Which tires?

[scooterd145]

My recomendation is either BT016 front / BT023 Rear which last good but not as good in wet or the Pilot Power 2tc front / Pilot Road 2 Rear. Great combo for all around. The cool thing about running either of these combo's for me is they wear at about the same rate and they grip like crazy! I just got 8k miles out of the PP2TC/PR2 combo compared to 3K miles on the stockers.

[blocbul]

Pilot Road 3 are much better than Pilot Road 2. Totally different tyre in fact even if the name is the same...
I have PR3s on my M750, I commute daily in all weather and they are perfect: warming fast, incredible wet grip, they do not wear too fast (3000 miles on them with no significant wear)

[clubhousemotorsports]

How many miles a year do you ride?

I advise my customers to buy a tire that will be worn out after 3 seasons of riding. At that point any tire will be 'timed out' regardless of miles.

There are advantages to all the Michelin tires, but you need to buy the one that suits your mileage, riding style, and ability.

The Pilot Power is a great tire. It doesn't sound like you need the 2ct based on your riding style. They're great in the rain, and quick handling. They'd also be the least expensive choice. Some of my customers get as many as 8K miles and some as few as 3K on a rear tire.

The Road 2 will give you more miles and will handle similarly to a Power. It isn't the best in the rain, but is adequate. It will cost you a bit more than the Powers.

The Road 3 is a completely different tire. They have a round front profile and is more neutral handling with easier corner corrections, similar to the Power Pure. They are a high mileage tire that is great in the rain. It will also be the most expensive choice by costing about $40 more per set than the Road 2.

Good luck on your choice.

[Dirty Duc]

How many miles a year do you ride?

I advise my customers to buy a tire that will be worn out after 3 seasons of riding. At that point any tire will be 'timed out' regardless of miles.

Holy smokes!  I don't think they make tires that would last 3 years on either of my bikes. 

I have trouble believing that any tires would put up with my riding for one year (my riding season is 12 months long, and I ride as my primary method of travel)....

[Speeddog]

Holy smokes!  I don't think they make tires that would last 3 years on either of my bikes. 

I have trouble believing that any tires would put up with my riding for one year (my riding season is 12 months long, and I ride as my primary method of travel)....

I suspect he meant 3 years or less.

If I rode 100%, I'd be 30k miles a year.
I've gotten ~12k miles out of rear Pirelli Angels.
Front Angel is still good at ~14k miles.

[Dirty Duc]

I know people do get better mileage out of some tires, but it seems that every 2 or 3 tires I get a flat due to road debris and that there is some confluence of my riding style and the local road surfaces that eats tires (squares them off something fierce). I see many reports of other people that get way better mileage out of the exact same tires as me under reported riding conditions that sound worse than what I put mine through.  Maybe I should stop backing it into the turns and doing burnouts in front of the police station.   

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I own tire changing equipment and have come to accept putting on a new rear tire every 4-5k miles.    I'm not debating anyone's mileage or the pro advice offered here, I'm just reporting my mileage and my reasoning (such that it is).

I usually change fronts when they have started to show the little drying cracks at every 2 rears.  In a couple of years, I will have enough used moto tires to line the go-kart track I have planned for the back yard... 

[ducpainter]

In New England if you can get 8K in a season you're doing well. Our riding season is about 5 months unless you really like freezing your ass off and riding on sandy roads in the spring.

I personally never get more than 3500 out of a rear.

[the_Journeyman]

Late to the party, BUT I've run ContiMotions on my M750 before.  I got a GREAT deal on them, so I tried them.  Lasted decent, stuck pretty good and predictable.  The only thing I noticed is the rear would track slightly toward the outside as you made a corner with a good amount of lean in the wet.  Slides were "warning" slides and easy enough to recover from if you felt them.

JM

[clubhousemotorsports]

I suspect he meant 3 years or less.

If I rode 100%, I'd be 30k miles a year.
I've gotten ~12k miles out of rear Pirelli Angels.
Front Angel is still good at ~14k miles.

Excellent suspecting. lol

[skurvy]

Just updating this thread:

I had my Michelin Pilot Road 3s installed at 36k miles back in January 2013:
PR3 Front


PR3 Rear


And I just got the Pilot Road 4s put on today at 50k:
PR4 Front


PR4 Rear


I probably had a couple months left on the PR3s but I picked up a nail on the rear . 14,000+ miles on a set of Pilot Road 3s... all good

[NAKID]

Just replaced my PR2 out back because of a nail. Had 20K on it and looked great, probably had at least 5k if not 10k more in it. The front doesn't show any real signs of wear. Got another PR2 for the back.

Now this is all commuting miles, I-5 Orange County to San Diego daily, year round, rain or shine. 75 miles each way of relatively straight freeway at 75-80mph.

[koko64]

The PR4s are a strange looking tyre. Those sipes/sypes look strange but are supposed to divert water in a different way?

[red baron]

Skurvy,

Are they the TR or GT?

[skurvy]

The PR4s are a strange looking tyre. Those sipes/sypes look strange but are supposed to divert water in a different way?

I saw a video review on youtube that said the PR4 tread pattern was updated (especially on the front), because some riders stated the PR3s had so many sipes combined with a heavier bike and/or under hard braking, it resulted in the front flexing a bit more and feeling unstable. The PR4 addressed that with less sipes resulting in better stability. I also liked the fact that the rear tire compounds went from PR3 - medium center/soft outers, to PR4 hard center/medium outers.

Skurvy,

Are they the TR or GT?

They have 3 versions: Standard, GT, and Trail. Dude at the shop said he had a set of Standard in stock. I didn't feel comfortable on a plugged rear PR3 with 14k miles on it so I did the switch. Turns out the front tire is Standard and the rear tire is a GT.

Not a huge deal, I think the difference with the GT is that it's a little heavier and has a stiffer carcass for the bigger touring bikes and riding 2 up. My moto is strictly a commuter with a flat ride everyday. I ride rain or shine and although I had no problems with the PR3s, I just wanted to change it up this time around.

[koko64]

I saw a video review on youtube that said the PR4 tread pattern was updated (especially on the front), because some riders stated the PR3s had so many sipes combined with a heavier bike and/or under hard braking, it resulted in the front flexing a bit more and feeling unstable. The PR4 addressed that with less sipes resulting in better stability. I also liked the fact that the rear tire compounds went from PR3 - medium center/soft outers, to PR4 hard center/medium outers.



They have 3 versions: Standard, GT, and Trail. Dude at the shop said he had a set of Standard in stock. I didn't feel comfortable on a plugged rear PR3 with 14k miles on it so I did the switch. Turns out the front tire is Standard and the rear tire is a GT.

Not a huge deal, I think the difference with the GT is that it's a little heavier and has a stiffer carcass for the bigger touring bikes and riding 2 up. My moto is strictly a commuter with a flat ride everyday. I ride rain or shine and although I had no problems with the PR3s, I just wanted to change it up this time around.

Thanks. My brother got PR4s recently. He said they are keeping the PR2s here in the range, but getting rid of the PR3s.