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Michelin Pilot Road 4 or 4 GT

David13

New member
I have 11,300 on my PR3 tires. So by January when these new tires will be available, I will be itching for new tires.
I'm itching now, but I want to wait for the 4s.
My tires still look good, but when the time comes, I need to know:
Why would I want the GT tire rather than the ordinary Pilot Road 4 tire?
I see that the GT will be the tire on the latest RTs.
I have an 08 RT.
Does anybody know this yet? Or must I want til some riders get and use these tires?
dc
 
All the press release info is pretty detail light. Seems like only yesterday we were talking about the new 3's

Her's a bit more info from RevZillas site:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/michelin-pilot-road-4-gt-tires


specifically the difference between the 4 and the 4GT

Three separate versions available

Pilot Road 4 for all-around sport touring use
Pilot Road 4 GT has a stiffer casing with a patented new technology for motorcycle tires that delivers the stability you need for heavier GT-class bikes while riding solo, two-up or with luggage, and the comfort you desire
Pilot Road 4 Trail for adventure touring bikes ridden exclusively on the road
 
Interesting. My guess is the GT will be like the "B" version tire that's out now. Hopefully they'll give a suggested weight rating for it. I'll probably try out the standard ones next time I need tires. Hopefully they are like the PR3s, but better. :thumb
 
I like the tire mileage increase. My PR3's are still going strong with only a bit of ridge showing on the front after 11,000 miles. Way to go Michelin :thumb
 
All the press release info is pretty detail light. Seems like only yesterday we were talking about the new 3's

Her's a bit more info from RevZillas site:

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/michelin-pilot-road-4-gt-tires


specifically the difference between the 4 and the 4GT

Three separate versions available

Pilot Road 4 for all-around sport touring use
Pilot Road 4 GT has a stiffer casing with a patented new technology for motorcycle tires that delivers the stability you need for heavier GT-class bikes while riding solo, two-up or with luggage, and the comfort you desire
Pilot Road 4 Trail for adventure touring bikes ridden exclusively on the road

Thanks for the link Steve.

I'm so happy with the PR3's that it is hard to believe they could get any better.:thumb
 
Carefully treading (ha-ha) to not make this a tire pressure/driving style/road conditions/temperature/ time of year/Mason-Dixon Line location variables thread:whistle


I'm still in awe of those who get 11K plus out of rear tires. Have some LD riders I change tires for that regularly hit those kind of numbers on GSA's.

I'm not one of those, and my riding buddy isn't much better. Helen's R12R's current set of PR3's are at 9500, the longest she has ever managed, they do look good for at least another 1000. Most of those miles were touring last summer with a medium loaded bike. Usually it's set up w/out cases and ridden "spiritly"...the average rear tire on her R's make it 7K before she say's the feel is gone...and the wear bars are telling me to order another set.

On a few other bikes with them,The K12S's and R12S, they are pretty much past my preferred feel zone at 6K and look like it....at least the rears. The PR2 lasted longer than the original compound, the PR3 a bit better.

I tried a set of PR3 Trails on my GSA last Spring....great wet/dry road tires and actually got some decent miles from them...they just didn't do off roadin' well.:whistle But I knew that when I tried.

So, I guess we will be checking the 4's out in the Spring...price points between series haven't been too much on the other roll-outs as well.

RoboRider and pffog will add their 3K miles and done stories soon :laugh:laugh:laugh :wave
 
I still have a PR 1 in that oddball R11R 18 size ...saw it on the rack yesterday:scratch

So, how old is that tire? Or my real question, how old does a tire have to be before you will not put it on the road? (My personal standard is about 6 months old, but perhaps I am too careful?)
 
So, how old is that tire? Or my real question, how old does a tire have to be before you will not put it on the road? (My personal standard is about 6 months old, but perhaps I am too careful?)

That is hard to do except at a dealership that sells lots of tires. The few tire company reps I have talked to, and a manufacturer web site or two seem to say up to five years past the date stamped on the tire is OK. I personally want a tire that is no older than three years old when I mount it, making it stil within that five years when I wear it out in a year or two.

How much you ride and how long a tire lasts on your bike makes a difference. If a person has more than one bike, or rides few enough miles so a tire might be mounted for a three or four years or more before it is worn out, he or she will want fresher tires when they are mounted.
 
So, how old is that tire? Or my real question, how old does a tire have to be before you will not put it on the road? (My personal standard is about 6 months old, but perhaps I am too careful?)

Need to look at date on tire, I bought it from a large volume supplier about 4 years ago. I start thinking after 5 years, however, our tires are stored in a moderate temp year long and not exposed to direct sunlight. I have seen some on racks at low volume stores I would not put on one of our bikes...one was 10 years old:eek

Our low mileage '67 /2 had a great looking set of tires on it when we got it...but they were at least 30 years old by the logbook. They went in the recycle trailer!

I rotate our stock fairly quickly, that particular tire only fits one of our bikes and it just doesn't see the miles it did a few years back...except when my bro-in-law uses it when I have his for maintenance:whistle Seems the last time I put a tire on, I used a PR2 and missed that tire hiding at the end of the line.


I think you would be surprised how old that 6 month tire really is. Kind of like that "new" helmet I got that already was two model years old.

Bottom line is do what your comfort zone allows. I'll put a fresh tire on Helen's bikes sooner than I would for myself...since I am HER tire guy.:hug
 
I have 11,300 on my PR3 tires. So by January when these new tires will be available, I will be itching for new tires.
I'm itching now, but I want to wait for the 4s.
My tires still look good, but when the time comes, I need to know:
Why would I want the GT tire rather than the ordinary Pilot Road 4 tire?
I see that the GT will be the tire on the latest RTs.
I have an 08 RT.
Does anybody know this yet? Or must I want til some riders get and use these tires?
dc

My gut feeling would be to go with the tire that's rated for your bike's weight class. If that's the PR4GT, then so be it. Especially given that the tread is [almost certainly] the same between the PR4 and the PR4GT. Why not buy the tire that's fully rated by the manufacturer for your bike's weight?
 
Need to look at date on tire, ... I think you would be surprised how old that 6 month tire really is. Kind of like that "new" helmet I got that already was two model years old.

Bottom line is do what your comfort zone allows. I'll put a fresh tire on Helen's bikes sooner than I would for myself...since I am HER tire guy.:hug

I should have stated that fact--I am referring to the manufacturing date on the tire carcass when I say that my personal comfort zone has only been about 6 months or so. And based on your and Paul's comments, I believe I am too conservative. My car tires come from a dealership with lots of turnover and I specify fresh (i.e., 6 months) when I order my car tires, and my m/c tires have always come from a small independent guy who orders as the customer buys (and yes, I have to wait a few days for him to receive the tires I ordered). But since I only have one bike, and I only ride 10k-15k per year, thus putting new tires on the bike about yearly, it seems like I can now safely go with tires that are a bit older--perhaps two years will be my new comfort zone.
 
Interesting. My guess is the GT will be like the "B" version tire that's out now. Hopefully they'll give a suggested weight rating for it. I'll probably try out the standard ones next time I need tires. Hopefully they are like the PR3s, but better. :thumb

The Revzilla site states that the PR4GT is the tire on the new RT, so it would be reasonable to assume that it would be the right tire for larger sport tourers.

I was going to put a set of PR3s on my GT this winter, but will be looking at the 4s now I think.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
 
I'm starting to think the GT is more like the B tire.
I ride with some luggage, some weight, but always alone. So I have not been using the B tire.
dc
 
Got some miles to go on my P3's before they need replacement, did put a order in at my dealer for a pair of the GT's for my 1600 their estimate is middle of February for arrival
 
I just had the PR4 GTs mounted on my K16. So far so good, I was only able to play for 200 miles today, but so far, I like them a lot, I think they feel a bit better that the 3s. Time will tell.

BTW, the side wall is beefy, similar to the old B model.
 
The GTs are the B tire of the PR3 series.
So I want the non GT version.
The information is that the tires are now available here, in Central California. I will check when back in southern California.
dc
 
Got my pre order notice today from my usual supplier, Competition Accessories.
Noted that the PR4 and PR4 GT series have both a front and rear tire.
Also noted the Michelin claim of 20% better mileage than a PR3!!! Plus the new construction that is supposed to add some of the ruggedness of bias plies while keeping the radial ride quality.

If the mileage claim is true we might be seeing as much as 14K on a rear in touring duty when only a few years ago I routinely got 7K on PR2 rears - this based on extrapolation from what I'm getting on PR3s. That will be very nice if correct!!

So I put my first pair of PR4GT on order- $313 the set with free shipping IIRC. Not sure when they'll show up but in the past when CA has taken pre orders- stuff shows up in 2-3 weeks..
 
Revzilla says anticipated delivery April.
M C Tires, the famous motorcycle tire shop here for nearly the last 40 years says next business day.
I will put 700 more miles and then I'll have 13,000 on the PR 3s.
Oh, and yes, there is a front and a rear. Don't put the front tire on the rear, and don't put the rear tire on the front.
It would look too funny.
dc
 
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