2017 Triumph Explorer problems

Filed Jul 30, 2017 · Wheels · 6,300 miles · VA

When following the factory-recommended tire pressure of 32psi, the front tire - a metzeler tourance next 120/70r19 - experiences abnormal wear typical of underinflation/overloading and begins to delaminate once it reaches a certain point, thus causing a potentially hazardous situation. I am positive I have been within the factory spec because the bike is equipped with a TPMS system and it has never alerted me of a low front tire. I have also verified the on-dash reading with a known mechanical gauge. I tried to pursue the issue with triumph who only replied that tires are not warrantable and that I should be happy with the mileage I got out of it. Even when I pointed out that there is no reason a properly-inflated tire should wear like that and that the rear tire showed none of the same issues, they refused to discuss it. I also exchanged emails with a rep from metzeler who concurred that the wear pattern indicated underinflation/overloading, but also not warrantable. He did, however, suggest that triumph's spec was a compromise for both on- and off-road riding and that a higher pressure of 36psi might be more appropriate for on-road riding. Lastly, every image in the owner's manual of the TPMS readout shows 36psi for the front and 42psi for the rear as opposed to the specifications of 32/39. In my experience doing technical documentation, you always want to include screenshots that reinforce correct settings. That alone makes me question triumph's specification. My issue isn't with metzeler, it's with triumph for 1) introducing a potential safety hazard by not recommending the correct tire pressures for the bike's intended usage and 2) refusing to address this safety issue when presented with evidence of it occurring. I am not the first person to complain about it to triumph here in the us and in the uk.