Strange Pilot Road 3 wear

[Curt H]

My ST13A (with 33k miles on clock) rear Pilot Road 3 is toast with 6194 miles. Center tread (hard rubber) looks fine, each side (softer rubber) is worn down to nearly nothing. And, noticeably, the left side is worn more than the right side. This would appear to be an under inflation issue, yet tire pressure is monitored and maintained at 42PSI and 44PSI when riding 2-up. Yes, a goodly amount of the miles are with two up. The bearings appear to be OK, but i will be replacing anyway - they are cheap and general principals indicate that replacement is due.

Questions:
Is there any other issues that I have not checked out?
For 2-up riding, what is the consensus for tire pressure? More than 44PSI?
Is there a different tire recommendation? (Prior tire, PR2, lasted 8k miles)

Thanks for replies.

Curt H
STOC #2161
Fitzwilliam NH

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

Left side more than RIGHT... maybe curve of local roads. Most roads high point in center for rain run-off.

 

[DsrtRngr]

My 2005 also has more wear on left side (BT023), most noticeable at tire's end of life.
I'm thinking it's a torque-steer issue from the driveshaft, or something is loose. I hate trying to figure out those kind of problems.

Probably explains why my bike makes left turns much easier than right-hand turns...

 

[dduelin]

Almost all MC tires wear more on the left side than the right. Just Google it and read a variety of discussions. Over in England they complain about right side wear.

 

[SupraSabre]

I had the same issue with my 2004 PR3, although my PR3 on my 2005 seemed to do fine, although I pulled it early (about 9,500 miles) because of the bike heading to Oregon.

For my 2010, I mounted PR2s on it and I'm coming up on 12,000 on it, Oct 16th, I'll be puting another set of PR2s on it.

Once I get the 2004 back up and running, I'll put a set of PR2s on it and see if it has a different wear pattern. If not, I'll start checking the swingarm for straightness. 4:

 

[Nevada]

Road crown. YOU balance the bike vertically relative to the Earth, not perpendicular to the road. Unless you do a lot of riding in the left lanes of 3+ lane (each way) highways where EACH side is center crowned, you're spending a lot more time "leaned" slightly to the left relative to the road surface. Also, you probably lean over more when you're making left turns, simply because urban left turns are generally taken at higher speeds than right turns. You've got more radius to work with.... I'd venture you also accelerate a bit more on the left turns, again, larger radius turn permits higher speeds.

 

[Justytroll]

I think we corner faster to the left because the corners are wider sweeps. when the tires start to wear they get that funny look to them. I've had it at the end of the life of all my tires.

 

[Ruspcola]

My left side always wears more than the right; it's normal

 

[SupraSabre]

It's the wearing out PR3s at 6k that isn't normal....

My PR2s (I've had too many sets to remember) lasted at least 10 to 12K...

 

[Red wolf]

That is weird that the PR3s are worn out so quickly. I put a set on my '03 ST last summer and they are now around 15,000km (approx 9000 miles) and still look barely worn out..this is with about 99% one up riding

 

[Appalachian]

Left side - road crown + we tend to corner faster to the left partly because most of us are more comfortable leaning left, and mostly because starting from the right side of the road our sight lines to the left are longer. Same reasons 'other side' republics have similar issues with the right side of the tire.

I almost always roach the sides of DC tires before the middle goes to bars. The transition area between compounds is notorious for uneven wear, especially if you decel in corners. The PR3's have given me the least noticeable compound transition wear (almost none) of any DC tire I have used. I get about 7500 miles out of them on a lighter bike, which is much better than average for me. Have you double checked the accuracy of your on board TPI?

 

[Gizmo]

The last 2 PR3 tires I've had on the rear needed to be replaced at 10,500 kms. In the first instance the sides were worn off, in the second instance the center was worn off. 95%+ of my riding on those 2 tires was 1-up, always checking tire pressure before any trip.

I had a PR2 in the shed and I just installed that prior to heading to WVSTOC last week. For me, PR2's have lasted longer than PR3's, but it might be a function of a change in my riding style - hard to say, but I'm curious to see what life I get out of this PR2.

 

[flyfisher]

So today I had to have the front PR3 replaced at 6500 miles....ti re wore SQUARE....center not worn out, but transitional shoulders... are shot...turn in felt like falling off a table edge....not pleased....put 023GT on and see what happens.....anyone else experience this?

 

[Al Gully]

Coming up to 17,000 miles on my BT 023 GT's. Wearing evenly and no abrupt step over from the duel compound transition. Also really surprising, there is no cupping on the front or rear. There is a bit of feather edging at the sipes on the rear tire. Looks like I'm going to hit the wear bars on the rear tire first.
I'll post some pictures once the rear gets down to the wear bars. Hoping to see another 1000 miles from the rear tire. Used mainly for commuting, so taking it down below the wear bars is no problem. Tire shop is a stone throw away from me. Installed them at the same time and the front looks like it could go another 3-4K.

 

[Garry in AZ]

For my 48-Plus and 10-10ths ride, I mounted my first set of Michelin Pilot Road 3's. The tires easily lasted the entire 10 day ride, (10,300 miles) and I could have left them on for the additional 1800 miles home to Phoenix. But I had a fresh set of the new Dunlop Roadsmart 2's waiting for me there in Canada, so I changed them out to see how I'll like the Dunlops.
Based on the amount of tread I had left on the PR3's at 10K+, I believe I could have gotten 15,000 miles out of them.
The edges were worn more than the center, and the left edge was worn more than the right, due to road crowning.

Garry

 

[Al Gully]

John,
I even amazed myself on the mileage I'm getting. Thinking the types of stones they use in the asphalt up here and the temperature of the roads have a lot to do with it. I also have an Orange tire pressure monitoring system on board and never let the tires go below 42 psi. Actually, I like to start with 43-44 psi in them cold. Thinking that really helps in the cupping syndrome some of us are having.
I have a new set in the garage, so I'll try and duplicate it on the next batch of tires.
With the post above from Garry, sounds like the PR 3's can go the distance under certain conditions.

 

[ST1100Y]

Left side - road crown + we tend to corner faster to the left partly because most of us are more comfortable leaning left

According to our MSL instructors does this in particular apply on right-handed people... (vice versa for the left-handed)... probably some conjunction with (right hand) counter-steering and positioning of the head while looking far into a left turn/bend... can any left-handed people out there dis/confirm?

 

[CruSTy]

Had the same problem 2up with Dunlop. Bumped pressure to 46psi when 2up and problem cured. I attribute the left side wear to road crown.

 

[omniron]

My last set of PR3s went 12,500 miles, with about 200-300 more still possible. These tires, like all the PR3 sets I've worn out before them, performed perfectly the entire distance -- straight roads and all kinds of corners, dry and wet. The front was good for many more miles, but I always switch both at the same time ...less hassle, since the front won't last through two rear tires. On the rear, the wear bars were close on the sides AND the center. I think it's cool that I wore out the sides of the tire, too. Love the curves. There was just a little more wear on the left side ...crowning of the roads, as others have stated. Near the end of tire life, the front had some slight side cupping, but it never bothered me or affected cornering confidence.

I'm a big fan of PR3s and will continue to use them.

 

[Digiamo]

Curt, good to hear from you.
I am currently running PR3's on the WEE Strom and at about 6k miles the rear is squared but serviceable.
I almost always get more wear on the left side.
I'm sure you heard "DarkSide" opinions...

GS3&TT2