Wet weather tyres

flatty

Hi all,
I have a Harley 1200 sportster. The tyres are almost new , but in wet weather, the back end is all over the place ,even at low speed. It's gone sideways on a motorway doing 60kmh when I touched the brake, and yesterday the back end slid out on a roundabout at about 20-30 kph.
Would different tyres help??

GBX

Most road tyres are designed for both wet and dry riding. Unless you have sh1te tyres on it? Possibly road surface coated with oil/diesel?

I love Sean nos

What tyres do you have on it now? Make, model and size.

flatty

I'll have to plead the fifth here,and go and check. In my defence, I'm getting on for middle age, and new to biking, but my bro has had them for all his life, and was at me to do the test. Once I'd passed, one of the lads that works for us heard me talking about buying a bike. He's a bike mechanic in a previous job, and said he'd just seen this Harley which was a great bike, and I should look at it. It was so immaculate, that I bought it on the spot. The previous owner (from new) kept it under a gently heated blanket inside. I love it, and it's not quick so it's relatively safe. My bro sniffed and congratulated me on buying a bike that "doesn't brake, and doesn't steer". It was my first time in real rain on it (I've done 2000 miles since I got it in spring). It scared me a little.

flatty

Ps the tyres are the same as the ones it came with. The lad I bought it off was a professor, and absolutely fastidious with it.

GBX

How old is the bike? Whilst it may be an immaculate bike - even if it wasn't used much the tyres could be older crappy ones?

flatty

It's 2007.

CJhaughey

Have a look at the tyres, on the sidewall there will be some writing, one of the bits will say DOT and next to that in an Oval will be a date code.
The format is Week and Year so if it says 3407 it will be week 34 of 2007
See what age the tyres are and if they are over 5 years they should be replaced.

Del2005

How much thread is left? If you've done 2k and it's a 10 year old bike you could be on slicks. Also check how old the tyres are, I'm on a phone but Google will show you how to age tyres, if over 6 years old they need to be changed.

Reindeer

Even OEM Harley tires shouldn't be doing that to you unless you are really pushing it for rain. I am just back from the UK, in the wind and the rain, on a set of Avon Cobras on my Dyna with no twitching at all. Rock solid. Was out and about a few times recently in soft conditions flying through roundabouts without any issues.

flatty

Thanks. There's plenty of tread left. It just went through the mot with no issues. I wonder if the back tyre isn't big enough for the weight of the bike. Contemplating trading for a rocket 3 tbh after that.

Esel

flatty wrote: »

Thanks. There's plenty of tread left. It just went through the mot with no issues. I wonder if the back tyre isn't big enough for the weight of the bike. Contemplating trading for a rocket 3 tbh after that.

Ah here! Change the tyres first.

flatty

😂
I've actually been contemplating trading it for something a bit taller and less midlife crisis in any case. Point taken though.

Esel

flatty wrote: »

😂
I've actually been contemplating trading it for something a bit taller and less midlife crisis in any case. Point taken though.

Rocket III is not midlife crisis?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Rocket_III

Reindeer

flatty wrote: »

��
I've actually been contemplating trading it for something a bit taller and less midlife crisis in any case. Point taken though.

Harleys have good resale. Enjoy the bike for a bit, see if you can live with it, make your mind up laters. No rush.

jay48

flatty wrote: »

Ps the tyres are the same as the ones it came with. The lad I bought it off was a professor, and absolutely fastidious with it.

You're riding on 10 year old tyres man , it doesn't matter how much of a fast idiot the professor was , you need new tyres !

flatty

The tyres were changed last year, but are Harley branded goodyears.

CJhaughey

flatty wrote: »

The tyres were changed last year, but are Harley branded goodyears.

What date is on them?, they could be old stock sitting around for a long time.
Check the date code.

jay48

flatty wrote: »

The tyres were changed last year, but are Harley branded goodyears.

I need to start reading threads instead of scanning ! :-D
What pressures are you running ? Is it stepping out just under braking or on the power aswell ?

flatty

Just twice I the wet. Once cornering on a roundabout, and once went completely sideways when I braked fairly gently on a busy motorway. Was going slowly and carefully both times. Pressures as per manufacturer. Never slipped under power in a straight line. I haven't much confidence in the wet now tbh.

TheSprocketCo

I had an issue with an old yammi dragstar. Tyres were 'new' & newly fitted but old as feck, back end would kick out a lot in the wet. 'New' tyres were OEM.

Got some fresh, new, bridgestone battlax fitted front & back and the difference was night & day

I'd recommend doing the same even for piece of mind, since you obviously don't trust the one's that are on it anymore.

If it's still pi$$ poor in the wet after they've broken in then something else is up

Cuddlesworth

If your sliding at slow speeds, its the tyres.

Esel

Any chance of any overflow pipes discharging in front of the rear wheel?