Thanks guys, it seems the difference is sidewall rigidity. is this correct? I have 13,000 on the stock RP4's and they've been great. Best tires I've ever had on a motorcycle. I rode 100 highway miles Saturday and 50 backroads and the 4's are still working well but I'm leaning towards the 5's. Gman, I'm looking at the track days in Palmer, how was it?
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Road Pilot 5
- Thread starter rwl1955
- Start date
exgman
Active member
Well, Michelin advertising says that the R5 is better in the rain due to engineering of the tread as one difference. Michelin says an R5GT model is coming, but unknown date of availability...but until then they say use the PR4GT for the RT.
On a side note, since you're out in the best part of Massachusetts, do you have a recommendation for a great Chinese restaurant near Holyoke?
exgman
Active member
Nonetheless, a very intense experience I bet.
Rinty
New member
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How about Thai? I've eaten here, very good in South Hadley on RT.202.
So you recommend the 5's?
I use PR5 on my 2009RT. Ride mostly solo. I’m pretty aggressive on the throttle and I really like the 5. I’ve run the Pirelli Angle GTs on my Multistrada and I’ve burned off two sets of those on that bike. The Angles are not a rain tire like the Road 4s or 5 is, that’s for sure. But they stick like glue when I am leaned over and crank on those 150 horses exiting the corners. I can’t believe how good Tires are these days. It’s truly amazing.
I can remember drifting fronts and rears on my 1994 VFR1000F like on a dirt bike! It used to be fun leaving big black lines exiting corners on your favorite highway entrance ramp. Now stability control makes my life boring, but safer. I do miss those greasy tires.
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taran1900
Member
Michelin is right. The GT version of these tires have a stiffer sidewall which prevents flexing that occurs with a heavier load. I go with the PR4 GTs on my RT because they are more stable in the curves that the regular PR4s and they last longer.
Rinty
New member
This is a coincidence, as I just took delivery of a new R1200RS, and the briefer at the dealer, who gave me a detailed review of new machine, told me it came with Pilot Road 4's and that he preferred them to the 5's.
I think the decision may come down to how much the subject bike weighs and personal preference.
pappy35
New member
Different tire but that's gotta be why my RT feels like it handles so much better now with the new Battlax T31 GT's I just put on. I mean, seriously, I thought the shocks were going even though the bike only has 13,500 miles on it.
When I bought it last year the dealer put on a set of ContiMotions which, looking at them now, do not have a GT spec carcass! With the old rubber, the bike always felt loose, wobbly even, in turns (especially through bumpy turns). Now the bike goes through like it should. Just like it's on rails!
Reading this thread got me thinking about it. Now I know what carcass weave feels like! I don't know about the PR5's but I now definitely believe the a GT-spec tire is not an option on machines in this weight class.
All set, $605.00 installed. The Tech snapped off the key on my FOB trying to remove the bags. They're ordering me a new one.
pappy35
New member
$605 for a pair of tires? Holy Hanna!!!
A fella I patched a tire on his GSW for had a quote for the rear only mount/balance of around $320. Tires aren't cheap, but the labor rates nowadays seem high. One does what they need to do.
Rinty
New member
I'd read that the pin can snap, so I ordered a steel key when I bought my new RS last month, and keep it on the same ring as the plastic one. It's just for use on the luggage and the seat.
alegerlotz
Member
I got a new set of Continental RoadAttack 3 GT tires yesterday for $449 mounted, balanced, and out the door with California sales tax.
and that was with "free" mounting and balancing. I priced them online and the front was around $150.0 and the rear around $180-$200. MAX was around $550.0 mounted.
not many dealers will mount tires for you that you bought off the internet, they cite liability but we know they want the markup/profit. I live in a apartment complex and don't have the work area to remove the wheels. Like I said I priced the tires online and could have purchased a set for around $350.0.
pappy35
New member
Ah, yeah, been there. I didn't think about that scenario. My dealer initially quoted me like $130 for mounting the tires. Then a couple of weeks later I asked again and it was ~$40 each +tax. Go figure.
