Realshelby
Addicted to windshields
I hate taking perfectly good tires off the bike just so I can fit a new one that will make a trip. I often take 3-4,000 mile trips. Wouldn't it be nice for a rear tire to make two trips with no worries! I have been running Bridgestone T-30 EVO's for several sets now. At $225 per set they are a very good price which takes some sting out of removing a rear tire with 2000 mile left in it. I like them, but wanted to try something to see if the rear mileage could be increased. The Pirelli Angel GT was high on my list. The RoadSmart III has some really impressive propaganda put out by Dunlop. So I fell for that and ordered a set. Just got back from a trip that was a good test and enough miles to form some facts about these new tires.
These tires have just over 4100 miles. This trip had more back roads and a LOT more mountainous terrain than I normally would get. Which should allow longer tire wear? Most of the trip the tire pressures were 38.5 front and 42 rear. New the front tire came with 4/32" tread depth. It is now at 3/32" tread depth. Rear tire came with what I called 7 3/4 /32" tread depth. It is now at 4/32". For comparison, the Bridgestone T-30 EVO's I just took off had 3/32" at 5000 miles on the front, and 4/32" on the rear at 4,300 miles. Considering the RoadSmart III started with more tread depth than the T-30, then measuring and judging mileage by tread depth means the RoadSmart III won't deliver any more mileage than the T-30, maybe not as many miles. I figure if I ever ran a T-30 to the wear bars they are a 7,500-8,000 mile tire on the rear. I wanted a tire that would go further, that is why I tried the RoadSmart III.
Wet Roads: I had several hundred miles of wet roads. The RoadSmart III gave me zero surprises in those conditions. Just like the other tires I have been running.
Handling: These are simply the BEST tires I have run for hard cornering! They roll into the turn without needing a correction like some tires, yet are willing to change a line with little effort. When leaned over hard they do not wiggle or squirm, feel very much like they have plenty of traction left. I left with pressures of 37 front and 41 rear, at just over 1500 miles I thought the front might be feathering/scalloping a bit more than I wanted so I bumped tire pressure to 38.5 front and 42 rear. This took just a bit of the really good feel out of them when leaned over, but still a very good feel.
Noise: Around 1600 miles I started hearing a noise. Could be a bearing or a tire? It is the tires. In a straight line on back roads the noise is quite obvious. Not as noticeable at 75 mph on interstates, it is there but the ambient noise is high. Lean it over and it is very noisy. Getting louder as miles go by. I don't like this, but it would not keep me from buying them if other attributes were good.
Straight line stability: Going down different road surfaces can cause quite a bit of "hunting" on certain front tires. The Continentals my RT came with were the absolute worst at this I have ever seen. These started out good, maybe the equal to the Bridgestone T-30, but seem to have gotten more nervous as miles pile up.
Ride quality: These ride very good! They are only available in the standard version, I was using the "A" spec T-30 with stiffer sidewall. So, these should and do ride better. I am wondering why I was buying the heavier sidewall tire now, they an NO additional load bearing capability and ride is not nearly as compliant.
To summarize these tires do NOT deliver mileage claimed by the manufacturer. Which does not surprise me as they won't guarantee mileage. Propaganda by manufacturers is just that, a sales gimmick. I like the handling, wet manners, looks, and have no really bad things so far to say. Just at the price these will not get more miles than the much less expensive Bridgestone T-30 EVO. Unless they start not wearing much at all, which isn't likely, this will be the last set I buy. The noise, everything else being equal, is enough to keep me away.
Rear:
Front:
These tires have just over 4100 miles. This trip had more back roads and a LOT more mountainous terrain than I normally would get. Which should allow longer tire wear? Most of the trip the tire pressures were 38.5 front and 42 rear. New the front tire came with 4/32" tread depth. It is now at 3/32" tread depth. Rear tire came with what I called 7 3/4 /32" tread depth. It is now at 4/32". For comparison, the Bridgestone T-30 EVO's I just took off had 3/32" at 5000 miles on the front, and 4/32" on the rear at 4,300 miles. Considering the RoadSmart III started with more tread depth than the T-30, then measuring and judging mileage by tread depth means the RoadSmart III won't deliver any more mileage than the T-30, maybe not as many miles. I figure if I ever ran a T-30 to the wear bars they are a 7,500-8,000 mile tire on the rear. I wanted a tire that would go further, that is why I tried the RoadSmart III.
Wet Roads: I had several hundred miles of wet roads. The RoadSmart III gave me zero surprises in those conditions. Just like the other tires I have been running.
Handling: These are simply the BEST tires I have run for hard cornering! They roll into the turn without needing a correction like some tires, yet are willing to change a line with little effort. When leaned over hard they do not wiggle or squirm, feel very much like they have plenty of traction left. I left with pressures of 37 front and 41 rear, at just over 1500 miles I thought the front might be feathering/scalloping a bit more than I wanted so I bumped tire pressure to 38.5 front and 42 rear. This took just a bit of the really good feel out of them when leaned over, but still a very good feel.
Noise: Around 1600 miles I started hearing a noise. Could be a bearing or a tire? It is the tires. In a straight line on back roads the noise is quite obvious. Not as noticeable at 75 mph on interstates, it is there but the ambient noise is high. Lean it over and it is very noisy. Getting louder as miles go by. I don't like this, but it would not keep me from buying them if other attributes were good.
Straight line stability: Going down different road surfaces can cause quite a bit of "hunting" on certain front tires. The Continentals my RT came with were the absolute worst at this I have ever seen. These started out good, maybe the equal to the Bridgestone T-30, but seem to have gotten more nervous as miles pile up.
Ride quality: These ride very good! They are only available in the standard version, I was using the "A" spec T-30 with stiffer sidewall. So, these should and do ride better. I am wondering why I was buying the heavier sidewall tire now, they an NO additional load bearing capability and ride is not nearly as compliant.
To summarize these tires do NOT deliver mileage claimed by the manufacturer. Which does not surprise me as they won't guarantee mileage. Propaganda by manufacturers is just that, a sales gimmick. I like the handling, wet manners, looks, and have no really bad things so far to say. Just at the price these will not get more miles than the much less expensive Bridgestone T-30 EVO. Unless they start not wearing much at all, which isn't likely, this will be the last set I buy. The noise, everything else being equal, is enough to keep me away.
Rear:
Front:
Propaganda is what it is and only real world testing will reveal reality.
