[Louisville Joe]

I recently posted about checking my tires and finding my rear had lost 20 lbs. Filled it up and kept checking for a couple of days but it didn't lose any more air. Got the wheel off the ground and closely examined tire--no nails, staples or anything else I could see. As someone suggested I slowly turned tire and sprayed with 409 but no air bubbles detected.

My indy just phoned me. He found some corrosion on the inside edge of the wheel. Just in one spot on one side of the wheel. Probably why tire lost air. He buffed it out pretty good and we hope it won't occur again. This is a '13 RGC bike, with factory wheels, next month will be 2 years since I picked it up.

Thought I would share info. And with 15,000 miles I told him to go ahead and put a tire on as I didn't want to chance having it go down on me again and I went with a newer Dunlop AE high mileage (so Dunlop says) model tire.

 

[baggerboy]

Thanks for sharing. The American Elites are great tires. Got about 8k on the rear and its about half gone. Got 12k out of the stock rear.

 

[Old Coot]

Is there a difference in the Elite3 and the American Elite? Or is it just the AE is branded Harley Davidson? I'm running E3's, love the tires, but I don't get the mileage I was expecting. I've never gotten the miles out of tires that others have. If a set lasts a yr., I'm doing good.

 

[BaseballBiker]

So it was a problem with the wheel and not the tire, right?

We bought my son a cheap car when he turned 16 last year. It has pretty fancy looking chrome wheels. At one point or another, all four tires have gone completely flat while sitting overnight.

Turns out the fancy chrome wheels get corroded inside and if it's along the seal, it leaks out. The garage was able to clean them up and hopefully it'll be awhile before it does it again.

 

[baggerboy]

Is there a difference in the Elite3 and the American Elite? Or is it just the AE is branded Harley Davidson? I'm running E3's, love the tires, but I don't get the mileage I was expecting. I've never gotten the miles out of tires that others have. If a set lasts a yr., I'm doing good.

The E3's and the American Elites are two different tires. The AE is Dunlop's aftermarket version of the new high mileage tires that are stock on the touring bikes.

 

[ciscokid]

u got to use Vaseline or some kinda grease on the rims. that way they dont do that. i always use Vaseline on all my rims ,cars, trucks, bikes. never have corrosion problems ever. if i have a tire shop change tires i take them the vaseline and i will inspect those rim first then put it on there. but they take care of it for me anyways.
ya some of you will say the tire will or could slip. B/S they stick good. dosent take a lot just enough to grease them good and light.

 

[GotGold]

Sounds like ya got it Joe, I've seen this happen with cages on metal rims as well as the alloys. Thanks for the info on the high mileage Dunlop, I know I'll be changing out another rear tire probably mid summer next year, I seem to go through em awful fast.

 

[2010hdultra]

AE are the same dual compound as the factory 407/408, so mileage should be abput the same. They have a herder center for long life and softer sides for better cornering. Ive had a set of each and will buy the AE again.

 

[bensfatboy]

I recently posted about checking my tires and finding my rear had lost 20 lbs. Filled it up and kept checking for a couple of days but it didn't lose any more air. Got the wheel off the ground and closely examined tire--no nails, staples or anything else I could see. As someone suggested I slowly turned tire and sprayed with 409 but no air bubbles detected.

My indy just phoned me. He found some corrosion on the inside edge of the wheel. Just in one spot on one side of the wheel. Probably why tire lost air. He buffed it out pretty good and we hope it won't occur again. This is a '13 RGC bike, with factory wheels, next month will be 2 years since I picked it up.

Thought I would share info. And with 15,000 miles I told him to go ahead and put a tire on as I didn't want to chance having it go down on me again and I went with a newer Dunlop AE high mileage (so Dunlop says) model tire.

I think I would go back to the Stealership and ask for some new rims.
I don't think that the wheels should corrode after a couple of years or 15,000 miles. Something not right there, and should not have to worry about deflating tires for that reason especially running 60, 70, 80 mph or more down the road.

 

[ciscokid]

that soap they use to mount tires will corrode ur wheels. even new from dealer, they all use that soap stuff and its real bad for you wheel. vaseline is the way to do it.
ive seen this a million times new wheel and there corroded. they all ask the same thing why , well now ya know why.

 

[Vandy58]

I had AE on my road King. Great tires! Not as sticky as the Metzlers but lasted so much longer. I prefer them over stock dun flops


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[smokeydog]

I work in an truck repair shop with a tire shop and we use Murphys oil soap to lube tires during mount and dismount. Works very well and prevents corrosion. I also use it mixed with rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to clean my black powder firearms. One part of each. Mountain man's moose milk.