[ironmark]

Felt some vibration so I checked the tires and this is what I found.
The tread on the rear Mich Commander II was separating/cracking, there is also some weather checking on the tire as well.
This tire is around a year old but it still has some tread left so I should have been able to get another 5000 miles +/- if it was in good shape.
I check my tire psi often and I always run the rear at 40psi and I never pull hole shots or burn outs.
I have had a couple sets of Commander II's and never noticed this problem before so I don't know if this is a bad production run or what.
My front Commander II is only around six month old and it is showing signs of weather checking too but it isn't that bad yet.
I am going back to the old reliable Dunlop D402 tires, I just order both front and rear tires and they will be here next week, I never had a problem with the Dunlop D402 tires cracking on the treads or the side walls.
I am not going to try to warranty these tires because all I will get is another set of Commander II's and I don't feel comfortable riding on tires that have a history of cracking.

 

[ironmark]

I took a couple pics of the my Michelin Commander II front tire and if you look real hard you can see (it easier to see in person) where the tread is weather checking. This front tire only has around 10,000 miles on it and it is around 6 month old.
I been a Commander II believer and been using them for a while now, this is my 3rd rear and my 2nd front Commander II. This is the last set of Commander II tires that my bike will see.

 

[Nordic Berserker]

wow that's pretty bad Mark,you wouldn't expect that out of a year old tire. thanks for the info.

 

[RideFar19]

If you have been happy in the past and they make it right, with maybe a pro rated deal" on a new set. Why not stick with what you like.

 

[Hillglide]

I hate when that happens. Those are some nasty cracks. Good luck.

 

[brhodea]

thats the reason I stopped running the old reliable Dunlops! front tire side wall cracking, rear tire cracking just like yous plus severe cupping. I'll be watching the Michelin on my rear this season. but you couldn't pay me to go back to the Dunlops!!

 

[Big_gary]

thats the reason I stopped running the old reliable Dunlops! front tire side wall cracking, rear tire cracking just like yous plus severe cupping. I'll be watching the Michelin on my rear this season. but you couldn't pay me to go back to the Dunlops!!

Been pretty happy with my front American Elite 2nd Generation tire. Much better than the HD Dunlop.

 

[redbone]

tires

what year are your tires? I just put does tires on my 06 glide probley have 2000 miles on them with no problem

 

[HogPro]

What is the date code on the tires? That is the real question.

 

[ironmark]

thats the reason I stopped running the old reliable Dunlops! front tire side wall cracking, rear tire cracking just like yous plus severe cupping. I'll be watching the Michelin on my rear this season. but you couldn't pay me to go back to the Dunlops!!

The Dunlap tires that cracked where on the newer model bikes. I never had any problems with the Dunlap D402 tires cracking on my 08.

What is the date code on the tires? That is the real question.

The date on the front tire is 4013 which is around Oct 2013 and the rear tire date is 4913 which is around Dec 2013.
I don't think the age of the tires are the problem.

The tech that mounted and balanced my tires mentioned that it looked like the weather checking was just the difference in the tire compound.

 

[CSM-H]

Bad tires

I would take more pictures and get ALL the codes off the tires and write Michelin. Give them a chance to make it right (money wise). I believe they will understand not buying the tires again. CSM-H

 

[charlieb]

As others have said follow up with michelin if they send you new tires many will be happy to buy them from you. I just swithched to commander lls because my dunlop 408s were weather cracked after 1.5yrs moco said no warranty because i was under the 3mm minimum but I had 30,000km on front and 18,000km on rear when I noticed lots of sidewall and tread cracking. these 408s are dunlops most expensive tire

 

[mpears53]

I've had very good luck with Michelin Comm IIs. 24,000 miles on rear and still lots of tread, no cracking but some cupping for sure. I started out at 40 psi and now run the rear at 45 psi. Works for me on a 2011 RGU
I'd talk to Michelin, they might make it worth your time.

 

[Road dawg]

I would definitely talk to Michelin about the tires looks like a defect in the process, I have no experience with them but as for people having problems with Dunlops I never have had them on multiple bikes and now I went with the American elites I will keep everyone posted, good luck on whatever direction you choose ironmark.

 

[mouser58]

What is the date code on the tires? That is the real question.

I have noticed that some of the guys that get tires from Amazon and such discount houses, "born Dates" were sometimes a year old when they got them...

 

[redbone]

tires

mark what tires are you thinking about going to?

 

[livryd]

I had the same cracking but they were on a Metzeler ME880. I went round and round with Metzeler with some money back and they said ME888 fixes all the problems and can now hang on tire wear with the Michelins and the Dunlap.
I know guys on this forum love them. I will never buy another Metzeler ME880. At some rallies (here in Texas) guys said they had problems too with ME880's but got them swapped out for free with ME888 and love them. (I'm still Pissed).
I need new tires and was going to put Michelin Scorcher 31. (please send comments),
My last bike was a 2012 RG I got 25,000 on my first set of Dunlaps D408F on front and D407 on rear. After my ME880 problem 6,400 miles on them. I then only got 16,800 miles on the second of dunlaps. I never seem to get as many miles on tires as I do the first set. My new glide is a 2015 with 17,260 miles and I'll be pushing it to get 20,000 on them(factory D408F and D407T rear. I ride rain or shine and like a tire to last awhile. I can tell these tires don't handle like they use to but wearing nicely.

 

[ironmark]

I went back to the stock Dunlops on my bike. I know not everyone is a fan of Dunlops with the problems with the new Dunlops sidewalls cracking.
My 08 has the 130x16 front and the 140x16 rear tire and I never had a problem with these tire cracking either on the tread or the sidewalls.