Tar Snakes and PR3's

[mgtibb]

Does anyone running tires other than the PR3's have issues with tar snakes? I've never had problems with other bikes, but with the C14/PR3's it feels like riding on a thin layer of jello when I hit those things. Scares the hell out me in corners. I wonder if it's just the PR3's or if other tires like the Angels and Roadsmarts have the same issue.

[rcannon409]

I have a local road they might as well call "Tar Snake Road"     There are as many tar snakes as pavement and I've complained to the local city about it..its THAT bad.   Anyway, I took my brand new pr2's over it today, at about 80 degrees.  The feel sucked.  No scary moments, just not comfortable.  With a heavy bike, soft tar, etc.....I dont expect much.  Even my sv suzuki with roadsmart II's on it was bad.

[texrider]

Dunlop Sportmax Q-2's, couldn't ask for more in a set of tires so far.

http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/DUNLOP-SPORTMAX-Q2-TIRE-COMBO

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Every time I ride a road with tar snakes in warm weather I have a nervous feeling.  PR3's, PR2's, Shinko's, and Angels it doesn't matter what tire I run.  I just reduce the speed and lean angle and try to ride as safe as possible.

[Tim]

I ran into tar snakes on my way from WA to KS a couple of years back with my brandy new PR 2's. Scared me pretty good because I was not expecting the rear to slide out without warning on a corner. After I figured out what it was it just made me annoyed.  I don't run into tar snakes very often and plan on PR 3's in the near future.

[DenverC-14]

Doesn't matter what bike for me (C14 or SV1000), or tires, the snakes are terrible in CO until a couple years of them being down. So I just kill the lean angle and slow down some till I get through that section.

[Pokey]

Dunlop Sportmax Q-2's, couldn't ask for more in a set of tires so far.

http://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/DUNLOP-SPORTMAX-Q2-TIRE-COMBO

They might be better on the snakes, but what about their mileage?

[texrider]

They might be better on the snakes, but what about their mileage?

Too early to tell, but I'll post about it later this year. Have a few road trips in mind. 

[Hayeshfc]

After wearing out a set of PR2s after the stockers I am now about halfway through a set of PR3s. A local mountain is chock full of tar snakes and the PR3s are the least affected by them (including various makes on an FJR before the Connie came into my life....).

The sand around freshly laid tar snakes is another matter......

[C14PAINKILLER]

Hate tar snakes and grated bridges, especially when wet! But found the PR3's to be alot better than the stockers. But still slow down regardless, feel safer that way.

[jjsC6]

We could do a whole thread on tar snakes.  I'm finding that everywhere I go they are becoming an epidemic.  The problem is that traction on them is very inconsistent.  I have PR2s and on a recent trip to Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico (going out through Northwest Texas) we hit tons of them.  Some of them were a problem and some were not.  I HATE tar snakes.

[jjsC6]

After wearing out a set of PR2s after the stockers I am now about halfway through a set of PR3s. A local mountain is chock full of tar snakes and the PR3s are the least affected by them (including various makes on an FJR before the Connie came into my life....).

The sand around freshly laid tar snakes is another matter......

Wow, I've never seen the sand.  Bummer.

[shokdimn]

I HATE tar snakes.

Likewise!

That several-mile (5 to 10 I’m guessing) stretch of road just west of Dead Indian Pass was “a sea of tar snakes” this past summer IMO and made looping that portion of the CJH & BTH very unpleasant for me.  Have “Angels” on the C14 now.  Getting PR3s soon. 
 
My 06 FJR with PR2s wasn’t affected by tar snakes as badly as my C14 is; however, they were still treacherous IMO. 

[sherob]

Doesn't matter what bike for me (C14 or SV1000), or tires, the snakes are terrible in CO until a couple years of them being down. So I just kill the lean angle and slow down some till I get through that section.

+1  I thought some FM roads were bad in TX, but they are nothing compared to the local roads I have to travel in Brighton... Tar Snakeville... it gets to the point of, why not just repave the road already!

[JerBear]

I don't think the PR3's are any different than any other type of tire when it comes to road snakes.  I had a Metzler touring on it before the PR3 and it sliped on the snakes too.  The Connie is heavy especially in the front and the forces that turning put on a front tire really makes it loose.  I don't mind when the snake is perpendicular to the bike but when they run parallel that’s when it gets squirrely.  The problem is that most of the snakes are in the area of the road that the cage tires run in and I try to stay out of the center of the road where the oil/antifreeze drip off of cars so you get a choice slippery snakes or oil and antifreeze. It really looks funny when they put TP on the fresh snakes but I have seen sand used too as an agent to keep it on road till it dries.

[stevewfl]

PR3's  <---when second best tires are unacceptable

[mgtibb]

Thanks for all the replies. So, it seems there's not much to be done if it happens with other tires too. I'll just have to be careful around the snakes.