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Is this the date code on my rear tire?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FLHGSRay
  • Start date Start date
F

FLHGSRay

Guest
How do I read it? Got new Battlax's on already. Just wondering how old the tire is and how to read the codes. Bike had '09 plates, and the tire is shot. That and the facts that the PO is 75+ and bike has only 26,0000 miles make this tire pretty old I'm thinking.
photo-8.jpg
 
It should be an oval that says DOTC...that stands for Department of Transportation Code. How you read it is in weeks and years. Each year has 52 weeks.. The first 2 numbers are the week of the year and the last 2 are the year the tire was made... so that would mean that 1111 would mean the 11th week of 2011...and so on it goes.
 
chuck hahn said:
It should be an oval that says DOTC...that stands for Department of Transportation Code. How you read it is in weeks and years. Each year has 52 weeks.. The first 2 numbers are the week of the year and the last 2 are the year the tire was made... so that would mean that 1111 would mean the 11th week of 2011...and so on it goes.
Click to expand...

Also remember that prior to 2000 the number was just three digits, first two are the week and the third is the year. See here for more info.

Thanks,
Joe
 
BassCliff said:
I don't know what that is, but it's not the date code (unless the date is "119" :eek: ) .
Click to expand...
If it is "119" (and I don't think so), that would be from the 11th week of a year ending in "9", that was before 2000, so it could be 1999, 1989, or ... (gasp) ... 1979. :-#

Date codes are usually in their own little area (at the end of the DOT number), pretty much like the one you showed, but won't have ANYthing else in the area, like that "M86".

.
 
I'm guessing that's the manufacturer's lot number, or some other kind of internal tracking number.

I've seen that format on some other tires, and just assumed the manufacturer put it there for their own purposes.
 
Front tire is stamped 025, no triangle suffix, which according to Joe Nardy's link is the 2nd week of 1985. Scary. On that rear tire, just to the left of the photo is molded on DOT DA1X, then M86119 is stamped.The only other markings are molded in 408641, A9526-2, and STMC-496B. Maybe that last one is the 49th week of 1986?
 
New tires are already installed. I'm just curious. I hand mounted new Battlax's. Tire is an old Dunlop 130/90 17.
 
Last edited:
DOT codes tell the factory and the year and week when the tire was made. Tire manufacturers typically include extra information so that they can isolate tires that came out of a particular curing press. The numbers in your photo probably include the week and year and the press code.
 
I'm going with the 11th week of 1989. Bike is a '79, so that's out. '99 would have the triangle suffix. Might not be correct, but it makes a good story.
 
FLHGSRay said:
I'm going with the 11th week of 1989. Bike is a '79, so that's out. '99 would have the triangle suffix. Might not be correct, but it makes a good story.
Click to expand...
1979 model bikes were made well into July, maybe even August. A tire made in the 11th week of 1979 could be a possibility.

What triangle suffix? I am not aware of such an item.

.
 
Steve said:
1979 model bikes were made well into July, maybe even August. A tire made in the 11th week of 1979 could be a possibility.

What triangle suffix? I am not aware of such an item.

.
Click to expand...

My '79 GS1000E has a manufacture date of Aug 78.
 
Steve said:
1979 model bikes were made well into July, maybe even August. A tire made in the 11th week of 1979 could be a possibility.

What triangle suffix? I am not aware of such an item.

.
Click to expand...

This article, http://www.roadrunner.travel/article-6336.php mentions a triangle suffix only used in the 1990s. And the bike has 26,000 miles, so slim chance that it is the original rear tire. Probably not made in 1979. Dunlop Elite S/T in 130/90-B17. Owners manual calls for a 4.50-17. When did aspect ratio sizing appear? I've got an email in to Dunlop, waiting for a response.
 
Whats aspect ratio?? All i know is the 130 is 130MM wide..90 is 90MM tall from the rim to the tread surface and the 17 is the rim size.
 
130/90-17 The 90 means the height is 90% of the 130mm width. So the aspect ratio is 90.
 
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FLHGSRay said:
Owners manual calls for a 4.50-17. When did aspect ratio sizing appear? I've got an email in to Dunlop, waiting for a response.
Click to expand...

The metric tires started up in the early 80s

I haven't seen a 4.50 tire since I can't remember when.

That thing is old, old and old
 
Just heard from Dunlop.
"Thank you for taking the time to contact Dunlop Motorcycle & ATV.

Look for the letters DOT. Will be only on one side of the tire.
After the letters DOT there is an alpha-numeric sequence approximately 10-12 characters long.
The last three digits of this sequence will give you the date. Will be stamped on tire.
example: 349...will be 34th week of 1989 or 1999

Through 1999 three digits were used.

As of 2000 four digits were used.
example 3409.....34th week of 2009.


Should you need further information or assistance, please call Dunlop Consumer Affairs @ 800-845-8378
or e-mail us.

regards,
Virginia Gallant
Consumer Affairs Representative
Consumer Affairs
Dunlop Motorcycle & ATV Tire Division

Goodyear/Dunlop Tires N.A., Ltd
PO Box 1109
Buffalo, NY 14240
Ph: (800) 845-8378 Fax: (716) 879-8425"

Doesn't mention the triangle, but DOT DA1X M86119 is an "alpha-numeric sequence approximately 10-12 characters long". I'm still going with the 11th week of 1989.
 
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