Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT

Fortunet 1

Fortunet1
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Gilroy, Ca.
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Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

Most likely this problem has been exposed as "hot rod hand" ...something that's not easily given up until buying tires at a feverish rate becomes bothersome.
 
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Lancaster, PA - U.S.
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Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

Reading Tire wear and proper suspension setup will help ensure the maximum tire life and performance. I just had my second PR4 GT Front tire and third PR4 GT rear tire. So I'm getting a good season out of a rear tire at my current conditions. The rear tires, both PR4 GT suffered from "cupping". This is primarily due to improper tire pressure, usually low. Checking and adjusting tire pressure often, once A day at least. After watching the video in this thread (states Michelin tires are very pressure sensitive, even at .5 to 1 psi change). I might invest in the FOBO tire pressure monitor system (look in for sale/group buy area). I ran BT020, BT023, BT030 and felt like I was not getting good mileage out of them 5K at best. Think I had a 3.5K I there too, not related to tire pressure issues. I switched to the PR4s and they ware well, but I got lax on checking tire pressure, should be able to get close to 10K on them.

A few things to consider:
? ST1300 is considerably under sprung from factory. According to RaceTech's website the ST1300 is sprung for its curb weight. I had my suspension over hauled and I haven't looked back. It was a significant change for me.
? I am 300+ lbs. but ride mostly without passengers and little to no cargo.
? I ride aggressive in the turns and on the straights... Someone said enthusiastically...Yeah, that's me.
? Moderate to heavy braking and acceleration in/out of corners will play a factor on tire wear. Smooth transitions will help maintain your contact patch (area of tire making contact with the road/surface) and tire life,etc.
I agree aggressive throttle operation will also have an impact on tire ware.

Conclusions I've come to:
? Make sure your suspension is setup properly, as best as you can for the type of riding you do. If you can afford it, have your suspension upgraded with the proper springs.
? check your tire pressure regularly.
? after 5K miles on motorcycle tires on a street/performance bike , the tire profile will be worn down the middle more than the sides... Handling is compromised when the tire profile is worn down. As much as we want to think of ours selves as racers .... Unless your going to track days, and track days only, legal street riding lends to more wear in the center of the tire.
? dual compound tires softer compound used on the edges, handle great but the soft compounds will be less forgiving when something isn't right.




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Joined
Oct 12, 2016
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Ontario
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

what kind of life are you guys getting out of the PR4 GT?? I bought the bike and they had about 2,000km on them, I will have put another 3,000km on them and I am planning a 9,000km trip next month. Should I replace before the trip or is 14k km reasonable to expect them to get me home? for the americans here that's roughly 8500 miles
 

docw1

Bill Rankin
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Dec 3, 2004
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Muscatine, IA
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2012 ST1300A
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Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

I just replaced my rear PR4GT with about 10,000 miles on it. It was just down to, maybe a little past, the wear bars. Somewhat depends on riding style and roads. I ride solo, and, some say, a little aggressive.
 

sky.high

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Calgary
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Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

what kind of life are you guys getting out of the PR4 GT?? I bought the bike and they had about 2,000km on them, I will have put another 3,000km on them and I am planning a 9,000km trip next month. Should I replace before the trip or is 14k km reasonable to expect them to get me home? for the americans here that's roughly 8500 miles
Front tire probably, rear probably not, for that distance I'd definitely start with a fresh rear.
 
Joined
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Cookeville, TN
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2015 FJR1300 ES
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

I got 12,000 on my last ones on my FJR and they were down to the wear bars.
 
Joined
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Nantahala
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2008 ST1300 ABS
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

Ran into that problem when I bought my ZRX1200. I was asking the guys about my strange tire ware. They laughed, and told me to ease off the throttle coming out of the corner....haha!! I can control it now. I can get another 1000 to 2 miles more out of a rear now. Now if I start getting boogers on the ST, that mean I'm getting real comfy with it ;-)
 
Joined
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Cochrane, Alberta
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2007 ST1300
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

Just about to replace my 1st set of PR4 GTs that I put on last summer. 100% of my riding is on trips with tent & gear (no passenger) on some of the twistiest backroads to be found south of Alberta (Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon & California). Always spirited riding, but never super crazy. Took them a good way past the wear bars on a 5 day trip over the last weekend (but still some rubber left, never felt worried).

Got 14,000 km out of the the front, 12,000 on the rear. Some feathering on the front tire the last few days, as it neared end of life.

No noticeable changes in handling that I could tell, unlike what I used to experience on my Kawa Vulcan which was dramatically different on new vs. old tires.

My last rear tire on the ST1300, a Continental, got to 7,000 km before the cords started showing in the middle of a trip. Based on this, and what people are saying for longevity of the PR4GTs compared to others, I will definitely be replacing them with the same.

By my rough math, road trips cost about C$30 per day in tire cost (about $0.05 per km).
 
Joined
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Surrey, BC, Canada
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2008 Goldwing GL1800
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

Got 14,000 km out of the the front, 12,000 on the rear. Some feathering on the front tire the last few days, as it neared end

By my rough math, road trips cost about C$30 per day in tire cost (about $0.05 per km).
JJ, are you talking 12,000km or miles? If it is km, then I am getting double the life out of my PR4GT. Attached is a pic of my rear tire which has over 15,000 km on it. My last set was PR3, I got 28,000km out of them. They still had some life left. But at the end of the season, I wanted to be ready for the next, so I replaced them with the current PR4GT.
You have some real nice road to ride on in southern Alberta and US. We went to "Go to The Sun Road and Lo Lo pass last year. Will do the same ride this summer from Vancouver to Calgary, then the pass and onto Origen Coast.
Kenny
 

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Joined
Jul 3, 2016
Messages
150
Location
Cochrane, Alberta
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2007 ST1300
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

JJ, are you talking 12,000km or miles? If it is km, then I am getting double the life out of my PR4GT. Attached is a pic of my rear tire which has over 15,000 km on it. My last set was PR3, I got 28,000km out of them. They still had some life left. But at the end of the season, I wanted to be ready for the next, so I replaced them with the current PR4GT.
You have some real nice road to ride on in southern Alberta and US. We went to "Go to The Sun Road and Lo Lo pass last year. Will do the same ride this summer from Vancouver to Calgary, then the pass and onto Origen Coast.
Kenny
Nope, kilometres only. I bet if it weren't for the great lonely twisty roads we ride, I would get much better life out of my tires. Lolo pass certainly has taken a good amount of my tires. But the roads in Canada are too heavily trafficked and speed enforced that America ends up claiming most of my tire tread. Do wish I could get longer tire length at C$700 per tire change, tho.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
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248
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Surrey, BC, Canada
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2008 Goldwing GL1800
Re: Michelin Pilot Road 4 Gt thread

JJ, by the time you add the gas, brake pads, the daily operation cost sure adds up fast. Good thing the ST1300 is a low maintenance bike ortherwise. I am not a superfast rider, I try to keep 20km above speed limit and no more, unless on wide open highway. I am light on the brake and easy on the throttle, keeping my adrenaline low and heartbeat normal. Still manage to pass 90% of the bikes on the road.That is fun enough for me. May be it is age, who knows. What colour is your ST? may see you on the road.
 
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