Pants Is Going to Try a Tire Change

[Hppants]

Why does THIS bike eat tires more than the others?

I've got nearly 100,000 miles on the Michelin PR2 tire for FJRs. I like the way it performs and the price point used to make it a good value. "Used" is the operative term. What "used" to yield me no less than 8500 miles on a back, and 10,000 on a front for my Gen 1 now gets me NO MORE than 6500 miles on a rear. I'm not 100% certain on the front, but it looks like it will be about 8000 there.

The tires are not cupping or scalloping or anything. No vibration felt. No loss of tracking, grip, or confidence as the wear. They are just wearing faster. Same wrist. Same roads. Same riding. Same tire pressure checked religiously. Same tire. Same ..... everything.

So I guess I'm going to try something different. And seeing as though I'm not inclined to change the way I ride, I guess that change is going to be the tires. I do realize that whatever YOU are experiencing can't be guaranteed to be duplicated with me, but I still want your opinions none the less.

The Questions

1. If you have gone from a Gen 1 to a 3, have you experienced similar reduced performance in your tires?

2. If you ride a gen 3, what kind of mileage are you getting out of your tires, and which tire are you using?

3. I've run 42 psi back, 40 psi front for ever. Is that still that consensus for the PR2?

4. Maybe I'll try the "2-up" compound for the rear. The "B" compound. Who has tried this and what difference did it make mileage wise? Tire pressure for that? Performance difference in the twisties?

I'll need the back replaced in the next couple of months. I'd like to hear your opinions before I order the next tire.

PS - No matter what, I'm not going to the dark side. That is just not my thing. Also no matter what, I'm not going back to the Bridgestone OEM tire for the Gen 3. The front was downright scary after about 1500 miles.

Thanks.

[Redfish]

My Friend,

I have some thoughts here. You will disagree with some of this, that is okay.

You said, "Same wrist. Same roads. Same riding."
I call Bull Shit.

As you know, you are significantly faster than me. I could "almost" stay with you when I had my Honda, my '15 FJR ES closed that gap. Then you got the Gen3 and you slowly re-opened that gap. Frankly, I have no desire to try following you at speed now, you have really picked up speed.

In other words, you ride MUCH FASTER now than you did with the Gen1. This is not a criticism, not an accusation. This is The Truth from the guy behind you. That translates to faster wear.

Going by my and Dad's experience with the PR3, PR4, and PR4 GT, there is no real difference in the longevity of those tires. We still get around 9K out of the rear. The PR4GT Front tire does last a bit longer for us and that was the case with my Honda as well. And do keep in mind that Pop and I never wear a tire out as far as you do. We will change a tire before you will based on wear.

The OEM Bridgestone and the Bridgestone you can buy are NOT the same tire. I don't know why and I don't care. I have had my fill of the Bridgestones.

[LKLD]

Pants, the only experience I have, is with the Gen III, and I normally get over 10,000 miles.

I agree with you, on the OEM BT-23's, they were toast at less than 6,000m. From there I went to the BT-23 GT, much better. Then the T-30 GT (2 sets) which I really like. I changed those out at 12,000m front and 15,000m on the rear, though it showed cords all the way around on the first set. I recently won tires, through EOM (thanks Gerald!), and got the T-30 EVO GT's. I haven't put them on yet, but Jim, at Bridgestone, raved about them. I'll find out on our trip to Arkansas.

For me, at least, it's a tire you have confidence in, whether in twisties or rain, that keeps one loyal to a brand. Other than the OEM set, I have a great amount of confidence in the Bridgestones. However, everyone rides different and in different areas, so what works for me, might not work for you.

Best of luck.

[Cav47]

The first question has a simple answer---cause we ride the mess out of these bikes.

And I agree wholeheartedly with Andrew in this regard. I followed you around a little when you were on Old Blue. Albeit, it was not long, but enough to know how you rode. Fast forward to last spring and ZOOM, you were gone. I noticed significant bumps in your speed. Jump again to earlier this month at SFO. I had to make exponential leaps in my riding to stay with you(for the most of the time I did). But it clearly was at a faster pace than Arkansas on Old Blue and in Louisiana.

I am not going to try and put complicated math to the scenario, but let's say you are 10% faster than on Old Blue. Does that equate to 10% faster wear? I don't know but by the seat of my pants, if I rode with you all the time, my tires would be wearing out at least 10% faster than they do now.

And really, who freaking cares if you get 10% less wear. It takes 10 sets to cost you an extra pair of tires. For your current pace, what does that mean? I know you are frugal and practical, but ride the tire that gives you the best safety and feel. So it wears out a little quicker cause you ride a little faster now. That extra set of tires due to the 10% faster wear means a 10th set every what 60K miles? So that's every 3 years you have to put on that 10th set. Freaking quit it.

Go for a ride and write another outstanding report. Heck, you could rearrange your shop, write about it, take a few pictures, and we would love to read it--you are that good at it. Worrying about tire wear---not so much. Our biggest concern is not getting caught on tour somewhere needing a tire. The rest is just a few dollars more. If you,Andrew, Pops, and MikeP bought a tire machine, split the cost 3 or 4 ways, you might be ahead quickly. Especially if you buy internet specials like I try to do.

As for the "B" spec tire, I have been all over the place in the use and brand. I have not found them to be consistently better, but neither is my riding habits. Some tires have been relegated to mostly Illinois wear and others have been sacrificed in Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, and Wisconsin. My current "A" spec Ravens have a trip to Arkansas on them and SFO. Totalingly around 4200 miles so far with little wear considering the abuse. I have no idea about rain performance yet but no complaints otherwise. Just get them warm before getting aggressive and they will be fine---Allen taught me this.

[Redfish]

Damn. Cav finally typed something with which I can agree.

I do encourage you to experiment with different tires. You wear them out quicker than I do and you put more miles also. Learn all you can both good and bad and let us all (especially ME!) learn from your experience.

When/If I ever get a shop built behind my wife's house I will have a tire machine. I did automotive tires for a few years in high school and college and would happily get back into it for myself. Although I do remember how dirty and sweaty that job really was...

[Bugnatr]

It's not the tires, it's you. I'm still a big PR2 fan, I was happy with anything past 7,500 on the rear of the FJR and now the same tire on my 990 and anything above 5,000 on a rear and I am pleased. Learned many years ago tire miles and the fun factor go had in hand. You could always go to the darkside if you are looking monster miles out of a rear tire.

[NTXFJR]

Great comments. fwiw, personal experience would cause me to echo what Mr Andrew said, imho the PR4GT is a good tire, a relatively pricey one, but under the same riding conditions it also seems to yield more mileage than some of the others I've read about. To me, it's not wise to put a price on safe reliable traction, but at the same time I don't want to be changing tires out every 6000 miles if I don't have to. The riding style I tend to lean toward is not as aggressive as some, but when I was following some of the hooligans at Hooterville, those PR4's never even gave a hint of letting loose. I had my bike leaned waaayy over, enough to scrape the nubs on my highway pegs same as what Cav had happen. Yes, I see why you don't have highway pegs on your bike. My rear PR4GT looks like it's good for about 9k, more slab than not, front prolly better than 11k, tbd.

[HotRodZilla]

Like any other activity, you get better at it the longer you do it. I know I'm MUCH faster on my FJR than when I started riding it. More speed, more braking, more acceleration means accelerated wear. So, consciously slow down and be more gentle, or enjoy your faster ride. I've never gotten more than 7500 on ANY set of tires. Oh well, I stick to the road, and I have confidence at what are sometimes stupid speeds. If I don't spend the money on tires, I'll spend it on something else anyway.

So, all that to say, I totally agree with Cav, Fish, Bug, LKLD, and that clown from Texas.

[bigjohnsd]

Pants, from the comments of those that follow you, I assume that you are running in the Sport Mode all the time? Perhaps that is the difference between the Gen 1 and Gen 3 tire mileage, that and your familiarity and comfort level with your machine.

I've tried all the brands, best mileage for me has been with the Avon Storm 3 XM in the Heavy Duty configuration. That said I was pleased to get 8,000 miles and the check from Avon for the 7,000 miles of unused guarantee.

Harbor Freight tire machine with MC adapter, Mojo blocks, and a Mojo lever, and some kind of balancing set upsolves the changing problem, you'll have about $250 investedby the time youre done, or, one on the bike tire change labor charge. You'll also gain many new friends.

[Twigg]

I agree with the others.

If you are riding faster, the rear wears more from the extra acceleration, and the front suffers more under braking.

[wheatonFJR]

On a Gen3 in the twisties, sport or tour mode, it's all in the wrist...and your tires will tell you what you've done.

I'm riding twisties all the time now and my tire wear is telling me so...I'm getting 4500 on PR2 rears when I used to get 7000 up North. But that's okay, I'd rather run 4500 miles of twisties than 7000 miles of flat/straight.

[raYzerman]

I'm calling BS, Wheatie. You told me all yer roads was flat and boring....... eh, y'all?

[NTXFJR]

Wheatie also denies being a hooligan....jsns

[raYzerman]

Wheatie also denies being a hooligan....jsns

I was told he isn't and ANYBODY can keep up with him......

[NTXFJR]

Wheatie also denies being a hooligan....jsns

I was told he isn't and ANYBODY can keep up with him......

[wheatonFJR]

Hey, this is about Pants needing a change. A tire change.

[NTXFJR]

Hey, this is about Pants needing a change. A tire change.

Alright, alright....tell us which forum rule we need to recite and repeat over and over again??

[wheatonFJR]

Hey, this is about Pants needing a change. A tire change.

Alright, alright....tell us which forum rule we need to recite and repeat after you??

f@$k that.

Just trying to keep Pants on track...
..but I think it has been determined that wrist issues are causing increased tire wear, not softer rubber at Michelin.

[NTXFJR]

Aggressive wrist pressure causes your rubber to wear out quicker? Got it!

btw Pants, sorry for the thread dallying....

[Hppants]

Well I suppose this won't be the first time my wrist got me into trouble.....

It does make sense - harder on acceleration will eat the tires. I just didn't realize I was riding any different.

I guess I'm gonna try the B compound PR2 and see how much longer it last on the back. From there, I may try a set of EVOs just to see. But I will time that until after YFO. I don't want to be halfway across the country testing tires. I'd rather go with the devil I know....

MikeP and I keep talking about going in halves on a tire machine. That would save cost and aggravation.