Graphite, if you get in touch with me I will get the tyre picked up and returned free of charge, if they do find a manufacturing fault I am sure we can get you some sort of satisfaction.
One question that has not been asked is, was your tyre a "B" Specific tyre? The SP like the ST was made with a B suffix stamped on the side wall, this designation denoted that the tyre was suitable for "heavy bikes" Bird, Busa, ZX12R Etc.
One other point I think Peter (Avon) was trying to explain is that there is no tread in the centre of the tyre, therefore there is no tread depth indicator. If you are an upright rider or you have done a lot of motorway type miles you will not be able to tell the tread depth.
This means when you do run out of tread you will go through the lower compound in an instant.
The most likely reason for the tyre wearing out in one place and not the other, is that the cords are laid on one on top of the other by hand (as seen by all on the factory tour) Each set of cords has an overlap so one side of the tyre will be very slightly thicker than the other side when finished. All tyres are made this way and will wear this way, cords will never show in a nice even line on a modern radial tyre, just listen to the tyre the next time you are at a stunt show, you will hear just before the tyre blows on a burnout the cords rubbing the tarmac you can hear the tyre makes a distinctive and uneven sound, this is the reason.
As for a maximum 42 PSI when cold on the sidewall, you will find exactly the same pressure marks on the Bridgestone 020, Dunlop 208, in fact most tyres on the market.