Tire wear, defect, or just cosmetic

[backinthesaddle]

Noticed I had what look like a cut on both edges of my rear Q2 tire. Oddly enough it doesn't go across the center of my tire and it's perpendicular to the rotation of the tire. Haven't noticed anything in the road thy would put a slice in the tire and nothing on the front and again no cut in center of rear tire. 3500 miles,2 track days, and no suspension changes since 4 tires ago.

Some forums say it's not uncommon and in one case dunlop says it's tread splicing and cosmetic, while another forum claims warranties by dunlop.

Anyone here seen this?

Thanks.

[CBR929RE]

I've seen that same cut mark you have on the chain side in some race tires. mine and someone else's. we thought it was something on the track because there was something in t1a that we both saw and think we ran over. but then I got it again on another tire on a different day. maybe there's something with Dunlops.

the one right on the sipe looks like it just ripped off while accelerating. coulda caught a rock or edge of a manhole cover just right. I'm not really sure

[backinthesaddle]

Pic quality is poor but what's odd is they do look like different types of tears but are right across from each other.

[Rada]

I had this happen on a set of Dunlop tires when I first started riding the track.




Never got an explanation on it. I just tossed the tire and switched to Pirellis

[backinthesaddle]

I had this happen on a set of Dunlop tires when I first started riding the track.






Never got an explanation on it. I just tossed the tire and switched to Pirellis

Yeah those pics of your look like a better quality pic of my tire. My Rosso 2's and oem sportmax never had those and all else is the same. Some who had the problem said it was from flipping the tires. Never flipped mine.

[Chippertheripper]

Someone recently told me it was the seam, which rears if the tires takes an impact, ala dropped in the warehouse.
I don't know how much stock I place in that, but it happened to a brand new q3 in one td.
Supposedly it's a known thing to Dunlop, and they claim it doesn't effect the tire at all.

[backinthesaddle]

Someone recently told me it was the seam, which rears if the tires takes an impact, ala dropped in the warehouse.
I don't know how much stock I place in that, but it happened to a brand new q3 in one td.
Supposedly it's a known thing to Dunlop, and they claim it doesn't effect the tire at all.

Supposedly dunlop RTS said the same thing in a thread somewhere. So now I'm stuck in the peace of mind vs if dunlop says it's ok state of limbo.

[CBR929RE]

for what its worth on the couple I've had the cut in I ran them till I was done with them just like any other tire. right to the wear bars which is typically when they start sliding.

[Kurlon]

Reminds me of the first couple of generations of Vee Rubber slicks for minis. They'd show the same seam failure but people eventually learned to just ignore it and ride through.

[backinthesaddle]

I guess it just comes down to do I replace it for Monday's track day or assume a couple sessions will wear right through it.
New brake pads - check
Oil and filter change - check
chain slack - check
tire wear - pretty uniform, wait what are these pair of cuts?

[nt650hawk]

Good thing the debris was not from a DC-10


You could have ended up like the Concord.



RIP to a cool jet.





I've seen chunks of truuber removed from tires. Wildest things i had ever seen. It was like a blister the popped and all the rubber was gone in a 1sq/in areas around the tire.

[backinthesaddle]

Spoke to 2 different people - Dunlop customer service says it might be installed backwards and if so the tread splice is opening, reverse the tire and it will go away as tire wears as long as its not as deep as the sipe. I double checked and the tire is mounted in the right direction. Dunlop race support said they see the problem from time to time, its again the tread splice and will go away as tire wears as long as its not as deep as the sipe, and happens even if tire is mounted in proper direction.

[KB]

Run it

[backinthesaddle]

Better quality pics - so then would it pass tech for Monday's TTD, should I swap it ahead of time, bring a spare tire with me and find someone to mount it at the track if it didn't pass? Just don't want to head up there with it, not pass, then have to buy a non-matching rear tire.
Thanks,
Greg

[backinthesaddle]

So I decided not to run the Q2 with its 2 tears, just to be safe. Put on a brand new Q3, loaded bike on friends trailer, and brought it brand new to NHMS. Day 1 was wet except for maybe 3 sessions, and day 2 was beautiful, unloaded bike after getting back to RI and see the same type of tear on the Q3, only on 1 side so far. Never had a problem with Diablo Rosso 2, so I think I'll go back to them, unless this is jus the way these things are and just need to run them.

[csmutty]

I'd go back to the Rosso's. I love mine and wear like that would wane my confidence in the bike, which is never good at a TD.

[SVRACER01]

so youve got a couple of slightly used dunlops for sale?

[backinthesaddle]

so youve got a couple of slightly used dunlops for sale?

Actually dealer rep from parts unlimited has the q2 and waiting on dunlop so not sure. If they give it back instead of a new tire I'll make it my winter tire and save the q3 for next season.

[Woodcraft]

My own personal experience, I've seen seams like that here and there over the years and have never had them cause an issue nor have I ever felt anything on the tire. The only photos I've seen in this thread that show a real issue are the ones posted by Gino with the holes in the side, which is something that I've seen at very high load tracks like Daytona and a couple times at Road Atlanta. That is from the tire overheating, blistering and delaminating - THAT I would definitely take off right away.

[snwbrdr435]

Never got an explanation on it. I just tossed the tire and switched to Pirellis

[backinthesaddle]

Got 1/2 price of the tire credited to me. Figure that was reasonable as tire was about 1/2 worn.