Help With Tire Decision

[lee42lee]

I need a little help picking my next set of tires. I have a 2006 FJR and I need to replace the tires. I am currently running the Bridgestone Battleax T30. I like the way the tire grips but the wear I got on the last set was very poor. I do ride pretty aggressive but I only got about 3,500 miles on this set. I have considered the Michelin PR but I would like to hear opinions on how well they grip. Can someone give me some recommendations?

 

[ionbeam]

Looking for something like this?

Picture officially Ripped Off from wfooshee

I've had good luck with Michelin PR's for both wear and traction, both wet and dry. Riding 2-up most of the time I've been able to get >10,000 miles out of the tires. The first half of the life of a PR2 they are great, then the last 3,000 miles they had heavy handling and some oddities though they still had excellent traction. I liked the PR4's much better but they are noisy. Out of all the tires I've put on my FJR, the PR's seem to be the best for me and the Battleax T30 were the very worst tire. I'm sure others will be along to say that their other brands and models of tires are the best because.... It's almost like all the major brand tires are pretty good.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Lee, You are likely wondering why your post was moved to the Never-Ending, Pointless or Recurring Threads area. That is the mods way of saying "look it up!!!". Opinions on tires is a well covered subject and you can probably find more info than you can handle on the PR 3s and 4s by doing a search. But do not despair, being shuffled off to NEPRT is a distinction without a difference. You may get more responses to your question now than you would have were your post left in its original sub-forum.

I think the Battleax is a horrible tire. The PR 3s and 4s are an okay tire. You are riding a bike that is designed to be a long distance touring bike. Most of the tires are going to try to provide good handling along with long life. To get both there must be a compromise of both. If you wish to ride it in a manner that emphasizes the sport aspect of the bike, then you must expect tire life to be much reduced. When 800 lbs or more of bike and rider is hustled around the tires suffer.

 

[Uncle Hud]

HOLY COW!! A tire question .... ?

Pterodactyl replied as sweetly as you could ask for. This question has been asked and answered a dozen times this year, and we're only in April. OK, May. Use the in-house search or use Google like this: "best tire site:fjrforum.com" That last bit limits search results to our website. I got over 2,820 hits in less than 0.51 seconds.

On the other hand, you could just look in "Parts and Accessories" and see the Big FJR Tire Poll pinned to the top of the subforum wth 9 pages of responses.

I'm riding Bridgestone Battlax T30-GT now, with maybe 8,000 miles and another 1,000 to go. Will try Metzeler or Pirelli next (Avon?), but the PR4-GT is my handling and mileage champ with 12,000 miles. Gripped in the wet like a suction cup.

..................................................................................................

Went by Dalton twice yesterday (I-75) on the way to Nashville and back. Every local and GSP officer in Whitfield County was on speed patrol during my morning pass-through. Must have seen 6 handing out tickets and four waiting to pounce. Y'all had a party or sumpthin?

By the way, my Georgia cousin, you do keep watch here for all our cool happening stuff, right? Should be a BBQ RTE before football season deep inside the city of Atlanta. I'll be looking for you!

 

[rbentnail]

Something round. And black. That should do it.

I'm partial to Pirelli Angels. Tried PR2 one time, not a fan. PP2CT grips really good.

 

[lee42lee]

Actually I did try to search for the answer to my question but nothing I could find really helped. Basically I just want to know if you guys think the Michelin would have enough grip for my riding style. I have talked to some people that say yes and some no.

 

[JamesW]

PR4s, and I am very tire fussy. Am going to try the GTs next set. Like the little softer tire for grip but will see. I really like the pr3s for grippy tires but the 4s may wear longer. This is a very informative forum, sometimes in a left handed sort of way.

 

[lee42lee]

Thank you James for the info. I think I will try the PR4s. You are right this is a great place to find all kind of info I just wish the search worked a little better. I hated to ask this question because I knew I would get people saying it had already been asked.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Down here on the mountain roads, I took extrememarine's idea and put Pilot Powers on the front. I have PR2s on the back. I am a mild mannered rider, but I DO like the additional grip on the front tire, especially in the wintertime when it gets in the 50s and 40s(burr!).

 

[Ignacio]

That is the mods way of saying "look it up!!!". Opinions on tires is a well covered subject and you can probably find more info than you can handle on the PR 3s and 4s by doing a search.

Please don't try speak for me. I speak just fine for myself when I want or need to.

I just wish the search worked a little better. I hated to ask this question because I knew I would get people saying it had already been asked.

Search works well as pinned here in at least two threads and discussed many others place. In my 10+ years on the forum it's searcher's that need to work better and many of the veterans would much prefer to help you hone those skills vs. doing the search for you.

More than searching though....I have to note you agreed to read these terms that include many other helpful hints besides searching.

I think I will try the PR4s.

Good choice!

 

[Mad German]

As a former track-a-holic, I'm impressed with my Pirelli Angel GTs. Lots of grip and they seem to be wearing nicely.

 

[lee42lee]

I am sorry that I asked this question but I do want to thank everyone for their help. I am going to decide for sure tonight and then order something tomorrow. I will read over the web site rules and terms again and if allowed I will let you know what I decided.

Thanks again.

 

[BigOgre]

Just spent a good deal of time going through the recent tire threads. Decided on and price shopping now for T30 EVO-GT front with PR4-GT rear. Was leaning (get it??) towards going back to the PR2 but after a couple of very wet slab days recently the wet traction claims won out.

 

[petey]

HOLY COW!! A tire question .... ?
I'm riding Bridgestone Battlax T30-GT now, with maybe 8,000 miles and another 1,000 to go.

I don't think I'll use T-30's any more, even though they have decent traction on wet or dry, but I can't get the mileage some of you guys get.

3700 miles on the last one.

 

[wheatonFJR]

HOLY COW!! A tire question .... ?

I'm riding Bridgestone Battlax T30-GT now, with maybe 8,000 miles and another 1,000 to go.

I don't think I'll use T-30's any more, even though they have decent traction on wet or dry, but I can't get the mileage some of you guys get.

3700 miles on the last one.

That looks like a back tire Petey? I use the t30 on the front, but not on the back.

Whatcha moving to?

 

[petey]

Whatcha moving to??.... What ever I can get on sale or for a reasonable price. I mounted the T-30 at EOM last year, but I do have a new PR2 and a BTO23 in the garage right now, and replaced the T-30 with an Avon AV 56. Hope that'll get me to SEO and Red Lodge.

 

[Brodie]

I am sorry that I asked this question but I do want to thank everyone for their help. I am going to decide for sure tonight and then order something tomorrow. I will read over the web site rules and terms again and if allowed I will let you know what I decided. Thanks again.

To use an old expression... Never say I'm sorry, it's a sign of weakness. These old dogs around here can rise up at times and pounce on you seemingly without mercy.
BITE BACK !!!

As for your original question, what tires are recommended for better life without compromising performance, plenty of information here to be gleaned. The neat thing about our mount is the wide range of tires available that do work. My thoughts are that tires are an expendable item. I was getting roughly 4,000 miles on the Avons and on the Michelins. I eventually ended up going darkside to get good tire life - you can't argue with 36,000 miles on a rear tire if you're satisfied with how it performs.

Try a different brand from the last one, you really won't know which one is best until you run them. You can't go wrong with what's offered, so long as it meets the weight and speed rating and proper fitment. If it handles like crap, get rid of it and try a different one.

Enjoy going through a set of tires, these things are supposed to be fun.

Brodie

 

[Pterodactyl]

Ignacio: Please don't try speak for me. I speak just fine for myself when I want or need to.

Was speaking about you, not for you.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

My $.02 worth...Got roughly 200,000 miles on Michelins Pr 2/3/4s mounted on FJRs (all 3 Gens) + another 25,000 miles or so on Michelin PRs on other bikes....I'm a true believer. That is all.