On-line tire purchase

Dave · 07-23-2010, 11:04 AM

For those that buy tires on-line I have a question. How do you make sure you're not getting an old tire? When ever I buy tires, I always like to verify that they are not more than 6 months old.

cactusjack · 07-23-2010, 11:19 AM

I'm just careful who I buy from. I order from places like Dennis Kirk and American Moto Tire who do enough volume that they don't have old inventory collecting dust on the shelves. I've never received an old tire yet.

I avoid the small vendors and the eBay sellers who may have bought a lot of questionable tires at a discount and are trying to move them.

AlabamaNomadRider · 07-23-2010, 12:14 PM

Sometimes you just have to take chances. Like Scott says go with the larger online dealers and it shouldn't be a problem. Also check into their return policy just in case. I think they want happy customers and if someone gets an old tire I would think that would make for an unhappy customer. Dennis Kirk and Jake Wilson are a couple of large volume online dealers.

jd01 · 07-23-2010, 01:52 PM

Speaking of old tires, and I think this has been covered before, I hope everyone is familiar with checking the date when a tire was made. It's a four digit number in a stamped circle on the side of the tire (all mine have always been on the left side when tire is on bike). An example of a "born-on" date would be 2209, meaning 22nd week of the year 2009. Just FYI.

**ringadingh** · 07-23-2010, 01:55 PM

Ive never received an old tire yet either, Im sure it has happened but its probably infrequent.
Id have no problems ordering from an online supplier.

blowndodge · 07-23-2010, 02:35 PM

You can't have that many miles on your Ultra??!!!

Dave · 07-23-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

You can't have that many miles on your Ultra??!!!

I was just wondering.

thedude · 07-25-2010, 05:50 PM

That's a valid question. I got taken by Onieda Suzuki on a set of Metzeler 880's that were 4 and 5 years old. This time around I went with Rocky Mountain ATV on the advice of some other forum members Both my Cobra's from them were less than 1 year old.

metalman · 07-25-2010, 08:51 PM

i have never thought about whether or not the tires are old. I figure I will wear them out soon enought anyway. Perhaps now I will check. However, I just replaced a worn rear tire on my Sportster. It was 30 years old with no splits, cracks, or obvious age related issues. Of course that bike gets wrenched more than ridden.

skeeter · 07-26-2010, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalman

i have never thought about whether or not the tires are old. I figure I will wear them out soon enought anyway. Perhaps now I will check. However, I just replaced a worn rear tire on my Sportster. It was 30 years old with no splits, cracks, or obvious age related issues. Of course that bike gets wrenched more than ridden.

30 YEARS!!!! What brand tire? Or was it the bike?

rickyboy · 07-27-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cactusjack

I'm just careful who I buy from. I order from places like Dennis Kirk and American Moto Tire who do enough volume that they don't have old inventory collecting dust on the shelves. I've never received an old tire yet.

I avoid the small vendors and the eBay sellers who may have bought a lot of questionable tires at a discount and are trying to move them.

Hey Scott !! which one of these vendors would you choose first??
Is there much of a cost saving from local retail ???

rez · 07-28-2010, 08:03 PM

I recently purchased a new front tire....not an online order....picked it up at a local supplier. The first one they brought out to me looked questionable...i checked the date it was over 6 years old....told them it was and told them they should not be selling it....they brought out a second one which was just over a year old. It pays to check if you can.

trosco · 07-29-2010, 11:45 AM

The local Costco tire center manager is a neighbor and a fellow rider. I'd never really paid any attention to tire age in my 45 plus years of buying motorcycle and car tires until so many in this forum placed so much importance on it. I asked Pat (costco dude) about it as he worked as a mfgrs rep for Goodyear for 31 years before he retired (no pun intended) and went to work for Costco.
He said that most of the major manufactures would not distribute a tire over 5 years (60 months past manufacture date) but that if properly stored (reasonable temps, dark and so on) the shelf life was easily double that. He said that where you get into trouble is there are often 3-4 middle men and more than one retailer all with improper storeage in the chain from mfgr to consumer.
His practice on his personal vehicles is to insist on tires in the first 2 years of life cycle and to replace if not worn out at the first sign of weather checking or cracking or after 6 years which ever comes first. I am going to copy him!

borto1990 · 08-01-2010, 10:09 PM

I never knew tires had a born on date. go figure...

07-23-2010, 11:04 AM	#1
Dave Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Itchycoo Park Posts: 3,422	On-line tire purchase For those that buy tires on-line I have a question. How do you make sure you're not getting an old tire? When ever I buy tires, I always like to verify that they are not more than 6 months old. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

07-23-2010, 11:19 AM	#2
cactusjack Mega-Contributor Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Where it doesn't snow...ever! Posts: 21,926	On-line tire purchase I'm just careful who I buy from. I order from places like Dennis Kirk and American Moto Tire who do enough volume that they don't have old inventory collecting dust on the shelves. I've never received an old tire yet. I avoid the small vendors and the eBay sellers who may have bought a lot of questionable tires at a discount and are trying to move them. __________________ Scott "Cactusjack" Hanks VBA #00105 H.O.G. #4250060 2011 H-D Ultra Limited 103ci :: 2011 HD Electra Glide Ultra Limited w/Stage 1 :: Rallies: Mesquite '08\|Custer '09\|Cortez '10\|Crescent City '11\|Kanab '12\|Antlers '12\|Estes Park '13\|Antlers '13\|Orofino '14\|The Dalles '17
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07-23-2010, 12:14 PM	#3
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	On-line tire purchase Sometimes you just have to take chances. Like Scott says go with the larger online dealers and it shouldn't be a problem. Also check into their return policy just in case. I think they want happy customers and if someone gets an old tire I would think that would make for an unhappy customer. Dennis Kirk and Jake Wilson are a couple of large volume online dealers. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181
	0

07-23-2010, 01:52 PM	#4
jd01 Advanced Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canton,Georgia Posts: 851	On-line tire purchase Speaking of old tires, and I think this has been covered before, I hope everyone is familiar with checking the date when a tire was made. It's a four digit number in a stamped circle on the side of the tire (all mine have always been on the left side when tire is on bike). An example of a "born-on" date would be 2209, meaning 22nd week of the year 2009. Just FYI. __________________ Don Denman "JD" 2001 Luminous Vintage Red carbed 1500 Nomad VBA #376 VROC #6195
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07-23-2010, 01:55 PM	#5
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	On-line tire purchase Ive never received an old tire yet either, Im sure it has happened but its probably infrequent. Id have no problems ordering from an online supplier. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-23-2010, 02:35 PM	#6
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	On-line tire purchase You can't have that many miles on your Ultra??!!! __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
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07-25-2010, 05:50 PM	#8
thedude Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: USA Posts: 186	On-line tire purchase That's a valid question. I got taken by Onieda Suzuki on a set of Metzeler 880's that were 4 and 5 years old. This time around I went with Rocky Mountain ATV on the advice of some other forum members Both my Cobra's from them were less than 1 year old.
	0

07-25-2010, 08:51 PM	#9
metalman Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: KY (summer) - FL (winter) Posts: 144	On-line tire purchase i have never thought about whether or not the tires are old. I figure I will wear them out soon enought anyway. Perhaps now I will check. However, I just replaced a worn rear tire on my Sportster. It was 30 years old with no splits, cracks, or obvious age related issues. Of course that bike gets wrenched more than ridden.
	0

07-28-2010, 08:03 PM	#12
rez Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Stoney Creek,ON Canada Posts: 77	On-line tire purchase I recently purchased a new front tire....not an online order....picked it up at a local supplier. The first one they brought out to me looked questionable...i checked the date it was over 6 years old....told them it was and told them they should not be selling it....they brought out a second one which was just over a year old. It pays to check if you can.
	0

07-29-2010, 11:45 AM	#13
trosco Sr. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,464	On-line tire purchase The local Costco tire center manager is a neighbor and a fellow rider. I'd never really paid any attention to tire age in my 45 plus years of buying motorcycle and car tires until so many in this forum placed so much importance on it. I asked Pat (costco dude) about it as he worked as a mfgrs rep for Goodyear for 31 years before he retired (no pun intended) and went to work for Costco. He said that most of the major manufactures would not distribute a tire over 5 years (60 months past manufacture date) but that if properly stored (reasonable temps, dark and so on) the shelf life was easily double that. He said that where you get into trouble is there are often 3-4 middle men and more than one retailer all with improper storeage in the chain from mfgr to consumer. His practice on his personal vehicles is to insist on tires in the first 2 years of life cycle and to replace if not worn out at the first sign of weather checking or cracking or after 6 years which ever comes first. I am going to copy him! __________________ trosco: just call me Ross 2007 Black & Titanium Nomad (Nomad made 65K but got replaced 2014) 2010 Titanium Goldwing 2014 KLR 650 New Edition
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08-01-2010, 10:09 PM	#14
borto1990 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: grand rapids, mi Posts: 475	On-line tire purchase I never knew tires had a born on date. go figure...
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