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Tire Arcanum

W

Walking Eagle

New member
I need help ID-ing some OLD tires that came mounted to a '78 R100RS. Would also appreciate any info you guys have on this model's background. I own both Bill Stermer's RS book, and Ian Falloon's Bible, but no references/pix of this bike's type appear therein. Clearly, this is ORIGINAL paint and equipment.

This recent acquisition is sometimes called a Belgian Police Special, and is Candy-Apple Red (deep metallic red) on upper fairing, fenders and tank, and is dark gray metallic on fairing lowers and side covers. Also has a kickstarter on a five-speed tranny. Euro "off/on" headlight switch on the left. "Some say" that this bike was a "proposal" for supply to the Belgian Police, and they didn't buy it, so however many models were made were sold as civilian bikes, mostly to the U.S. market.

TIRES: F & R are Metezlers, and were MADE IN GERMANY (!)

Front tire is a 3.50/19, and is a ME33 Laser The DOT molding is EB1P BPH 437

Rear tire is a 4.25 x 18 PERFECT ME 99A (perfect is just a model name, not an adjective!). The DOT code is EBOA BPW 447

I know how to read the "newer" DOT "age" codes, but these have me stumped, and an Internet search has been unproductive so far. Thus, this earnest plea sent out to the wise ones.

All info appreciated, and THANKS, as usual. No, I'm not going to ride this with these tires, just curious.

Walking Eagle
 
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I wonder how that 4.25 rear tire worked...might have been rubbing the swingarm. :dunno

From wikipedia, the "all knowing source" ;)

"Mold serial number

Tire manufacturers usually embed a mold serial number into the sidewall area of the mold, so that the tire, once molded, can be traced back to the mold of original manufacturer."

That would be my guess.
 
Look for a 3 digit date code - the first two digits are the week of the year - the last digit is the last digit of the year. Three digit codes were discontinued at the turn of the century. So for example, 397 would be the 39th week of 1997, or maybe 1987.
 
Muchas Gracias

Thanks Paul. Just what I was looking for.

For those interested, I'll be selling these fine examples of German craftsmanship. Classic tires, at a reasonable price. They'll look good mounted to the wall of your ManCave, or on that static Airhead display in your living room! (The last phrase is intended, of course, for you single/divorced or soon-to-be-divorced guys.)

Walking Eagle
 
I guess I was confused...I thought you knew where the date codes were and these were other codes on the tire in a different location. :dunno
 
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