Michelin Pilot Road 3 warning!

[jafar]

I put avon storms on the CB1300 13,000 k ago & they are still only half worn, grip has been as good as the PR2's I've had on before & a lot cheaper than the prices you guys are quoting for the PR3's. $500 for the set
This is with a high percentage of 2 up riding as well.

I had a conti road attack on the rear & got 12,000k The PR2 front got 18,000k

[itsnotarace]

Bought a second hand set for the Cold Kiwi trip. Most important thing so far is that they look cool. Fitted up pretty good with the tyre levers, but did have to do a flambé job to get a 180 to bead on a 6"rim. Looking forward to some wet weather hoonage.

[carbonhed]

I put avon storms on the CB1300 13,000 k ago & they are still only half worn, grip has been as good as the PR2's I've had on before & a lot cheaper than the prices you guys are quoting for the PR3's. $500 for the set
This is with a high percentage of 2 up riding as well.

I had a conti road attack on the rear & got 12,000k The PR2 front got 18,000k

Was my first time with sports touring type tyres so I was guided by mag reviews and the interweb thingy... for what that's worth.

Bike mag gave the Mich PR3's five stars, the Avon Storm 2 Ultra got one and was described as "Far and away the poorest tyre on test". So the Avons weren't even considered.

Mileage isn't really an issue because I'm bound to get way more than I'm used to... performance is what I'm after.

[jafar]

Was my first time with sports touring type tyres so I was guided by mag reviews and the interweb thingy... for what that's worth. .

Yep we all listen to what other have to say & are to some extent guided by what is said, you also have to look @ who is saying it & what they are riding. For example I ride a CB1300 ,often with a passenger & stuff , you on the other hand ride a blade & a 675 trumpy, very different bikes to mine & I suspect ride them a bit harder than I ride the CB

Bike mag gave the Mich PR3's five stars, the Avon Storm 2 Ultra got one and was described as "Far and away the poorest tyre on test". So the Avons weren't even considered..

1/ 'bike' is an english rag, they have different roads there to here.
2/ If they were testing on sports bikes then their needs or wants could be different to someone who rides say an ST1300 or a Harley. I brought the Avon's because they were new, the price was right & my local tyre shop reccomended them for my type of bike & my riding style. It was a punt & it has worked for me.
3/ 'bike' don't test from anything but a sports rider's point of view. I can't remember the last time I read anything from them where they had loaded a bike up with a weeks worth of stuff, the wife & buggered off for a weeks touring. The Avon's handle that very well, I wonder how the pures would look after a week of that ??

Mileage isn't really an issue because I'm bound to get way more than I'm used to... performance is what I'm after.

If your not interested in the mileage & performance is the main consideration a sports/touring tyre is probably not where you should be looking. Most of the major tyre companies have a range of tyres for the crotch rockets, as your bikes fall into that category mabey the pilot pures or the metzeler M3 or M5 ??

[carbonhed]

I imagine the Pures would be fairly tired after a week of fully loaded two up touring around the South Island

The more hardcore sports tyres aren't that much of a joy when it's really cold and wet though so I thought I'd give the 3"s a shot and they're suprisingly good even right out to the edge... although I think they're a slightly flatter profile than I'm used to. They warm up well even now which may mean they will wear faster when it gets hotter... but then I'll just take them off and keep them for next winter... hopefully.

[caspernz]

Pilot Road 3s are ok in my book. More than ok actually, but lets not get too excited, it's just a tyre...

The past couple of years have been Michelin only for me, Pilot Road 2s do about 18000 clicks. Tried a set of Power Pures, just for a change, they lasted around 7000 clicks and were well done by that time.

Pilot Road 3s will be done by about 12000 clicks by my reckoning, with the front reaching the end before the rear. The Power Pures have quite a triangular, ie quick steering profile, whereas the PR3 is a much gentler profile, thus slow steering.

Wet road grip on the PR2 is good, on the PR3 its great. The trade off in tyre life I can live with, but I'm puzzled why Michelin claims a longer tyre life when it quite obviously isn't the case?? Same bike, same rider, same style, PR2 got 18000, whereas PR3 won't get past 12000.....maybe the confidence inspired by the PR3 makes me ride harder?? Nah, I still ride like a nana....

[NZsarge]

Wet road grip on the PR2 is good, on the PR3 its great. The trade off in tyre life I can live with, but I'm puzzled why Michelin claims a longer tyre life when it quite obviously isn't the case?? Same bike, same rider, same style, PR2 got 18000, whereas PR3 won't get past 12000.....maybe the confidence inspired by the PR3 makes me ride harder?? Nah, I still ride like a nana....

It's not the first time i've heard that the 3's aren't lasting as long as the 2's, your comments seem consistent to what i've heard about them so far.

[caspernz]

It's not the first time i've heard that the 3's aren't lasting as long as the 2's, your comments seem consistent to what i've heard about them so far.

Yeah well, the PR3s are all good, but when someone reckons they last longer than PR2s I get suspicious. If PR3s are lasting longer something else has changed as well....

[NZsarge]

Yeah well, the PR3s are all good, but when someone reckons they last longer than PR2s I get suspicious. If PR3s are lasting longer something else has changed as well....

Perhaps under their "test lab" conditions at Michelin the 3's did last long but here in NZ it seems with the coarse chip roads it's not the case thus far. Although the claim to better wet weather performance fair enough.

[banditrider]

Yeah, mine only have around 2,500km and I'm pondering their wear. Checked out the rear the other day and I reckon it may be a bit softer as it certainly looks like it's had a bit of work. Putting another 2k on them this weekend so it'll be interesting to check them out when I'm back...

Only one way to find out...

[Gremlin]

Well, I've just had the Michelin Pilot Road 3 Trails fitted, in time for the Grand Challenge. Got 4-5000km coming up in the next month, so we'll see how they go...

The PR3T has a different compound layout in the rear to suit the heavier big adventure bikes, with more hard rubber in a wider band down the centre.

[dogsnbikes]

Well I am just over 7500ks on my PR3s and still going strong,We are taking the bike away this weekend and that will take us up over 8000k easy.In less than 3 weeks we will be in the south Island but am putting a new tyre on for that trip as we are looking at doing 4000 or so Ks while we are there,and don't like the thought of wasting a day getting a tyre when I should be riding

Here are some photos judge for yourself's,remembering that 85-90% is two-up

[Blackbird]

Well I am just over 7500ks on my PR3s and still going strong,We are taking the bike away this weekend and that will take us up over 8000k easy.In less than 3 weeks we will be in the south Island but am putting a new tyre on for that trip as we are looking at doing 4000 or so Ks while we are there,and don't like the thought of wasting a day getting a tyre when I should be riding

Here are some photos judge for yourself's,remembering that 85-90% is two-up

Looks like the rear has kept is profile really well. How have the sides of the front stood up? Any sign of triangulation? I've only done 4500 km and they're looking great, but I'm solo on a lighter bike with probably a more aggressive steering geometry. Mightily impressed so far though.

What tyre pressures do you run? Mine are 40R / 36F cold.

[dogsnbikes]

Looks like the rear has kept is profile really well. How have the sides of the front stood up? Any sign of triangulation? I've only done 4500 km and they're looking great, but I'm solo on a lighter bike with probably a more aggressive steering geometry. Mightily impressed so far though.

What tyre pressures do you run? Mine are 40R / 36F cold.

Judge for yourself but its a fairly even wear pattern,I run 42psi rear and 36psi front,we do alot of touring and the bike is run rather agressive but set up for our style of riding,its funny when people relise the pillon is wearing knee sliders

[Blackbird]

Judge for yourself but its a fairly even wear pattern,I run 42psi rear and 36psi front,we do alot of touring and the bike is run rather agressive but set up for our style of riding,its funny when people relise the pillon is wearing knee sliders

Thanks for that!

It does look pretty even, especially for the distance and weight you've carried. I think that the PR3's look to have a good future. What impresses me in particular is how well the front grips in the wet.