sounds crazy... windex on new tires?

[mystahagy]

Howdy,

I saw this on another board a while back, and now I'm wondering about it. Someone mentioned something about wiping new tires down with windex to help scrub them in or get the slick stuff off. I wouldn't normally give it a thought, but I'm getting ready for a trackday and I'm not sure if my new M1's will get enough road time, if any, to scrub them in. I'd hate to roll out there with slippery tires.

Common sense tells me I wouldn't want those chemicals on the tire. At this point windex won't come within 10 feet of these tires unless I hear otherwise, so what's the dilly-o?

[The CyberPoet]

Taint nothing in the world that will reliably get silicone mould-release compound off a tire except friction and fling. You can use dishwashing detergent (liquid) and warm water, then rub with sand, but the problem is that the stuff in the grooves will migrate outwards under rotation, recovering the tire with the stuff. Go ride 'em in...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

That brings back memories of shortly after getting my kat and my wife,bless her heart, wanted to make the wheels nice and shiney for me with Armor all :willy :

[md86]

Sandpaper . About all you can do without actually putting the miles in .

[BraadaJim]

Yep, initial scrub in you really need to just get out and ride and get them hot. If your going to be able to put zero miles on them before the track then some sandpaper like MD suggested will help but you still want to take it easy for a few laps particularly leading in and coming out of curves.

Windex is great though if you're doing something like lubing the chain and get a little on the sidewall or tire edge. Cleans oil and grease up without smearing it.

[tzortn]

I have also been told that using brake cleaner on a new tire will get a lot of the mold release off.

If you are going to a track day I would not worry about it too much. All you need to do is take it easy the first few laps. Gently scrub the tires in and you will be fine.

[md86]

Yeah , but I think brake cleaner will eat rubber if left on . I'd worry a bit about that .

[DreKat]

sand paper, and tight turns

[katcurvincorners]

My father and I run a motorcycle shop, so of course all of my friends shop there... one of my buds came in.. got a set of nice new Metzeler Sportec M1's on his 01 ZX7R... dumped it right out in the street about 25 feet out of my shop doors. Of course, we told him the whole "you have to be careful on new tires... take it easy for the first 100 miles or so...".... so... point of the story being, now ehn he comes in for tires, he scrubs them with Steel Wool and Carb Cleaner.... it seems to eat off the top layer of oil... but by no means is this a cure all for breaking a new tire in.