Dunlop American Elite down to wear bar at 5153 miles

[twincamzz]

I see a lot of y'all recommend the Dunlop American Elite  & some say they get 10-15K out of them. I tried a set on my 2013 Dyna Switchback this last tire change. No burnouts ever, just riding solo. I weigh about 130 pounds. I have been religious in keeping the tires at the  factory recommended tire pressure of 40 psi rear & 36 psi front. There is no cupping of the tread & the tires have worn evenly.
Today during my pre-ride check I noticed I am down to the wear bar on the rear tire. Mileage  is 5153 miles. 
For comparison,  I got 6928 miles out of the previous tire, which was a Michelin Commander II. I don't understand why I can never seem to get the high mileage out of my tires like a lot of other folks claim.
Other than the mileage, I have been satisfied with the performance of the tire & have a new one sitting out in my shop just waiting to be installed.

[scott7d]

I have a 2020 CVO Road Glide. I weigh 175 and my fiancé weighs 90. Most of the long distance trips are two-up.

This last set of American Elites, I got over 30,000 miles on the front, and close to 30,000 on the rear. When I had new tires installed, the old ones still didn't really look terrible. That is somewhat of an anomaly for me but still usually get over 20,000 miles easily per set. This include a lot of aggressive riding where we are scraping floorboards on some of the well known curvy routes in the mountains.

I hope you're able to narrow down what the issue is. They really are fantastic tires.

[FXDBI]

Possibly a alignment issue it seems to be scrubbing it off the one side much more than the other.   Bob

[motorhogman]

I tried the Dunlop AE on my 01 FLHT.  Didn't get any better miles out of it than any other tire on the rear.  Just about 10,000 and it was well worn. I used a spacer and installed the MU series and thought that would help.  Nope.  I've run the D 402's, The old Metzler 880's, Dunlop AE and currently running a Michelin Commander II on the rear.. It has about 4,000 mi on it now and I don't see it making 10,000 mi.  Thinking I'll try a Commander III next.. The discontinued 880's gave me the best miles.. 11.000 to 12,000.   I to keep my tires at factory inflation spec.  I've heard some say you need to run higher pressures with the non OEM tires.. I talked to a Michelin rep and he said always run the OEM pressure recommendations.

I will say that I seemed to get better miles out of tires when I lived up in MA.  Been in SC 15 years and I swear tires wear out faster.  My guess.. The road heat.  Much hotter here than up North.. 

Your mileage seems kind of low though considering you don't ride hard.   

[twincamzz]

Possibly a alignment issue it seems to be scrubbing it off the one side much more than the other.   Bob

Perhaps the picture is deceiving...the tire is worn evenly as I mentioned in my original post

[ultrafxr]

Possibly a alignment issue it seems to be scrubbing it off the one side much more than the other.   Bob

Perhaps the picture is deceiving...the tire is worn evenly as I mentioned in my original post

Just because you can see the wear bars does not mean it is 'down to the wear bars.'  Hard to tell from your photo but it looks to me that while I can see the wear bars the tread is still above them.  Once the wear bar and the tread are 'even' that would indicate 2/32" of tread.  Get a depth gauge and measure the tread.  I think you'll find it above the 2/32" limit.

[bigfoot5x]

I checked Twincamzz profile for where he lives out of curiosity. I live in Texas within 100 miles of the Gulf coast. I have noticed when traveling that tires wear a lot more in some of the western states that have snow every year. New Mexico seems to use a really rough or coarse texture on their roads. Much more so than around here. The roads are pretty smooth along the Gulf coast and I get 15,000 miles or so on the rear Dunlop Elites but they get worn quickly on western trips. I usually get around 20,000 miles on the front. I have a Street Glide and the wife has a Super Glide. She's lighter, on a lighter bike and easier on the throttle. My wife wife gets better mileage than I do, both gas mileage and tire mileage.

[Ohio HD]

The tires for a touring bike and for that Dyna are not apples to apples. More like apples to oranges. That Dyna uses V rated tires, softer than the touring bikes H rated tires. They will not give the same mileage as the touring bikes get.

That being said, I can only get about 8,000 to 9,000 out of a rear on my 2009 Touring. Much less on my 2008 Touring.

[04 SE Deuce]

Like Ohio said touring model tires can't be compared to your bike/tires. 
I doubt there is anything questionable or wrong with your bike.
I used up over 30 front and approx. same number of rear tires on my Deuce in 143K. 
Ran more 160/70-17 rears like your bike than the 180/60-17 that was stock.
Used both bias and radial,  cruiser and sport touring tire models on the rear.
None lasted more than 4000 miles unless substantial "trip" miles were involved.
All tires were personally mounted/balanced and ran well past wear bars which I don't recommend others do.
Michelin Commander II would go 6-8K, 1.5 - 2 times further than anything else but is a slip/slid tire that I tried to only use on trips...not good in the wet and average at best in dry.
Tires are typically 2-3lbs over recommended inflation as tire life and irregular wear are better and IMO you don't give up much grip on a cruiser/sport touring compound by running 2-3 more psi.  Normally 42-44psi in the 160/70-17.  Avon is good with psi recommendations for their tires.

I live on a curvy road and carry more turn speed than 99.?% of cruiser riders.  Suspension reworked on both ends and raised in rear for lean angle in the mid 30's.

I tried to slow my roll a little to get more mileage and only got 200 more miles out of a tire that was the same date code as the previous rear tire...so back to normal.

I'll run a CII for a multi-state trip but otherwise I run what I like the feel/grip of...it's part of the cost of enjoying motorcycling.

[twincamzz]

The tires for a touring bike and for that Dyna are not apples to apples. More like apples to oranges. That Dyna uses V rated tires, softer than the touring bikes H rated tires. They will not give the same mileage as the touring bikes get.

That being said, I can only get about 8,000 to 9,000 out of a rear on my 2009 Touring. Much less on my 2008 Touring.

I was not aware that the touring tires did not share the V rating. Your explanation makes sense to me. I also think the road surface in my neck of the woods here in Kentucky is pretty rough asphalt  & probably shortens the tread life some. I ride mostly backroads with the occasional hop on the highway.

[PoorUB]

My buddy and I running AE's on our baggers would get at least 18,000 miles on them.

Now my BMW loves tires. The first set ran 6,000 miles, and I just ordered another set from Phil and I have 5,000 on them, but they will run longer, maybe more than 6,000 miles. Planning a trip in July, just making sure I had tires!

At 6K the rear had cord showing and the front would have gone longer, but not much! It might have run 8,000.

[Ohio HD]

The tires for a touring bike and for that Dyna are not apples to apples. More like apples to oranges. That Dyna uses V rated tires, softer than the touring bikes H rated tires. They will not give the same mileage as the touring bikes get.

That being said, I can only get about 8,000 to 9,000 out of a rear on my 2009 Touring. Much less on my 2008 Touring.

I was not aware that the touring tires did not share the V rating. Your explanation makes sense to me. I also think the road surface in my neck of the woods here in Kentucky is pretty rough asphalt  & probably shortens the tread life some. I ride mostly backroads with the occasional hop on the highway.

Also even though the Dyna is lighter, that also tends to allow the rear tire to scrub a little under hard throttle or even just taking off from a stop. Little by little that all can add up and add to tire wear.

Why some touring bikes get better tire life than others, some touring bikes have a lot  more power than others, and are ridden harder.

[road-dawgs1]

I weigh 175 and my fiancé weighs 90.

Damn...on both counts! Ya'll on the light side.

[FLSTFIDave]

I havre never got more than 6500 or so miles out of a rear on my Fatboy, a softail.  I usually get about 13,000 out of a rear on my touring bikes.

I think even when same brand and model of tire there is a difference in tread compound or such.  Softail is lighter but doesn't help with wear.

[Propflux01]

Wife's FLD has 6400 on it, and already a worn out rear 402 as well. Elites going on next.

[Yellow09SERG]

Been running the Elites for a while and about 13,000 on the rear and 18,000 on the front seems to be about the norm. Those are 99% 2up miles. I do differ a little though. I have always run 42 rear and 38 front. We added about 450 lbs to the bike once we get on it.

[Deye76]

"about 13,000 on the rear and 18,000 on the front"
My experience with them also.

[fbn ent]

I have never had a rear tire last more than 6K miles or so..... I run MUs on my '02 RG.

[smoserx1]

I suspect that most of the folks getting 15000 and up on the rear tire of a bike are taking lots of long trips.  City driving eats up tires just like gas mileage but worse.  Not only is there lots more acceleration, there is extra braking as well.  Remove the acceleration (+ or -) so you are going 50 - 100 mile stretches at one speed with little to no breaking, especially on flat lands and it is obvious such differences in tire lives can exist.

[fbn ent]

Most of my miles are highway...

[koko3052]

I have never had a rear tire last more than 6K miles or so..... I run MUs on my '02 RG.

I'm pretty much with you on mileage. Mostly highway & on a 150/15". I'd be tickled pink to get 10,000kms. (6200 mi.) on my rears.