justin_o_guy2 wrote on 06/30/17 at 17:03:39:I am seeing the last chikkin strip going away on the front.
I was talking to a fellow who is a road racer and very able road rider....he rides a Ducati MultiStrada as his road bike, and he can wear out a set of tires in 4-5 days of riding in the mountains as his group rides very quickly. I showed him my tires and the thin strip of unused rubber on the edge - I told him that thin strip is there so that I never have a trip to the Emergency Room.
He said that on the track they are called "Chicken" strips - but on the street they are called "Safety" strips. He said that on the street you should not be riding right over to the edge.....that the road conditions demand that you keep a margin of safety for that unexpected bump, slick spot, debris, etc.
There is no shame in having an unused strip of rubber on the edges of your street bike tires. Most of the fellows that ride over on the edge of their tires on regular basis also have some pretty deep road rash scratches in their leathers.