Tire mileage

[ValkThree]

Not wishing to get into a debate over safe/not safe or perceived or imagined handling differences. I am just posting this as fact regarding tire life nothing more.

A couple weeks back we where heading out for a 5k trip from MN to the west coast. I have a 205x60 Kumho Solis K21 on the wing with 40k miles on it. I decided perhaps it would be wise to put a new tire on as this one was just at the wear bars. We ended up with 5400 miles and from what I can see the old tire would have been fine but probably not good in the rain towards the end.

I know most people running CT's seem to only get 16-20k which I have determined is a combination of two things. RF tires tend to wear faster and in general most people run well over the proper load rated pressure.
Case in point - in general 35-44psi is what the average GL rider runs and again longevity is in the 16-18k range. Some of us are running 26-28 and have found 30-45k is more like it. I know in some of the early testing some ran as low as 18psi with slight increase in edge wear.
Front tires on my trike is set to 12psi which is about right as recommended for spyders etc.

On the valk I run 26psi and did on my last 2 wheel valk also. I can't say what the millage will be on the valk but so far at 17k is still looks like brand new.

[NITRO]

I have been running 34 psi on my GYTT for most of its life (13,000 on it now) and the tread shows little wear. I'm dropping the pressure now to 30-32 and like the ride and handling better. 44 psi? That's just nonsense.

[Valker]

Here is a pic I took today of my Michelin HydroEdge Darkside tire at 39,000 miles. I run 26-28 psi.

[MP]

Aw, come on Valker!  That HAS to be a new tire!  LOL!

Looks great.

MP

[ValkThree]

44 psi? That's just nonsense.

You know I post 26psi on the GL sight and they all say I am nuts. Of course there the average life of a CT is 16k.
Yes many run 40-44psi.

I always said the Valk riders had more common sense.

[Challenger]

The GYTT on my I/S has 29,000 on it and still looks new, I run 32 PSI. Yes I pull it off every winter and lube splines.

[ValkThree]

Ditto on the spine thing - I toasted my shaft at 117k, Lucky for me it was just a 7mile walk home.
Along the way I planted a geocache named 7mile to commemorate the event.