Motorcycle Repair: rear tire wear, rear bearings, side tire

Question
i have a gl1500 se 1994,i've replace this tire twice each time due to left side tire wearing out before right side even show wear.Can you shed some light on a possible problem.
Thanks

Answer
Hi Terry,

If you do not have any mechanical problems with the swingarm or
rear bearings in the wheel then it is probably
due to a few common factors.

Left side wear is more common because left hand turns have a larger radius
in countries where right hand side driving is common.

When turning left the centrifugal weight is pushing
on the left side of the tire.

When on a smaller radius right hand turn the weight is on the right
side but the turns are shorter being on the inside of the roadway
so less tire wear results on the right.

Left turns are the opposite in left hand side driving countries.
They get more tire wear on the right side because they have larger
radius on their right hand turns as they drive on the left lane.

It can help to increase tire pressures up to 38 front and 40 on the rear.
It may ride a bit rougher but side tire wear will be less.

The tire pressures listed by Honda are too soft for most Goldwings
and tire wear can be bad at those softer pressures.

The tire should only wear on the sides in a curve so I suspect
the right hand driving and the air pressures are the cause.

You could move to Europe to get maximum use of your tires
on the right side after the left is worn, lol ;)

Wayne S
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