Looking for a good pure street only tire, can you help?

[iridemotorbikes]

Hey guys I'm looking for advice on street only tires for my Ténéré. I have just over 5000 miles on the bike, I'm on my second set of Metzeler Tourance EXP's the first set lasted 1900 miles and now the second set is cooked. I ride pretty aggressive and only ride the Suoer Ténéré on the street.. I have other much more user friendly bikes for the off road stuff, so no dirt ever for my bike- more power to everyone who takes there's off road but mines a dedicated street machine.

So my question- Is anyone running a street only tire? What brand/model? Do you like them? Milelage? Grip? Wear? Any recommendations would be great. Not really concerned with wet weather preformance as it only rains 5-10 days a year here.. I do a lot of straight slab riding, 100 miles one way on the freeway to the office, but also live two minutes from some of the best canyons in Californina- so I guess I'm wanting a good all around street tire that will last a good couple of miles. Maybe FJR or RT style type of tire?? Thoughts?

 

[justbob]

I am running the Michelin Pilot Roads 3's and really like them. I call my riding style "mildly aggressive" and find these tires to perform well for my needs. Tread wear seems to be comparable to other sport touring tires I have tried, rear 6000 to 7000 miles and the front will go about 10,000 miles.

 

[hANNAbONE]

...what Bob said ^^^ up there ^^^

 

[Rasher]

I used Roadsmarts on my GS and they were very good, plan to fit Roadsmart 2's when my Tourances expire.

I think any premium Sport Touring tyre would work well, but it is very hard (impossible :question to find pure Sports Rubber in these sizes.

I know you can also get:

Continental Road Attack 2's
Michelin Pilot Road 3's
Bridgestone BT-023

I did put a link to an extensive tyre test in another tyre topic, it had a few road tyres and a load of Dual Purpose tyres, the Roadsmart 2 I think topped the dry lap times and was second only to the PR3 on wet times - not that it seems wet performance is a concern for you, but the road tyres were all noticeably better according to the testers - and I definately felt happier with the Roadsmarts on my GS compared to the Tourance EXP's.

Just don't expect much better mileage, the road tyres come with 2-3mm less tread from new, so although the rubber wears a shade slower the life is about the same.

 

[avc8130]

Absolutely cannot go wrong with a set of Michelin Pilot Road 3s. I used to run them on my Buell 1125s and still run them on my Speed Triple. I push pretty hard and they have never been unpredictable. They warm up fast and have AMAZING wet grip. I get ~7k miles out of them in a sporty application.

ac

 

[fredz43]

Another vote for the PR3's. Really handle well. I will find out the mileage as the season goes. I got an average of a little over 6,000 on 3 rear Battlewing OEM's. The PR3's cost more, but they are worth it to me, even if they only get the same mileage as the BW's.

 

[iridemotorbikes]

Thanks for the help guys- looks like I will give the Pilot Roadsmarts 3 a try..
Will order them up today..

 

[raven09]

Michelin Pilot Road 3 Trail
http://www.michelinmotorcycle.com/index.cfm?event=pilotroad3trial

I've ridden my friend's VStrom with them on and the bike handles like a sport bike. I have the regular PR3s on my FJR and it's the best tire I ever had on. Excellent grip rain or shine. From all the user reviews I've read, I don't think you can find a better sport touring tire.

 

[iridemotorbikes]

I ordered up a set of the Pilot Roadsmart 3's, didn't go with the trail/B version-
Thanks for all the input/help.

 

[EricV]

Sorry to hear you ordered up some PR3s. They are crap as far as wear goes. A friend wore one out in 2700 miles, to the cords and flat. I barely got 8500 miles from the rear and the front is badly cupped. And I'm pretty easy on tires.

After these are wasted, say by next week, try some Conti Road Attacks or an Avon Azaro front and Avon Storm II rear. They will at least hold up a bit better. The Azaros are best, but they don't offer them in the rear size any more. Avon found out they last too long, and replaced them with garbage. Wankers.

 

[fredz43]

Hi Eric,

Quite a bit of difference between 2700 and 8500. If I get 8500 out of my rear PR3 I will be thrilled. Got around 6000-6500 on 3 previous BW's. Guess I'll find out as the summer progresses.

 

[EricV]

Hi Eric,

Quite a bit of difference between 2700 and 8500. If I get 8500 out of my rear PR3 I will be thrilled. Got around 6000-6500 on 3 previous BW's. Guess I'll find out as the summer progresses.

Of the 2700, 1700 was at elevated speeds, even for Nevada, but it's still pretty sad. No steel cords in PR3s. I hope to get 10k from a rear tire, as I used to in the past. Anything less is sub-par, IMHO.

 

[Dallara]

Of the 2700, 1700 was at elevated speeds, even for Nevada, but it's still pretty sad. No steel cords in PR3s. I hope to get 10k from a rear tire, as I used to in the past. Anything less is sub-par, IMHO.

But do you care how well a tire sticks? How far down the priority list is grip?

And what, exactly, is "elevated speeds" to you, Eric?

Dallara



~

 

[fredz43]

Of the 2700, 1700 was at elevated speeds, even for Nevada, but it's still pretty sad. No steel cords in PR3s. I hope to get 10k from a rear tire, as I used to in the past. Anything less is sub-par, IMHO.

I don't think I have gotten 10k out of a rear tire in the last 10 years or maybe longer. I'll continue my PR3 test and see how it suits my criteria.

Thanks.

 

[avc8130]

Re: Looking for a good pure street only tire, can you help?

Dallara,

no he does not.

ac

 

[EricV]

But do you care how well a tire sticks? How far down the priority list is grip?

And what, exactly, is "elevated speeds" to you, Eric?

Dallara
~

An interesting question. Define grip. Elevated speeds for the 2700 mile tire mean 155 mph. Elevated speeds for me mean about the ton. I haven't suffered loss of "grip" except for the crap EXPs at 60 mph on TX roads in the rain. I don't drag hard parts on the Super Ten. Don't fool yourself into thinking that means I ride slow. It means I'm not an idiot and I ride the Pace.

 

[Dallara]

An interesting question. Define grip. Elevated speeds for the 2700 mile tire mean 155 mph. Elevated speeds for me mean about the ton. I haven't suffered loss of "grip" except for the crap EXPs at 60 mph on TX roads in the rain. I don't drag hard parts on the Super Ten. Don't fool yourself into thinking that means I ride slow. It means I'm not an idiot and I ride the Pace.

Define grip?

Pretty simple really. How much acceleration/braking/lateral load can you put on the tire before it loses purchase with the road surface and slides away. If it spins under acceleration then it has lost grip. If it locks under braking then it has lost grip. If it unhooks and slides while cornering it has lost grip. How complex is that?

And yes, Eric, I understand you don't like Metzeler Tourance EXP's. I get that. But please... Talk about "BS" from your response in another thread. There is no way an EXP is worse on a Texas road in the rain than a Heidenau K60 is, and you love them!!!

And "The Pace" is different for all riders. Your "Pace" isn't necessarily the *only* one that determines whether somebody is an "idiot" or not. Someone else's "Pace" may be slower, or much, much faster, and they're not any more or less an "idiot" than you are. I don't think I ride like an "idiot", either, Eric, but who knows... Maybe I ride a bit quicker than you. Or maybe what I want to *feel* from a tire is simply different than what you like. I might like to trail-brake all the way to the apex most of the time, while you like to get your braking done always while straight up. I might use real late turn in and apexes, while you might arc it more. I may dime it at the apex and pick it up quick while you don't like squaring them up. Etc., etc., etc. We all ride different to a large degree. That doesn't make you *right* and me *wrong*, or vice versa. Likewise, because of all those differences we all have a different *feel* for tires, and what is one man's crap tire might be another's ideal.

Or are you saying something different?

And you still haven't said how far down your priority list grip is... ::017::

Dallara



~

 

[twinrider]

Anyone run through a set of Anakee 3s yet? Wondering what kind of mileage they're getting.

 

[Don in Lodi]

I don't think I have gotten 10k out of a rear tire in the last 10 years or maybe longer. I'll continue my PR3 test and see how it suits my criteria.

Thanks.

ME880 heavy, 16000 miles, 1100 pounds of man and machine. K60, over 14000, 900#. I'll tell the next officer that I ride like a granny, the 'net says so. ::025::

 

[fredz43]

ME880 heavy, 16000 miles, 1100 pounds of man and machine. K60, over 14000, 900#. I'll tell the next officer that I ride like a granny, the 'net says so. ::025::

Hi Don,

I probably ride like a slightly fast nanny, but prefer tires that are a bit more compliant than those, so never get very good mileage. Also since I have to ride at least 3 hours from my straight, flat, boring IL roads to get to any decent twisties, I wear the tires flat in the middle. Still, I enjoy those twisties, so prefer tires with more grip (Hi Dallara ;D ).