Front Tire - New PR 4 - Starting to cup after only 1,200 miles

[Denver_FJR]

Considering motorcycle tire dynamics (braking and turning forces) I don't see how cupping can be avoided on tires with tread/sipes. Still, I will be interested in Michelin's response.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Problem solved,

Turns out the shop that installed the tires must have a defective tire gauge.

Hadn't checked pressures since the tires were installed, I know, my bad.

Front had only 30# this morning. Filled to 41 and problem no longer exists.

Will recheck in morning.

Running 41/42 for now.

Thanks for all your comments and thoughtful responses.

 

[ULEWZ]

Problem solved, Turns out the shop that installed the tires must have a defective tire gauge. Hadn't checked pressures since the tires were installed, I know, my bad. Front had only 30# this morning. Filled to 41 and problem no longer exists. Will recheck in morning. Running 41/42 for now. Thanks for all your comments and thoughtful responses.

Good for you figuring that out. I have never had a shop put the correct tire pressure in any of my tires. I always check as soon as I get home. This is for my cars as I do my own motorcycle tires but you get the point.

 

[bigjohnsd]

It was better today. Lots (near 400 miles) of twistiest from 25-75 mph while making our way down the Oregon coast from Astoria to Florence while going back and forth over the mountains toward, but never quite touching I-5

Still a slight "wobble" under decel at about 40 mph.

Probably won't get better, hope it won't get worse.

 

[FJRay]

I've had the decel wobble with several different front tires and various bikes. I have also heard many ways to cure it from steering bearings to dynabeads.. I think it's just part of the game.

We should have checked the pressure as soon as you got back from the dealer John but that would have made to much sense. Glad you got it sorted out.

 

[mojomedicrn]

Well, I can only say that I agree with everybody on the PR2's. They are a great tire and it seems that Michelin tried to fix something that wasn't broke. I along w/ everybody else had the metzler z-6 that came stock and they are ok except that on my way back from Sturgis I saw that I was down to a hairsbreadth of tire above the cords. I went and got some Bridgestone Battlax 3 on front and back and I got 15k out of both of them. Maybe this will have to do when my PR-2s die. Anybody got any other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Big Sky]

I polished off a set of Pirelli Angel GTs at the end of May; got 7,500 from the rear (well toasted) - best mileage ever from a rear tire and excellent handling was retained throughout, usually at 40 PSI front and 42 back. Front was pretty noisy. I replaced them with PR 4s out of curiosity. Now have 4,500 on them (mostly two-up and loaded, running mountain twisties hard with some straight-line running in between), rear looks like 2/3rds gone, leading edge of shoulder tread blocks flaring up, trailing edges grinding away. Front still good, some scalloping but no headshake. Again, mostly two-up and mountain twisties. Front is starting to hum when leaned. Now taking more effort to turn in and some constant pressure at the bars to stay turned. Might get a couple thousand more miles. The PR 4s seem to deliver a somewhat more supple ride and are quieter than the Pirellis. All in all, I will opt for the Pirellis again. (I wore out a set of PR 3s last year, had cords showing at the shoulder of the rear! Did not like these tires.)

 

[rocketman0]

Got a notice from the Motorcycle Superstore that the PR2 180/55B-17 is no longer available. I have two PR2 fronts on my shelf and was planning on going back to the PR2s from the PR3s. Now I'll either need to go with the non-B model PR2 or the PR4GT.

I ordered my PR2's from Jake Wilson a few weeks back, I suspect the 2's won't be around much longer

I like to order a set of PR2 also. What was the manufactured date on the set you received? When were they discontinued?

 

[Pterodactyl]

Got a notice from the Motorcycle Superstore that the PR2 180/55B-17 is no longer available. I have two PR2 fronts on my shelf and was planning on going back to the PR2s from the PR3s. Now I'll either need to go with the non-B model PR2 or the PR4GT.

I ordered my PR2's from Jake Wilson a few weeks back, I suspect the 2's won't be around much longer

I like to order a set of PR2 also. What was the manufactured date on the set you received? When were they discontinued?

So far the only PR2 that is coming up as no longer available is the 180/55B-17. There is a thread on the BMWMOA forum about using the ZR version instead of the B. People seem to think the B is a bit harsher ride with no significant mileage gain. I just ordered 2 ZR versions. I have a newish set of PR3s mounted and 2 sets of PR2s on the shelf; I'm good for the rest of the summer.

 

[Geezer]

I am glad that you found the problem. I was having a hard time thinking that upping the pressure 1 or 2 PSI was going to make that much difference. Even good tire gauges can vary that much. Let us know how it goes now that you have the correct pressure in there. If the PR4's are not going to cut it and PR2s are not being made then I'll have to start figuring out which tire to switch to.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Saw some reall twisty stuff today, both low and high speed corners. No change in performance or shake.

The snakes were awful too. PR4s don't help there

 

[Top_Speed1]

Well, I can only say that I agree with everybody on the PR2's. They are a great tire and it seems that Michelin tried to fix something that wasn't broke. I along w/ everybody else had the metzler z-6 that came stock and they are ok except that on my way back from Sturgis I saw that I was down to a hairsbreadth of tire above the cords. I went and got some Bridgestone Battlax 3 on front and back and I got 15k out of both of them. Maybe this will have to do when my PR-2s die. Anybody got any other suggestions?
Thanks.

I don't think Michelin was trying to "fix" the PR2 with the 3 or 4. In talking with them at a show last year, it was all done intentionally to have a tire with more siping to handle water and hydroplaning better. And, both factory reps gave me no indication the PR2 was going bye-bye. Hope not like so many others here (fans!), I'm not a big wet weather rider (like NW folks here). I like the additional rubber and not all the "air" that the siping brings. More rubber = more longevity (w the right compounds of course).

 

[CA G-Man]

Problem solved, Turns out the shop that installed the tires must have a defective tire gauge technician. Hadn't checked pressures since the tires were installed, I know, my bad. Front had only 30# this morning. Filled to 41 and problem no longer exists. Will recheck in morning. Running 41/42 for now. Thanks for all your comments and thoughtful responses.

Good for you figuring that out. I have never had a shop put the correct tire pressure in any of my tires. I always check as soon as I get home. This is for my cars as I do my own motorcycle tires but you get the point.

I picked up my newly-installed T30s a few weeks ago with 31 PSI both front and back. Didn't really surprise me though, as the local dealership specializes in dirt bikes/quads/snomobiles, etc. and I don't think they'd ever heard of an FJR before I brought mine in. Not much choice though, short of buying the equipment to do tire changes myself, given that there's only 1 dealership in town.

 

[DennisJ]

I started checking tire pressures at the shop before I leave after having tires installed on the FJR or on my car. Those shop gauges aren't treated with a lot of care and the accuracy is usually off. I carry a little Cruz digital in the storage cubby ond check the pressure, usually right outside the shop door so I can grab the air hose. Get some funny looks once-in-a-while but it is my FJR and my tires and safety not to mention budget that I protect.

 

[CA G-Man]

I started checking tire pressures at the shop before I leave after having tires installed on the FJR or on my car. Those shop gauges aren't treated with a lot of care and the accuracy is usually off. I carry a little Cruz digital in the storage cubby ond check the pressure, usually right outside the shop door so I can grab the air hose. Get some funny looks once-in-a-while but it is my FJR and my tires and safety not to mention budget that I protect.

As suggested by my tongue-in-cheek "correction" of bigjohnsd's post above ("defective tire gauge technician"), I truly believe the problem in my case and likely many others is ignorance by the techs. Both of my tires were bang-on 31 PSI, which I think would be unlikely if a tech tried to inflate to the factory specs (36/42) using a defective gauge (how does the same gauge read 5 PSI/14% low on the front tire and 9 PSI/21% low on the back?). The 31 PSI is also suspiciously close to a "standard" pressure for car tires. Pretty sure it's not primarily an instrument issue.

Coincidentally, when I took the bike in I asked the manager at the counter if they could install 90-degree valves for me. After checking that they had some in stock he said "sure - I've written it on the work order." Guess what - I got straight valves!