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Jphish
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 10:37 am: |
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Considering an 8K trip this Fall from Pt Roberts to Keywest & back. (3 of the 4 corners) Would like to do it without a tire change if possible. From personal experience I know (at least for me) Syncs & Distanzias are out of the question. PR2's "confirmed by independent lab tests" claim to have the best wet grip & longest treadlife. For this adventure, I'm more interested in the later than the former. Any of you have experience that supports or refutes this claim ? OR...other alternatives that provide more than the 5-6 K I get from the standard choices. Appreciate any responses + or -. Thanks, j |
Ratbuell
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 10:44 am: |
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Don't know about the mileage yet, they're still pretty new...but I've got PR2s on my S2 and love 'em. Great turn-in, nice road feel, wet traction *is* actually quite good, and they're good on a track, too (2-up on the Homecoming parade lap). I need this weather to change and the roads to clear off...I love my Uly, but I miss riding that S2. I just don't wanna cover it in salt... |
Rwven
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 11:13 am: |
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I've got 9K on my Pirelli Strada's so far. They are not to the wear bars yet, somewhat flat centered though. |
Dr_greg
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 11:30 am: |
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I've gotten 10K miles from the rear PR2 on my Uly. I was very happy with them, right up until I hit the deer... Probably it's the highest mileage tire available for the Uly; I will likely go back to them when the current tires on my "new" Uly wear out. Perhaps the only drawback you'll hear is lack of off-pavement tread; since my off-pavement riding is on decent dirt roads that wasn't a problem. I say "fit 'em!" --Doc |
Jphish
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 11:59 am: |
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Well - based only & entirely on affirmative responses from 3 venerable Icons of the Uly world...I'm going to do just that. I don't intend to do any overly gnarly dirt/gravel roads, so these should be just the ticket. Thanks Gentlemen - Appreciate your council. j |
Glenn
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 12:15 pm: |
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Hi, I'm getting around 4500 to 4800 out of the rear Scorpions on my 2007 (about 7500 for the front) and am thinking about a change. I do like that the front doesn't cup and the road traction/grip is great in all conditions. I like what I'm reading here about the PR2s but am also hoping for some input on Avon Azaros. I run these on my old K100RS Beemer and get around 9K out of the rear and could get a little more out of the front but they both wear about the same and replace in pairs. So does anyone have good or bad experience with the Azaros on the Uly? Thanks, |
Etennuly
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 12:44 pm: |
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I have my first PR2 rear tire test nearly completed. I have an '06 Uly with 36,000 + miles on it. The D616 that came on it lasted 6,000 miles. The last 1,000 it was cupped and in poor condition. I switched to Scorpion Syncs, a tire that I was very pleased with. 6,000 miles per tire and in decent shape, but below tread indicators. The last one of those I put on at 24,000 expecting to see 30,000. I wore in an odd sort of way, like it had humps in the casing. Three separate areas were through the wear bars at 27,500 miles. I noticed the inside mold pattern was different, but oh well, I switched to the PR2. The local Suzuki dealer was selling them for $170.00 so I had them mount one up. I was suprised at how much better the bike felt when packing it into a corner. The Syncs were always without chicken strips, the PR2(only on the rear) was having to go noticeably faster through the same corner to have to lean it that far. Amazing grip. Now for the good part. I just did a rather high speed 1,287 mile run to Daytona and back. When Wolfridgerider looked at the rear tire on my bike he asked if I thought that rear would make it there and back. I didn't know. I put that rear tire on at 27,500. When I got back from Daytona it now has 36,200+ miles on it. That is 8,700 miles! I still have an easy 500+ left on it for around home kind of riding. Put me in the + column for these tires. I would recommend the PR2 for what you are doing. The only thing I didn't do in my testing is a really long ride on very hot summer asphalt. |
Armymedic
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 01:05 pm: |
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Anybody tried Conti Road Attacks on a Uly? Just curious. |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 01:16 pm: |
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Jlnance has used the Road Attacks with success. I LOVE the PR2s. I got about 4,000 out of mine. That's the most I've gotten. Most would get 10,000 out of the same tire. I also like the Avon Storms. Very similar construction and profile as the PR2s. I would recommend both. The next set I was going to use is the Dunlop RoadSmart tires. I think you could do great with either of these three. I HATED the Strads. I would rather have a set of Tommahawks than a set of Stradas. The profile is the worst and they don't last for anything. I skulled a Strada rear in 1800 miles. I wouldn't recommend them for anyone. (Message edited by ft_bstrd on March 12, 2009) |
Jphish
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 01:50 pm: |
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Thanks Etennuly, Sounds like more validation of the PR2's. Geez Ft Bstrd - how do you wear 'em out in 4K miles ?? Perpetual Track days in your neighborhood ? Yeah - Put the RoadSmarts on my ST1300 about 1000 mi ago...to early to tell yet on mileage, but stick pretty well. But the point in my asking was to gather 'experience based' reports and not manufacturer claims. Probably other good tires out there, but the PR2's seem to have proved themselves under 'actual'road conditions. Good enough for me. Thanks for all the input. j |
Dr_greg
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:12 pm: |
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quote:So does anyone have good or bad experience with the Azaros on the Uly?
Yes, sir. Azaros were excellent: good grip and mileage. AFAIK they've been superseded by the Storms, which---IMHO---are inferior in terms of mileage. I won't use them again. --Doc |
Thetable
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:24 pm: |
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@FB, I don't think you would like the RoadSmarts, based on what else I have read from you on tires. The have what feels to me to be a very triangular profile, far more so than the Stradas. |
Glenn
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:25 pm: |
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Thanks for the feedback Doc. I checked and the last set I bought I did have to buy a Storm front and an Azaro rear due the cancellation. Avon told me that the two could be mixed without an issue and I have found none. Too bad they canceled them. |
Longdog_cymru
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:38 pm: |
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I have had PR2s on my Uly for over 3k miles now and I can recommend them highly!!!! No idea of the total mileage potential yet, but my D616s were fried at 4k miles and the PR2s are looking good for double the distance. |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:49 pm: |
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@FB, I don't think you would like the RoadSmarts, based on what else I have read from you on tires. The have what feels to me to be a very triangular profile, far more so than the Stradas. Good to know. Geez Ft Bstrd - how do you wear 'em out in 4K miles ?? I don't get many miles out of tires. I'm about 240lbs on a 500lb bike with an itchy right hand. They just kinda "melt".
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Bienhoabob
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 02:58 pm: |
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Jphish, I put Roadsmarts on my Uly. Did an IB ride, 7,500 in a week and they still look good. My guess is that the tires will need to be replaced around the 12K mark. Strange thing is that the front is wearing about the same rate as the rear. |
Chadhargis
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 08:34 pm: |
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Different strokes for different folks. So far, the Disblo Strada is the best ST tire I've ever used. I've always had good results out of them. I've not run a set recently. I simply don't need to buy tires for the Uly anymore. I keep a caches of Diablo Corsa III tires on hand that are my track day takes offs. 100 miles or so on the track, then they get sentenced to street duty for the remainder of their life. |
Florida_lime
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 09:18 pm: |
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Chadhargis, I'm a bit surprised you don't use a more dedicated track tire for your track bike. There are better pure track tires than the Diablo IIIs. Pirelli Supercorsas if you are brand loyal. I do have the Diablo Corsa IIIs on my Hypermotard, and like them for street use. Or are you just trying to get maximum usage out of your tires ? Hijack over -- I do intend to go the PR2s once I use the D616 I picked up for the rear to finish off the Sync front. I don't need as much dirt road performance on the Uly wth a KTM950 SE on fully knobbies waiting. (Message edited by florida_lime on March 12, 2009) |
Adrian_8
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 09:27 pm: |
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I had a set of PR2's...hated them..got Road Smarts now ..much better handling tire in my opinion..and should last just as long as the Michelins..Michelins just are not the tire they used to be...their dirt tires (S12s) have gone to hell...and poor old Nicky Hayden had to run those crappy Michelins all last year.. |
Florida_lime
| Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 09:34 pm: |
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Adrian_8 WHY did you hate them ? Everyone has different biases, and different priorities, so more information would be useful to those undecided. Thanks. |
Longdog_cymru
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 05:10 am: |
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Adrian_8 If Michies are just soooooo bad and Nicky couldn't deliver on them, (like a few other racers), then why didn't you go to Bridgestones which appear to be the dogz bollox if you listen to the hype? Or you could go to Pirellis just like the WSB boys wear on their wheel??? But you went to Dunlops instead, why didn't Nicky??? Don't forget, we are talking road tyres or dual purpose tyres here, and our demands as road riders are far different from what the requirements are in MotoGP and WSB. You're a better man than I if you can truly find the limits of a modern sports/touring tyre on the road! If your reason for disliking Michies is purely personal, then fine, but don't just say you hated them without quantifying your reasons. You will find the PR2s are a very neutral profile and don't fall into corners like some tyres. Maybe you prefer a more triangular profile? A British magazine has run several types of tyres around a track and on the road in controlled conditions, and really, there is nothing between them in terms of timed laps, it's personal preference and overall feel. |
Electraglider_1997
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 10:53 am: |
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Installed PR2 rear a couple of weeks ago and since the weather hasn't exactly cooperated, I have not had much of an opportunity to ride on it. Since I am not a crazy rider I will mostly go on how long it lasts in regards to mileage. I can say one thing in favor or this Michelin and that is it is the first tire that did not come with a dot on it showing the light spot. Balanced the wheel without a tire before mounting the PR2 and then when my buddy with the no-mar put the tire on we found that it was still balanced so it required no additional weights. It was balance neutral which was a first for me. First Michelin I've used and the most expensive even though I got it shipped to the house for about 180 bucks more or less. Probably will try a Dunlop Road Smart next if I read favorably about them. |
Etennuly
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 11:07 am: |
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I have been running my PR2 on the rear with a Sync on the front. Has any one run any distance on the PR2 front tire? I am not crazy about the tread pattern on the front. It just looks to me like a pattern that would cup after some miles, I don't know. The Sync works great on the front for dry or wet, and I seem to be able to get 14,000 miles or so out of them. Based on what I have seen the from Michelin rear, it should do about 18,000 miles or so. |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 11:32 am: |
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I didn't have any problem with the front tire on mine cupping. |
Longdog_cymru
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 01:57 pm: |
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I run a pair of PR2s and they don't cup. There will be people who say different, and you can run different makes of tyres front and back, but you should always run matched pairs of tyres. Ask any good tyre technician.} |
Johnboy777
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 02:52 pm: |
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""There will be people who say different, and you can run different makes of tyres front and back, but you should always run matched pairs of tyres. "" Rubbish ... tire companies simple want to 'sell' matched sets. The bikes don't know if the tires are matched or not. Well, maybe the black Uly's do ... 'cause they're much smarter than the other bikes. . |
Ft_bstrd
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 03:17 pm: |
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Rubbish ... tire companies simple want to 'sell' matched sets. The bikes don't know if the tires are matched or not. Well, maybe the black Uly's do ... 'cause they're much smarter than the other bikes. I know that several of the tire models report to have different water siping systems front and rear. They are designed for the front to clear much of the water with the back tire having a less capable water siping capability. |
Longdog_cymru
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 04:24 pm: |
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The reason for matched pairs is mainly due to the construction of the tyres. Carcasses are made in different ways front to back and the load bearing characteristic may aso be non compatible. Mismatching can cause instability. Imagine pairing a Roadsmart front, (for instance), with a PR2 rear. The Dunlop has a much more triangulated profile than the Michie. Bridgestone even advise against mixing different tyres from their own range, for example, the 016 front and 021 rear was used for wear reasons, but Bridgestone even advise that insurance may be invalid over here. Other examples are with the Honda Pan European and the Suzuki Hyabusa. These bikes have specific rear tyres due to unique speed/load conditions. |
Adrian_8
| Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 11:12 pm: |
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I feel the Roads Smarts' handle better...and I think Nicky Hayden was forced by contract to use the Michelins' last year..this year all the Moto GP riders are on the same tire, and it is not a Michelin... I have run 7 sets of tires on my ULY and the PR2s are near the bottom of my list...my .02 worth... |
Electraglider_1997
| Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 12:41 pm: |
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I'm sure the tire companies would love to have the front tire changed out every time the rear wears out. I get at least two rears to a front and could care less is my rear is a PR2 and the front a Pirelli. |
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