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more than a decade Dunlop’s tire
pros have taken to the road, setting up shop at runs and rallies everywhere.
Their mission is simple: Educate America’s bikers on tire safety
and proper maintenance, helping them get the most out of their tires.
Any rider on any motorcycle, and running any brand tire, can take advantage
of this, too. Everyone’s welcome, it’s all free, and everyone
gets the same comprehensive tire check. Dunlop’s provided this
service for years, and now with the addition of the “Flying D,” that
big, highly visible Dunlop truck with its multi-color side awnings and
canopies, the Dunlop crew is hard to miss.When riders bring their bikes in they’ll have all their questions about Dunlops, or about tires in general, answered, and the Dunlop team will check as many bikes and tires as they can, servicing up to 200 motorcycles a day. The first thing that happens is the bike is weighed, front and rear, and the load verified. Next the air pressure is checked, and unfortunately almost all tires are found to be low. Low air pressure, of course, equates to reduced tire life, ill handling, and an all-over reduction in both motorcycle and tire performance. The Dunlop crew says, on average, seven out of 10 bikes will have low tire pressure. Not encouraging. The external surface of every tire is meticulously scrutinized, too, including the tread and the sidewalls. The team is looking for any irregular wear, damage or punctures. Problems are identified and the rider is advised of his best course of action for repair and/or replacement, with recommendations on how to improve the wear characteristics. The Dunlop truck doesn’t sell or service any tires, of course; all that’s referred to the local dealers. Speaking of wear, Dunlop recommends replacing tires at 2/32-inch remaining in the tread depth, even though the federal mandate is 1/32-inch. That’s cutting it close, they feel, and they also see plenty of riders on that minimum 2/32nds. Time for tires. Every rider leaves with a brochure outlining the full Dunlop tire line, which should translate into sales—sooner rather than later. They’re also given a complementary air pressure gauge to take with them, and use more often. Other than low air pressure, other commonly found problems include misapplied tires—a bias-ply tire on a bike designed for radials and vice versa; tires mounted incorrectly with the fronts and rears switched or tires mounted backwards; damage due to accessories like luggage and backrests where the mounting hardware comes into contact with the tire at full suspension compression; and surprisingly, quite often tire damage due to trailering. Many times the tire chocks on a trailer will chafe and damage the sidewalls. All this is just one more example of Dunlop’s dedication to supporting its customers and dealers, and keeping them both doing what they love to do, ride motorcycles safely. Hopefully, riding on Dunlop tires. Encourage your customers to stop by next time the Dunlop Tire Check Crew is around. It’s a real learning experience, and it’s free.  |
Dunlop
is dedicated to educating America’s riders about proper
tire safety, maintenance and performance.
For more information see:
www.dunlopmotorcycle.com
