"Cold Tire" crashes on the street

[Jim]

Not to start a big argument here, but what are you guys doing?

My street bike has 3 year old bald DOT take offs with 20 PSI. And by bald, I mean the water grooves are gone.

I've been riding in 40-50 degree weather over the last month & I've yet to experience any sort of traction loss.

Even when intentionally locking the rear to slide around, I still can't get to a point where I don't have control.

We see them every year around this time & I'm very skeptical about believing the whole cold tire myth. Are you guys smashing the throttle at full lean?

[tsorfas]

I don't think it's that much the cold tires as much as the sand, dust and salt left on the streets

[Mr. Kurtz]

Cold tire crashes are rider error crashes.

[GearHd6]

I ride all winter long. You just can't ride like it's mid summer. You need to tone it down when it comes to cornering and stopping especially on the smaller secondary roads.

[csmutty]

It's just like crashes in the morning or on cold days at a track day. You can warn people all you want but it still happens.

[Chippertheripper]

If you expect the tire to slide, it's no biggie. It's when it surprises you it typically goes south.

[R7]

Part of the reason is cold tires, part of the reason could be flat spotted tires! Part of the reason could also be uneven temperature in the tire from sitting more than usual. That's why this time of year, before I go for a ride, I put the bike on a rear stand, start it up and run it through the gears for a few minutes. This spreads the heat around more evenly, and also replaces the air that was stuck in the flat spot If this doesn't work, you're doing it wrong

[e30addict]

This coming from the guy who put a bike through the fence

[GearHd6]

I just get out and ride easy for the first few miles, that way the engine and tires can warm up.

[jcbell1007]

I'm with Jim on this one. I've run everything from new, old, to old take-offs on the street in all different kinds of weather with no issues.

Maybe I'm jinxing myself by writing this but I'm assuming it comes down to riding style as the determining factor in this.

[Jim]

This coming from the guy who put a bike through the fence

Yes, that was on the track like 3 years ago. Pretty sure that joke lost it's funny a long time ago. We're talking street crashes, not track. And I never blamed anything other than myself for that one.

[SRTie4k]

If you started this because of my crash post, I never blamed it on cold tires.

[Jim]

Not you directly. Honestly, I've seen like 3 already this season & it just made me think. They come up on here every march & April. The thread wasn't intended to be a prick, just ask what the riders are doing that's causing the crashes. Personally, I'm not believing people with the cold tire excuse on the street.

[nt650hawk]

I think it is cool when my street hawk can spin up the tires when straight up and down. Yea.... I USED ALL THAT POWER

10 degree temps are fun

[backinthesaddle]

It's just like crashes in the morning or on cold days at a track day. You can warn people all you want but it still happens.

Kind of like thursday supersport and superbike practice at Daytona. Pegram, Westby, and others all dropping it on a 50 degree or so day.

[jwm2k3]

Cold tires? What about cold riders? I KNOW Im outta riding shape...aka rusty after the winter.

[golden chicken]

My old, squared off, worn out Pilot Powers would give me a good squiggle from the rear at the end of my street on those cool mornings in the fall and spring even if I consciously braked gently. My Pilot Road 2s haven't done this yet in over 15,000 miles, although I have felt them slip on a few damp crosswalks.

[CBR929RE]

my crash in practice on sunday in October was because of cold tires. I can't remember but I don't think they were up to full temp on the warmers and I got to T10 first time out and just turned too hard. basically I just pushed the front end out from under myself even though it was nowhere near full pace. still entirely my fault.

[jwm2k3]

Also tossing out the idea of 'Is a v-twin more prone to break traction than an i4 at lower speeds/rpms when throttle applied and rear loss of traction?? question...

[Billy]

Can't speak for track but public roads are COVERED in salt and sand still. Poor road conditions and rusty riders due to winter hiatus ='s lowsides.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

Also tossing out the idea of 'Is a v-twin more prone to break traction than an i4 at lower speeds/rpms when throttle applied and rear loss of traction?? question...

Less prone

[Twisted_Audi]

Can't speak for track but public roads are COVERED in salt and sand still. Poor road conditions and rusty riders due to winter hiatus ='s lowsides.

^^What they said. Was out yesterday getting my bike from Motoconsult & was turning onto roads at <2 mph.

[Paul_E_D]

Jim, it's easy to be holier than thou until it happens to you. Just because it hasn't yet, doesn't mean you are somehow better than other riders. If and when it does happen, a cold tire crash is nearly impossible to predict or save. No one is expecting complete traction loss at ten degrees of lean, but that can happen. It feels a bit like riding on ice or snow.

I have warmed up countless tires from new. warmers/no warmers/race/street. In all my years it has only happened twice, but there was no way for me to save it.

Are SOME of these early season crashes rider error? certainly. Is there such a thing as a cold tire crash? certainly.

[boosten lebaron]

When im in 50 degree weather or below i use my back brakes alot more than i do in the hotter season. This lessens the chance of washing out the front due to cold tires, sand, debris, ice melt and such. Even when i get some heat in the tires i still tend to rely on the rear brakes more than i would normally. Instead of starting with my fronts and possibly trailing with my rears i start with my rears and trail with my fronts to scrub off speed.
I also use the same behavior when my tires are brand new as well.

[timmyho414]

What little I know of Jim he doesn't come off as a holy-er then tho kind of guy.

I've crashed on a cold tire at the track once, but he's not asking that. He asked about street. I don't take my bike out until we get a couple good rains to raise off all the crap. I do not need to ride that bad. You all season guy are crazy to me, in a good way.

Blaming cold tires on the street does seem a bit silly. I say that because you really should not be going that fast anyway.
were the tires cold? maybe.
was there sand? maybe.
not judging the situation properly? maybe.
was there rider input? yes

Your not going to win anything, take it easy.