• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

5 yr old Dunlop tires

Joined
Apr 20, 2003
Messages
1,571
Reaction score
659
A while ago, tnx to this site/member, I was given a set of free never used 5 year old Dunlop tires so I thus just wanted to pass on my experience using them.

This is just my experience and may not be typical of all 5 year old tires. Even Dunlop, when contacted directly, stated "that while Dunlop fully backs their products, that using 5 year old tires was a personal choice and not one they necessarily endorsed."

The Good:

Still had great performance and adaptability (used for trackdays, back road jaunts, wrk day commuting and errand running)
Still had great longevity (6500 miles on the rear, still using the front)
Still were very sticky and gave very imediate and positive feedback (once warm)
Still maintained proper air pressure with no substantial/noticable air loss regardless of outside/tire temperatures
When remove/replaced no noticable abnormalities were detected/found on the tire

The Bad

Took an extremely long time to warm up (slow speed lowside at GSS)
Felt hard/harsh, wooden until warm
Lacked grip, felt oily until warm
Did not inspire confidence until warm

In final analysis I am really grateful for the free tires and really glad of the great riding I did with them so much so that I have now purchased 2 more brand new Dunlops, when in the past would have only purchased Michelins or Pirellis.
 
Tires age, sunlight is harmful to rubber, believe it or not. Unless they were stored for 5 years in a dark room with little to no UV light i'd be very cautious.
 
It'll be interesting to see how you like the fresh tires.

Hope you'll post how they compare to the old ones.
 
I mounted some old stock TKC80s on the GS that I had in my tire rack. Found them stiff and hard to mount as well as hard to get the bead seated. Took it out to the desert and Ed29 and I were out riding one day and I danged near lost it in a corner on 170 that I have taken many times at that speed and higher. Did feel harsher on pavement and not near as sticky as when they were new.

I have several sets of tires in my rack that are half worn that gotten replaced before a long trip. Come to the conclusion that they will more than likely go to the recycler and not get mounted again.

Took a half worn PR3 and mounted a new PR4 last night for the up coming leaf looky ride at the end of the month, it will probably meet the same fate.
 
Last edited:
A 5 year old tire is not as pliable and soft as it used to be, so I don't suggest to use them for performance riding.
 
Back
Top