A little something to watch out for when you're buying tires...

[dragerman]

A little something to watch out for when you're buying tires...

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

[Guest BluesLover]

Thanks for sharing Charlie. Given that I'm somewhat obsessed with tires since early October, I think I know what I'm going to be doing tomorrow - checking the tires on our vehicles!

 

Cheers,

[Brake Pad]

Ditto to that, going to check all my tires tomorrow

more so the new tires the bikes shops are running as specials.

Thanks

[Cerviperus]

I'm going to be shopping around for a new set of tires for my car sooner than I'd hoped, so this information is great to have. Thanks for posting this information!

[Marcarl]

Thanks Charlie, good to read see it and it does make sense. Gonna check out some news skins I just bought for my van.

[pegscraper]

I can't be the only one around here on dial up. Would you please just tell us what the information is.

[PBJ]

Thanks for posting that . I learned that lessen the hard way back in 1996. I bought a set of Contiental tires through dennis kirk. They had this campaign that they'd beat any price by a dollar. I ordered the tires and put them on at the end of the season. following spring I took the bike to be inspected and the tires wouldn't pass. Dry rot. How? I asked their brand new. . I called dennis Kirk and they said they didn't garauntee tires they sold. So I Called Contiental They told me how to read the tire code and I learned they were 8 YEARS OLD! Luckily Contiental was cool about it. They explained companies like Kirk buy large lots of tires and sell the old stock first but Contiental has told these companies repeatedly that tire shelf life should only be 4 years. They had me cut the codes out and send them in and they gave me a brand new set of tires. Ever since I always check the code before the tire is installed and i don't order from large warehouses , at least not tires.

[Freebird]

Pegscraper,

It is pretty much confirmation of what we have discussed here many times. The fact that a LOT of tire retailers are selling tires that have set on the shelves for a long time. The investigators found some that had been sitting in stores for up to 12 years but still being sold as new and safe. They found them at Sears, Walmart, Goodyear...pretty much everywhere that sells tires. These companies are doing nothing illegal as there are no expiration dates on tires and no laws to prevent these old tires from being sold.

 

This particular report was on car and truck tires but we know that the same problem exists with our motorcycle tires.

[pegscraper]

So what kinds of places would be more likely than others to have fresh tires? Is there any way to second guess that, or is this something that is totally random?

 

I would have thought that Sears and Mallwart and such places would tend to have fresh tires. These places don't keep enough inventory around to have tires setting on the shelf for 4+ years. I gotta think that if they have tires that old, they were sent them by their distributor or even the manufacturer.

 

I've ordered from SWMoto twice and gotten tires less than six months old both times. Was I just lucky?

 

Is there anything else to do but look over the shop's shoulder to check date codes and refuse the tires if they're too old? Shops do so love having customers looking over their shoulder when they're working.

[Freebird]

I think you would pretty much just have to watch and/or let the dealer know that you plan to check the date codes and they had better no be old. The tires that I got from SWMOTO were fresh also. I'll be watching in the future on my cars though.

[BoomerCPO]

Good info posted on tire info! I think the old Rule here of "Buyer Beware" is certainly applicable.

 

I cannot imagine any MC Dealer being offended by a Buyer objecting to having OLD tires put on a bike. If that Dealer is offended I'll be headed for the door and looking to spend my $$$ on tires elsewhere.

 

It is our $$$ that determines the success or failure of any MC Dealer. This Internet gives us all the capability to warn fellow Riders of lousy Dealers and/or lousy Service Dept.'s as well.

[pegscraper]

Oh, I could see even a decent shop not being real happy about that. I don't know any shop near me who carries Avons. (Everyone around here wants Metz for some reason. After what I've seen on our bikes, I won't even look at them.) If I want Avons from a local dealer I have to special order them, and of course they want a deposit for that. I just imagine if I tell them I don't want them after that, that I'm out my deposit. Not sure how to handle this if it were to arise.

 

What would one do if an online joint like SWMoto or even Dennis Kirk or such place sent old tires? Shipping won't be cheap sending them back.

[BoomerCPO]

Oh, I could see even a decent shop not being real happy about that. I don't know any shop near me who carries Avons. (Everyone around here wants Metz for some reason. After what I've seen on our bikes, I won't even look at them.) If I want Avons from a local dealer I have to special order them, and of course they want a deposit for that. I just imagine if I tell them I don't want them after that, that I'm out my deposit. Not sure how to handle this if it were to arise.

 

What would one do if an online joint like SWMoto or even Dennis Kirk or such place sent old tires? Shipping won't be cheap sending them back.

 

When you order the tires it is possible to specify to the Seller that he check these dates and not send you old tires. Considering the safety aspect of MC tires I for one don't think it is an unreasonable request to make to any Seller of MC tires.

 

It is obvious that the tire Industry will not police itself in this aspect so it is up to us as Consumers to demand that the tires we buy are in fact safe and reliable to the highest degree possible.

[uechi kid]

Ok, so I'm on my way out to check the dates on all three bikes and all three cars. Oh yah, and the boat. But thanks for the info.

[Guest Lightnen]

Oh, I could see even a decent shop not being real happy about that. I don't know any shop near me who carries Avons. (Everyone around here wants Metz for some reason. After what I've seen on our bikes, I won't even look at them.) If I want Avons from a local dealer I have to special order them, and of course they want a deposit for that. I just imagine if I tell them I don't want them after that, that I'm out my deposit. Not sure how to handle this if it were to arise.

 

What would one do if an online joint like SWMoto or even Dennis Kirk or such place sent old tires? Shipping won't be cheap sending them back.

 

I'd say to tell your dealer that you don't want a tire over 4yrs old. If he laughs at ya tell him about the codes. Its your right your paying for the tires you should be getting what you pay or order for..

 

Just my nickels worth.. LOL