I have been running Michelin Pilot 4s on my '15 RT since I bought it, but when I went to get new tires at the parts store, they had Road 5s in stock. The technician said that they have better grip and more resistance to squaring off when slab riding, but I thought I would ask the group. I haven't been around for a while, so need to get back to reading the forums more often!
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Road 5 tires on a RT-any experience?
- Thread starter kbnesbitt
- Start date
Haven’t used them, but the guy who owns the local shop (a former racer) swears by them. He rides a Concourse, not an RT, but it’s about the same size. I will use them when I replace the tires on my RT, and will likely go with them when I replace the tires on my Triumph Street Triple.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
Getting a set of Road 5 GT's on my 07RT tomorrow just in time for the $50 Michelin rebate. I have run the PR4GT's for years and liked them a lot. This is my first set of 5's.
blacque jacque shellacque
Member
Every time a manufacturer comes out with a new more expensive tire, they claim it has more or this or that, and its better then ever. Wear is constantly decreasing along with better mileage. One would think by now we would only need one set of tire and they would last a lifetime! It's all marketing smoke and mirrors to justify increased prices.
pglaves
#13338
Well there is some truth to that, no doubt. At the same time I certainly would not wish to install a Continental RB2 and K112 set on any of my motorcycles.
olgry1
New member
I had Road 5s on my R1200RS and currently have Road 5 GTs on my R1250RT. The Road 5 is a great rain tire with excellent dry handling and braking. I would assume (only 2,000 interstate miles so far) the Road 5 GTs will be very similar. As it relates to how long they will last it seems like it will be similar to other tires I have had in the past.
In the past I also had Dunlop RS 111s on my sport touring bikes. Those tires lasted measurable longer, with less front tire cupping, than my other tires. In the dry I thought they handled very well with good braking but for me I did not "feel" comfortable on them in the rain.
Dunlop has a new RS IVs out that are supposed to have similar longevity but with better wet weather handling and some other improvements. As much as I like the Road 5s I may be tempted to look at the RS IVs in the future.
In the past I also had Dunlop RS 111s on my sport touring bikes. Those tires lasted measurable longer, with less front tire cupping, than my other tires. In the dry I thought they handled very well with good braking but for me I did not "feel" comfortable on them in the rain.
Dunlop has a new RS IVs out that are supposed to have similar longevity but with better wet weather handling and some other improvements. As much as I like the Road 5s I may be tempted to look at the RS IVs in the future.
Roda 5 and Road 5 GTs
I had a set of Road 5s on my 2005 R1200RT for about 8500 miles. I found that they did not last very long and grip on the front was a bit loose when going in a straight line. In the curves there was a lot of grip but the side walls wore fairly quickly. I replaced these with Road 5 GTs and these have been a lot better. I'm up to about 3K miles and they are holding up really well. The grip is much better as well. I have no problems in crosswinds and the front end doesn't wander when going straight.
I had a set of Road 5s on my 2005 R1200RT for about 8500 miles. I found that they did not last very long and grip on the front was a bit loose when going in a straight line. In the curves there was a lot of grip but the side walls wore fairly quickly. I replaced these with Road 5 GTs and these have been a lot better. I'm up to about 3K miles and they are holding up really well. The grip is much better as well. I have no problems in crosswinds and the front end doesn't wander when going straight.
put Road 5 GTs on my 2020 RT. 2000 miles, deadsmooth. Running 42 /40 lbs. Properly balanced. No issues.
kaileybutt
Member
rangerreece
RangerReece
Road 5’s didn’t work for me on my ‘16 RT; heavy vibration and road noise. Grip and handling wasn’t all that for me.
Dunlop’s seem to be my go to tire now.
Dunlop’s seem to be my go to tire now.
dduelin
Unregistered User
I love the Road 5s on my 07 R1200RT. When I bought the bike a non-GT set of Road 5s was mounted with 4500 miles on them, those miles logged on a trip across the US so I figured I would run them out a couple thousand miles and replace with T31s, my go-to tire. I gave up on Michelins with the PR3s some years back and had very low expectations for the Road 5s. The horrid wear patterns and squishy vague turn-in of Pilot Road 1s, 2s and 3s made me pitch the last set pf PR3s half way through. I expected the same with R5s.
Instead I found the Road 5s unlike the Michelins of the past. Great grip and stable in the corners whether wet or dry. No scalloping or lumpy wear and reasonably quiet late in life. They wore smooth and symmetrical and went over 10,000 miles, the front wearing slightly faster than the rear. I bought a second set and ran them out over 10,000 miles (front 10,300, rear 13,250 miles). Now about 1/3 of the way through the third set. I run 38-40 F and 40-42 rear.
Instead I found the Road 5s unlike the Michelins of the past. Great grip and stable in the corners whether wet or dry. No scalloping or lumpy wear and reasonably quiet late in life. They wore smooth and symmetrical and went over 10,000 miles, the front wearing slightly faster than the rear. I bought a second set and ran them out over 10,000 miles (front 10,300, rear 13,250 miles). Now about 1/3 of the way through the third set. I run 38-40 F and 40-42 rear.
No scientific research or reasoning here. Just 50 years of running around on rubber things. Seems to work for me. I don't care abut solo or 2up with or without luggage. I just pump those things up and leave them alone. I let the suspension worry about the rest. As long as my TPMS shows 40+ I don"t look at them, save for a nail check before each ride (experience factor)
chadwick
New member
I’ve been running the road 5 GTs on my ‘19 1250rt since 6k miles to nearly 30k miles now. I just plan on replacing them every 6k miles when I get my bike serviced. It’s easier than taking my bike in between servicings. I ride very aggressively and I’m always glad to have new tires on my RT. I’ve had nothing but a great experience with these tires. If I can figure out how to post photos, this is a road 5 GT rear tire with nearly 7k miles after an approx 6,500 miles ride through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico mountains and twisties. The vast majority of these miles were putting the bike under extreme duress with constant acceleration, braking, and hard leaning at what I would describe as very high speeds. I don’t typically run my tires to this point, but my trip got extended and I didn’t have a lot of choice but to press on the last few hundred miles (being very gentle) after threads started showing. The great majority of the 7k-ish miles included a lot of luggage for a multi week trip. 
brownie0486
Well-known member
Though not relevant regarding the PR5GT's on an RT, mine are wearing faster than my PR4GT's by a considerable margins on my 1200rs. Got 7500 out of the 4GT's and I've already lost 2/32's of the 7/32 new on the rear in just 1800 miles. Tells me I'll get maybe 5K on the set on the bike now. I'm okay with it because the dealer put them on as a bonus, no extra charge when I bought it.
I've got a set of Dunlop RS4's waiting to be installed just before my 4 state trip in late July. Reports of actual mileage on these RS4's from several on my bike report just over 10K on the rear. Even if the rear only gets 7500-8K it'll be a vast improvement over the 5GT's that I'm running presently
I've got a set of Dunlop RS4's waiting to be installed just before my 4 state trip in late July. Reports of actual mileage on these RS4's from several on my bike report just over 10K on the rear. Even if the rear only gets 7500-8K it'll be a vast improvement over the 5GT's that I'm running presently
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
I have only had my 5GT's for a few weeks and 500 miles on my 07RT and like the way they feel and grip. Yesterday while in for service I was told to watch the wear on the front as there are reports that they wear faster than the rear which would be quite unusual compared to the 4GT's.
kaileybutt
Member
Road 5 TP's
10-4 - thank you
Safe travels
No scientific research or reasoning here. Just 50 years of running around on rubber things. Seems to work for me. I don't care abut solo or 2up with or without luggage. I just pump those things up and leave them alone. I let the suspension worry about the rest. As long as my TPMS shows 40+ I don"t look at them, save for a nail check before each ride (experience factor)
10-4 - thank you
Safe travels
snotty54
Member
Tires and Oil
I guess speculation, and related experience with tires is similar to the oil threads. My first BMW was Bronze (shown below), a '12RT Camhead I bought used with 3,250 miles on it. After running around south Florida while I farkled it up over 4-5 months, maybe putting on 500-600 miles, I took off on a road trip to New England to visit my Mother. On the way back to Florida, on a bright sunny morning in Cumberland Gap, MD, as I turned out of the hotel parking lot, I looked down and had a yellow caution light. I wasn't sure what the little symbol meant so pulled into another parking lot, scrolled through the menu, and saw my rear tire pressure was 11psi. (remember, newbie BMW owner) luckily had the TPS system. I got off the bike and looked at both tires and was mortified to see the metal bands showing in the middle of the back tire. Got out my tire pump and fortunately, the BMW power socket still worked for tire pumps on the '12 RT and pumped up the rear tire. Meanwhile I checked for the closest moto dealer and found a Harley shop 2 miles down the road. I went there immediately, they'd just opened, and gave my rider on the road story. They didn't have the proper sized rear tire, but one size up but I was uncomfortable with that, handling wise, and the guy offered to call another dealer on the other side of town 5 miles away. They had a set of Shinko's the right size so I headed over there, and within a couple of hours from the time I pulled over and saw those metal bands, I was on the road with new tires, albeit single ply Shinkos. Lucky me. The TPS system helped save me from getting stuck on the road somewhere, and the local availability of the right sized tires, any brand, was fortunate.
When I bought the RT, my focus was solely on getting it set up for over the road touring, as I don't live where the bike will be stored. I was disgusted with myself for never even examining the tires for wear, DUH! I've been fortunate most of my life and here was another example of that.
Now, since that time, I carry a combo tire pressure/tread depth measuring tool, and religiously check pressures at the beginning of a trip, as well as tread depth. I keep a One Note maintenance file on every bike, and at the end of a trip before putting the bike up until the next trip, I record the tread depths, front and rear. Now, I've got a pretty good idea of how much tread I burn in relation to the mileage of any particular trip. Over the years I've managed to lighten my load, from in the beginning to everything including the kitchen sink to only what I actually use on a trip. The only extras are a small bag of essential tools to maybe save my ass on the road, a tire pump, and a 1st aid kit. Everything else is jettisoned if I haven't used it within 3 days of being on a trip. I'm noticing a marked difference in tread wear as the load has gotten lighter over the years. I don't camp much anymore, and that was 25lbs right there. I'm generally carrying about 45lbs plus myself.
New tires generally have a tread depth of 8/32nd's on the rear, and 5/32nd's on the front. Manufacturer's advice is the rear tire is finished at 2/32nd's, and the front tire at 1/32nd's. The tire is still performing to spec down to 2/32nd's and 1/32nd's respectively, but I assume degrades after that. If you like to enjoy the curves and centrifugal force, then it makes prudent sense to always have tires that are working at their best, since that is the only connection to the road, to traction, etc.
I guess all this brings us down to how far do we go to be as safe as we can? I've decided I'm not going anywhere on tires that have reached 2/32nd's, and I use the rear tire as my gauge, because the front does not wear as fast. I always replace both. I guess a case could be made for running the tires down closer to bare tread in the middle to save as few bucks as possible, and perhaps changing the front tire every other rear tire change, but over the life of a particular bike, how much does one really save, and at what risk?
I'm heading to the Rally on my new to me XR. I bought it last October and have yet to see it, stored in Gig Harbor, WA. I asked my friends to check the tread depth for me, and explained very carefully how to measure it, and I'm hoping they got it right and they came back with 3/32nd's rear and 1/32nd front, so I'll be replacing the tires before I head to Great Falls. Thing is too, a new set of tires feel so good on the road, the bike is eager to turn in on a curve, fun-fun!
Just my .02,
Scotty
I guess speculation, and related experience with tires is similar to the oil threads. My first BMW was Bronze (shown below), a '12RT Camhead I bought used with 3,250 miles on it. After running around south Florida while I farkled it up over 4-5 months, maybe putting on 500-600 miles, I took off on a road trip to New England to visit my Mother. On the way back to Florida, on a bright sunny morning in Cumberland Gap, MD, as I turned out of the hotel parking lot, I looked down and had a yellow caution light. I wasn't sure what the little symbol meant so pulled into another parking lot, scrolled through the menu, and saw my rear tire pressure was 11psi. (remember, newbie BMW owner) luckily had the TPS system. I got off the bike and looked at both tires and was mortified to see the metal bands showing in the middle of the back tire. Got out my tire pump and fortunately, the BMW power socket still worked for tire pumps on the '12 RT and pumped up the rear tire. Meanwhile I checked for the closest moto dealer and found a Harley shop 2 miles down the road. I went there immediately, they'd just opened, and gave my rider on the road story. They didn't have the proper sized rear tire, but one size up but I was uncomfortable with that, handling wise, and the guy offered to call another dealer on the other side of town 5 miles away. They had a set of Shinko's the right size so I headed over there, and within a couple of hours from the time I pulled over and saw those metal bands, I was on the road with new tires, albeit single ply Shinkos. Lucky me. The TPS system helped save me from getting stuck on the road somewhere, and the local availability of the right sized tires, any brand, was fortunate.
When I bought the RT, my focus was solely on getting it set up for over the road touring, as I don't live where the bike will be stored. I was disgusted with myself for never even examining the tires for wear, DUH! I've been fortunate most of my life and here was another example of that.
Now, since that time, I carry a combo tire pressure/tread depth measuring tool, and religiously check pressures at the beginning of a trip, as well as tread depth. I keep a One Note maintenance file on every bike, and at the end of a trip before putting the bike up until the next trip, I record the tread depths, front and rear. Now, I've got a pretty good idea of how much tread I burn in relation to the mileage of any particular trip. Over the years I've managed to lighten my load, from in the beginning to everything including the kitchen sink to only what I actually use on a trip. The only extras are a small bag of essential tools to maybe save my ass on the road, a tire pump, and a 1st aid kit. Everything else is jettisoned if I haven't used it within 3 days of being on a trip. I'm noticing a marked difference in tread wear as the load has gotten lighter over the years. I don't camp much anymore, and that was 25lbs right there. I'm generally carrying about 45lbs plus myself.
New tires generally have a tread depth of 8/32nd's on the rear, and 5/32nd's on the front. Manufacturer's advice is the rear tire is finished at 2/32nd's, and the front tire at 1/32nd's. The tire is still performing to spec down to 2/32nd's and 1/32nd's respectively, but I assume degrades after that. If you like to enjoy the curves and centrifugal force, then it makes prudent sense to always have tires that are working at their best, since that is the only connection to the road, to traction, etc.
I guess all this brings us down to how far do we go to be as safe as we can? I've decided I'm not going anywhere on tires that have reached 2/32nd's, and I use the rear tire as my gauge, because the front does not wear as fast. I always replace both. I guess a case could be made for running the tires down closer to bare tread in the middle to save as few bucks as possible, and perhaps changing the front tire every other rear tire change, but over the life of a particular bike, how much does one really save, and at what risk?
I'm heading to the Rally on my new to me XR. I bought it last October and have yet to see it, stored in Gig Harbor, WA. I asked my friends to check the tread depth for me, and explained very carefully how to measure it, and I'm hoping they got it right and they came back with 3/32nd's rear and 1/32nd front, so I'll be replacing the tires before I head to Great Falls. Thing is too, a new set of tires feel so good on the road, the bike is eager to turn in on a curve, fun-fun!
Just my .02,
Scotty
Yes I'm on my third set of Michelin Road5 GTs, excellent all around tire in heat ,cold ,wet and dry . My first set got 12.3K miles and the second set !!.5 moles. Mileage wise this is the best tire I have ever had on my RT. Also a quiet smooth ride compared to the PR4s I used to run which only averaged 9-10K miles before replacing. Unless they come up with something better I'll be sticking with the Road5s for good.
