how old is too old?

[Mopaw]

I am resurrecting a 1998 Valkyrie Tourer. It has been sitting in a garage for four to six years. It has Avon tires with "only a few thousand miles on them".  I won't post the manufacture date code here, just looking for opinions about at what age do you replace a tire just for age? thanks

[Dusty]

I think the manufacturers say 6 years. I use some common sense in my judgement on tire  use past the 6 years. Stored out side in the sun or in a dark garage with a bike cover?  Used on freeway at high speed in a hot climate or going 3 blocks to the coffee shop?  Cracking in the tread or on the sidewalls is a definite fail. Make your own decision. It's what you are comfortable with that matters, not the money it costs for new tires.

Dusty

[Bighead]

If you are questioning this I would say you are ready to replace them.
I would.

[CoreyP]

I would be surprised if you don't have flat spots or something like on the tires.

I would say 10 years is old. When I got my Valkyrie I had about 10 year old tires on the bike. In second gear I did a fish tail in the rain, wasn't even on the throttle that much. Front tire had a big flat spot that I could feel when riding. End result is when the new tires went on the bike felt much more sticky.

If you plan to hammer your bike, I would get new tires.

[Jess from VA]

While you are working on other things and deciding on the tires, air them up to 42lbs each (or whatever the MAX PSI printed on the sidewalls are) and see if they will hold the air.  They may be OK for neighborhood test rides getting the bike sorted out, but I'd be careful about any hooliganism or hard braking or freeway or distance.

If they are cracking they are dried out.  Sometimes air comes out the cracks, slowly or fastly (especially the first time they get up to operating temperatures and hitting road bumps while underway in years and years).

Plan on new tires (which are the stand-alone single most important safety feature/factor on any motorcycle).  

[6adan]

   I used to thank if it held air no problem. I have a CB750 that sat in my basement for about 10 years till I decided to get it running. I got it running and started riding it and hardly looked at the tires till the rear needed replaced that's when I found it was cracked all over. I just I did not know any better then. Next bike I had was a GL1100 The front I replaced right off but the rear look good rubber felt soft no cracking I thought till I found one spot about the size of a 25 cent piece, I debated about running it but knowing my wife would be ridding with me I replaced it. All of this to say you might get away with riding on a old tire like I did on the 750 but now there is no way I would run a tire that old,

[h13man]

If you are questioning this I would say you are ready to replace them.
I would.

+1.

How much will it cost you in medical bills if failure happens?

Just spent $300 yesterday for a set of Bridgestone 701/702 Exedra's from Rocky Mountain. Bridgestone has $40 rebate for a set going on until Sept. 12th. $260 for a set tires vs failure @ $$$$ minimum.

[old2soon]

     Let me state thusly. It's been sitting THAT Long personally even on social insecurity I could come up with the price of new shoes fer the Lady. There IS Something bout these boxer 6s that make a person wanna twist that throttle and git er up in the triple digits! NO/NONE/NADA decimal points.   Why on Earth would ya take That BIG a chance on those Older tires? But that being said I ain't you. And remember-these bikes are near and North of 800 lbs by themselves. RIDE SAFE.

[pancho]

I got a spare rear wheel a couple of years ago that had a good looking eleven year old Avon tire on it. I rode on it until I wore it out,, no problems. 

Just put a caliper on the front of a 1976 corvette that belongs to a neighbor up the road. He bought the car new and it has 30K on it,, still has the original Goodyear Eagle tires on it!!  The car has always been garage kept and the tires still look fine,, soft and no cracking or signs of the age, they are getting worn, but even I wouldn't take it on a trip out of state, or even highway speeds, there are limits.

[gordonv]

Just remember to replace the valve stem. Preferably something like these metal ones, that will last longer.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/tires-and-wheels/myers-90%C2%B0-tubeless-chrome-valve-stem-p

I like these because they can be tightened from outside of the rim with the tire on.

I haven't keep an eye on them, but they do the odd free shipping about 3-4 times a year. It's a good time to get them, and some extras, and give them away to ridding buddies.

[F6Dave]

Just remember to replace the valve stem. Preferably something like these metal ones, that will last longer.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/tires-and-wheels/myers-90%C2%B0-tubeless-chrome-valve-stem-p

I like these because they can be tightened from outside of the rim with the tire on.

I haven't keep an eye on them, but they do the odd free shipping about 3-4 times a year. It's a good time to get them, and some extras, and give them away to ridding buddies.

Just add them to your tire order and the shipping will be free.  I just ordered 2 tires from that place last Thursday.  They beat everyone's price, and the tires were delivered in 2 days, on Saturday!  Service doesn't get any better than that.

[Jess from VA]

How old is too old?

Well everyone is different of course, but this is probably over my limit.

[John Schmidt]

Oh boy..... What can I say....winter's coming. 

[Mopaw]

Thanks, guys
We are pretty much in agreement. these tires with deep tread made in 2008 are being replaced.

[h13man]

Just remember to replace the valve stem. Preferably something like these metal ones, that will last longer.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/tires-and-wheels/myers-90%C2%B0-tubeless-chrome-valve-stem-p

I like these because they can be tightened from outside of the rim with the tire on.

I haven't keep an eye on them, but they do the odd free shipping about 3-4 times a year. It's a good time to get them, and some extras, and give them away to ridding buddies.

Ordered the stems, the rest of the front fork parts, and the tire's at the same time. With the stems being cheap, I ordered 2 of each the 90 and 45 degree stems. Planning on using a 45 on the rear for ease of airing it up.

[Chrisj CMA]

In 1999 I bought a 1973 Honda CB175. It was pristine and rightly so it never ran more that a couple minutes at a time since new. It only had 900 miles on it. A 26 year old bike with 900 miles, no rust, no dents, Yokohama tires with probably Japanese air in them.

Long story short,  got it running and was on my second or third ride home from work when I realized I was doing 60 miles per hour on tires that were almost 30 years old.

I got new tires the next day.

[rug_burn]

How old is too old?  For tires you mean... (I thought you were going to say something like 80 or 90 years old)
   How is the rubber on the tire? 
      If it has that aged hard glaze, then it's definitely too old, but if you can push your thumbnail into it, and it springs back okay soft like,  and it seems like it would give you good grip, then maybe it's okay.  Just don't push it.
     It just depends on the rubber.
     It's probably time to do the drive shaft seal and take a look at the final drive splines anyway- 

[..]

Just remember to replace the valve stem. Preferably something like these metal ones, that will last longer.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/tires-and-wheels/myers-90%C2%B0-tubeless-chrome-valve-stem-p

I like these because they can be tightened from outside of the rim with the tire on.

I haven't keep an eye on them, but they do the odd free shipping about 3-4 times a year. It's a good time to get them, and some extras, and give them away to ridding buddies.

Ordered the stems, the rest of the front fork parts, and the tire's at the same time. With the stems being cheap, I ordered 2 of each the 90 and 45 degree stems. Planning on using a 45 on the rear for ease of airing it up.

Don't forget to point the stems to the "up" side of the wheel.