R1250RT tires should I be getting only ~6k miles

[jefla]

My 2020 RT came with MetzlerZ-8 Interacts. I replaced the front due to cupping at 5,073 mi with another Z-8 and replaced both F&R with Continental's new Road Attack 4 at 8,447 mi (last August). Now, at 14,900 mi, the front RA4 is a mess of cups and has a comparatively raised portion in the center. (I assume the sides are wearing faster and so the top seems to be raised.) Also, the left side has a different wear pattern v. the right in that the cups are more pronounced. The rear has evenly distributed mini cups. All this happened in the last ~ 800 miles (i.e., at about 5.5k total miles) and I "discovered" the cupping because of the singing tire racket. (Actually, it started on the way to the MOA 50th.) My dealer (Bob's) and I are on top of air pressure: 37F, 42R, and I do not feel an out of balance wheel (but maybe riders can't feel some balance issues).

Is 6k or so miles to be expected on an RT that spends a lot of time at interstate speeds all in search of east coast twisties? I ride one up and I don't think I'm an aggressive rider, although almost all miles are in Dyna mode. Do RTs tend to cup the front? (I've cupped three fronts in 15k miles.) If this is rooted in the suspension what suspension issues cause cupping?

I talked to Continental at the 50th Rally. Ugh. The rep, a senior guy who said he covers the Americas, would say only that "uneven wear" is operator error "99.999 % of the time." (He said he had not heard of "cupping.") I could not get him to talk about expected RA4 mileage on an RT, although he said Conti uses RTs as the test bed for road rubber and so the RA4 is engineered for our RTs. Basically, he refused to talk about wear and would not walk the short distance to look at my bike parked just outside the building, because he's in sales not engineering. ? Not sure why the interaction was so bad. Anyhow, I've used Contis for years so I'm not sure where to go with this.

Until cupping the RA4 were excellent tires. For higher mileage maybe I'm finally going to take so much advice to switch to Michelin R-6 (or Pirelli). However, if the reality is my RT and I are going to churn tires every 6k miles then so be it and RA4 are good. What you all think? Should I be happy with 6,000 miles at least for fronts?

Thanks

[brownie0486]

I ditched the Michelin offerings after getting just 5500-6K on their rears. Both motors now running Dunlop RS4's. The RS has 5800 on the rear with 4.5/32 left. The RT had 7300 on the rear and 4/32 left.

I expect to get 8-9K out of either tire on either motor. And they are every bit as sticky on dry or wet as the Michelins [ which are excellent in both categories ]

[jefla]

I took Brownie's suggestion - with my shop's strong endorsement - and got Dunlop RS4s. I like them so far but not many miles and no real rain. It seems many of us do get only 6,000 or so mile on RTs. My heavier Harley went longer.

[c10950]

A manufacture will never give a mile rating or be pinned down by a customer on expected life to their two wheel machine of choice . There is to many variables
from air temp , weight , torque , road surfaces , speed , air pressure , road surface temp , braking forces . The list can go on .
Many motorcycles cup the front tire , and user error could equal not enough rebound damping set in the fork or in your case shock .
X tire model can perform well or not so well with just a few condition changes listed above .
A few things to consider is to gain miles usually means harder compound and the additional weight to a tire due to additional tread depth . ( more rubber / belting )
Better grip or traction is softer compounds . Take a look at race tire compounds .

6,xxx miles is not great , but it is not bad either . Finally motorcycle tire makers have a hard job to make a customer happy . Grip , life , looks , toughness , and price . Its not a easy task . To many owners ask for to much , and complain on the price . A car tire is so much easier to design , and make in comparison .

I suggest getting a tire machine , and changing your own . the price will pay for itself . Last year I changed 6 sets for myself , and 4 or 5 sets for friends that put pocket money in the bike slush fund .

[PoorUB]

I have been running Conti's on my RT and get bout 8,000 on the rear, but our roads here are dead straight. I need to ride 50 miles in one direction to find a curve, and about 600 in the other. I will try the Dunlops next time.

[jefla]

user error could equal not enough rebound damping set in the fork or in your case shock .

I'm going to look into this. Thanks. I'm running what came from the factory or shop on set up and I've no idea if it's what it should be for me.

[orforester]

I ran the Metzlers that came as stock for about 6500, switched to Michelin PR4GT, 8500-9000 with them, PR6GT same on my 2018 RT. Only thing I don't like about the Michelins is the noise, they howl a lot, but I learned to out up with it. Yes they cup the last 1500-1000 miles, but so. I try to run 38/41 cold on them