PR2's have superior mileage

[Patriot]

whats your average speed according to your zumo? I think around here you'd have to run 45mph everywhere to get those kind of miles. Do you exceed the speed limit? How heavy are you on the right hand?

old fogy geezer rider

I dunno...75% is interstate with AVCC set...generally set to 79 Zumo mph when 70 is posted.

Flatland Looziana with lots more straights...for example I'm crossing straightaway bridges constantly around here

Lots of Patriot Guard related riding just to get somewhere

 

[08FJR4ME]

You all! must realize he lives below sea level. Everyone knows you gets betta miles on PR2's below sea level.

Dave

 

[JamesK]

Wow Mike, impressive mileage. I just trashed a PR2 rear in around 3,400 miles, it only took 1 month. And this tire was almost slick on around 3/4 of the surface, not the just the center. I did enjoy every last one of those miles though, most of which were way above sea level

When I was exiled in S. Floriduh, with the periodic runs up to GA, NC, etc I'd average around 8k miles out of a rear PR2, all strictly legal speeds of course

 

[Burnspot]

Piling on... Just cracked 6,200 miles on my PR2 rear (fitted days before the FJR Camp Meet in Cruso earlier this year) and it still looks pretty good, with only slight cupping. Mostly non slab riding, 40-42 psi, some 2up. I'd say it's got a few k more in in it, which I plan to expend before the year's end.

 

[2Bull]

Flogged my new PR2s Saturday thru eastern CT. Son of a gun. Now I realize they bike kicks ass in the corners. I just got the bike a month ago and just plain did not know my tires were bald as shit until my buddy pointed it out! I thought my suspension was messed up or something! Oh boy...

 

[Patriot]

Had to replace rear today as cord was bleeding through on a section of the old, worn tire.

This one went 18k miles

I ordered a rebuilt shock for the bike and hoped to get another week till putting it in the shop, but I rode 800mi in the last 7 days

let's see...previous pictured tire earlier in this thread was changed at 108k...today the bike shows 126k +

and now I realize to check all the wear bars as the tire doesn't really wear perfectly symetrically

18k miles on this PR2, but really, I rode 2k too many as I see it now

I'm fortunate that my friend Mitch works evenings as a bike mechanic (days with the local power company as a tech).

Has a full blown shop triple garage. He has been very accomodating to mount and balance a tire on the wheel I bring him with new tire with an hours notice like today.

Rode 200mi today, came home and was smart enough to carefully examine the tire, and then make AIW happy to remove the new rear that's stored under the dining room table.

So now to order another set as I always have on hand ready to go. I'm still thinking about those car tires, but I still dunno. Plus around here, it's difficult to find someone who will fool with them.

Mitch refuses to, sighting liability, and has the mantra that auto tires belong on automobiles and motorcycle tires belong on motorcycles yada yada yada

 

[Fred W]

Mike,

If one can get 18k miles, or even 16k miles, out of a rear tire (like you apparently can) I really don't see the point to going to the darkside.

At 8k miles, my PR2 rear is about done, wearing out on the sides. The middle still has plenty of meat on it. That hard center compound won't extend the life of the tire much if you don't spend much time and miles riding on it. I think the PR2 was made for a rider like you.

 

[Patriot]

Mike,

If one can get 18k miles, or even 16k miles, out of a rear tire (like you apparently can) I really don't see the point to going to the darkside.

At 8k miles, my PR2 rear is about done, wearing out on the sides. The middle still has plenty of meat on it. That hard center compound won't extend the life of the tire much if you don't spend much time and miles riding on it. I think the PR2 was made for a rider like you.

16k for me

8k for you

How about we swap at half tread left ???

I'm not going to CT, but this time, I was disappointed I had to deal with it unexpectedly on my own before the planned shop work

CT, I wouldn't bother having a spare tire laying around and wouldn't have the stressful decision when it's time to replace. And less than current half number of mounts to deal with.

I'm fortunate to have Mitch the home mechanic who twice has mounted a tire with an hour's notice in the evening...and he lives 10 minutes away.

charges $20...I give him $25

And I'm training to do the next IBR - NOT!



Gonna purchase some more "Ride On" (flat preventative/balance) and another set of tires from DerbyCycle.net

 

[jcyuhn]

I'm at 12K on the rear PR2. Like Patriot, I live somewhere with roads that are too flat and too straight, so the center of the tire gets all the use.

But I am having an interesting development. The _rear_ tire is cupped, quite badly. There is a very pronounced sawtooth profile on the tread sipes. If you look at the rear tire from the correct angle, it doesn't even look round. Very strange. Anyone care to postulate how/why this occurs? Have never seen it before, have never heard it mentioned before.

And, since you're gonna ask anyways, I always ride 1-up, bike is a 2006 w/20K miles (i.e. PR2 mounted at 8K), tire pressure is checked weekly and is always within 1 or 2 lbs of specification.

 

[Fred W]

But I am having an interesting development. The _rear_ tire is cupped, quite badly. There is a very pronounced sawtooth profile on the tread sipes. If you look at the rear tire from the correct angle, it doesn't even look round. Very strange. Anyone care to postulate how/why this occurs? Have never seen it before, have never heard it mentioned before.

I have the same thing on my 8k mile PR2. I also had this to a lesser extent on all the prior tires, and it has happened on the Pirelli Diablo on my VFR right now.

It happens because the tread blocks roll slightly due to high road forces, the sum of the lateral and acceleration forces that you get when accelerating out of corners. You can make it stop happening by never accelerating out of corners. I'd rather just change the tires when they wear out and keep doing that.

 

[SkooterG]

Had to replace rear today as cord was bleeding through on a section of the old, worn tire.

This one went 18k miles

Ok Mike, I am calling you out on this one. Cords? Cords? Cords?

Wait, you posted this just the other day:

I am not comfortable "fooling around" with tires or brakes.

I want to know what the average part's life is and how to intelligently predict when there will be a failure or a decrease of effectiveness.

I don't wait till the wear bars are showing on my tires and want to know if the rotors are past normal life or getting there so I can save up and prepare to replace them.

Well appartently not. You wait until CORDS are showing! Dude! You were waaaay past the wear bars. Like several thousand miles. I mean, there aren't any visible wear bars left in the center of the tire. You're past the bottom of them! Hell, even I who got 19k out of my last PR2 didn't hit cords. You later posted this gem:

but this time, I was disappointed I had to deal with it unexpectedly on my own before the planned shop work
CT, I wouldn't bother having a spare tire laying around and wouldn't have the stressful decision when it's time to replace.

Unexpected my butt! Iffn you had replaced at the wear bars, or shortly thereafter there would have been no 'stressful decision'.

Yer killin me!

One good thing - you'll notice a HUGE increase in handling with a new tire. My PR2s handled like complete dogshit for the last several thousand miles of their life. In fact, I thought my rear shock was going but it turns out it was just the ratty, worn out tires. Sure that's not the same in your case?

 

[Patriot]

Had to replace rear today as cord was bleeding through on a section of the old, worn tire.

This one went 18k miles

Ok Mike, I am calling you out on this one. Cords? Cords? Cords?

Wait, you posted this just the other day:

I am not comfortable "fooling around" with tires or brakes.

I want to know what the average part's life is and how to intelligently predict when there will be a failure or a decrease of effectiveness.

I don't wait till the wear bars are showing on my tires and want to know if the rotors are past normal life or getting there so I can save up and prepare to replace them.

Well appartently not. You wait until CORDS are showing! Dude! You were waaaay past the wear bars. Like several thousand miles. I mean, there aren't any visible wear bars left in the center of the tire. You're past the bottom of them! Hell, even I who got 19k out of my last PR2 didn't hit cords. You later posted this gem:

but this time, I was disappointed I had to deal with it unexpectedly on my own before the planned shop work
CT, I wouldn't bother having a spare tire laying around and wouldn't have the stressful decision when it's time to replace.

Unexpected my butt! Iffn you had replaced at the wear bars, or shortly thereafter there would have been no 'stressful decision'.

Yer killin me!

One good thing - you'll notice a HUGE increase in handling with a new tire. My PR2s handled like complete dogshit for the last several thousand miles of their life. In fact, I thought my rear shock was going but it turns out it was just the ratty, worn out tires. Sure that's not the same in your case?

on the other side the wear bars are flush with the surface of the tire...so, the crappy ride of the bike was the out of round tire admittedly (chatter chatter)

but also, for quite awhile, in a faily tight turn leaned over, and chinzy Mike closes the throttle too abruptly, bike squats on too soft a spring, and the center stand grinds big time

been doing that for months on end. The shock has two tires plus 20k mi or 50k with a portly rider plus wanting portly wifey to be able to ride too.

No, needs a shock, but needed a tire even more.

sarcasm on/

Mitch my mechanic wanted to pull off my rear disc before a chunk of it broke right off in hard braking, it was so thin to him.

sarcasm off/

seriously, he fingered the surface and eyeballed that disc and told me it needed replacement immedately...gotta love those guys

I gave him your phone #

 

[jcyuhn]

But I am having an interesting development. The _rear_ tire is cupped, quite badly. There is a very pronounced sawtooth profile on the tread sipes. If you look at the rear tire from the correct angle, it doesn't even look round. Very strange. Anyone care to postulate how/why this occurs? Have never seen it before, have never heard it mentioned before.

I have the same thing on my 8k mile PR2. I also had this to a lesser extent on all the prior tires, and it has happened on the Pirelli Diablo on my VFR right now.

It happens because the tread blocks roll slightly due to high road forces, the sum of the lateral and acceleration forces that you get when accelerating out of corners. You can make it stop happening by never accelerating out of corners. I'd rather just change the tires when they wear out and keep doing that.

OK, thanks. So it means I'm riding the bike correctly.

 

[zx11darkside]

I've been using PR1's since I got my ZX11 and have been very pleased with their mileage. Last rear I replaced had 18015 miles on it. Of course it could not be driven another 100 miles or the belts would have started showing. Front pilot road typically gets me a hair over 26K. Last one only lasted 20K miles due to a leaking fork seal that somehow caused seriously uneven wear.

I have not tried the PR2's yet but it sounds like they're better then the first gen pilots.

When my Falken car tire (rear) needs replacing I'll give the PR2's a shot. The Falken is an ongoing personal test and was purchased used for $26. Not sure how long that will last but I'm expecting at least 20K out of it.

 

[Nightshift]

I have been putting 45 psi front PRII and 47 psi rear on Bridgestone. Got 9000 mi on front and it looks about the same as your front tire with 23000mi. I only have 2000 mi on rear so it still looks new. I just find keeping my tires inflated a few psi above owner's manual recommended psi my tires lasts alot longer.

 

[Patriot]

I have been putting 45 psi front PRII and 47 psi rear on Bridgestone. Got 9000 mi on front and it looks about the same as your front tire with 23000mi. I only have 2000 mi on rear so it still looks new. I just find keeping my tires inflated a few psi above owner's manual recommended psi my tires lasts alot longer.

42 rear

40 front

bike pretty heavily loaded up

me 225#

riding gear 15# summer; 20#+ winter

baggage stuff - tools right hard bag 30#

misc - seat bag, trunk, left hard bag ???

 

[Patriot]

I suck...my guardian angel is asking for vacation time

riding buddy Jeff Q here usually lets me lead and stopped me in Picayune, MS which is 60mi from home

pull in to fuel station, up on centerstand, and see this

checking data on my last 4 tires, the heat of the summer diminishes the miles a couple thousand

this one has just over 13k on it...am more than ever seriously considering CT...Michelin Xalto

but I have a new PR2 in my garage...I'm on a 30k miles ride year for 2011 (26k in '10), so more than 2 tires a year

I can't find anyone local or less than 100 miles who will mount a CT...neither will my usual mechanic who is 100mi away

<sigh>

 

[El Toro Joe]

I suck...my guardian angel is asking for vacation time

riding buddy Jeff Q here usually lets me lead and stopped me in Picayune, MS which is 60mi from home

pull in to fuel station, up on centerstand, and see this

checking data on my last 4 tires, the heat of the summer diminishes the miles a couple thousand

this one has just over 13k on it...am more than ever seriously considering CT...Michelin Xalto

but I have a new PR2 in my garage...I'm on a 30k miles ride year for 2011 (26k in '10), so more than 2 tires a year

I can't find anyone local or less than 100 miles who will mount a CT...neither will my usual mechanic who is 100mi away

<sigh>

Still plenty of tread on the sides

 

[Burnspot]

I suck...my guardian angel is asking for vacation time

riding buddy Jeff Q here usually lets me lead and stopped me in Picayune, MS which is 60mi from home

pull in to fuel station, up on centerstand, and see this

checking data on my last 4 tires, the heat of the summer diminishes the miles a couple thousand

this one has just over 13k on it...am more than ever seriously considering CT...Michelin Xalto

but I have a new PR2 in my garage...I'm on a 30k miles ride year for 2011 (26k in '10), so more than 2 tires a year

I can't find anyone local or less than 100 miles who will mount a CT...neither will my usual mechanic who is 100mi away

<sigh>

Still plenty of tread on the sides

If you could get your tire to do a "comb-over", you'd be good to go.

 

[Zorlac]

I just replaced my rear PR2 that was into the center w/b's at 13K.

I wonder how the PR3's will wear?