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PR4 GTs - I like 'em and let me tell you why


Highway41

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Bought a new GT for the front early summer paired with a few thousand mile old PR3 rear. Rode out to TX from Jax for a Total Control ARC class with my Texas riding partner and got a good taste for the front GT. Had three days of droning out and back, one day of solid to heavy rain on mostly state roads in MS and LA and a day of slow speed maneuvers on a large, hot concrete pad during school. The PR4 front inspired much confidence in wet riding but especially during the school. The next couple months were a few K miles mostly chasing Bernie and I really liked how the bike handled.

Put a new PR4 GT on the rear and heading for TX to pick up my riding buddy and then on to CO. 4K of droning out and back with one day of heavy rain and windy and three days of hot and windy. Liked the ride very much and rain was again no problem (did I mention I hate riding in the rain?). The 1K spent riding the Rockies were amazing – grip was excellent with no “oh boy” moments in grooves, water, sand, gravel, and one bull elk. The bike has never handled better.

The front has 9K miles and 10/64ths left of the original 16/64ths in my wear mark. The rear has 5K and also 10/64ths of the 16/64ths original depth. Each should be good for another 7K plus miles. Best of all, both are still round with no middle flattening.

Lastly, the style of my Texas riding partner who took the ARC school with me has always been gentlemanly. He put a set of PR4s on his ‘12RT before the trip and we both agreed he rode the best he ever has. Not aggressive but I never lost sight of him for long.

Bill

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have a very similar situation in regards to a PR4 in the rear and a PR4 GT in the front. I don't recall asking for a GT but that's what I ended up with. I only noticed it when riding home. The front end felt a little stiffer. Not unpleasant, but noticeable. So far so good. I like my Michelins.

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  • 1 month later...

I was assessing my PR4GT's in broad daylight today. They have about 9000km on them.

 

The front is probably good for another 3000-4000km, which would make it about as long lasting as PR3's. Good.

 

The rear... it will be a major miracle if it lasts another 2000km, but I suspect it will be ready for replacement in half that mileage, meaning a week or so. That would make it as long lasting as PR2's. Not so good.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update – I still like ‘em and let me tell you more of why.

 

Since the original post, I’ve ridden about 1K locally mostly chasing Bernie and then a 4K trip to TX Hill Country and the Big Bend area. So I’ve had a mixture of working on the chicken strips, a lot of droning on state and US highways to get out west and back home, and a goodly number of miles on nice Hill Country roads and the scenic loop around McDonald Observatory. Only one day was wet. I ran 34lbs in the front and 40lbs in the rear during the trip.

 

First, a photo of the front now with 14K miles:

DSCN2967-M.jpg

 

There is 6/64ths tread depth at the middle of the sipe and it should be good for another 2 to 4K miles. There seems to be more wear on the sides with the middle being raised. Turn in is still good and it rides and handles about the same as new. It has not gotten noisier as did my PR3s when worn.

 

Now a photo of the rear with 10K miles:

DSCN2966-M.jpg

 

There is some flattening but not nearly as badly as former tires, which would pretty much be toast at this mileage. There is still 5/64ths in the middle holes so I figure it is also good for another 2-3K miles, depending upon Bernie ☺. Also, there is no “tip over” moment when entering a curve like I had with squared tires. The 4s feel and handle about the same as when new holding lines well.

 

Lastly, counting local miles a set of tires was usually good for only one long trip, as 10K seemed about the limit especially for the rear. The front has been out west three times and the rear twice and there is still plenty of miles left. Maybe western NC before it gets too cold.

Bill

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

That is impressive mileage and sounds like great handling. I have only used the PR2s and have hated them each time. The front howls so badly when in a turn. Hopefully they fixed that with the 3s and 4s.

 

I jus installed a set of Continental Conti-motion to see how they do. Headed to the Smokies this morning for a great weekend of fun!

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Wow, impressive on a GT to be sure; known tire eaters as everyone knows. Had PR3's on my Camhead and loved them (orig Bridgestones were crap). Wethead came with Metzelers and jury is still out but after upcoming trip to the Upper Blueridge and Skyline I may be ready for a set and PR4's are in my sights. Thanks for the update!

Edited by mickeym3
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Just a quick and very related question.

 

I am on my second set of PR4GT's. I cannot believe these are the same tyres as those who came before. So much smoother even on harsh pavement. We are talking silk smooth here, not even a murmur.

I run them at exactly the same pressure and were balanced by the same person using the same machine as the set which came before.

 

Does anyone know if Michelin changed anything? I can provide the manufacturing date if needed.

 

Thanks.

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  • 1 month later...

I still like ‘em, …but not so much lately.

 

Well-worn tires never feel good and the PR4s are no exception. In the last 500 to 1K miles, the rear has flattened more but still feels good. The front has developed distinct shoulders more so on the left side, which makes it follow grooves or irregularities in the pavement. Smooth pavement is no problem but the front darts around a good bit on rougher tarmac.

 

Confidence is not as good in the curvy stuff as you can feel it roll on and off the shoulder edges and holding lines is more difficult. Changing lines mid curve is more exhilarating than before.

 

Even worn, these tires are much quieter than the 2’s or 3’s.

 

Here is the front at 15K miles. Easy to tell the different rubber compounds. There is almost 5/64ths tread depth measured where the large sipe intersects the small cross sipe.

DSCN2994-M.jpg

 

And the rear at 11K miles showing 4/64ths depth in the center holes:

DSCN2991-M.jpg

 

Fronts usually go 12-14K miles and rears 8-10K so mileage has improved and there’s another 1-2K possible. I’ve been running 33/40psi but will bump it up to 36/42psi until I change them out for another set of PR4s.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

How in the hell are you getting way over double my mileage? At 6,500 the rear was GONE and the front at 7K? 14 RT with PR4GTs. I ride everyday between work and in WNC every time I can...

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How in the hell are you getting way over double my mileage? At 6,500 the rear was GONE and the front at 7K? 14 RT with PR4GTs. I ride everyday between work and in WNC every time I can...

 

More or less the same here.

 

It's the same reason why I had to change my front rotors at 65000km while some riders are still on the original items at twice the mileage. ;)

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How in the hell are you getting way over double my mileage? At 6,500 the rear was GONE and the front at 7K? 14 RT with PR4GTs. I ride everyday between work and in WNC every time I can...

 

Your in WNC and I'm in NFL. Lots more straights down here. Also, there have been long trips out west, three for the front and two for the rear. Lots more straight roads.

Bill

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I believe the high mileage in some parts of the US is due to the local rock used in the pavement mix. In areas where river rock is used, tyre life tends to be highest. In areas where hard angular rock is used in the mix, tyre life is lower. I would also expect an inverse relationship to traction.

Just my theory.

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The chip and seal roads in the Texas Hill Country are like riding on sandpaper!

 

I consider myself lucky if I get 5k out of a rear tyre....!

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

When I rode out to Redmond, OR for the MOA Rally, I noticed that the rocks used on roads in OR were very, very abrasive and the tire wear visibly increased.

 

My riding buddy always got a lot more miles out of a set of tires on his RT than I did. Why? He was very, very smooth in acceleration and braking. Light throttle hand.

 

Me? Full start, full stop.

 

So I'm always scrubbing rubber of the tires.

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  • 3 weeks later...
The chip and seal roads in the Texas Hill Country are like riding on sandpaper!

 

I consider myself lucky if I get 5k out of a rear tyre....!

 

Oh so true. I rode my KRS (freshly clad with Pilot Powers) to a K-bike rally in Hill Country and ate up almost 2/3 their tread life in only 2800 total miles. Not only that, I witnessed three tire failures while at that rally - all three riders thought they'd have ample tread to do the round trip.

 

Aside from that, I've since transitioned to the PR3 and then PR4 and any spirited riding on my K12s renders the tread life to that of a mortal :) tire. Still, I love the grip and ride and can't wait to throw a set of PR4's on the RT!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Changed out the front PR3 for PRGT on my K1300GT today at almost exactly 7000 miles. I'm very pleased with the milage, considering the weight of the bike, rider (250), and riding style. The loss of profile and cupping only became apparent after the last 1000 or so miles. Surprisingly, I noticed little change in transition from side to side, even with the flattened contour. Curious to see how the stiffer GT hold up. I'm much more aware, and ready to change the rear, when the profile is lost. By far the best handling and durable tire I have used. I'll try to remember to post photos of the rear

GT as it wears...still fairly new.

 

IMG_0224_zpslh3fsvgk.jpg

 

IMG_0223_zpszdom7e0k.jpg

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  • 11 months later...

Now at 16K on the front and 13K on the rear. Pretty much shot.

 

DSCN3387-M.jpg

 

DSCN3389-M.jpg

 

 

Don't like 'em so much when they are worn - they follow grooves/stripes in pavement and you can feel the shoulder when tipping it over. Cornering is still good but I can't wait to mount new tires. Will be PR4 GTs as the first 10K miles more than outweighs the last 2-3K miles.

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So my 2013 RT came with Bridgestones which sucked. I put on a set of GTs at 6,500 miles. They've got 7,800 miles on them now and look like photos below. I should get 12k out of them at least. I run higher pressures than most...seems to work.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Last report.

 

Put another 500 miles on this set last weekend and when asked how the bike was handling, "Evil" came to mind. Was not much fun as the front would follow any groove or imperfection in the pavement.

 

Here is the rear at 13.5K miles:

 

DSCN3400-M.jpg

 

It could probably go another 1-2K miles.

 

And the front at 16.4K miles:

 

DSCN3402-M.jpg

 

The left side of the tire is pretty smooth; no wonder left sweepers were not much fun chasing Bernie to SECFF.

 

I'm finally done and have a new set sitting in the garage. Can't wait.

Bill

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Lone_RT_rider
How in the hell are you getting way over double my mileage? At 6,500 the rear was GONE and the front at 7K?...

What he said ^.

 

I wish I could get that much out of a set. The last set of PR4's I had, the rear was gone just over 5K.

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I ride Very hard at times and do a lot of long haul touring and the worst I've gotten is 7400 miles out of a set of PR4GTs. The most is 9100 miles. I keep the tire pressure at 38 front and 42 rear. I think it's really important to be vigilant on tire pressure in order to get the mileage out of tires. Having said that I get squat out of Angels. GT

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That is good mileage. I'm sure I'll be getting the PR4's next set as I have 3's now (last 3 sets in fact). I've gotten 15k plus on the 3's each time with lots of highway riding. My commute for two years was 140 miles each way :eek: so lots of miles piled up quickly. I don't recall the mileage I installed the current set at, but am pretty sure they have several thousand to go. Commute is only 5 miles now so it's taking a tad longer to put the miles on. :rofl:

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How in the hell are you getting way over double my mileage? At 6,500 the rear was GONE and the front at 7K?...

What he said ^.

 

I wish I could get that much out of a set. The last set of PR4's I had, the rear was gone just over 5K.

 

 

Well, that's 4,000 more than some brands you had...

:grin:

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  • 6 months later...

just got through my first set of PR4's after a previous set of PR3's. I believe I got about 15k out of the 3's and this set of 4's (R1150RT), got me about 17k. I was running the GT on the rear so I could run the correct size (170/60x17) and the standard PR4 on the front. I was impressed with the 3's but even more so with the 4's which only started cupping on the front the last few thousand miles. What was most impressive is that despite the late mileage cupping, the tires continued to be as quiet running as when first fitted. I ride 120 miles/day on my commute in southern MI, so I run into all kinds of weather. This summer was pretty dry by MI standards but on a few occasions, I rode in torrential downpours. In all cases, the tires only reinforced total confidence. Never did they exhibit any strange or slippery behavior. I just got another set of PR4's so for now, I'm a devoted Michelin customer.

 

RPG

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  • 4 weeks later...

PR4 GT 2CT still high on your list?

 

It's tire time for my 09 after 14K miles on PR3s. Front is close to bald and the rear has a flattened area making turns a lot of fun as I roll over the edge.

 

Also, does a BMW wheel require anything special for a spin balancer?

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  • 9 months later...

 

Last report - Part 2

 

 

It has taken 18 months to put 12K miles on the current set of PR-4s. This was the first pair mounted at the same time.

 

Pressures are 32/38 normal and 34/40 when loaded for trips.

 

Mileage has been about half chasing Bernie or riding around NF/SG, a quarter on trips to western NC, and a quarter high speed droning to TX.

 

 

The front has a distinct raised area in the middle probably due to the harder compound. There is more wear on the left shoulder than right and no cupping. Handling is still very good with smooth transitions.

 

DSCN3548-L.jpg

 

DSCN3549-L.jpg

 

Looks like it could go another 2-3K miles easy but that would get into the evil handling zone.

 

 

The rear’s wear indicators are about gone and there is flattening down the middle. Looks a lot like the prior tire at 13K miles.

 

DSCN3550-L.jpg

 

It still handles very well and could go another 1-2K miles.

 

 

I have a trip coming up and don’t want to get into that “evil” zone so a new pair is on order.

 

I’ll continue with the PR4-GTs as I can count on 12K+ good handling miles, they handle the wet well, and are quiet.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Part 3

 

Last couple of rides the front has been following grooves in the pavement and the rear was to the wear bars so off they come at 12.4K miles. Excellent deal at the local dealership on a new set of PR4s.

 

Looking forward to the next 12K miles.

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  • 2 years later...
On 8/26/2017 at 6:58 PM, Highway41 said:

Part 3

 

Looking forward to the next 12K miles.

 

Part 4 - Didn’t get 12K outa this set.

 

Due to some health issues, it has taken two years to put 11K miles on the current set of PR4 GTs.  Most of these miles have been chasing Bernie, local day rides, and a couple trips to western NC.  No long trips out west droning in 6th gear.

 

This set could probably go another 1-2K miles but would hate to be caught in a downpour and new shoes for an upcoming ride to western NC will be nice.

 

Will run one more set of PR4s before migrating to 5s.

 

The front has distinct shoulders and a raised ridge down the middle.  As before, it is no fun in the twisty stuff rolling on/off this shoulder.  The rear has the flat middle but still feels pretty good.

DSCN3822.JPG

DSCN3823.JPG

  • Like 1
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I have used PR2s, PR3s and 3 sets of PR4 GTs on various bikes, mostly FJRs. I just purchased a 2014 RT that had a pair of Shinko 005's no it.

moving to the Michelin this past week fixed my handlebar shake issue.

i've alway gotten at least 8000 miles out of a pair and have never had issues.

i don't think they have a GT version of the road 5 yet, so i'm sticking with the PR4 for now.

it's a great tire. 

  • Like 2
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