Favorite RS Tires?

[mblotzer]

What's your favorite tire for your R1200 or 1250RS?

I've been running Dunlop RoadSmart IVs on my R1250RS for the last 50,000 miles and am thinking of switch to a Michelin Pilot Power 6. The Dunlops were my go-to tire for long trips -- a good feeling tire I could count on for 8-10K miles. But now that my age is up and mileage is down, I'm considering the Michelins or other sportier tire.

Mike

 

[kbasa]

Been running Pilot Roads for years. Great grip, decent wear, terrific in wet. I run Pilot Road GT 5s on my RT and Road 6s on my VFR and GS.

I ride the roads of the Coastal, Mayacamas and Napa mountain ranges, so grip is more important to me than wear. Conditions in the winter can mean wet and mossy roads. Summer can bring high road surface temps and they seem to deal with it all.

If you’re sensitive to noise, the Michelins will tell you when they’re cooked by getting really noisy.

 

[lee]

thinking of switch to a Michelin Pilot Power 6

The Road Smart and Pilot Road tires have very good grip.
I would not bother with a sport tire for street use.

 

[brownie0486]

Dunlop rs4's on both the 11RT and 16RS. Until I find a tire that goes the distance these do and are as sticky on both dry and wet roads, I see no reason to swap to something else. 9-10K on the rears, fronts wear just a little less [ I run 38psi in the front based on my mechanics recommendation to keep it from cupping early

 

[r0ckrat]

The Road 6 is also supposed to have superior wet grip to the Power... Which I availed myself of riding from Redmond to Portland on Hwy 22 after the rally - heavy rain coming past the reservoir and I was able to comfortably maintain "sunny weather family sedan" pace.

 

[brownie0486]

The Road 6 is also supposed to have superior wet grip to the Power... Which I availed myself of riding from Redmond to Portland on Hwy 22 after the rally - heavy rain coming past the reservoir and I was able to comfortably maintain "sunny weather family sedan" pace.

I've run the rs4's at 70 in driving wind swept torrential rain across the plains of Wyoming. Blowing me all over the road, tires were as planted as on dry pavement. They give confidence in really bad conditions and that's something I feel is paramount to choosing tires.

 

[darrell]

2016 R1200RS - Always change both tires at the same time

0000 miles - Metzeler Roadtec Z8 (7735)
7735 miles - Metzeler Roadtec 01 (3990)
11725 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (11063)
22788 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (6252)
29040 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (7906)
36946 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8380)
45326 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8186)
53512 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8435)
61947 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8322)
70269 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (5940)
76209 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (6468)
82677 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (7523)
90200 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8283)
98483 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8517)
107000 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (10245)
117245 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (10616)
127861 miles - Dunlop Mutant (7890)
135751 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (11753)
147504 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (TBD)

 

[PGlaves]

2016 R1200RS - Always change both tires at the same time

0000 miles - Metzeler Roadtec Z8 (7735)
7735 miles - Metzeler Roadtec 01 (3990)
11725 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (11063)
22788 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (6252)
29040 miles - Michelin Pilot Road 4 GT (7906)
36946 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8380)
45326 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8186)
53512 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8435)
61947 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8322)
70269 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (5940)
76209 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (6468)
82677 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (7523)
90200 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8283)
98483 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart III (8517)
107000 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (10245)
117245 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (10616)
127861 miles - Dunlop Mutant (7890)
135751 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (11753)
147504 miles - Dunlop Roadsmart IV (TBD)

Any commentary on the mileage variations? Example the Roadsmart III at 8517 vs 5940??

 

[darrell]

Any commentary on the mileage variations? Example the Roadsmart III at 8517 vs 5940??

Likely I was leaving on a 2 or 3 week ride and did not want to change tires on the road. I did not look at my tire data to confirm that but certain the case. I loved the handling of the Mutants on the bike but I knew they would get 20% less mileage when I put them on based on my conversation with Dunlop. I will try a set of the Mutants on the R1250RT at some point. I know the set of RSIV that reached 11,753 should have been changed a 1000 miles earlier but I had dry weather ahead and was in Fort Collins, CO and decided to take 2 lane roads at slower speeds to home in MN.

 

[mblotzer]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. I've decided to stay with the Dunlop RoadSmart IVs

Michelin Pilot Roads were my go to tires on my 2006 K1200GT and 2013 R1200RT until the Pilot Road 5. I didn't like the feel of the 5s so tried Dunlop's RoadSmart IIIs. I really liked their feel and performance in all weather conditions have stuck with them since. But when the RoadSmart 3 compound age-hardened on 2013 Triumph Street Triple well before they hit the wear indicators I decided to go with a sportier tire and chose the Michelin Pilot Power 6. The The Power 6 is an excellent tire on the Triumph and while I was considering them for the RS, the longer life of the Dunlops wins out.

Mike