Seems like MC-superstore is willing to do a refund for me, but they are asking me to take pics showing proof that the tire is destroyed... which is very strange to me...
I don't think I want to do that, nor do I really understand the point...
The two reasons to document that the tire has been destroyed:
1) Prove that you aren't merely trying to get a second tire, free.
2) Release them from liability. This point needs expansion.
They aren't agreeing to replace the tire for a cosmetic issue, but because the tire might be dangerous. If the tire is dangerous, the manufacturer has a legal obligation to insure that it cannot ever be used on a motorcycle. Not by you, not by anyone.
The points of law get a bit strange for non-lawyers, and the easy summary is that tire companies know that if a tire can be mounted on a wheel and hold air, someone will try to use it, and someone will try to sell it, and someone else can be hurt or killed. Because the manufacturer
knows this, the manufacturer must take reasonable actions to
prevent it.
During the years that I worked at Firestone, industry practices for scrap tires changed. When I started, scrap tires went to appropriate landfills. People raided landfills and sold the tires. So the beads on scrap tires were cut (bandsaw) before the landfill. Raiders welded the beads together, slapped some black goo over the repair, and sold the tires. So factories started cutting beads completely out of the tires. I don't know if it ended the problem. They experimented with grinding whole tires. Chunks with metal (beads, steel plies) would be used to recycle the metal. The rest was tried as additives to tread rubber and asphalt. Where is is now, I don't know.
Motorcycle Super Store's response is appropriate and timely. They have a good reputation that they want to protect. They won't endanger their reputation by not sending you the replacement tire. Asking you to document that the tire has been destroyed is cheaper for you and them, than sending the tire back for them to destroy. Don't mess around with a screwdriver trick. It can be detected, and if so, you won't get your replacement.
+++++++++++++
Stick-on wheel weights can be bought from many places, including all the motorcycle superstores, Z1, many local dealers, and Harbor Freight. Many people in this forum swear by balancing beads. Even if the beads aren't perfect, they must work well enough for most circumstances.
I am a neophyte at mounting tires. When I had trouble, I went to a well-recommended shop that works mostly on Harleys. (Not a dealership). The owner has been doing it for 20+ years and has top-notch equipment. Many of his customers spend over a thousand dollars for individual rime, so he has to excel at keeping them in perfect condition to gawk at. I think that he charged $15 or $20 to mount and balance, and he balanced carefully.
