honda305.com Forum
Vintage Honda Owners, Restorers, Riders and Admirers
Original Nitto tires
Original Nitto tires
When I restored my 305 Dream back in 1980 I took off the original tires and put them in a barn. They still had pretty decent tread, both front and rear. I had found some Goodyear whitewalls so put them on. So 30 years later my uncle is cleaning out the barn and guess what, they were still there. And believe it or not they aren't even weather checked, still fairly pliable. So now, what to do? I could likely sell them for a fair amount, mount them up and sell the goodyears, or just hang on to them. Not sure, just strange how things work out.
No way would I ride on any tires that old at any speed.
Sell them to someone who has or wants a museum piece.
I once bought a 10 year old bike with original tires that had been sitting in a shed for a few years.
Tires looked good, treadwise and no checking or cracking I could see.
After doing the few normal things to get it running, I took it out for the test run.
After finding out a F650 BMW will easily do 100 mph indicated, I began to hear and feel a thumping in the rear.
After stopping, I found the rear tire had a longitudinal split in the middle of the tread about 6"long exposing the cords that wasn't there when I left.
I was lucky..you might not be.
Sell them to someone who has or wants a museum piece.
I once bought a 10 year old bike with original tires that had been sitting in a shed for a few years.
Tires looked good, treadwise and no checking or cracking I could see.
After doing the few normal things to get it running, I took it out for the test run.
After finding out a F650 BMW will easily do 100 mph indicated, I began to hear and feel a thumping in the rear.
After stopping, I found the rear tire had a longitudinal split in the middle of the tread about 6"long exposing the cords that wasn't there when I left.
I was lucky..you might not be.
66 dream, 78 cb750k, 02fz1, 09 wing
Since you mentioned the condition of the Goodyears, I wouldn't ride on them either.
The idea of sliding down the road, off the road, or into the path of an oncoming vehicle at any speed isn't very appealing to me, and riding on the highway on deteriorated tires greatly increases those risks.
The fact that these are tube-type tires also makes blowout recovery much less likely than with tube-less tires.
Not trying to be an alarmist, but riding is risky enough when everything is in perfect shape, and those very small rubber contact patches are the only things that keep you in control.
Off the soapbox now!
The idea of sliding down the road, off the road, or into the path of an oncoming vehicle at any speed isn't very appealing to me, and riding on the highway on deteriorated tires greatly increases those risks.
The fact that these are tube-type tires also makes blowout recovery much less likely than with tube-less tires.
Not trying to be an alarmist, but riding is risky enough when everything is in perfect shape, and those very small rubber contact patches are the only things that keep you in control.
Off the soapbox now!
66 dream, 78 cb750k, 02fz1, 09 wing