Back tire wear on used bike - was it raced?

I just bought a 1998 VFR and I'm slowing getting a bit of history on the bike by playing CSI.

On the back tire, I noticed that it is worn right to the edges so I suspect the previous owner was a good rider and might have ridden it fairly hard. The colour on the center of the tire is a black grey and smooth however the wear on the edges (about 1.5 inches on each side) is a blue black colour and rough to the touch. My question is, (as I am not a racer), is this a result of heating the tire up to handle a track or a result from racing on a track? Looking for some opinions from the experience of the group. Cheers!

 

This certainly may be from track time, but in 10 years of wrenching at the track, I've never seen a racing VFR800 (not in Canada anyway), they're inappropriate at 800cc, heavy, etc., for racing.

The wear you describe sure sounds like it's from track use, probably on track days OR the tires on the bike may be another racer's "tear-offs", commonly sold at the track to street riders (for their track days but many end up on the street). These may not be street legal and could actually be slipperier than road tires on the street as you would likely not get enough heat into them in normal riding to make them stick. Check your sidewalls to confirm if they are street tires or not.

If your seller spent a lot of time on the track, check for safety wire holes drilled into the oil drain plug, axle nuts and pinch bolts. If the bike was his toy just for the track, it may never have been registered on the street which would be in its' history at the Ministry of Transport but this seems unlikely for a VFR (mainly a street bike).

Good to see another new guy (me too) to the site in Ontario, good luck, hey maybe I sold him the tear-offs (Shannonville, Mosport?).

Just saw your pics also, bike looks nice, and familiar. If it had a custom plate on it relating to a VFR I think I know the seller (he works for Air Canada). Don't believe he raced that bike.

Good luck!

 

rough like little balls of rubber all over?

 

Sticky and rough on sides of both front and back tires

That's exactly what it is like. Smooth in the middle of the tire and rough and sticky on the edges right to sidewalls. The tire is a Mezeler Sportec M1 180 / 55 ZR17 MC (73W). It's noticable on the front as well. The steering bearings were replace and so was the chain (not the spockets). Correct me if I'm wrong but I would expect that someone who would race would also take care of it mechanically (I hope). Any thoughts.

 

There's a saying that may apply in some cases......

"rode hard and put away wet"


Rex

 

hmmm could be just what some folks say Race take offs, as racers sell tires after a few laps at the end of the day, or the tire shops at race tracks have em for racers and other folks at a reduced price that need em. My son has two sets thou usually they are no good for the street. Hard to say just what and why as to have that show up on the street tells me it's been rode not necessarily hard but rode at that least, then theres the tires saying, Hmm not a common thing to see on a VFR i'm incline to think they came from another bike as a cheap way to put what looks like better rubber, in any case I'd be changing them asap

 

Why would you suggest to replace them if thy are race take off. Any risks is I keep them on and ride?

 

what he means is that the rubber compound has a higher temp range to handle the heat from the track therefore when u just use it on the street and never get that hot they wont grip as good

 

If I'm not mistaken the Metzeler Sportec M1 180 / 55 ZR17 MC is not a racing tire. Occasional track use yes, but it is just a super sport tire; was replaced with the M3. I had the M1 on my Kaw750S. Great sticky tire, cut easily if you hit a sharp rock and lasted about 5000 miles on the kaw. I really liked them. Look them up on the metzler site. Mine looked like you described yours after about 5000 miles and I never took them on the track, just normal wear and tear through the mountains in northern calf and around Washington and Oregon ....

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=2777&department=647&Division=6

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and opinions. Once the weather breaks here in Canada, I will take it to my local dealer and get his opinion as well. My concern was more with the wear and tear on the bike if it was used this way. From what I'm hearing, the V4 is almost bulletproof and should not be an issue. Again, thanks all for your thoughts. Ride Safe!

 

Yep, smart man take it to someone there that can see it. and as noted yep different compounds, but what really does it in, is the fact that the out side radius is all ready questionable and thats where you need the tire to perform it's best. a very well scrubbed in tire is great for the track but on the street you need it not to be what we call greasy and at the track you'll get it to temp and it wouldn't to a certain degree matter much, but on the street it's a different matter, I know money plays into this but man this is the wrong place to be iffie IMO

 

Running my fifth gen at the limit (my limit that is) on the track resulted in a nicely scrubbed rear tire right to the edge and the shifter and rear break pedals got a little taper on them. The VFR is really easy on tires for some reason, probably HP. The pegs ground down even after removing the feelers. These signs may tell more than the rear tire. I doubt that this tire was raced as it doesn't offer the performance (traction) required.

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Hey Jethro,
Interesting you mention the shifter and brake pedal. The brake pedal is bent in slightly and is scored on the outside edge. A small scuff on the fins of the engine cover on the right side also but no damage to the plastic. I figured it might have been bumped into on that side. No feelers on the pedals and no scratches either. Previous owner might have removed this for racing or for the sale. Thanks for the observations. Great picture too!

 

People don't RACE VFR's. There isn't a class in CCS, ASMA or WERA that they would be remotely competitive. (RC-51's are considered Phat Pigs and too slow and down on HP.) I do see lots of 800 on the track at trackdays, however. Much safer to ride at your or the bikes limits at a trackday. (As opposed to the street) Probably was the guys only bike, then he got addicted to track and sold it to get something better suited to the task. I see that quite often. I went the opposite way. I bought the VFR for the street as I knew it wasn't capable of the level of riding I was doing while racing. It helps to overide the testosterone and keep me slower on the street!

 

I would sell all my race tires after 1 weekend at track for $40ea, blue color relates to temp.
I still use the M-1 on my 02 vfr ( raced with yokohama tires )
all my buds would run my ex-race tires on the street w/ no problems at all, and also drag race w/ them - harley guys would buy my front tires and run them on the rear for drag racing.
I would not worry about running them.

 

does it look somthin like this? after a track day your tires will look similar rubber kinda peels off on sides. tire was almost new street tire conti rd attack lost a lot of rubber that day. also front looks similar they get gummed up from all the rubber they pickup on the track. some guys buy race take offs to save money not the best street tire usually those have lots of tread in center and very little on sides opposite of a day to day street tire. if they are take offs then it just means they are slippery until warmed up

 

Blackjack:

As stated above by people with more knowledge than me, I highly doubt the VFR was 'raced'. Sounds like the person may have done track days.

Big deal if they have. I can see you being concerned if they did track days and the bike went down and did an end over end tumble.
Outside of that, as long as the owner did basic maintenance and did smooth shifts, the bike should be fine.

BZ

 

wouldnt worry at all about a VFR being "raced" (doubtful) or tracked for that matter. As long as maintenance was done, fluids and pads are fresh etc... no biggie at all...

Think about the messenger that does 400K miles on a stock engine, changes it, does another 400K etc... do you think 120miles X how ever many track days would add up to anything (assuming mantenance)? I dont!

if the tires bother you, replace them... check the service history of the bike, change the oil/filter... if you are really wiggy have a major service/valve adjust done...

I doubt there are any issues at all, these machines are bulletproof

 

Most likely if torn up and pilled, a less likely reason would be the previous rider was a numpty. Remember seeing a guy bragging about wearing his tyre to the edges at a bike stop then watched him ride later awkwardly leaning to the outside of the bike around corners.