Michelin tops tire review

[RandyBailey]

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2014-Motorrad-Touring-Motorcycle-Tyre-Test.htm

 

Another reason I'll be switching to Michelin.

[TEWKS]

Been very happy with all the Pilot Road series of tires! Will continue to be their customer!

 

 

Pat

[Sonor]

I did not have any good to say about the PR2's that I had. Maybe the 4's are better. Let us know when you switch what your experience is with them not just on wet and dry, but also on road hazards like sand or gravel. Gravel is where I found the PR2's to really not perform where other tires (not tyres) did a much better job.

[NickInSac]

I have the PR2 on the front and just got a PR4GT on the rear.

 

The rear tire seems to be "squirrely" for the first 500 miles. SO squirrely, I thought I had a some weird front bearing issue. It has since settled down.

 

I ride 2up about 2 times a week and we go about 130 miles each time. I normally commute with just a top bag and no side bags about 300 miles a week.

 

The PR2 rear was loud and noisy as it got towards and past the wear bars.

When I leaned over just slightly for a turn, it was VERY VERY loud. So loud, I thought the rear FD was going out.

 

A lot of the road noise is being discussed elsewhere on the Hexhead forums (IIRC).

 

My PR2 is getting close to the wear bars and I plan to get the PR4GT front to match the rear. I have noticed more road noise from the front now too.

 

So far, I am very happy with the PR4GT.

 

I was 2UP on the PR4GT in a right handed turn (leaning quite a bit) when a LOUD POP happened and the rear wiggled a LOT! Then I heard, what I presume was a rock hitting the bushes to the right and behind us. That was exciting. Later, I checked the tires and I could not find any significant markings. I have done this often on my bicycle, when I hit a rock on the side, the pressure seems to "spit" rocks out. Very different on a MC.

[Dave_in_TX]

I did not have any good to say about the PR2's that I had. Maybe the 4's are better. Let us know when you switch what your experience is with them not just on wet and dry, but also on road hazards like sand or gravel. Gravel is where I found the PR2's to really not perform where other tires (not tyres) did a much better job.

 

I wasn't particularly impressed with the PR2s either and because of that, I've never tried the PR3 or PR4. I've considered the PR4 but with the Bridgestone T30 being so much cheaper and working so well for me, I haven't had a big urge to change.

[Bologna]

Been very happy with all the Pilot Road series of tires! Will continue to be their customer!

 

 

Pat

 

+1

[John Bentall]

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2014-Motorrad-Touring-Motorcycle-Tyre-Test.htm

 

Another reason I'll be switching to Michelin.

 

I have Pilot Road 4's (GT on the rear) on my 1200RT and am happy with them.

 

I have been reading the Motorrad tire tests for years and the testing team often point out that a tire that is brilliant on one bike may not work so well on another.

FWIW this years test was carried out using a Honda CB1000R.

 

On this particular machine, the Conti Road Attack 2 Evo was preferred for dry-road canyon carving but the PR4 was the better all rounder. The PR4-shod machine managed a 1:13.9 lap time around the wet track compared to a 1:20.6 for the Conti and a 1:29.2 for the Avon Storm 3D X-M.

 

[Guest Kakugo]

Allow me to chime in my experience.

 

My PR4GT's have about 9900km on them.

The rear is in dire need of changing, and I'll be ordering it tomorrow. Should have it here by Tuesday.

The front can handle another 2000/3000km. Maybe. Hopefully as I have a trip to France planned in two weeks. Center is OK, but sides show some heavier wear, a typical mark of very stiff construction.

 

All in all they last less than PR3's and roughly the same as PR2's.

Where they are different from all Michelin's of the past decade or so is they hold up well when they are close to the end. On older models I simply had to change them before getting to the bitter end because it was like riding on pebbles all the time.

Not here: I recently rode in some truly atrocious weather on the St Gotthard Pass and the tyres held magnificently despite their conditions.

 

Regarding lap times. A local team ran GSX-R600's on both Continental and Dunlop tyres last year. Same bikes, same riders. Continental was used as a control tyre in a series while Dunlop was the team's choice in another.

The Dunlop were 2:20 seconds faster a lap, and we are not talking about those fancy D211GP's.

[Fubar]

Been very happy with all the Pilot Road series of tires! Will continue to be their customer!

 

Pat

+1 more. (2nd set of PR2's)

[John in VA]

PR1s, PR2s, PR3s -- they've all been great for me on multiple RTs. When I bought my '13 RT new I had the dealer take off the OEM Battlaxes and install new PR3s before I'd ride the bike out of the showroom. When they wear out I'll check out PR4s!