Bald tire question?

This is why MSF is overrated. Anybody can get a certificate to teach.
There is so much more to tire construction than what he told you
it cant even be elaborated on here. With compound/dual compound
and other technology related to tires, the rubber you are riding on
now might not even be the same as what the tread was when it was
new. To handle the 'skid' issue this way is dangerously irresponsible.

I figured I'd get this response. And I'm sure I'll get more of the same. I know that car tires are made differently but at the same time you get down to no tread left and you have no traction.

The only reason I thought "maybe" he knew what he was talking about is because he was a motorcycle cop in CA for twenty years, and I don't know too much about bikes but it just didn't make sense to me.

I absolutely could not do an emergency stop on the Honda Nighthawk I was riding without skidding the rear, he just told me I wasn't using enough front brake and too much rear and that could have been true but at the same time I just knew from plenty of years experience on new and bald car tires that I didn't have the traction in the rear that I should have.

At low parking-lot speeds and dry conditions, there may not be too much difference in traction. I would never run a bald tire on the street though. It's dangerous.

The instructor was probably right about the front and rear brake balance though. If you can learn to stop fast without skidding a bald tire during the course, the skills should transfer over pretty well to the street with good tires.

For the pathetic 'emergency' stop distance that they give you, and those tiny bikes, the stop could probably be done using no rear brake at all with decent pavement.

One other thing....slicks dont stick unless they are warmed up....which is highly unlikely in a parking lot.

Next time, do a burnout to warm them up.

JK...dont do that.

All the instructors I know wouldn't have let you take the course on a bald rear tire. In PA I do know that the bike must be able to pass state inspection requirements to take the course. Actually, the correct answer he should have given was to consult either the owners manual or a certified motorcycle mechanic, that's the answer I would have given.

Anybody can get a certificate to teach.

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I don't know about anybody but I sure wish they would hire me on.

750killshin said:

For the pathetic 'emergency' stop distance that they give you, and those tiny bikes, the stop could probably be done using no rear brake at all with decent pavement.

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True story, I took my class on a honda rebel 250 in the summer in Phoenix, AZ (HOT sticky pavement) I didn't even touch the rear brake for the emergency stop.

When I did it.... I locked up the rear brake on purpose just for the fun of it...

There is some truth about the water thing like he said.... but its the same with car tires.... either way.... bald = you need a new tire..

i rode for a week on a bike with only a rear brake. i feel dumb admitting it now, but a one-day repair turned into one of the projects that takes just a little bit longer.

it truly makes a difference with bald tires... pavement isnt so bad but around corners and on gravel there is a huge difference

Weebel said:

When I did it.... I locked up the rear brake on purpose just for the fun of it...

There is some truth about the water thing like he said.... but its the same with car tires.... either way.... bald = you need a new tire..

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^^^ Truth

Weebel said:

When I did it.... I locked up the rear brake on purpose just for the fun of it...

There is some truth about the water thing like he said.... but its the same with car tires.... either way.... bald = you need a new tire..

Click to expand...

we had a few people doing that just for fun too, I think, when I took the msf course...then one kid, during the test, locked it up and let it out while it had skidded too far out to the side and he dumped the bike, maybe it was his front brake he locked up, I forget