Discussion
For me.
If a tyre garage fitted a 5 year old tyre, or whatever arbitrary age you decide to my bike I’d probably want it changed because I didn’t know how it had been stored during those 5 years.
If I bought a tyre brand new and kept it correctly stored in my own garage for 5 years or whatever arbitrary age you decide I’d be more than happy to fit it to my bike and ride as normal.
In 30 years of riding bikes, how many times have I ever checked the date code on a tyre?
Zero.
If a tyre garage fitted a 5 year old tyre, or whatever arbitrary age you decide to my bike I’d probably want it changed because I didn’t know how it had been stored during those 5 years.
If I bought a tyre brand new and kept it correctly stored in my own garage for 5 years or whatever arbitrary age you decide I’d be more than happy to fit it to my bike and ride as normal.
In 30 years of riding bikes, how many times have I ever checked the date code on a tyre?
Zero.
airsafari87 said:
For me.
If a tyre garage fitted a 5 year old tyre, or whatever arbitrary age you decide to my bike I’d probably want it changed because I didn’t know how it had been stored during those 5 years.
If I bought a tyre brand new and kept it correctly stored in my own garage for 5 years or whatever arbitrary age you decide I’d be more than happy to fit it to my bike and ride as normal.
In 30 years of riding bikes, how many times have I ever checked the date code on a tyre?
Zero.
This...If a tyre garage fitted a 5 year old tyre, or whatever arbitrary age you decide to my bike I’d probably want it changed because I didn’t know how it had been stored during those 5 years.
If I bought a tyre brand new and kept it correctly stored in my own garage for 5 years or whatever arbitrary age you decide I’d be more than happy to fit it to my bike and ride as normal.
In 30 years of riding bikes, how many times have I ever checked the date code on a tyre?
Zero.
I feel like this obsession with tyre dates is a relatively new thing, both for cars and bikes..
Steve Bass said:
I ask as I recently bought a set of tyres and they're almost 4 years old on the day of delivery... So based on general wisdom, they're only good for another year or two....
Hmmmm
My personal take is that bike tyres are extremely important to the bike and rider given the limited contact patches. Cars less so s if it's just a daily driver due to the extra contact with the road and the 'safety cage' for the occupants should the worst happen.Hmmmm
So in general, if it were car tyres and the price was appropriate then I wouldn't be too bothered. However, on bikes I'd be a bit miffed if I'd paid a decent price and a set of 'new' tyres with a 4yr date code landed, without me being made aware prior to purchase.
As a natural product the compound(s) and materials will continually degrade and so will the performance of the tyre. If not, they wouldn't continue to put date codes on tyres.
Edited by GameOverMan! on Wednesday 13th August 16:02
Steve Bass said:
I ask as I recently bought a set of tyres and they're almost 4 years old on the day of delivery... So based on general wisdom, they're only good for another year or two....
Hmmmm
From what I gather you’re a fairly experienced rider right?Hmmmm
If you fit them and they are f

One thing experience riding gives you is a pretty good sense of what is right and what isn’t quite right.
Put the date code to one side and just go off how things feel to you.
airsafari87 said:
From what I gather you’re a fairly experienced rider right?
If you fit them and they are f
ked then I’m sure you will feel something is not right with them pretty much straight away.
One thing experience riding gives you is a pretty good sense of what is right and what isn’t quite right.
Put the date code to one side and just go off how things feel to you.
Yeah, but he can't send them back or swap them out for a replacement if he does that.If you fit them and they are f

One thing experience riding gives you is a pretty good sense of what is right and what isn’t quite right.
Put the date code to one side and just go off how things feel to you.
airsafari87 said:
Steve Bass said:
I ask as I recently bought a set of tyres and they're almost 4 years old on the day of delivery... So based on general wisdom, they're only good for another year or two....
Hmmmm
From what I gather you’re a fairly experienced rider right?Hmmmm
If you fit them and they are f

One thing experience riding gives you is a pretty good sense of what is right and what isn’t quite right.
Put the date code to one side and just go off how things feel to you.
But these are planned to go on a bike I'm thinking of selling and it feels a little off to receive "new" tyres that are 4 years old with peoples rabidity over perceived aging of tyres possibly blowing up in my face.
It's interesting that Pirelli, in the UK - which I appreciate is not where the bike is located, will provide a warranty from the date of purchase of the new tyre and not the actual age. See below.
However, if I was buying a used bike, I'm not entirely sure I'd check the date code on the tyres and merely inspect them based on condition. I don't think a used buyer would have an issue especially if you provide the receipt for the tyres to the new owner. But as someone buying a brand new set and paying for them, I'd expect them to be produced within the last couple of years, unless they were in short supply.
Pirelli Motorcycle Tyre Warranty in the UK
Duration: Pirelli motorcycle tyres typically come with a 24-month warranty from the date of purchase. This warranty applies if the failure is due to a manufacturing defect and not caused by user misuse or external damage.
Coverage: The warranty generally covers:
Workmanship and material defects (e.g., structural faults, uniformity issues).
It does not cover damage from road hazards (potholes, cuts), improper use (overloading, racing), or poor maintenance (incorrect inflation, misalignment)1.
Claim Process: If you suspect a warranty issue, return the tyre to the retailer with your original receipt. The retailer will verify if the tyre is within the warranty period and may send it to Pirelli for inspection if the cause is unclear.
However, if I was buying a used bike, I'm not entirely sure I'd check the date code on the tyres and merely inspect them based on condition. I don't think a used buyer would have an issue especially if you provide the receipt for the tyres to the new owner. But as someone buying a brand new set and paying for them, I'd expect them to be produced within the last couple of years, unless they were in short supply.
Pirelli Motorcycle Tyre Warranty in the UK
Duration: Pirelli motorcycle tyres typically come with a 24-month warranty from the date of purchase. This warranty applies if the failure is due to a manufacturing defect and not caused by user misuse or external damage.
Coverage: The warranty generally covers:
Workmanship and material defects (e.g., structural faults, uniformity issues).
It does not cover damage from road hazards (potholes, cuts), improper use (overloading, racing), or poor maintenance (incorrect inflation, misalignment)1.
Claim Process: If you suspect a warranty issue, return the tyre to the retailer with your original receipt. The retailer will verify if the tyre is within the warranty period and may send it to Pirelli for inspection if the cause is unclear.
Edited by GameOverMan! on Wednesday 13th August 17:04
Steve Bass said:
But these are planned to go on a bike I'm thinking of selling and it feels a little off to receive "new" tyres that are 4 years old with peoples rabidity over perceived aging of tyres possibly blowing up in my face.
Ahhhh, that changes it then.In that case I’d be seeing if you can exchange them for something newer.
I always check the dates and have done since I can remember, but visual condition is a good indicator.
The way tyres are made, they are not chemically completely stable. Think of your garden hose left in the sun or anything that perishes or if American - dry rots. Think of carb rubbers on old bikes that get stiff, or coolant hoses that split and become brittle when bending. It's all the same process at differing rates.
There are plasticising agents within tyres and various 'rubberised' materials as chemical engineers create their optimum properties.
These agents are there to affect and engineer in the precise characteristics required of the material - resistance to heat, pliability and then for tyres many of the factors we need from tyres.
These agents leach out with heat, UV and age. One of the reasons you don't repeatedly heat cycle slicks is because these agents leave the material or change with each heat cycle.
On a road tyre, these agents affect coefficients of friction and restitution as well as the way the tyre compound acts at different temperatures (to an extent) and it's internal resistance which affects its ability to heat up and work best at an operating temperature. Not 100%, but the agents are used to fine tune. Other organic chemistry is at work to manage the overall compound base properties.
In layman's terms, these chemicals leaving the tyres with age affects chemical grip and to a smaller extent, mechanical grip, but also the engineered in feel.
With off road knobblies, off road, mechanical grip is key so age is less of an issue. On road and in conditions with reliance on better chemical grip such as in the cold or wet, then there can be quite an effect, but it will vary from tyre design and manufacturer.
For me, I do check dates and condition. How the tyre is stored, both temperature and exposure to UV has a big effect, but ultimately why take the risk for spending a few hundred quid earlier?
I generally have the 5 year old rule, but if a tyre has no cracks and still passes the 'thumb nail' test, you can go longer, especially if you have owned the tyre and know the conditions it has been on the bike from new and say use the tyres for summer commuting or are a slow rider, rather than a nutter on the road and winter commuter in the wet.
If you are buying a bike second hand though, you can't be sure so I'd say change them if over 5 years old.
The irony is, the older and 'harder' the tyre is through age, the less it will potentially wear, so the tight arses keep saying "There's plenty of tread there" and don't change them, even though they are wearing out slower now. Grip levels will be much lower and feel affected too.
If I am buying an older bike or car with low mileage, the tread depth AND the tyre date are what I check and negotiate accordingly.
The way tyres are made, they are not chemically completely stable. Think of your garden hose left in the sun or anything that perishes or if American - dry rots. Think of carb rubbers on old bikes that get stiff, or coolant hoses that split and become brittle when bending. It's all the same process at differing rates.
There are plasticising agents within tyres and various 'rubberised' materials as chemical engineers create their optimum properties.
These agents are there to affect and engineer in the precise characteristics required of the material - resistance to heat, pliability and then for tyres many of the factors we need from tyres.
These agents leach out with heat, UV and age. One of the reasons you don't repeatedly heat cycle slicks is because these agents leave the material or change with each heat cycle.
On a road tyre, these agents affect coefficients of friction and restitution as well as the way the tyre compound acts at different temperatures (to an extent) and it's internal resistance which affects its ability to heat up and work best at an operating temperature. Not 100%, but the agents are used to fine tune. Other organic chemistry is at work to manage the overall compound base properties.
In layman's terms, these chemicals leaving the tyres with age affects chemical grip and to a smaller extent, mechanical grip, but also the engineered in feel.
With off road knobblies, off road, mechanical grip is key so age is less of an issue. On road and in conditions with reliance on better chemical grip such as in the cold or wet, then there can be quite an effect, but it will vary from tyre design and manufacturer.
For me, I do check dates and condition. How the tyre is stored, both temperature and exposure to UV has a big effect, but ultimately why take the risk for spending a few hundred quid earlier?
I generally have the 5 year old rule, but if a tyre has no cracks and still passes the 'thumb nail' test, you can go longer, especially if you have owned the tyre and know the conditions it has been on the bike from new and say use the tyres for summer commuting or are a slow rider, rather than a nutter on the road and winter commuter in the wet.
If you are buying a bike second hand though, you can't be sure so I'd say change them if over 5 years old.
The irony is, the older and 'harder' the tyre is through age, the less it will potentially wear, so the tight arses keep saying "There's plenty of tread there" and don't change them, even though they are wearing out slower now. Grip levels will be much lower and feel affected too.
If I am buying an older bike or car with low mileage, the tread depth AND the tyre date are what I check and negotiate accordingly.
I'll add my bit to this only because I go through rears every other week. This is what I've found in just this year and so far about 6 rears and 4 fronts
My tyres I get are typically plugged or ex scrubs that I'll use on road. Often the date is 2020-2022 (So 3 to 5 years old). I do however have some Dunlop's still to use with one stating 2018 I think
For me it's VERY noticeable how (based on these all being used tyres) how they were used at the time and then stored after
An example was some Michelin power cup 2 a couple weeks back. Done 500ish road miles, rider didn't like and had minimal wear on sides. They were 2022 but were only road use and on a ninja then my tuono. These were incredibly grippy with great feel. The rears dead but I'm still using the front
Before this I ran a Bridgestone RS11 dated similar but had been on a track day (looked like novice based on wear lines etc) and then stored 3 years (which I'm unaware of how). This looked great when fitted and felt a bit hard on the nail but it's a Bridgestone which are known for a hard carcass
Anyways, this one was terrible, gone hard and would slide, move and come out all the time. It was almost comical and definitely wasn't something a new rider would want to experience
I once bought a conti race attack endurance rear from tyres4bikes on track at snett. It was 2017 and the tyre was dated 2012. I paid track price too and it only after a session checking pressures on the warmers I noticed so went to him to raise this. He dismissed it saying they are carefully dry stored
I never found any issue with grip etc but did feel a bit bothered paying top money at the time on track for something 5 years old
My tyres I get are typically plugged or ex scrubs that I'll use on road. Often the date is 2020-2022 (So 3 to 5 years old). I do however have some Dunlop's still to use with one stating 2018 I think
For me it's VERY noticeable how (based on these all being used tyres) how they were used at the time and then stored after
An example was some Michelin power cup 2 a couple weeks back. Done 500ish road miles, rider didn't like and had minimal wear on sides. They were 2022 but were only road use and on a ninja then my tuono. These were incredibly grippy with great feel. The rears dead but I'm still using the front
Before this I ran a Bridgestone RS11 dated similar but had been on a track day (looked like novice based on wear lines etc) and then stored 3 years (which I'm unaware of how). This looked great when fitted and felt a bit hard on the nail but it's a Bridgestone which are known for a hard carcass
Anyways, this one was terrible, gone hard and would slide, move and come out all the time. It was almost comical and definitely wasn't something a new rider would want to experience
I once bought a conti race attack endurance rear from tyres4bikes on track at snett. It was 2017 and the tyre was dated 2012. I paid track price too and it only after a session checking pressures on the warmers I noticed so went to him to raise this. He dismissed it saying they are carefully dry stored
I never found any issue with grip etc but did feel a bit bothered paying top money at the time on track for something 5 years old
I often buy new old stock tyres to save money, that last example being a Conti Trail Attack 2 instead of a 3 (£110 vs £160). I must admit I never checked that date, but I never had a problem with it. Disclaimer here, I'm a slow road rider on an adv bike, a fast rider might have a different opinion.
I wouldn't use a tyre that's two generations old, that would be pushing my luck a bit too much.
I wouldn't use a tyre that's two generations old, that would be pushing my luck a bit too much.
I do find it funny just how much b
ks gets talked about tyres sometimes; I have even met people who say the first thing they do after buying a used bike is change the tyres, "just in case."
I learned to ride on worn out shonkers with bakelite tyres and soon learned how to feel for grip, especially in the wet; you ride to your abilities and the capabilities of the bike.
Yeah, older tyres won't be as flexible/sticky/trendy as the newest hot-poop from the big manufacturers but they're not going to kill you just because they're more than five years old.

I learned to ride on worn out shonkers with bakelite tyres and soon learned how to feel for grip, especially in the wet; you ride to your abilities and the capabilities of the bike.
Yeah, older tyres won't be as flexible/sticky/trendy as the newest hot-poop from the big manufacturers but they're not going to kill you just because they're more than five years old.
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