NHTSA Complaint #10891574 — 2013 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FXSB

I HAVE HAD TWO D407 REAR TIRES FOR A HARLEY BREAKOUT 2013. MY DRIVING IS A T2 MILE STRETCH FROM OAKLAND TO RICHMOND CA TO WORK AND FROM RICHMOND TO HAYWARD 16 MILES TWICE A WEEK TO WORK PART TIME AS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR. TRIPS TO LOS ANGELES ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. NO OTHER TRIPS TO SURROUNDING AREAS JUST RIDING AROUND TOWN AT LOW SPEED EVERY WEEKEND. BOTH REAR TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF FAILURE AT ABOUT 3K WITH CRACKS SPANNING THE BREATH OF THE TIRE. THE FIRST HAD SEVERAL CRACKS, WHEN THE FRONT DID THE SAME THING I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE TREAD WAS BELOW 32. I DID NOT GO AT FIRST CAUSE I HAD ALREADY BEEN HAVING RUNAROUND WITH THEM SCAMMING WARRANTY REPAIRS. BUT WHEN THE FRONT CRACKED ABOUT 4K I WAS SURE IT WAS THE TIRES AND WENT IN. THE FIRST 1.5K WAS DONE AT OR BELOW 50 MPS CAUSE THE BIKE WAS NEW AND IT WAS MY FIRST MOTORCYCLE AFTER TAKING THE SAFETY COURSE IN 2008 BOUGHT BIKE 2013. I AM AN EXCELLENT BICYCLER. SWITCHED TO PERILLI AND A FINE TIRE THE NIGHT DRAGON, DROVE TILL SLICK AND RAINY SEASON APPROACH BEFORE CHANGE. I HAD BEEN CHECKING THESE AND JUST NOTICED A CRACK THAT LOOKS DEEPER AND THE START ON ONE SIDE AND SPANS THE TIME TO THINNER ON THE OTHER SIDE. WHEN I WENT IN TO CHANGE THE FIRST ONES THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE FRONT AND ASKED WHERE I HAD BEEN KEEPING THE BIKE. INSIDE AND IT IS 6 MONTHS OLD. I AM 68 SO REMEMBER THOSE RUBBER TIRES WE USED TO MAKE GO CARTS ETC, YOU COULD TELL WHEN IT WAS DRIED AND THEY REMINDED ME OF THAT BUT I SAID WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT MOTOR CYCLE TIRES IN 2012. TALKED TO REVZILLA ABOUT CRACKS AND DO CHUNKS COME OFF AT SPEED. HE SAID HE HAS SEEN THAT AT TRACKS BUT IT IS MORE A MATTER OF TEMPERATURE THAN SPEED, WHICH MAKES SENSE. I WAS AT THE SHOP A FEW MONTHS AGO AND THE MACHANIC SAID HE STILL HAD THE TIRE. I WILL CHECK AND SEE. CANT SEEM TO FIND THE PICS I HAD.