Michelin PR4GT vs PR3

[Hayeshfc]

After running 4 sets of PR3s on the Connie getting around 5k per set I found them to be the most confidence-inspiring tires I have ever ridden on. Sticky and predictable,  outstanding wet adhesion, and nimble handling made them a delight to ride, but did I mention only 5k miles.... most of my riding is aggressive in the mountains and the rear feels every pony on a regular basis and the front enjoys 800 lbs pushing at no-chicken-strips lean angles - in fact the last set wore out on the sides instead of the middle.

after hearing good things from other Connie riders on the pr4gts, particularly claims of 15k miles with outstanding traction I decided to give them a try. Short answer - if you ride only on highways in dry conditions these are the shoes for you. If you whack your throttle whilst leaned to the edge of tires these tires provide better sphincter control than kegels. Not enough slip usually to engage ktrc, but just enough squirm to upend your line and make you wonder if there was an oil spot you missed.

this past Sunday did about 150 miles in the rain in the mountains. Unlike the pr3s that can be ridden at 80 percent pace or so anything over 50 percent got the front end sliding and ktrc lighting up from the rear stepping out.

Hate to waste unused rubber but after 2500 miles I have a set of pr3s on the way....

[PlaynInPeoria]

Very surprised to hear that.   I get 5k out of PR2's and have gotten less.  I use my HP and lean the bike.   I read a lot about people getting 15k out of tires and while I believe them, I think their riding styles are not like mine, so I can't expect to get that kind of miles.  Stupid question but I have to to ask, they were properly inflated?  You didn't ride with an extra 250 lbs on the PR4's?

I don't believe in "I got 10k, so you will too"

I DO believe in, "I got 10k out of Tire A and 8k out of Tire B", this tells me that with the same rider, Tire A lasts longer.  I may  not get 10k, but I think I'll get more from A than B, based on what I heard.

I have a friend who rides with us and keeps up (but don't ask him to lead, he can follow fast but not lead fast) and he loves his PR4's.

I have tried Angel GT A Specs, nice tires but more $ and less miles than el cheapo PR2's.  Tried Dunlop RoadSmarts years ago, got 3500 or so.  Got 3700 miles out of stock 'stones on 2012 C14.

[Hayeshfc]

Tires 40 psi I weigh 160 and carry 20 lbs of gear so not overloaded at all

[maxtog]

after hearing good things from other Connie riders on the pr4gts, particularly claims of 15k miles with outstanding traction

Were those claims against other brands/tires or against the PR3?  And they might not have been saying "in the rain"...

this past Sunday did about 150 miles in the rain in the mountains.

How many total miles have you put in the PR4GT?  And was this the only rain experience?

Unlike the pr3s that can be ridden at 80 percent pace or so anything over 50 percent got the front end sliding and ktrc lighting up from the rear stepping out.

In the rain (presumably).

I would expect the PR4GT to be harder and less performing than PR3, but your description seems more than I would expect.  I have no real comment myself, since I have never used PR3 (or PR2)... I went from OEM to PR4GT (and OMG what a diff).

[C14lvr]

Interesting comparison.

I've ran 2 sets of PR2's. Got 12,000 miles / set with -0- issues. But, ran the 55 rear.
Now Michelin has decided to stop making a 190-55ZR17 rear. Yet, they are still making a 50, and they make the 180-55ZR17. Not sure how much difference there'd be going to that size, but figure it's a lot... enough I'm not willing to try it.

So, I now am running the PR4 GT's. 6500 miles, the rear is almost gone. Great handling, great in the wet, no issues, other than more cost for less miles compared to PR2's. I have been waaayyy easier on these tires than I ever was the 2's. For mileage, the PR4GT doesn't compare to the previous 2's they replaced, IMO. Disappointed in the bang for the buck. But they perform the best of any other tire I've ran so far.

So... now I'm trying to decide between the standard PR4, or going back to the PR3. PR4's are a bit cheaper. PR3's are even less. I just want to go back to good performance with 12,000 miles of longevity!
20% longer treadlife than PR3's? Only if PR3's average 2500/ set!
Never tried those, yet.

[gPink]

Due to an outstanding price at my local indy shop I'm running an Angel st 180/55 rear. 10mm narrower and slightly rounder profile. 2nd one. No problems.

[maxtog]

So, I now am running the PR4 GT's.[...] So... now I'm trying to decide between the standard PR4, or going back to the PR3.

You are not going to get better mileage on PR4 NON-GT compared to PR4GT (I would expect the same at best but the opposite is more likely).  I suspect you also won't get better mileage from PR3, but I have no data to offer.... just what feedback I have seen.

[connie14boy]

Interesting comparison.

I've ran 2 sets of PR2's. Got 12,000 miles / set with -0- issues. But, ran the 55 rear.
Now Michelin has decided to stop making a 190-55ZR17 rear. Yet, they are still making a 50, and they make the 180-55ZR17. Not sure how much difference there'd be going to that size, but figure it's a lot... enough I'm not willing to try it.

So, I now am running the PR4 GT's. 6500 miles, the rear is almost gone. Great handling, great in the wet, no issues, other than more cost for less miles compared to PR2's. I have been waaayyy easier on these tires than I ever was the 2's. For mileage, the PR4GT doesn't compare to the previous 2's they replaced, IMO. Disappointed in the bang for the buck. But they perform the best of any other tire I've ran so far.

So... now I'm trying to decide between the standard PR4, or going back to the PR3. PR4's are a bit cheaper. PR3's are even less. I just want to go back to good performance with 12,000 miles of longevity!
20% longer treadlife than PR3's? Only if PR3's average 2500/ set!
Never tried those, yet.

I consistently get between 12-15,000 from PR4 GT and non-GT. But I was able to get 18,000-20,000 from 2 sets of PR2's (55 rear) doing mostly flat slab in Texas and Florida (boring). I have found that large throttle openings can raise hell with the rear tire, especially in the California twisties where I toasted one PR4GT rear in 6,000 miles, but that's why we all buy this ball bustin' bike.

[C14lvr]

I consistently get between 12-15,000 from PR4 GT and non-GT. But I was able to get 18,000-20,000 from 2 sets of PR2's (55 rear) doing mostly flat slab in Texas and Florida (boring). I have found that large throttle openings can raise hell with the rear tire, especially in the California twisties where I toasted one PR4GT rear in 6,000 miles, but that's why we all buy this ball bustin' bike.

Wow! Amazing mileage, and difference!
Tulsa area's about the same, and I've not ridden many twisties with these GT's at all.
No 2-up, or heavy loads, either.
Pretty conservative on the throttle, too.
I did this set this way on purpose, to see if they'd go further...
Guess what I should've done was flogged the heck outta them! 

I've worn the center 2" wide strip down om mine... both front and rear, from all the slab riding.
Sides still look new.

Can't believe you can get that many miles/set. Too cool. I thought I was doing great getting 12k/set outta 2's.

Not sure what the secret is. Maybe I gotta go on a diet, and drop 50#'s?
200#'s seems to be killing them. Maybe 150#'s is the trick??     LOL

But, I did drop an extra 12#'s before I put this set on by getting rid of the spud launcher and adding a slip on. But where's the mileage reward?

[maxtog]

Can't believe you can get that many miles/set. Too cool. I thought I was doing great getting 12k/set outta 2's.

Not sure what the secret is. Maybe I gotta go on a diet, and drop 50#'s?
200#'s seems to be killing them. Maybe 150#'s is the trick??     LOL

Lots of factors- weight, amount of acceleration, amount of tire spin, type of cornering, pressures, types of road surfaces, types of road crowns, suspension settings, ambient temperatures, road temperatures, riding speeds, aerodynamics, how much wind, amount of braking, etc.  The variety of mileage people report for something seeming similar is truly amazing.

[connie14boy]

Wow! Amazing mileage, and difference!
Tulsa area's about the same, and I've not ridden many twisties with these GT's at all.
No 2-up, or heavy loads, either.
Pretty conservative on the throttle, too.
I did this set this way on purpose, to see if they'd go further...
Guess what I should've done was flogged the heck outta them! 

I've worn the center 2" wide strip down om mine... both front and rear, from all the slab riding.
Sides still look new.

Can't believe you can get that many miles/set. Too cool. I thought I was doing great getting 12k/set outta 2's.

Not sure what the secret is. Maybe I gotta go on a diet, and drop 50#'s?
200#'s seems to be killing them. Maybe 150#'s is the trick??     LOL

But, I did drop an extra 12#'s before I put this set on by getting rid of the spud launcher and adding a slip on. But where's the mileage reward?

I happened to ride a day last summer with a group of guys in the Blue Ridge sweepers and twisties- 2 BMW's, a Multistrada, a new FJR and me. These guys were AGATT, me only boots, gloves and leather jacket. We stopped a couple times during the day to get fuel and snacks, and they mentioned that tires were their largest biking expense by far, all getting no more than 3-4000 miles from various brands- I was almost embarrassed to mention my mileage fearing reprisal. Upholding the Kawasaki contingent, I followed the pack and kept up even doing triple digits, but not something I would do every day. I was glad to make it back in one piece and not in jail or worse. I now know why their tires only last 3-4000 miles. I hope to never get old and slow, and it's better to burn out than rust out, but there comes a time to smell the roses a little bit too when riding.

[VirginiaJim]

 

[C14lvr]

gpink,
How do you like the handling of the 180?

I found a PR2 rear 180/55ZR17 @ Jake Wilson's for $143!

I've also seen the picture showing the radius differences between the 3 tire sizes...
190/55ZR17
180/55ZR17
190/50ZR17

Shows tallest & skinniest to be in that order, with 190/50 being the shortest and fatest.

180/55 looks to be only about 4 mm shorter/rounder that 190/55.
Wouldn't handle quite as well, wouldn't have as much speedo correction... but not a lot of difference, according to the picture. 10 mm difference (3/4 inch height difference) between 190/50 and 190/55.

But $56 savings for the rear, and $28 saved on the front to go back to the 2's and use the 180/55.

I've read on several other sites that the 180 really should be used on a 5.5" rim, and the 190 on the 6". No problems putting the 180 on a 6" rim?

[C14lvr]

connie14boy,

Totally hear ya!
I rode the heck outta all those great roads out there 2 summers ago, on PR2's.
Hardest 3 day weekend of riding I've ever done on my connie. Tore those roads up!
Plus... Rode all the way there and back from Tulsa, 3 trips to the Arkansas twisties, AND a trip out to Zion and back. Rear 190/55ZR17 PR2 still went 10,000 to the cord.

No such luck with this babied set of PR4GT's.

If I can save $85/ set, and go back to getting 10-12k/ set with 2's, and live with the 180/55 compromise size... may solve my delimna.

[gPink]

@C14lvr..... to my subjective judgement the 180/55 handles as well as the 190/55 and both are better than the 50. I got about 6k out of the first Angel ST 180/55 and expect the same from this one. About the same with PR3s. The 180s are running $135 at my local indy shop.

[C14lvr]

@C14lvr..... to my subjective judgement the 180/55 handles as well as the 190/55 and both are better than the 50. I got about 6k out of the first Angel ST 180/55 and expect the same from this one. About the same with PR3s. The 180s are running $135 at my local indy shop.

Thanks, gpink. I appreciate it.
Bob