Michelin Pilot Road 4 Tires Review

[Uncle Hud]

wheatonFJR: It takes MASSIVE amounts of skill to turn left while standing the bike straight up, but I got skillz, baby. MASSIVE amounts.

Fred W: Yeah, won't be turning a whole lot next week until we get to San Antonio. A thousand miles of almost-straight I-10. Bridgestone T30-GTs for this ride.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

**** Hud, that's the halfway mark for a rear tire for me, and I'm all about changing early and often. 14k is amazing, even with the softest of riding.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

**** Hud, that's the halfway mark for a rear tire for me, and I'm all about changing early and often. 14k is amazing, even with the softest of riding. I have found the best way to get tire mileage I'm happy with is to not make a point of noting what mileage is when they're out on. It's less painful that way.... I have a set of PR2's and a PR3 rear sitting in the garage now. PR4 will be next.

 

[art miller]

After 14,000 miles (OK maybe 14,200 miles), here's what griff and I removed:

PR4-GT rear. Looks OK, still has a little at the wear bars:

PR4-GT front. Cupping (ie. tabletop profile). Looks like I'm more aggressive with turns in one direction than the other.

Excellent tires. Wet weather grip was very good. No noise. How can you argue with that mileage?

Caveat: I ride like a grandma.

OK that it!! PR4's will be the next set for me. I think the non-GT will be fine for me. I never ride two up and at 145lbs and moderate degree of aggressiveness I hope to get 14+K miles on a set. I've been getting that on PR2's so hopefully 4's are as good!!

 

[Niehart]

T30 on the front, PR4 on the rear. Tasty, really tasty ...

 

[user 8909]

Metzler has a $50 rebate on a pair, haven't seen anything from Michelin but comments on any good deals out there would be appreciated.

 

[art miller]

T30 on the front, PR4 on the rear. Tasty, really tasty ...

^^ Do you have mileage results on this "tasty" claim??

 

[Niehart]

Sorry its not about mileage with in my case. Its about handling and ride.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Sorry its not about mileage with in my case. Its about handling and ride.

This^^^ is The Truth As I See It.

Some folks are all about mileage, some are all about traction at extreme lean angles, some about comfort, and they all have their place. We are all individuals.

For me and for my Dear Old Dad it is a combination of things. Handling and traction (which are not exactly the same thing), Wet handling and traction, ride quality, and longevity. I don't care if it lasts 20,000 miles if I don't like the rest of the package. If I don't like it I will be doing my best to spin it and wear it out quickly.

So far the PR4 and PR4GT has been a decent choice for us. I like them better on the FJR than I did on my ST1300. The rear PR4 has a more rounded profile than the PR3s which Dad loved. This translates to more usable lean angle for Dad and he likes that. Traction is good and predictable.

My PR4GT looks very similar to the pic Hud showed us but I only have 8,000 miles. My front PR4 GT looks very good, nothing like Hud's tire.

I do get that very low speed wobble in the bars from my PR4 and it gets worse with wear but I am okay with that.

 

[El Toro]

I'm amazed at the mileage results that are reported.

I have never gotten more than 8000 miles on ANY sport touring tire, on ANY sport touring type of bike, from Moto Guzzi Norge, to ST1100, to K1300S, and beyond.

If these PR4 GTs get to 8000 miles, I'll be thrilled. For right now, I'm very pleased with their road feel in all conditions. I usually don't put more than 4000 miles on any single motorcycle in a season. If I were riding 40,000 miles in a season, I might even be among those who think about car tires... but I'm not, so I don't.

 

[Kneedragger55]

My PR4GT looks very similar to the pic Hud showed us but I only have 8,000 miles. My front PR4 GT looks very good, nothing like Hud's tire.
I do get that very low speed wobble in the bars from my PR4 and it gets worse with wear but I am okay with that.

+1 both of these. That looks exactly like my rear at ~7500 miles, and I'm planning to wear it on down in the next couple months before taking a week long trip. My front has good tread left, nothing like the picture and no cupping thus far.

Funny you said that about the low speed wobble...I thought I just needed to have the front balanced. Anywhere between 10-30mph with no hands on the bars is down right scary. Is that really a "characteristic" of the PR4? I only get a tad bit of noticeable wobble with hands on, but hands-off takes some big balls.

 

[user 8909]

May be why some opt for another brand front.

 

[danh600]

"Anywhere between 10-30mph with no hands on the bars is down right scary. Is that really a "characteristic" of the PR4?"

I had a PR4GT and now have a PR4 on the front. I never felt that with either of them.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

"Anywhere between 10-30mph with no hands on the bars is down right scary. Is that really a "characteristic" of the PR4?"

I had a PR4GT and now have a PR4 on the front. I never felt that with either of them.

From day one at parking lot speeds I felt a light "pulsing" through the bars. At around 5K miles it became very noticeable. Since several folks on this forum mentioned the bar wobble on deceleration I tried it. Holy Hell, the bars go crazy with a worn PR4GT. BUT!!! I really have no reason to be letting go of the bars on deceleration, or any other time for that matter. So, it does not bother me in the slightest.

I still cannot understand the purpose of releasing the bars under deceleration, but each to his own I guess. What I have noticed is that if I go ride the bike very hard, with deep lean angles and wear the sides of the front back even, the pulsing almost goes away.

 

[Kneedragger55]

I still cannot understand the purpose of releasing the bars under deceleration, but each to his own I guess. What I have noticed is that if I go ride the bike very hard, with deep lean angles and wear the sides of the front back even, the pulsing almost goes away.

Understand we used to ride less comfortable bikes and developed bad habits. The handless stretch was a necessity on every other bike I've owned, and it relieves some back pressure on the FJR too. Just not when I have to watch the handlebars wobble +-5 inches.

 

[Fred W]

I've (always) ridden less comfortable bikes in the past. From the dirt bikes and dual sports that have a 2x4 for a perch, to sportier bikes that put you in a constant crouch. But I have still never felt a need to ride with no hands on the bars. I will take one off quite often, usually the left one, which allows you to sit up straight(er) and relieve some of the back muscles.

Now that I have a freaking fantastic cruise control on my 2014 I even occasionally release the right hand and let the left one steer the ship, though I hate to do that because it means my front brake is so far away from being deployed. But I have got to agree with the Red Fisherman that this whole "Hey Look Ma! No hands!" thing is pretty weird. I have come t realize it is not uncommon, but still weird.

 

[Kneedragger55]

Yea I don't RIDE with no hands haha. But the occasional coast to a red light is welcomed regardless of the bike. I was just blown away by how much I saw the front twitching. Guess it's good to know that I'm not the only one.

And yes...riding with left hand only is freakishly weird. I've never experienced anything like it.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Yea I don't RIDE with no hands haha. But the occasional coast to a red light is welcomed regardless of the bike. I was just blown away by how much I saw the front twitching. Guess it's good to know that I'm not the only one.
And yes...riding with left hand only is freakishly weird. I've never experienced anything like it.

Try waving at other motorcyclists with the right hand. Most of them have never experienced anything like it either.

I am not getting into a comparison and actually not making fun of those that turn loose of the bars either. When I got the '15 ES I was reading about folks letting go of the bars and the front end wobbling. I thought it was a silly thing to do but my curiosity was aroused so I tried it. There was almost no shake, my bars were stable. After a few thousand miles I began to feel a shake on deceleration so I tried it again. By this time my Bridgestones were getting worn and the front end went crazy. Crazy like About To Crash Crazy.

I learned one thing and remembered another. I learned the Bridgestones created a wobble as they wear and I remembered That I have no reason to let go of the bars!

Fast forward to the PR4GT, it always gave a slight pulsing sensation at low speed but it did not wobble under deceleration. At first. The type of wear, the amount of wear, how hard I have been riding it all have an effect on the bars.

None of which makes a damned bit of difference to me. The PR4s stick and stick well. Now that I am close to wearing out the center of the rear I am purposely spinning the tire on corner exits. I find the PR4 to be much more predictable than the OEM Bridgestone in this regard. Once the Bridgestone broke loose it wanted to slide out completely. The PR4 is controllable.

Or maybe I am just more used to the FJR now.

 

[steveoreno]

I have PR4 GT on the bike couple since this week. First 50 km I had very strange feeling from front wheel. Something like "floating" but than it disappear. May be first layer was too soft???I rode today in the rain and I did not realize instability or sliding. I am wonder about mileage of these tires because I am starting to like them (first time Michelin for me - before only Metzeller and Bridgestone).

I replaced my PR3's with 4GT's and they handle fine I didn't have the sensation you described.

 

[user 8909]

I've ran all the tires mentioned except PR4's and the only tire I experienced a wobble with was an Avon. Mich's have scalloped but no wobble.

The T30's that are on now (6k) show a slight tendency to form a scallop.