Is anyone noticing any problems with the front tire cupping. My front tire is horrible. Its got high and low spots all over it and has only 1020 miles on it. The rear is squaring off from commuting to work but the front being all jacked up is making it uncomfortable to ride.

Is it possible that its a bad tire? Should I go to the dealer and try to get them to cover it under warranty?

Im not buying a new tire after 1k miles thats for damn sure. Ill burn the bike to the ground in front of the dealer before I do that.

I dont ride crazy in fact I drive like a little old lady. I havent done anything strange on the bike just normal riding. Air pressure is about 34 in the front and 36 or so in the rear. I just noticed it about a week ago and in that week the front tire has gotten a lot worse. Its so bad it makes me nervous to ride. The bike when I turn in to a corner twitches all over the place.

If the tire isnt bad why would it go crazy and start cupping so badly after only 1k miles?

-vJ-

Not that it will probably make a lot of difference, but the specified pressures in the manual are 36 psi (front), and 42 psi (rear). And, that's regardless of load.

I'd check and see if they'll warranty the front.

Actually low tire pressure in the front will absolutely cause that problem...

And the dealer won't warranty the tire, or tyre as some of you spell it... , most likely because its a wear item which may have been underinflated...

I have noticed the B-king is very sensitive to pressures. I run mine on 38 front and 42 rear, anything less than that and the bike feels wrong. A couple of PSI can make all the difference, especially on a front heavy bike.

im running shinko`s on mine and changed to a 190 rear and man! what a difference!!! the bike actually handles now!!!!!

Hmm, I thought it handles really well with the 200? Its one of the best handling bikes I've owned!

i should have said turns in quicker

I had 36 front and 42 rear and the bike felt like it was going all over the place. I dropped the rear a little to 36 or so and it rides lots better. At 42 I thought it was going to come out from under me.

Its so bad I havent ridden in over a week now. My baby isnt fun to ride when it feels like its going to do what it wants underneath me. I like to feel more planted. The first 800 miles were perfection and the last 220 have been a horrible nightmare. It feels like its gonna lay itself down any second and going into corners it moves around all over the place. Its not the same bike it was a few hundred miles ago.

Im thinking of taking something and smoothing out the tires a little and seeing if that helps. I shaved down tires on my truck when they cupped. Maybe some time and sandpaper can remedy the problem thru about 3k miles and I can get some better tires.

Im going to go with some pretty hard sport touring tires. No more sport tires for me. I ride like a grandma anyway. Slow and just a few corners. I mainly just ride to get out and get away. I'll go buy a 600 or 750 if I want to hit the twisties regularly or go to track days.

So what kind of tires will give decent performance and 5000+ miles? I am going to change all the fluids on my polaris ATV tomorrow and me and the boy are gonna go ride some trails but later this week Im gonna try and hit the high spots on that front tire and knock them down a little with something. Sand them down a little maybe, I just dont want to sand too hard or I'll put too much heat in them.

I dont think its a pressure problem. I check it regularly (every time I ride).

-vJ-

Velvet... If you start cornering hard, be sure your tires are hot and sticky first... I've got close to 4,000 miles on the stockers now and am ready to replace them, but they have not changed how they handle over time / mileage.

I'm guessing that maybe your tires just aren't up to temp when you're trying to corner hard and are slipping a little. (Which I have done)

It has been 95 to 105 degrees here the past month. So after 30-40 minutes of riding if they arent hot then they are never going to get warmed up.

I had a flat spot in my tire and at 110mph it started hopping, I changed it and all is well!
150mph and smoothe.

"Im not buying a new tire after 1k miles thats for damn sure. Ill burn the bike to the ground in front of the dealer before I do that."

I can't stop laughin about that one.....maybe a bit too much coffee hey

I purchased a new one just to get to the bottom of the hopping problem. It was the stock tire I think because pressure was always checked .

cupping is useually form low preassure. Sounds like you need to turn up the preassure and turn down the compression a bit. I have taken a few clicks out of the front and rear, and put full preload in the front, and I have np hitting any curve with some speed.

Usually, they cup if under inflated, I run 40 PSI in mine...