted it.

[macmac]

You will get a FREE New Tire for that, and if you don't they are crazy. IMO they should PAY the labor to Remove and replace that tire plus balancing any way you want. A belt in that tire blew and sealed itself.

You probably could not have ridden far on that either, so it wasn't that dangerous, unless you are going for a Darwin Award. I doubt that.

AND! Unless you get a new tire in that brand or any other brand you probably have a lot of legal recourse. Like Yellow Jacket says this doesn;t mean a similar tire by the same Company is not wise, just get a different code.

Al the tires with the same code and near serial number would also be suspect.

I had a well known high end brand of truck tires fail, and all were replaced for free with the very same thing. I got no beef.

[redjay]

They were replaced because the company does not want the publicity of tires with problems.
Because of the internet a lot of people get to know of many things, including problems with tires. Years ago there could be major problems with any brand and you would never know.
The internet can make or break a company.

[durangoace]

Hey guys. I'm new to this board, but I am in the tire business and what I can say is that, that really is unusual in the tread area. Ussually, when I see a tire with a large bubble developing, it is caused be a sidewall trama. IE, hitting a pothole, curb, or the such. If it was a defect in manufacturing, I doupt that it would have made it 3000 miles. The good news about it is if there is no evidence of trama either inside or outside of the tire, the warranty isn't an issue. Most manufactures would rather warranty the tire, rather than have the bad press. Isn't the internet a wonderful tool? As far as what tire I run? I just installed a Goodyear Triple Tread! First run is Saturday to Moab, Utah!! Then Laughlin Nevada the next weekend....Wish me luck!

[Idaho]

Hey guys. I'm new to this board, but I am in the tire business and what I can say is that, that really is unusual in the tread area. Ussually, when I see a tire with a large bubble developing, it is caused be a sidewall trama. IE, hitting a pothole, curb, or the such. If it was a defect in manufacturing, I doupt that it would have made it 3000 miles. The good news about it is if there is no evidence of trama either inside or outside of the tire, the warranty isn't an issue. Most manufactures would rather warranty the tire, rather than have the bad press. Isn't the internet a wonderful tool? As far as what tire I run? I just installed a Goodyear Triple Tread! First run is Saturday to Moab, Utah!! Then Laughlin Nevada the next weekend....Wish me luck!

Nice post for your first there Ace. Good luck on the Laughlin run. You will like that CT on the bike though.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

That was a nasty bulge. Glad you noticed before you started out. One reason I rely on Dunlop tires. Have put a lot of miles on Dunlops and never any problems.

[wompus]

I had a Metzler do that to me back in 08.
The dealer wouldn't guarantee it because it had over 5,000 miles on it.?
That was the last time I used a Metzler on my bike. Mine did it while coming back from a ride to Canada. I also let the air out and it wouldn't deflate, soooo, I added air back to the tire, pooped the bubble and rode over 500 miles on back roads trying to keep it around 45 mph.. just in case. It never did give me any more trouble, I didn't loose any more air, but I sure the hell didn't trust it.

[swcole]

THE LATEST UPDATE:

I have to say I am proud of the customer service from Dennis Kirk. They got my tire in on monday morning at 9:52am, called me around 1pm and I had another tire shipped out by 3:30pm, the tracking number says I should have it by thursday afternoon. So with only a few questions asked and at no cost to me yes I am getting a new tire.

In the mean time to keep my bike up and running I did put a 185/55 R16 car tire on. Using a ct has been something I've wanted to try for a long time but just never had the right opportunity to do so, this was my chance. When my replacement tire gets in I will be putting it back on and keep the car tire as a spare, but when this set of tires needs replaced I might try the car tire again.

Thanks for all the comments and well wishes.

[jims]

Well, they knew you were part of KawaNow and figured they better get on your good side.

[Loafer]

Leave the CT on and sell the tire that is coming.

[swcole]

Loafer, I thought about that and to be honest, I don't see why not. It would be less work for me in the long run. I guess I'll have a few more beers and keep thinking about it and see what I come up with.

[ringadingh]

I too would leave the car tire on, and either sell the Kenda or keep it as a spare.

[durangoace]

Well, Got a couple hundred miles on the GYTT, and other than certian handling things, no different that riding another bike, I'm in favor of the CC. I'll be able to tell more after this weekend, Planning on 380 mile ride on saturday over a very familiar road.

[macmac]

Sell the Kendra..... By the time that CT wears out, the Kendra will be dead from plain old time. Or use the kendra as a plant pot and watch it dry rot.

[Idaho]

What mac says. Besides, I hear a rumor that the Kendra tires have a tendency to develop bumps.

[swcole]

Yep, told the wife today that I was going to keep the ct and sell the Kenda Kruz tire. I'll post it in the for sale section.

[macmac]

Why tell her? She'll just spend yer dime. Man do I gotta start marital lessons again? http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

Boys git out the tomahalks and begin soakin' the winta' loosened heads in the toliet bowl like ya all did last year! Man that gives a woman a real lesson she can 'feel'!