PILOT POWER tires

[snikr]

I've got 8000 miles on my Pilot Roads and so far so good other than a little cupping on the front tire. Have Avons ready to go on next. Am interested in the reports on the POWERS. Keep them coming.

Tom

 

[FJRocha]

Howdy-all... now that I have a bit of time to write about it, I must say that before I went and low sided my beloved Pandora last Sunday (see >>>HERE<<<) The Pilot Power were holding on very nicely. At one point I had Pandora at Warp1 and steady as a rock. The front tire had less than 200 miles when I became acquainted with the ground, but I do not think the tires had nothing to do with my fall... I was just trying to catch up with SkooterG's Warp2 machine, and I screwed up on a turn. The bike is in the shop and will have to wait to continue my reporting. Oh well...

 

[BlackB12]

I don't see the point of Powers on an FJR. Even with quality ST compound tires like Stradas or Avon AV45/46, the bike will run out of cornering clearance WAY before the tires lose their grip. Seems silly to me to put on stickies unless you're really a cut and thrust late braking FJR rider. Just my opinion.

MIke

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

Why doesn't anyone like the new metz z6's?...they seem very popular in Europe & believe it or not,.... on the whole they ride & corner alot harder then those of us in North America..

This is why FJR owners are down on MeZ4 / 6 tires. Only brand that has had failures.

https://www.fjrowners.ws/discus/messages/9/...html?1112770143

 

[Cal24Master]

I don't see the point of Powers on an FJR. Even with quality ST compound tires like Stradas or Avon AV45/46, the bike will run out of cornering clearance WAY before the tires lose their grip. Seems silly to me to put on stickies unless you're really a cut and thrust late braking FJR rider. Just my opinion.
MIke

I have been using a Pilot Sport on the front and road on the back for about 60,000 miles on my 03. Why a sport? It makes the bike turn in a little quicker. With a Road on the back and a Sport on the front, they wear out pretty close to the same time. I am one that cannot stand to replace tires one at a time. With a Road on the front, you wear out the rear, and there is still over half the front left. So you replace the rear, and the front is squared off a little, the steering is slower. Then you replace the rear again, and the front is getting pretty flat. Next your replace the front, and the rear is getting square. Now you back and forth like that and you never get that just like Christmas feeling of new tires front and back.

God I love that feeling!

Tom

 

[GalaxyBlue]

MIke

I am one that cannot stand to replace tires one at a time. With a Road on the front, you wear out the rear, and there is still over half the front left. So you replace the rear, and the front is squared off a little, the steering is slower. Then you replace the rear again, and the front is getting pretty flat. Next your replace the front, and the rear is getting square. Now you back and forth like that and you never get that just like Christmas feeling of new tires front and back.

God I love that feeling!

Tom

I agree with that...

But i am going to try another AV46 that i wore out at 5k.

The front seems nice and round still.

it is weird that the rear wears out twice as fast as the front though... You guys getting 10k out of the rear is amazing! You must be riding like "pa Kettle with Ma on the back!"

 

[Cal24Master]

MIke

I am one that cannot stand to replace tires one at a time. With a Road on the front, you wear out the rear, and there is still over half the front left. So you replace the rear, and the front is squared off a little, the steering is slower. Then you replace the rear again, and the front is getting pretty flat. Next your replace the front, and the rear is getting square. Now you back and forth like that and you never get that just like Christmas feeling of new tires front and back.

God I love that feeling!

Tom

I agree with that...

But i am going to try another AV46 that i wore out at 5k.

The front seems nice and round still.

it is weird that the rear wears out twice as fast as the front though... You guys getting 10k out of the rear is amazing! You must be riding like "pa Kettle with Ma on the back!"

I had the same experiance with the Avons. I like the tires, but they just don't last as long as the Michelins for the riding that I do. I have gotten 10k out of Pilot Road, but that was just freeway cruising at a constant 75-80 mph. No twisty riding, no going fast.

 

[murf]

I don't know about the Pilot Power's but the Pilot Road's are an excellent tire for the FJR. Last year on a ride from MN out to CA, I replaced the MEZ4's with the Pilot Road's. On the trip, I did see a fair amount of LD riders on FJR's and ST 1100's and 1300's. The FJR guys were running Pilot Roads and Avons. The Honda guys were running Avons.

Had the FJR up to triple digits several times while crossing the Mohave in triple digit temps. No problems at all with any kind of instability, etc. Hit a heavy thunderstorm in Nebraska. The Pilot Roads handled better in the rain compared to the MEZ4's the bike came with.

 

[longnokr]

Cal24,

Thats the same combo I'm trying next, I had a new Road 2 weeks ago until I went to the Hoon ride with those hooligans (somebody call the cops) I want to get that Avon off asap and the Sport looks like a better option for my riding than the Road for the front. Have you noticed any head shake?

They seem to have a similar rain groove in the center like the avon and I don't want any part of that again!

 

[ian]

Bought new Pilot Powers in AR last weekend. Rear with 1600 miles-have between 1/32 & 2/32 left. Front with 700 miles 4/32 left. Ian, Iowa

 

[teerex51]

So, gentlemen, 2 weeks down the road a few questions for you

How are your Pilot Powers holding up? Any instability at speed?

Frank, are you still in love with them?

Stef

 

[afterburn]

My experiences:

- At high speeds (100mph+) the bike gets a bit weavy.

- Dents in longer sweepers makes the bike wallow

- Under HARD braking, the bike weaves left to right and is on the edge of controlability.

All these symptoms are IMO caused by flexing of the extremely soft sidewalls that were not designed for the heavy FJR. (you can squeeze a MPP together like a bicycle tire when they're off the bike)

And yes, I have proper aftermarket suspension, that is correctly dialed in.

And yes, I have proper tire pressure.

And yes, I brake and ride harder than most on a FJR and should probably have a more sportier bike.

 

[teerex51]

Mmmh...doesn't sound too good :blink:

Thanks Afterburn, that's valuable feedback...

I'm now seriously considering the new Dunlop Sportmax Qualifiers B) Have you got any info on them?

Stef

 

[afterburn]

No I don't, but I think every sports tire will have the symptoms I described to some extend as sports tires have a more flexible/softer carcas by design than sport-touring tires. Mind you, when riding like a normal person does on a bike like the FJR, you will not or hardly notice any of these symptoms I don't think. Like I said, I should prolly have a more sportier bike. I tried getting a K12S, but couldn't come up with the dough needed to get BMW membership. The XX would have been an obvious next after the VFR, but I don't like the reach to the bars on the XX. Anyway, getting off-topic here.

My next tires will be the Z6's (and no I don't give a shit what anyone here thinks of them and the pics like up above really get old ). If they are not sticky enough for my riding style (which is a real possibility, and it worries me a bit) I am probably going with the all new Metzeler Sportec M3's. Michelin makes great tires imo, but they lack on the feedback department. But that is all they lack.

We'll see.