While traveling at approximately 55 mph under normal road conditions, the rear tire experienced a sudden and catastrophic failure. I felt the tire fail first, followed by an immediate loss of stability. The tire split down the center of the tread without warning. There were no prior symptoms, warning signs, or handling issues before the failure. During the loss of control, I then felt the rear of the motorcycle drop further. After the crash, a rear suspension linkage component was found to be cracked at the mounting point. It is UNKNOWN whether the linkage failure occurred before or as a result of the crash sequence, but it was not felt prior to the tire failure. The tire, 180/55ZR17 73W, had been installed in August and had less than 1,500 miles of use. Tire pressure was set to manufacturer-recommended levels prior to operation. The failed tire is available for inspection, and the damaged rear linkage component remains on the motorcycle. The failure created an immediate safety hazard, resulting in a crash and injuries to a passenger. The motorcycle sustained severe damage and is considered a total loss. No prior warnings, messages, or indicators were present before the failure.
- NHTSA ID
- 11727237
- Incident
- Mar 8, 2026