Tyre wear and law

robs ss

robs ss

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My Avon RR2 is due for replacement soon due to reduced tread depth in the centre - very common.
My observation (question?) here is that there is not a level playing field. Take the Hidenau K65 (just to mention one) has no centre sipe, so will "legally" have a substantially longer life than other tyres with a centre sipe.
It makes logical sense, since it it the front that does most of the braking when "upright"
On this basis, maybe the centre sipe on rear tyres should be exempt of the "3mm rule" - no?
Screen Shot 2024-09-19 at 7.36.15 pm.png

Cheers
 
There are wear bars there. There are also pointers located along the tread/sidewall edge, so that anyone can find them easily.
 
Most modern tyres no longer have a centre thread, my last 2 tyres on my Thruxton I wore them right down on the centre the last ride on them they looked good as I knew they were past their limit but still had rubber, went for a Sunday ride with a few mates and at one area I hammered the big 1200, I stopped at a T section to wait for the mates to catch up and the first one said look at your tyre and sure enough one part was no rubber at all and could see the steel belt, well that was a slow ride home after seeing that, the torque of the 1200 just ate the last bit of rubber on that centre line, but it was only in one spot on the centre line without rubber.
I seem to get the most out of my tyres before I replace them.

Ashley
 
ashman said:
Most modern tyres no longer have a centre thread, my last 2 tyres on my Thruxton I wore them right down on the centre the last ride on them they looked good as I knew they were past their limit but still had rubber, went for a Sunday ride with a few mates and at one area I hammered the big 1200, I stopped at a T section to wait for the mates to catch up and the first one said look at your tyre and sure enough one part was no rubber at all and could see the steel belt, well that was a slow ride home after seeing that, the torque of the 1200 just ate the last bit of rubber on that centre line, but it was only in one spot on the centre line without rubber.
I seem to get the most out of my tyres before I replace them.

Ashley
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The Rocket does that
 
Elfix said:
Hereabouts you can run your tires till they pop. Inspections? We don’t need no stinking inspections!
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In VA, you have annual inspections unless you have historic plates, then none. In MD there's only an inspection when first registered.
 
I have never heard of any law in Australia which would stop anyone from running a bald tyre or anything else which is substandard. However our police usually have the power to require a roadworthy inspection, by a certified mechanic. A new tyre might be cheaper, than a roadworthy inspection and a new tyre. A thing which annoys me, is we cannot fit better motors to old cars, even with an engineers' certificate. Hotrods are pretty much a thing of the past. These days kids can all use computers, but not spanners.
All the guys on this forum are dinosaurs.
The police in Australian regional towns worry about young people speeding on public roads, but building a drag strip for them to do it under controlled conditions would be stupid.
 
acotrel said:
A thing which annoys me, is we cannot fit better motors to old cars, even with an engineers' certificate. Hotrods are pretty much a thing of the past. These days kids can all use computers, but not spanners.
All the guys on this forum are dinosaurs.
Click to expand...
So engine swapping in Australia is illegal? I'm one of the dinosaurs you speak of but, as a winter project the year before last I did an LS/Vortec engine and 4L80 trans swap into my 1957 Chevy, which if you didn't know is a modern GM drivetrain. Although some of us, (me included) at times, dream of living in a different part of the world, I am thankful that, at least for now, here in the U.S. we're still allowed to do such swaps and persue hobbies like hot rodding.
 
quawk said:
So engine swapping in Australia is illegal? I'm one of the dinosaurs you speak of but, as a winter project the year before last I did an LS/Vortec engine and 4L80 trans swap into my 1957 Chevy, which if you didn't know is a modern GM drivetrain. Although some of us, (me included) at times, dream of living in a different part of the world, I am thankful that, at least for now, here in the U.S. we're still allowed to do such swaps and persue hobbies like hot rodding.
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No, not up here in God's Country (Queensland). We are pretty free to swap and change.
Al lives in Albania-below-Murray (Victoria) where they've successively elected Pinko/Greenie/tree hugging/Lesbians and weirdos for years - and, surprise surprise, this is what they get.
Vehicle registration is a state-by-state affair in Australia.
Cheers

Edit: the capital of Victoria is Melbourne - https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/post-your-jokes-and-humor-here.29577/post-683806
 
ando said:
The minimum tread depth throughout Australia is 1.5mm including Victoria see this Transport Victoria website. https://transport.vic.gov.au/regist...dards-information/tyre-maintenance-and-repair

David
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Thanks David.
My point, as OP, is that, as some tyres have no centre-sipe at all, is an overly shallow centre-sipe an issue for those tyres that do have them?

The tyre in my post #1 has no sipes within 7mm either side of centre - and that's a new tyre!

I think I will follow @ashman 's advice in post #10 above!
Cheers

EDIT Cops don't appear to police those kind of things nowadays so the only issue might be an insurance claim (touch wood!)
 
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Rob

They do police tread depth here in NSW. I have had police check my tyres at both random breath stop checks and when pulled over. Further Council parking rangers also check tread depth here when marking tyres for timed parking. In fact, as a previous employee of Shoalhaven Council, I became aware that numerous employees received bald tyre infringement notices when parked at work in the council carpark by the Council Rangers. Just another of those endearing things about an employer respecting staff. I know that parking fines and bald tyre fines made up a considerable part of the council budget.

Today I have just changed a K81 which was getting close on the centre groove, as the fines here are more than the tyre.

David
 
ando said:
Rob

They do police tread depth here in NSW. I have had police check my tyres at both random breath stop checks and when pulled over. Further Council parking rangers also check tread depth here when marking tyres for timed parking. In fact, as a previous employee of Shoalhaven Council, I became aware that numerous employees received bald tyre infringement notices when parked at work in the council carpark by the Council Rangers. Just another of those endearing things about an employer respecting staff. I know that parking fines and bald tyre fines made up a considerable part of the council budget.

Today I have just changed a K81 which was getting close on the centre groove, as the fines here are more than the tyre.

David
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Thanks David - Jeez I'm glad I don't live down there!!
...and hopefully our cops & council remain as slack as they currently are!
Cheers
(I will have a new rear on in a week or so...🤞)
 
robs ss said:
Thanks David.
My point, as OP, is that, as some tyres have no centre-sipe at all, is an overly shallow centre-sipe an issue for those tyres that do have them?

The tyre in my post #1 has no sipes within 7mm either side of centre - and that's a new tyre!

I think I will follow @ashman 's advice in post #10 above!
Cheers

EDIT Cops don't appear to police those kind of things nowadays so the only issue might be an insurance claim (touch wood!)
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IMHO cops are not the issue here…

If you’ve worn the tire so much that the centre is bald, or close to, then you’ve worn 7mm or more material off of the centre of the tire.

You have changed the shape and strength of the tire to the point that, according to the manufacturer, it is no longer serviceable.

I don’t see how it’s possible for such wear to NOT negatively effect the handling and safety performance of the tire.

And that’s before we get into discussions about insurance liabilities in the event of a RTA…

Fit a new freakin tire dude !!
 
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