I read all these reviews how people get great mileage out of the PR4. Why can't I even get a rear to 6,000. Latest one is at 5,700 and bald, about to show cord. I ride solo with luggage, mostly trips. I do ride fast and push the corners hard, love hitting the peg feelers. I run 38lbs front and 40 rear. We do have a lot of tar and chip roads here in Pa. but I don't ride this bike much local. Have another bike for local short hop stuff. I love the wet grip these tires have and have been hesitant to try something else for that reason. 2007 R1200RT
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Michelin PR4 GT
- Thread starter D.Ed
- Start date
lee
Debbie's Servant
Ride fast, push corners hard, and peg feelers. I think you answered your own question. Buy a new tire and enjoy
I'll second that.
riderr1150gsadv
Well-known member
40 Psi in the rear tire too low as per owners manual. Now I do know that pressure also depends a bit on rider weight and luggage but since you have luggage try upping the pressure a bit. YMMV
Happy riding!
Happy riding!
Ride fast, push corners hard, and peg feelers. I think you answered your own question. Buy a new tire and enjoy
I thought most of use road them like that. I just don't see how people claim they get 10,000 out of them. I have no problem buying new tires. I usually replace them long before they get anywhere near worn out due to an upcoming trip. Just the timing of trips this year let me wear this one down to nothing.
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
I have an 07RT and just put 10000 miles on a fresh set of them. Half was interstate and half back roads from Florida to Colorado, Utah, California, Wyoming and home in 4 weeks. I ran 40 in the front and 42 in the rear and was fully loaded all the way with tank bag, top case and both side cases. Half the miles also had the wife on the back seat. Rear tire just hit the TWI and front tire has lots of tread left.
Looking back on my records the last one came off at 7,700 and still had usable tread but was leaving on a 2,000 mile trip and did not want to be coming home on a bald tire. I don't know why this one wore out so quick. Have not changed riding habits. Did spend more time this year chasing my son on his Ducati. Tar and chip roads have become the normal here and I did spend more time than usual running north central Pa. That's got to be like riding on 80 grit sandpaper. New tire should be here tomorrow. Will see how this one does.
Same thing with pr4gt rear, been wearing them out in around 5-6k miles bald in the center had my 2015 rt just over 1 yr and on my 3rd rear tire. I ride mostly 1 up and I'm pretty light at 155 lbs . I think 42 psi is way to much air unless loaded to the limit. 42 psi is for a 805 lb load on just the rear tire. I'm going to start running less air to get wider contact with the road and hopefully better ride and tire life . Thinking about trying about 33psi front and rear unless very heavily loaded. Heading west to colorado in a week with girl friend and luggage including tent and camping gear still wont't be any wheres near the weight limit of tires or needing 42 psi. I'm going to try 36-38 psi and see what happens
52184
GTRider
At an MOA International Rally several years ago I had an off-record conversation with a Michelin engineer who indicated 42psi on the sidewall was, for the PR4, a starting point and not a maximum.
IMHO and based upon consuming numerous sets of PR4 over the years, at 33-36psi you will get serious cupping and premature wear. At 38 you'll still get some scalloping, especially on front. If you are truly a lightweight and don't pack gear, 40 might work.
The biggest impact to tire mileage is your right wrist. Right behind that I'd put smoothness, or the lack thereof, and the understanding that every deceleration costs you tire wear just like an acceleration does. Then comes TP and loading, and road surface conditions. Eastern riders are often surprised or shocked when they venture onto the coarser-aggregate, tire-eating road surfaces of the west.
IMHO and YMMV, of course!
Best,
DG
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
At 38 psi in the front my first set had serious cupping. Gradually increasing to 40 has improved that so far so I can't imagine going the other direction would help.
lkchris
Active member
High mileage tire life and safe motorcycle handling are virtually mutually exclusive for immutable technical reasons, and I'd give up worrying about how many miles you can get on a tire and maybe enjoy riding in the "sporty" manor BMW are so good at.
Once there was a Dunlop 491 in sizes for BMW Airheads ... and there were lots of reports of crashes when the road was wet. Like maybe even when riding straight up.
In any event, a guy representing Metzeler for Parts Unlimited gave a talk at our dealer and stated the best path to maximum mileage life was to inflate to the maximum pressure figure molded into the tire sidewall.
Just an anecdote and something I'd never do nor recommend.
Once there was a Dunlop 491 in sizes for BMW Airheads ... and there were lots of reports of crashes when the road was wet. Like maybe even when riding straight up.
In any event, a guy representing Metzeler for Parts Unlimited gave a talk at our dealer and stated the best path to maximum mileage life was to inflate to the maximum pressure figure molded into the tire sidewall.
Just an anecdote and something I'd never do nor recommend.
