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Your tire is squaring off a little because of straight line riding. Flat spots result from having the bike sitting in one spot for a VERY long time, not an issue where you live.

You aren't using a lot of your tire, but I expected that. As for using it more to the left, that's because we drive on the right side of the road over here Shane-o, there are more opportunities to lean the bike over far to the left (left hand turns go to the far lane) then right (to the near lane) so the left side wears a little faster.

My last tire was pretty squared off when I replaced it, and I suspect this next one will be much the same. If you travel in a straight line for any amount of time that's going to happen... wear takes place where the tire touches, so unless you spend all of your time leaning left then right you're not going to have a round tire when you're done.

The tire I replaced didn't have any chicken strips when I was done with it.

Yes...it takes many many years of riding and learned skill to do leans like that. The guy in that picture has probably been riding since he was 10, practices obsessively every day, and has gone through more bikes than I will own in a lifetime gaining the skills required to do that.

And, probably has professional trainers and full access to real practice ranges.

CNF2002 wrote:Yes...it takes many many years of riding and learned skill to do leans like that. The guy in that picture has probably been riding since he was 10, practices obsessively every day, and has gone through more bikes than I will own in a lifetime gaining the skills required to do that.

And, probably has professional trainers and full access to real practice ranges.

That would make WAY to much sense.

VermilionX wrote: you mean i'll low-side and won't be able to hold this kind of lean angle even if i maintain a good throttle control?

There is only one way to find out.

Mintbread wrote:
There is only one way to find out.

cool!

i'll try it some time on a parking lot.

V, if you want a real, honest -to-goodness flatspot, do this.....

Take your bike up to 100mph on a straight, empty road. Pull in the clutch and lock the rear brake. Don't touch the front brake. Do not stop doing any of this until the bike stops.

You will have a flatspot on the rear tire. The ride home will be a tooth-loosener.

None of your photos are of the correct view to see if they're squared or not. Stand directly above the rear of the bike, camera pointed straight down to see the profile of the tire surface. It's either a constant radius or getting flatter in the center.

I just replaced my tires (again) on my Nighthawk 750, because the rear was worn to the tread wear indicator in the center but plenty of tread on the edges. Not "squared" like I've seen, but noticeably less curve at the center. Just under 6k miles.

The difference in steering response with new tires is really noticeable! I won't wait until they're down to the indicators next time. Here I was thinking I was getting ready for a quicker steering bike, but it was just the tires wearing down.

I wouldn't worry about your tires squaring off. thats normal on street tires since you ride straight most of the time on the street.

your chicken strips are not too shabby, about the same as mine. BTW most people lean over more to the left than the right.

I did a good 60 miles of twisties yesterday and didn't make a dent in my chicken strips. About the only way im gonna wipe mine off is on a track.

Kal wrote:Verm.

You are not Nick Sanders

Stop worrying about it.

By the way in Journey Beyond Reason, the 2005 round the world trip, Nick had Continental Road Attack tires...

i don't even know who nick sanders is.

is he colonel sandar's brother?