ncpbmw1953
Member
Geez you ate up the first set already?!
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Road Pilot 5
- Thread starter rwl1955
- Start date
Geez you ate up the first set already?!
alegerlotz
Member
I got a puncture in my rear tire about a month ago and the BMW MOA road hazard paid to replace it... it just took a month to do because the rear tire was on backorder (I rode on an internal patch until the tire was available). Since I had 5K miles on the tires already, I replaced the front one at my own cost (it was becoming a bit scalloped).
while on the road this winter the service manager in a BMW dealership told me they had some road 5's in stock. he had no feed back on their use on the RT's yet though. I bought a road 5 for the front and had no issues with it and got alittle over 15k . Just yesterday I installed new road 5's on the front and back of my 2015 RT.I had left the tires in the sun for quite awhile and they were good and warm. But they still seemed harder to install than
the road pilot 4's i had been running. Stiffer side wall? They seem to ride and handle as good as any other tire and maybe last alittle longer so I'm giving another set a try
the road pilot 4's i had been running. Stiffer side wall? They seem to ride and handle as good as any other tire and maybe last alittle longer so I'm giving another set a try
I put a set of Road 5s on my 2015 RT last year June 2018. Approximately 5000 Kms on them now (some gravel) and overall I like them. The handling seems fine to me and they actually perform quite well on gravel.
My only concern is their longevity, I have heard reports that they won't make 10,000 Kms.
Would love to hear what kind of milage people are getting with theirs.
My only concern is their longevity, I have heard reports that they won't make 10,000 Kms.
Would love to hear what kind of milage people are getting with theirs.
I got 8000kms out of mine! Brutal...I went back to the GT4s....4th set now and love them. The 5's are all hype in an effort to sell you new tires....imo.
FWIW I've had PR 5s on my R1200RS for over a year...in fact just put on the 2nd front to pass inspection. Very satisfied...so much so I see no reason to change.
My BMW dealer installed these with no comment about needing a GT tire. I agree with the earlier post that says if the tire meets the recommended specs....that should be good enough!
I see no need unless some one wants a stiffer (harsher riding) side wall.
My BMW dealer installed these with no comment about needing a GT tire. I agree with the earlier post that says if the tire meets the recommended specs....that should be good enough!
I see no need unless some one wants a stiffer (harsher riding) side wall.
patm
Member
It seems that there is a misunderstanding. I was told the GT doesn't have stiffer sidewalls but an extra belt. This would be why they both have the same weight rating.
olgry1
New member
I also have Road 5s on my R1200RS and currently have over 4,00o miles on them. They are a great all around tire. On my recent trip to Helen, GA they were great in the 400 plus miles of rain. Sometimes the rain was significant for miles on end. Once down in northern GA the Road 5s were excellent on the twisty roads.
When I need new tires I will be replacing them with another set of Road 5s.
gordsmarsredrt
Member
In this case the manufacturer's recomendation of using a "GT" tire is completely valid. The relatively heavy BMW RT needs a GT tire for longevity. I've worn out two sets of "GT" tires on my 2018 RT. I got about 15,000 km out of a set of Metzeler Roadtec Z8 tires and the same from a set of Michelin Pilot Road 4 tires. Without knowing better I then installed a set of Road 5 tires. Thought I'd give another shop some business. Road 5 GTs weren't available yet. Big mistake. They were toasted after only 10,000 km. The Road 5 GT is now available in Europe and Canada. I have a set. They're great (so far). We'll see how many kilometres the Road 5 GTs last.
Cheers!
gordsmarsredrt
Member
I bought my Road 5 GTs from The Visor Shop. The price was great, even after paying for shipping, customs, and handling through DHL. The very next week, early November, my BMW dealer here had them on the shelf. I got 2000 km on them before parking for the Winter. Love them.
patm
Member
Yeah, it took michelin a while but now even my favourite local shop and my dealer have then in stock.
cabnfvr
Member
Michelin's web site has a 120/70/17 in GT and standard, both load rating 58 and a 190/55/17 GT and standard both at load rating 75 !! According to another Michelin web page the GT is described as ... well, it's still not clear.
p.s. I also found a good load rating guide.
pglaves
#13338
Michelin's web site has a 120/70/17 in GT and standard, both load rating 58 and a 190/55/17 GT and standard both at load rating 75 !! According to another Michelin web page the GT is described as ... well, it's still not clear.
p.s. I also found a good load rating guide.
Load rating is part of it. But that in and of itself does not explain either carcass stiffness or squirm. And these latter factors have an effect on handling regardless of load rating alone.
cabnfvr
Member
Yep, but like I always thought the GT was a higher rating. It's fine that it's not, just confusing as to the structure. Something is there for handling the higher end of the load range.
I’m not a conti fan but your not correct about needing stiff sidewalls ona bike that doesn’t weigh in at the minimum spec for a GT tire, no does it make enough hp for a GT tire. Your whole basis is incorrect. A softer side wall tire in the case of a non-GT tire on the rt would provide better feel in mountain cornering than a stiffer side-walled GT tire. The extra stiffness. The GT tire provides is for bikes in excess of 700 lbs plus cargo and or the 150 hp+ bikes that torture rear tire caucus’s. I mean after all it’s not the bike or tires fault your packing 300 lbs with your gear on plus luggage and running 32 lbs of air because that’s what BMW says you need for a soft cushy ride feeling.
Fully loaded passenger and with rider aboard, the RT barely enters the Pilot 5 GTs load range specification. A K1300GT or a K1600 is a different matter, that’s what that tire was meant to be used for, plus a few other non- BMW bikes.
The moral of the story is, if you want to get that squirmy feeling out of your seat, calm your imagination, put some air in your tires and run a few laps to lean out the fat layers loaded into your buttocks.
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You guys kill me, you go tho the dealer and have him do all the work, install your tires and bitch all the way home about how much it costs, go get qualified! Hop on over to cycle gear and buy a pair of Pirelli STs or a pair of Contis for $165. Pick up a set of tire irons and tire lube. Go watch a few YouTube videos on how to change a motorcycle tire. Last year I rode to the national rally on my Ducati Multistrada with a new Pirelli ST rear tire, why because it was $135 bucks. With all my gear loaded I used the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway as the main route to head south for Tennessee.
I passed plenty of BMWs going and coming from the rally. None were up to the challenge of keeping pace with fully loaded Multistrada and my $135 rear tire. I’m so tired of hearing about the winers needing the $300 rear tire on their stability ABS controlled RTs. Go learn how to ride. Da.
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If you want to buy your tires from Revzilla online, you can go to Cycle Gear store and buy the same exact tires for the same price and have them mounted on your rims, you’ll have to bend over and pull them off the bike yourself. You can do that in any parking lot,j especially in California weather, unless your neighborhood is on fire! Da.
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dduelin
Unregistered User
Try as I might I cannot find what Bridgestone and other tire makers used to state in black and white fitment guides, specifically that GT Specification tires were for machines in excess of 500 lbs. Now the descriptions are vague descriptions of heavy weight sport touring machines and/or refer to particular motorcycles all of which are in excess of 500 lbs.
