Tire shortage? Is there going to be one? When?

Baggsy

Baggsy

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I keep hearing rumours of a tire shortage, but haven't seen any anecdotal evidence of one. Got a new set of run flats for the minivan, and just ordered a new front tire for the bike, that is supposed to be available in a couple of days. Is there any truth to the speculations? I'm going to try and track the mileage better on these, as my wife thinks we buy tires too often.
 
Run flats aren't known for being the longest life tires. For four-wheel vehicles, I figure on roughly one set of all-season and 1.5 sets of snows every 10 years. When the first set of snows gets sad, it gets run through the summer (still lots of meat left for a summer tire). At that point, all seasons are worn out, snows are able to pass safety and I sell the car as buying new tires for >$1000 is enough to doom the car. Sell it and get something else. It doesn't always work exactly like that but it's close. My current snows were purchased in fall 2012 and have one more season left in them.
 
Yes there is. It's getting tougher to find a 'pair of' anything right now.
Supply chain is backed up, raw materials shortages and manufacturing slowdowns because of Covid has made a mess.
Avon tires are virtually non-existent and have been for over a year. You can blame Brexit for that too.
 
GreyGhost said:
Run flats aren't known for being the longest life tires. For four-wheel vehicles, I figure on roughly one set of all-season and 1.5 sets of snows every 10 years. When the first set of snows gets sad, it gets run through the summer (still lots of meat left for a summer tire). At that point, all seasons are worn out, snows are able to pass safety and I sell the car as buying new tires for >$1000 is enough to doom the car. Sell it and get something else. It doesn't always work exactly like that but it's close. My current snows were purchased in fall 2012 and have one more season left in them.
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Sounds like you’re like me with automobiles, buy cheap used (hopefully decent, rust free) and drive it into the ground. Rinse, repeat. If tires cost as much as the vehicle is worth it’s time to move on.


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Had a set of slicks and rain tires on order through the local Dunlop race tire distributor for this past weekend. Got the slicks, did not get the rains. It's possible that whatever was available, were all sent to Calabogie to prioritise the CSBK series thus shorting the regional series ... but Grand Bend is where it rained.
 
I always have a spare set of fresh tires as over the years I've run into availability issues in the past, in particular mid to late season. I've got the space and tire manufacture date is never an issue.
 
Yup supply chain shortages and cyber attacks are what's next on the plan, buy food and water before motorcycle tires! Weird stuff happening in Cuba.... oops
 
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Brian P said:
Had a set of slicks and rain tires on order through the local Dunlop race tire distributor for this past weekend. Got the slicks, did not get the rains. It's possible that whatever was available, were all sent to Calabogie to prioritise the CSBK series thus shorting the regional series ... but Grand Bend is where it rained.
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When said dealer is associated with CSBK and not so much SOAR, makes sense that they take care of their own first.
 
GreyGhost said:
Run flats aren't known for being the longest life tires. For four-wheel vehicles, I figure on roughly one set of all-season and 1.5 sets of snows every 10 years. When the first set of snows gets sad, it gets run through the summer (still lots of meat left for a summer tire). At that point, all seasons are worn out, snows are able to pass safety and I sell the car as buying new tires for >$1000 is enough to doom the car. Sell it and get something else. It doesn't always work exactly like that but it's close. My current snows were purchased in fall 2012 and have one more season left in them.
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First time with the run flats.
Do you run them until the belts show, or until the wear bars show?
I know we have our snows on longer than those in the GTA since the winters are longer.
We're on at least our third set of all seasons, with a car that was bought in 2014.
First set were the Michelins that came with it, second was Pirelli that the shop recommended, and the run flats are Bridgestone.

I'm going to start watching the pressures like a hawk, and see if that makes a difference.
 
Baggsy said:
First time with the run flats.
Do you run them until the belts show, or until the wear bars show?
I know we have our snows on longer than those in the GTA since the winters are longer.
We're on at least our third set of all seasons, with a car that was bought in 2014.
First set were the Michelins that came with it, second was Pirelli that the shop recommended, and the run flats are Bridgestone.

I'm going to start watching the pressures like a hawk, and see if that makes a difference.
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In the ball park of wear bars. Normally the season I hit the wear bars is the last season and I will swap rubber in the off season. Normally I don't run to the tire store as soon as I hit the wear bars. If I am headed out on a long trip, I will throw new rubber on first. I've never gone to the cords on a car. Tires get rotated every swap and since I normally have fwd, the slightly meatier ones go on the drive tires to even wear. If the car has a full size spare, it gets rotated through to spread wear. No need to have a brand new tire as the spare, one just above the wear bars is fine.

On a bike trip I did expose the belts on the rear trying to run away from a snowstorm. Cords were showing when I hit Montreal, thankfully it was nighttime and a highway run so I could take it easy and get home. I was unimpressed. Those were metzler tourance and they went from getting low to holy crap in a day (a long day but a day nonetheless).
 
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Brian P said:
Had a set of slicks and rain tires on order through the local Dunlop race tire distributor for this past weekend. Got the slicks, did not get the rains. It's possible that whatever was available, were all sent to Calabogie to prioritise the CSBK series thus shorting the regional series ... but Grand Bend is where it rained.
Click to expand...

Katatonic said:
When said dealer is associated with CSBK and not so much SOAR, makes sense that they take care of their own first.
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They were short of stock at Calabogie as well. On the Friday they wanted to hold onto slicks for the races and sell me GPAs, as a trackday rider I was OK with that. I think by Tuesday all they had left for full size bikes were 190 GPAs.
 
TK4 said:
Yes there is. It's getting tougher to find a 'pair of' anything right now.
Supply chain is backed up, raw materials shortages and manufacturing slowdowns because of Covid has made a mess.
Avon tires are virtually non-existent and have been for over a year. You can blame Brexit for that too.
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yup
last fall, all winter, and half this summer could not get a set of Avon Trail Riders anywhere
gave up and went with Metzeler Tourance instead
German tires made in China, but they were available
 
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