Sidewall cracking...

[Black Warrior]

Hi everyone,

I've picked up my 00 GZ 250 about a month ago... It had only 9000km. The bike was in a storage for a while and therefore had some cracked tires (actually a tire, the rear one was replaced or it seems that way) I'm really surprised that it passed safety without any problems... :shocked: Could you please take a look at the pic and let me know your opinion if the tire is still "reasonably" cracked or it has to be replaced ASAP?

[JWR]

Tires are a wear item.

This is the only thing between you and the ground.

Tires this old are very hard, new tires are smooth and grip very well.

You be the judge...

[blaine]

Welcome to the forum.Who ever passed that tire,doesn't have a clue! :??: For your safety,replace it ASAP. :cool:

[mrlmd1]

There is a little rectangular box imprinted on the sidewall of every tire which gives the week and year of manufacture (4 digit code). Those tires are probably as old as the bike and need to be replaced, sidewall cracks or not. Any tire more than 6 years old is past it's life expectancy, and yours will be shortened if you keep riding on them. The rubber gets hard and brittle and has poor grip on the road, especially when cold or wet. It has nothing to do with how much tread is on the tire or how good it may look, or the mileage on them. Get new ones ASAP. If the rear is only 2-3 years old, you can leave it on, older than that, get a new set while you're doing it.

[Black Warrior]

Thank you so much to everyone for your valuable comments!
I probably change them to Avon Roadriders - they have an exact size and, money wise, they are one of the least expensive options I could find.