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Thats great that the dealer will take care of you even if they get stiffed. I would think with an 03 left over the dealer and/or suzuki would have to take care of it for you, then they could argue with the manufacturer. Model year 03 bike may have been built in 02 with tires that were manufactured god knows when.
I am no expert but I could have sworn I have read in a mag somewhere about manufacturers reps staying that tires do dry out and loose durability and potential grip as they age and should be replaced. That must have been when they were trying to sell new tires. When warranty questions come up seems that there is no reason not to use a tire manufactured in 1998??? That thing is 8 years old now, your kidding right.
Even in clean temp controlled environment rubber gets harder with age... Just look at the condom thats been in my wallet since 1992!