Quick question - return tire?

Just received a Battlax BT45V 120/80 V-18 via brown santa from a well known motorcycle supply house. Specifically, it's a rear tire for a 1987 VFR700F2. The date code indicates the tire was manufactured "0917" or presumably in September 2017.

My question: Keep it or send it back? I realize there probably isn't a huge demand for these in general though...

 

They are supposed to be good for 6, or is it 5 years after manufacture?
I'd keep it, and probably wear it out in a year or less.

 

Good point, though it's one of four bikes in the garage. That said, this is a "brought back from the dead" bike and I'm also installing new chain/sprockets, so it'll be ready to roll.

Any other thoughts?

 

Maybe return and get the correct size? Was it a really good deal to go with that size?

 

Tire was $115 - not worried about the cost. It's listed as stock - what should it have been? I was surprised that the listing (and what they showed as stock) was different from the 1986 VFR750 - especially given that the bikes (other than the engine, dashboard and color) seem to be otherwise identical...FWIW - the current tire on the bike (2006 vintage) is a Barracuda 130/80-18.

 

The date code reads as follows: first two digits represent the week, the second two digits are the year. So. your tire was made the ninth week of 2017, or 0917.

As far as keep or return. If this is a tire size that is not popular, the build run that you have from the ninth week of 2017 may have been the most recent, and you may not find a newer tire until they run out, and need to make some more.

 

Yes - I've seen those USDOT guidelines as well - I was giving it the benefit of the doubt that it was manufactured in September 2017 and not March 2017...which is even worse...keep or return?

 

keep - & ride it..

 

Great feedback - and appreciate everyone's input. the yeas have it - I'll keep the tire, mount it and enjoy!

 

130/80-18 is the stock size on 86/87 VFRs. I have a 140/70-18 on one of my 750s with the fork tubes slid up a few mm to compensate for the lower rear ride height.

 

Goi

Got it - that's what I get for taking the default tire (even after cross-checking) from Dennis Kirk. Any disadvantage to using the slightly narrower tire? At this point, I'm not planning on doing any racing with it - just a twice a month jaunt toward the foothills - nothing radical...

 

It won't be dangerous, or anything like that. But it is a somewhat powerful bike that already feels pretty nimble, going smaller than stock just seems counter productive. I know we are talking about approx 10mm here, but it would bug me. I prefer to take advantage of everything a "classic" narrow rim can use without being excessive and actually reducing my contact patch by trying to install too wide a tire.