5k miles on Front Dunlop Roadsmart

[Rondo777]

(At 5k Miles) Just a quick report. With mixed riding, slab and city and a fair amount of SPIRITED riding in mountian curves. I just replaced the front tire. It had a predominant flat spot and was bald in the center. The rear Roadsmart is still in very good shape and at the advice of this forum I installed a Pirreli Diablo on the front. I expect to get another 3k or so out of the rear Roadsmart and plan on purchasing another rear Roadsmart when the time comes.

I really liked the Ride with new Roadsmarts but over the 5k miles it changed significantly for the worse. It never did develope a head shake, nor scallop but the flat spot was very noticable rolling in and out of corners.

BY the way, Ride Now Powersports matched the best online price for the Diablo. $104.99, Not Bad

 

[Warchild]

Yeah, I am pretty disappointed in the RoadSmarts, given how well they performed in the first couple thousand miles... which were excellent.

But around 3K and beyond, it got progressively worse (the front, in particular). Final grade from me: C-

Back to Avon Storms until something else comes along to try....

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Hmmmm, interesting stuff. I've got 5k on the rear Roadsmart and it still looks good and works well. Best mileage I've gotten out of any rear tire on the FJR...much better than the Azzaro, standard, or E-spec Stradas. No shortage of side-grip from my perspective. Haven't tried a Roadsmart front. 7k now on the front Storm and it still looks damn good as well. Pretty sure my current tires have at least a couple thou left in them. Was thinking about ordering a front Roadsmart over the winter, but sounds like I should maybe reconsider that. Anyone else happy with the Roadsmart rear but unhappy with the front??

 

[canyonman]

I was all hip on mine too at first. I now have probably around 8k on them and tread wise they still look pretty good. But lately the front has been pushing or slipping pretty good in the corners makes you feel like you are heading for a low side. Always seems to grab but feels like your gonna eat it. I dunno the thing felt glued when they were new guess I'll try something different next time.

 

[DaSpyda]

But, are there no issues when mixing manufacturers on front and rear? Is handling adversely affected toward the negative as opposed to just buying another matching front tire?

I drive a mid-engined car and mixing tires can get me killed.

 

[crankshaft]

Hmm! guess I'll keep an eye on this thread. I'll be needing new tires over winter or early spring. Thought about the roadsmarts based on recommendations but looks like the jury is still out.

 

[quicksilver]

I now have probably around 8k on them and tread wise they still look pretty good. But lately the front has been pushing or slipping pretty good in the corners makes you feel like you are heading for a low side. Always seems to grab but feels like your gonna eat it. I dunno the thing felt glued when they were new guess I'll try something different next time.

Still looking good a 8K, but lost its luster?

Have you ever had a front tire do better?

That sounds pretty good to me (with my style and roads). I'd really like to know what works better.

I have around 3 K on my roadsmarts.

If the front is not trashed at 8K, I'll probably be buying another one.

The new gen. front Bridgestone is shit at 6K, for me. (squared off like a 2x4, and probably contributed to my low side)

The new gen. front Avon is chewed up (with scary head shake) by 8K.

Right now the Avon Storm still is the benchmark for me. But I am hoping the Roadsmarts take the lead.

Both brands seem to be stellar for the 1st 3K.

I think the Avons have the edge in the wet.

Roadsmarts are fine in the wet, but the Avons give supernatural confidence in the rain.

 

[Wolfhound]

I know after my first set of RS I'll never have another. Worst mileage & handling set that I've tried. GREAT the frist 2k+ & shitty the rest of the way to abt 5k replacement f/r. So far the PR2CT is the ticket for me....

 

[dcarver]

So where do the PR2's stack in this mix? I'm convinced by them, and I wear sides out at almost the same rate as the centers.

 

[canyonman]

Still looking good a 8K, but lost its luster?Have you ever had a front tire do better?

That sounds pretty good to me (with my style and roads). I'd really like to know what works better.

I have around 3 K on my roadsmarts.

If the front is not trashed at 8K, I'll probably be buying another one.

The new gen. front Bridgestone is shit at 6K, for me. (squared off like a 2x4, and probably contributed to my low side)

The new gen. front Avon is chewed up (with scary head shake) by 8K.

Right now the Avon Storm still is the benchmark for me. But I am hoping the Roadsmarts take the lead.

Both brands seem to be stellar for the 1st 3K.

I think the Avons have the edge in the wet.

Roadsmarts are fine in the wet, but the Avons give supernatural confidence in the rain.

not complaining about the mileage at all. just find the rapid change in characteristics on a tire with a decent amount of usable tread left to be interesting.

 

[Rolavine]

Roadsmart front down to wear bars at 6700 and has been tending to follow road trenches for the last thousand getting worse. Rear RS has 5200 and looks good but feels as square as a car tire during transition. I read in another post here about the RS, that the rear that it tended to be shaky when transitioning from upright into a curve, and that is just what mine feels like. As the previous post said, it is fine once you got the bike leaned over but unstable, it feels like you're on an edge tending to follow any road irregularity until you get past that point. At the time I read that post I though, 'strange mine don't feel anything like that at all', but another K and they were there.

Just for fun on an empty road I did extended surpentines and then the rear was smooth in transistion again. Of course, it's cold here now (been driving below 32F in the morns) and the problem could be related to not being able to get them hot. I think I'm going to try a few more PSI, that will up it to 43, maybe I can convince them to be round again for a bit longer. Maybe this has something to do with the variable hardness rubber?

I did so love these tires for the first 4K, or so.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I was really dissapointed with the front Roadsmart, and the rear is now fading quickly.

I'm going for PR2's next.

I've had Dunlop D205's and they did great. I think I'm done with Dunlop though....

 

[Rolavine]

I kept the front roadsmart on for 8K miles to the wear bars. I had it replaced with the Avon Azaro from the close out buy. The odd ball resistance to cornering that I thought was related to the squaring off of the rear roadsmart went away. I guess that shake in transistion from upright to leaned had to do with the front tire. I like the Azaro it feels as great as the roadsmart did when it was new.

 

[rockmurf]

14k miles on z6 metz. front, hoping to do better with pr 2

 

[leedavis]

Roads in NC and VA where I ride are rough and I go pretty hard. Roadsmart front and rear shot (wear bars gone, next stop is cord showing) after 3,350. They worked OK but why bother with all the dual compound fluff for a 3k mile tire?

Got a deal on some D220's and might even try some Stinko 006 Podiums after them. All I do is tear 'em up anyway.

 

[Sir Price]

I know after my first set of RS I'll never have another. Worst mileage & handling set that I've tried. GREAT the frist 2k+ & shitty the rest of the way to abt 5k replacement f/r. So far the PR2CT is the ticket for me....

+ one here to mate I love my PR2's even if they take a little finding :yahoo:

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Funny how other's oppinions can make you think you've got something going on, when maybe you really don't. 6k now on my rear R/S and it still looks better than ANY rear tire I've run on EITHER of my FJRs at this mileage. I was starting to think maybe it was handling a bit wonky, but then again, I've been riding in single digit temps. Now that temps are starting to come up a bit here in Ohio (40s, 50s even a few 60s!), it feels good again. Eventually, I suppose I'm going to have to replace the Avon Storm front as well, but I'm equally impressed with it. 8k on it since I've been holding these bars and not sure how many were on it when I bought the bike. Still looks and feels remarkably good. Leaves me in a bit of a quandry. I have no complaints about either of my tires given the mileage on them now, but the Storms seem to garner slightly better reviews here while the Roadsmarts depend on who you ask. I feel almost obligated to try a Storm rear, just to see how it compares to the Roadsmart rear and the Storm front. Trying to hold off on buying tires for the feej as long as possible. Toy budget is a bit tight right now and I REALLY want to put a set of BT-016s on my 125 Derbi. Probably going to order those in the next day or two while Chaparral is still having their free shipping deal (ends 3/31/09).

But I'm still following this silly thread. :huh:

 

[Dangerous Dave]

I REALLY want to put a set of BT-016s on my 125 Derbi. Probably going to order those in the next day or two while Chaparral is still having their free shipping deal (ends 3/31/09).

Nix that. Looks like I waited too long and they've jacked their prices. Better deals to be found elsewhere. Too bad Parts411.com charges such outrageous shipping charges, since they're consistently cheap on the tires themselves. Still better deals to be had.

 

[black cherry]

The PR2's have instilled much confidence in the corners for me and are wearing great. I'm hooked