PR3 review

[Excavator]

highway 123 (the section from hwy 7 to mt judea) destroyed my rear PR3. the front is very worn but still servicable.

PR3's are outstanding tires

Yes, 123 is very abrasive but what a blast, we did 700 miles up there including Push Mountain. My tires were brand new and still look great.

I don't know why this rider left the road on 123 but his FJR looked to be totaled, I hope he's ok.

[TRBN]

I only got about 7500 from my PR3's (about the same as the PR2s).  Decided to replace them with PR2's.  I did not feel much of an improvement over the PR2's, so decided the PR3's were not worth the extra $40-$50 over the PR2s.  Put the PR3's through their paces:  Commuting, Rain, Interstate, Tail of the Dragon, Mountains...  the PR3's are a good tire, just not worth the extra money over the PR2's.

PR2's are just really hard to really improve on...!

Aaron

[roadie]

I got a flat tire on the rear PR3 at about 8,000 miles. The front tire is just starting to show wear. The rear was showing a little more. It should be replaced for free with the insurance I have on tires,but we'll see in a day or two.
These tires have awesome traction in the rain or dry. Combined with the abs even nicer. The TPS really came in handy. Flying up the highway watching the psi come down. Singing in my head. I Know I Can, I Know I Can!!! And I did. Filled
it to 50 psi and run her hard 50 miles to home and ended at 25 psi.

http://www.dynaplug.com/

that happened to me, and now i don't leave home with out it and my pump. i ended at 12 PSI...

[B.D.F.]

The PR3 is becoming my favorite tire of the types tried so far on a C-14. They are displacing the PR2 in that regard. I have also been very happy with Pirelli Angels, and would rate them in this order: Bridgestone 021 (stock), Pirelli Angel, Michelin PR2, and Michelin PR3.

At first I thought the PR3s felt a little 'wooden' and did not yield good feedback but have come around on that idea. The tire does not squirm or 'hunt' like any (every?) other tire I have used on this bike and I believe it is do to the Siping cuts. These cuts seem to allow each tread block to conform to small variations in the road without actually forcing the bike to move sideways as the tire passes over them. It took a while but I now believe this is a very good effect of the Siping cuts on the tires. Siping cuts typically degrade dry road performance but that does not seem to be the case moving from PR2s to PR3; I believe the rubber on the sides of PR3s is a bit softer than it is on PR2s so that is probably what allows the Siping cuts to work without having a negative effect on dry roads.

After using five sets of PR2s, this is my first set of PR3s and I only have about 3,000 miles on them so I do not yet have any idea how long they will last. If they last close to as long as the PR2s have in the past, this will probably be the next tire of choice.

Brian

[lt1]

I had the opportunity to put PR3's on another bike (SV1000) at only $20 more than a pair of PR2's.  Not many miles so far, but they seem fine.  The PO had a Shinko Verge 11 on the front that was still in good shape, and a Pilot Power in the rear that was worn.  Handling seems about the same.  I took the bike out in the rain and the traction was fine for a new tire in the wet.   I was able to both lift the front and spin the rear, so traction was decent but not perfect.  IIRC, the rear spooled up at about 8000 rpm in first in the center of the lane, so there oil drippings may have had an effect.  Braking was good.  I didn't push the front to the limit, but traction was good.  I was able to lock the rear, but it took some effort.   So far, so good.

Since it rains here very little, and I ride very little in the rain, no decision has been made as to whether the C14 will get PR3's or PR2's when her time comes.   If the difference stays at $20, and the PR3's wear is close, they will probably get the nod.

[Shad0hawK]

Yes, 123 is very abrasive but what a blast, we did 700 miles up there including Push Mountain. My tires were brand new and still look great.

I don't know why this rider left the road on 123 but his FJR looked to be totaled, I hope he's ok.

was it those real sharp switchbacks just south of 74?

Always sad to see a bike down like that. We were up there the first weekend of october. We intended to hit push mountain road but since our cabin was close by 123 (in ponca) we wound up going up and down it several times. We did a beer run to Harrison that turned into a night ride down 43 back to Ponca.

[ZG]

At first I thought the PR3s felt a little 'wooden'.
 
Brian

What kind of wood Brian??

[B.D.F.]

A poor piece of wood. Something like a fallen tree branch, quite green and saturated with water. Or to put it another way, quite the opposite of a rare, high quality wood such as...... let me think....... need a good example..... I know!: amboina burl wood from southeast Asia! Yes, the opposite of that kind of wood.

 

Brian

What kind of wood Brian??

[ZG]

A poor piece of wood. Something like a fallen tree branch, quite green and saturated with water. Or to put it another way, quite the opposite of a rare, high quality wood such as...... let me think....... need a good example..... I know!: amboina burl wood from southeast Asia! Yes, the opposite of that kind of wood.

 

Brian

 

[stevewfl]

I rode from California to FL on a PR3.  With a plug. Plug's name was Jill.

[VirginiaJim]

A poor piece of wood. Something like a fallen tree branch, quite green and saturated with water. Or to put it another way, quite the opposite of a rare, high quality wood such as...... let me think....... need a good example..... I know!: amboina burl wood from southeast Asia! Yes, the opposite of that kind of wood.

 

Brian

You rang?

[Scaffolder]

I have gone 12,000 miles on a Dunlop Roadsmart on my last bike. I picked up a nail at about 150 miles after installing it. I just ran it.
The only reason I am after the new rear tire is because I have the insurance plan now.

[ZG]

You rang?

 

[Excavator]

was it those real sharp switchbacks just south of 74?

Always sad to see a bike down like that. We were up there the first weekend of october. We intended to hit push mountain road but since our cabin was close by 123 (in ponca) we wound up going up and down it several times. We did a beer run to Harrison that turned into a night ride down 43 back to Ponca.

Yeah, that was my first ride on 123, you really have to be on your toes on that road, the switchbacks are amazingly tight. Next time you get up this way maybe we can make a ride up there.

Very proud of the PR3s.

[Eric119]

Portland Police Bureau motors have run a few sets of the PR3's. One con they relized with the PR3 and siping is that they didn't perform well with the ABS braking system. It is almost like the overgrab counter-acting the pulsating function. Rather than the pulsate they grab and release. This obviously is not what the rider wants out of a bike with ABS.

The PR2's (non siped) dosen't have this issue. PR2 has been a great year round tire. Wet or dry pavement is performs well.

[wally_games]

Portland Police Bureau motors have run a few sets of the PR3's. One con they relized with the PR3 and siping is that they didn't perform well with the ABS braking system. It is almost like the overgrab counter-acting the pulsating function. Rather than the pulsate they grab and release. This obviously is not what the rider wants out of a bike with ABS.

The PR2's (non siped) dosen't have this issue. PR2 has been a great year round tire. Wet or dry pavement is performs well.

Michelin's website shows videos of wet stopping tests of both PR2s and PR3s on a bike with ABS. You can see the PR3 actually locking and releasing rather than the ABS pulsing. BUT, the PR3 still stops shorter than the PR2. These are straight line tests with outriggers on the bike, so that locking/releasing action might be an issue in a curve.

Michelin also advertises that the PR3 gets 4% better tread wear mileage than the PR2, but I'm finding the price for the PR3 to be well more than 4% higher. So economically, the PR2 is cheaper "per mile" than the PR3 even with the longer wear of the PR3. It all comes down to how much riding you're likely to do in wet conditions. (I do very little.)

Having said all that, I think PR3s are in my very near future. I have 6,150 miles on my OEM Bridgestones and the front is toast. The rear probably still has some life left, but I'll be changing the pair. (Now it's just an issue of 190/50 vs. 190/55 on the rear.)

[Jeremy Mitchell]

[snip] (Now it's just an issue of 190/50 vs. 190/55 on the rear.)

No issue, just go with the 190/55 and you won't go back to an OEM sized tire.............ever.  JMHO.