Michelin Road 5 my experience so far.
Discussion
When getting ready for a 15 day trip with Spareparts in June I had a brand new set of the latest Michelin Road 5 tyresed to my BMW R1200RS.
F: 120/70 x 17
R: 180/55 x 17
These replaced the PR4's that came on the bike which was bought used at 4 months old and 1500 miles. Original PR4 rear was done at 3945 miles but front tyre lived on. 2nd rear was removed at 6185 but was half worn anyway.
The bike went on a 3300 mile trip fully laden with me 118kg and luggage. We saw temperatures from 35 degrees and scorchio down to 14 degrees and monsoon biblical rain. The rear was again almost finished at 9650 or so having done 3500 miles but as I was by now in Scotland on a new trip it would not have lasted the remaining 1200 + miles.
The front is now showing signs of cupping and the rear is looking used. Another 2000 miles will see them both replaced.
Upshot is that these are the best all round tyres that I have ever ridden on, warm up quickly, total confidence as far over as I want to lean on the road [dragging boots and main stand]. They last exactly as I expected. c7500 miles for a front and c4000 miles for a rear.
I would love a tyre that delivers this level of grip and confidence in any conditions that lasted longer but sadly grip comes with them being soft.
If you want 10,000 miles from a rear then buy a CG125.
F: 120/70 x 17
R: 180/55 x 17
These replaced the PR4's that came on the bike which was bought used at 4 months old and 1500 miles. Original PR4 rear was done at 3945 miles but front tyre lived on. 2nd rear was removed at 6185 but was half worn anyway.
The bike went on a 3300 mile trip fully laden with me 118kg and luggage. We saw temperatures from 35 degrees and scorchio down to 14 degrees and monsoon biblical rain. The rear was again almost finished at 9650 or so having done 3500 miles but as I was by now in Scotland on a new trip it would not have lasted the remaining 1200 + miles.
The front is now showing signs of cupping and the rear is looking used. Another 2000 miles will see them both replaced.
Upshot is that these are the best all round tyres that I have ever ridden on, warm up quickly, total confidence as far over as I want to lean on the road [dragging boots and main stand]. They last exactly as I expected. c7500 miles for a front and c4000 miles for a rear.
I would love a tyre that delivers this level of grip and confidence in any conditions that lasted longer but sadly grip comes with them being soft.
If you want 10,000 miles from a rear then buy a CG125.
tjlazer said:
Significant step up from PR4s? I find these tend to be a bit wooly when you increase the lean, the new shoulder does look a lot better but just curious as a comparison as I fancy the upgrade if it pays off, my PRs probably have another 2k if I pushed it
I never liked the PR4 front. It always felt right on the point of folding at reasonable lean angles. The rear PR4 was great.The Road 5 is a step up. I fitted a new rear in Creiff but left the almost 4000 mile front on. It rained for most of my trip to Scotland but never once was I concerned and I got it well over on a lot of turns and at good pace too.
Chipchap said:
I never liked the PR4 front. It always felt right on the point of folding at reasonable lean angles. The rear PR4 was great.
The Road 5 is a step up. I fitted a new rear in Creiff but left the almost 4000 mile front on. It rained for most of my trip to Scotland but never once was I concerned and I got it well over on a lot of turns and at good pace too.
I've run PR4s on my 2011 Speed Triple since I bought it in Feb 2016 as it was until around 2 months ago was being used for year round commuting in London. I've also personally never liked the front profile either but as all weather all year tyres they were spot on.The Road 5 is a step up. I fitted a new rear in Creiff but left the almost 4000 mile front on. It rained for most of my trip to Scotland but never once was I concerned and I got it well over on a lot of turns and at good pace too.
My current set have done a few hundred over 6k miles front and rear. Rear is very squared off and very noticeable in look and feel being a 190/55 but still amazingly has some life left if I was gonna maximise mileage.
Bike needs a service, new tyres and probably new chain and sprockets too, which I must do at some point this month before my first full winter of not planning to ride unless the weather is 'nicer' sets in for 18 years
I'm thinking I will go Road5s if say the front profile is 'improved' otherwise I'll try some Metz Roadtec 01 as I don't need ultimate mileage anymore.Pretty much my assessment of them too having been through two pairs on my ZX10R now, even down to the mileage of the rear. Even when they lost traction in the dry it was easy enough to manage. For wet weather usage I'd also rate them above the RoadAttack 3 and the RoadTec 01.
The front on the Road 5 is much better than the PR4 if you ask me - I found the PR4 front cupped quite quickly. Prefer the profile of the Road 5 to the PR4 too.
For the last month and a half I've been running Avon Ultra 3D Sport's - good tyre in the dry, not awful in the wet. Similar mileage to the Road 5 but £139 a pair rather than £239 a pair for the Road 5.
The front on the Road 5 is much better than the PR4 if you ask me - I found the PR4 front cupped quite quickly. Prefer the profile of the Road 5 to the PR4 too.
For the last month and a half I've been running Avon Ultra 3D Sport's - good tyre in the dry, not awful in the wet. Similar mileage to the Road 5 but £139 a pair rather than £239 a pair for the Road 5.
Edited by SBDJ on Tuesday 9th October 09:12
That's great mileage from those tyres for the amount of weight they were carrying.
Would you put them on a sports bike?
I'm on Bridgestone RS10's which I think are absolutely brilliant (in the dry) but with the weather getting colder and wetter for the next few months and using the bike occasionally when the weather isn't too bad (no salt) I'm looking for a tyre that warms up quickly and works well in the wet.
Current fav for that is Pirelli DB Rosso 3 or Metzler M7RR.
Would you put them on a sports bike?
I'm on Bridgestone RS10's which I think are absolutely brilliant (in the dry) but with the weather getting colder and wetter for the next few months and using the bike occasionally when the weather isn't too bad (no salt) I'm looking for a tyre that warms up quickly and works well in the wet.
Current fav for that is Pirelli DB Rosso 3 or Metzler M7RR.
This year has been my first year on a bike so I'm very new to this but I bought a new street triple 765 RS in March and have covered just over 8k miles since then. I had the oem super corsa so tyres switched out for the PR5 before collection.
I've been really impressed with the tyres but I don't have anything really to compare them with. All I can say is I've had no issues with them in either the heat of the summer or heavy rain.
I know they need replacing soon and I will replace them with the same again but can anyone advise on whether to do it sooner or later?
The bike will be put away for the winter unless there are any nice days so my mileage will be minimal but maybe still 1k miles. The front is 1.4mm from the wear bar and the rear is 2.8mm. Both measured at the middle of the tyres.
Should I change them now or wait for spring?
Front
Rear
I've been really impressed with the tyres but I don't have anything really to compare them with. All I can say is I've had no issues with them in either the heat of the summer or heavy rain.
I know they need replacing soon and I will replace them with the same again but can anyone advise on whether to do it sooner or later?
The bike will be put away for the winter unless there are any nice days so my mileage will be minimal but maybe still 1k miles. The front is 1.4mm from the wear bar and the rear is 2.8mm. Both measured at the middle of the tyres.
Should I change them now or wait for spring?
Front
Rear
Bungleaio said:
Should I change them now or wait for spring?
]
The indicators are just a guide. I'd be looking at how the tyre is worn, i.e. is it still round in profile, or are there flat spots / cupping?]
First glance - I'd just kill them off over winter and put new ones on in Spring.
Do they not do a PR5 for heavier bikes like with the PR4 yet? Seems like the tyres don't last that long but given the extra weight of the BMW, I don't think that's too bad at all for tyre life.
I currently have a set of PR5's waiting to go on my commuter Hornet which has had the 2,3,4's and some roadtec 01's on it. I'd say the 2's or the Metzelers definitely had the best dry feel where as the 3's and the 4's were best in the wet. I'll also echo I'm not a massive fan of the profile on the front 4, preferring the 3 over it or the Metzeler again probably had the best front feel.
I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
I currently have a set of PR5's waiting to go on my commuter Hornet which has had the 2,3,4's and some roadtec 01's on it. I'd say the 2's or the Metzelers definitely had the best dry feel where as the 3's and the 4's were best in the wet. I'll also echo I'm not a massive fan of the profile on the front 4, preferring the 3 over it or the Metzeler again probably had the best front feel.
I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
obscene said:
D
I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
The Power RS were superb in the wet and cold last year and the year before ... I'd use them again, but having crashed on them I have a mental block about buying them again! (I crashed in 2011 on Michelin's too!) I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
obscene said:
Do they not do a PR5 for heavier bikes like with the PR4 yet? Seems like the tyres don't last that long but given the extra weight of the BMW, I don't think that's too bad at all for tyre life.
I currently have a set of PR5's waiting to go on my commuter Hornet which has had the 2,3,4's and some roadtec 01's on it. I'd say the 2's or the Metzelers definitely had the best dry feel where as the 3's and the 4's were best in the wet. I'll also echo I'm not a massive fan of the profile on the front 4, preferring the 3 over it or the Metzeler again probably had the best front feel.
I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
I really liked the PR2s and also used them back to back with Dunlop Roadsmarts 1 and 2 which I have to say for dry weather grip and handling are def up there. Dunlop front profile fantastic in my view. People don't seem to use the Roadsmarts though sadly. I hated the PR3s full stop and they were a complete let down after the PR2s.I currently have a set of PR5's waiting to go on my commuter Hornet which has had the 2,3,4's and some roadtec 01's on it. I'd say the 2's or the Metzelers definitely had the best dry feel where as the 3's and the 4's were best in the wet. I'll also echo I'm not a massive fan of the profile on the front 4, preferring the 3 over it or the Metzeler again probably had the best front feel.
I have the Power RS on my track bike (over from the Michelin experience days last year) so if the 5's are a long lasting version of them, I'll be more than happy. Just need to get round to putting them on!
Still thinking Metz Roadtec 01s.. I need to try them and like good front ends/feel
I had PR5s on my K1300S before the deer killed the bike off. Before the PR5s I'd used PR4s, PR4 GTs, RoadTec 01s and PR2s.
Although I didn't get a chance to fully test the PR5s I had no reason to assume they wouldn't manage the 7500 plus miles all the others had managed. That was majority long range commuting but with periodic Euro tours and Sunday afternoon blasts.
The PR5s offered the quicker response and faster turn in of the 01s but without the white line issues they showed from less than 2000 miles. There was more feel on the PR5s than any of the previous PR tyres and the wet weather grip was really confidence inspiring. Great tyres that I will be happily fitting to my next bike - when I get it!!!!
Although I didn't get a chance to fully test the PR5s I had no reason to assume they wouldn't manage the 7500 plus miles all the others had managed. That was majority long range commuting but with periodic Euro tours and Sunday afternoon blasts.
The PR5s offered the quicker response and faster turn in of the 01s but without the white line issues they showed from less than 2000 miles. There was more feel on the PR5s than any of the previous PR tyres and the wet weather grip was really confidence inspiring. Great tyres that I will be happily fitting to my next bike - when I get it!!!!
Pravus1 said:
Interesting to hear that they give the quicker steering of the 01's. Do they have the same kind of feel when cranked over? Like there is a lot of angle and contact?
I never had any lean angle, contact patch issues with the previous PR tyres. I happily rode the edge of the rear (dry only!!!) Of the PR2s, PR4s and PR4 GTs. The PR5s felt similar to previous PRs. They felt like the best of all the PRs rolled in with the best of the 01s into a single tyre. I'm only sorry I didn't get to see how long they actually lasted and how they reacted to white lines and overbanding as they aged.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Alternatively if you do a lot of motorway miles you can get a ridge on your front tyre, where the centre of the tyre is much more pronounced than the shoulders if you run your finger across the tyre you can feel this ridge.I tend to have to change the front more out of this ridge forming than from wearing it out.
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