The Dunlop Roadsmart III compared to Michelin PR2/PR4GT Dilemma

[jblanken64]

I'm currently running RS3s and like them pretty well. I have about 4500 miles on them and they seem to be wearing ok, although they're a little louder than they used to be. The last tires were a set of Metzelers that lasted about 5000 miles. Prior to that it was PR3s and PR2s, both sets got me about 12000 miles each. I do a lot of commuting mixed with errands and occasional trips into the mountains. The Michelins seemed seemed to cup pretty easily on the front but lasted a long time after the cupping started. The Metzelers were pretty uneventful bit definitely a competent tire. The RS3s handle really well for me.

All of us have tires that work well for the style of riding that we do. The Metzelers and RS3s were bought based purely on price as there were some super deals going on at the time. I think I paid $150 for the Metzelers and $220 for the RS3s. The Michelins are definitely more expensive but for me, last longer. But I don't think they handle as well on the last third of their life. I don't know what my next set will be. If there are deals on RS3s or Metzelers again, I may go with those. If not, probably Michelins to get the longer life.

FWIW, when I bought my bike it had some Shinkos (sp?). I don't recall exactly which ones. Those were crap.

 

[RossKean]

I have found that the RS3 keeps its profile better than the PR2 front.

 

[JamesW]

Forgot to Add. IMO on the street the biggest tire eating scenario's is high speed interstate, more weight/speed the worse it is, and trail braking, pushing hard accel/decel for long stretches. This would potentially halve the tire mileage I get.

I think the opposite. Cross country trip got over 11,000 miles out of rear which did go into the cord showing steel. Riding local back roads I'm going to be lucky to get much past 5,000 miles. Both with RSIII. Constant throttle and braking on local back roads eats tires but fun.

On the local twisty backroads around here I keep the bike in lower gears (2nd&3rd) and in sport mode on the fjr, and not so much braking as rolling on, rolling off. Helps to know the road.

 

[lnewlf]

fuel to the fire....my next set

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/michelin-pilot-road-5-tires?kclid=159c74a1-ac1d-4ac5-b8f6-8cd4b524d22e&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxNfd

 

[Brodie]

Oooh, Michelin Road 5, interesting front tire. The siping is blocky and symmetrical about the centreline. Most all the other tires have a stagger pattern. When cupping happens, and it will, there wont be a left-right-left-right pull induced to the steering at lower speeds. Thats the problem with the Avon Storm is its a long slender staggered pattern which induces a lower frequency tug, much closer to the bikes natural harmonics.

Ill have to check out that Michelin too, along with the Dunlop. Neat thing about tires, they dont last forever; ride all you want, you will always buy another one.

.

.

What did I just say?

Brodie

:blink:

 

[Uncle Hud]

Brother Pants,

You already have the comparison that means the most to me: $$$. Will be ordering another set of RoadSmart 3s before June 30.

The financial difference is far more significant to me than the performance differences (if there actually are any performance differences). I'm no GP rider, so mileage and cost are important. Betcha I can still keep up with most of y'all on my new Dunlops, and I'll have a few extra bucks for beer!

Your pal,

Hud

 

[hppants]

The siping on the PR5 is very impressive. When the GT version comes out, I'll be interested to hear about mileage on that one.

My good Uncle and I fish in the same hole. Pants is frugal.

If I thought I could actually get 6000 miles out of a RS3 rear, I'd buy 2 sets and give it a go.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

The rear (RSIII) was incredibad. Slipperier han any other tire on any bike Ive ever had. Just slid with the slightest provocation. In the cold and wet. Simply very slippery in the warm and wet. And perfectly normal in the warm and dry. Put them on at 65739. At 70646, the rear is mostly square, like a car tire, with some groove left. The front looks like witchcraft. Profile is the same as the day it was put on, and tread and groove depth look like the tire has well over half its life left. We shall see.

I wont voluntarily run a RSIII in cooler months ever again. Mine were comically bad. But in warm and dry weather, they perform like other tires. All my many sets and flavors of PRs performed well under any condition whatsoever. In cold and/or wet, I contemplated removing the RSIII's when they were still pretty much new. That bad. Now that I've run them in warmer weather, I could see buying again for a summer tire. I'll never again have one on any bike I own for cold weather. It was like coating the rear in cooking oil. Keep in mind that I'm merely assuming that warmer weather is the reason the tire started functioning as a proper tire. It could be whatever made it unstable just wore off as the miles stacked up. I've run all kinds of PR's, metzelers, even a few bridgestones. Some were better than others, but they were all just tires. Never had suck like I had with RSIII.

 

[draco_1967]

That's interesting. I've had the exact opposite experience with my RS3s. I went on a 1700 mile trip with them, and we had several cold days in the high 30s-low 40's that included rain, sleet, and snow one day through twisty mountain passes. I never felt insecure with the RS3s. Tire pressure was 42 rear, 39 front, which is lower than I used on the Contis that I took off before the RS3. The Contis were a super grippy tire, and the RS3 feels just as good to me.

 

[hppants]

Josh and I took a hard look at our actual anticipated mileage for this trip. It would appear to be more like 7300-ish for me, and that includes 500 miles for "unplanned adventure". I went back and checked my mileage log. The YFO set of PR4s got me right at 7100 for the rear, and the rear PR4 that is on the bike now has 7000 miles and is past the wear band indicator, but that one includes 2500 miles of North Georgia twisties (bad Pants).

So I think I'm going to leave with a fresh set of PR4s and try to make it home. I get to Kevin's on day 13. If around day 9, it looks like there is no chance, I'll order a tire and ship it to his house.

We'll see what happens....

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I'm not too far from being ready for the PR4GT's sitting in my garage. While the RSIII front is still looking fairly new, and without a doubt has less of a profile that most of the other brands I've run, at this mileage, it'll probably go when the rear (almost gone in the middle) is replaced. Even this morning, in the rain, the rear stepped out and the bike wagged, as it has done occasionally since I've had this set, (with the first 65,000 plus miles this had never happened). But damn- at the price they were, it was a good deal, and that rebate spent just fine. Just fine.

ETA- I just did my usual: open two instances of ridersdomain.com, load up carts with the two types of tires I'm considering, look at the difference in totals. I ended up with Road 5's. We shall see.

 

[jblanken64]

I'm not too far from being ready for the PR4GT's sitting in my garage. While the RSIII front is still looking fairly new, and without a doubt has less of a profile that most of the other brands I've run, at this mileage, it'll probably go when the rear (almost gone in the middle) is replaced. Even this morning, in the rain, the rear stepped out and the big wagged, as it has done since I've had this set. But damn- at the price they were, it was a good deal, and that rebate spent just fine. Just fine.

For as much as I've liked these tires, this has been the only set where I've had the rear spin on damp pavement. A week or so ago, I was on the way to work after a light overnight rain. When I was entering the interstate from the ramp (cloverleaf and not straight) and rolled on the throttle, I could feel the back start to spin and want to wiggle. That was a first for the FJR in my 5 years of owning it. That won't necessarily keep me from buying another set if the price is right, but it does make me much more wary in wet (or just damp) conditions.

 

[Fred W]

And the consensus is:

(Just like every other tire ever made) there is no consensus.

Some people like 'em just as much as other people hate 'em.

I guess you'd just have to try them yourself. Or not.

 

[lnewlf]

I don't think there is a tire made that the feej won't spin up if the conditions are right..[meebee a Goodyear wrinkle wall]...even on dry pavement you can lay down a darkie with no clutch..

 

[hppants]

Fred's correct. We're all wrong and we're all right. I knew it would end up in NEPRT, but I couldn't resist trying anyway.

Honestly, I'm concerned about tire performance. I especially wouldn't want to be experimenting on a new tire in the middle of no where on a bucket trip tour, only to find out I hated the performance. But like others have expressed, I doubt I'll ever exceed the performance of a street tire on my FJR.

What I was REALLY concerned about is mileage and money. What it boils down to is I'm a cheap bastard er.... frugal. I don't really mind spending money, but ya gotta give me something for it. On the one hand, if the PR4s won't make it home, then I'm going to either throw retail plus money on a emergency tire bought on the road, or commit to changing them mid-wear at Kevin's, and throw away unused tread at that point. On the other hand, if I go with the RS3's, at least based on the feedback I've received here and at the other sandbox, I likely won't make it home. In that case, I could just bite the bullet and buy a second set shipped to Kevin's and just be ready for it. But again, that's a second set of tires before I really know I need it.

Telling yourself "Ride more, stress less" is sometimes easier said than done for Pants. And the more time I have to think, the more screwed up I get. And I've been thinking about CFR for about 6 months now.....

(sigh)

In the end, I ended up where I started. The data that I have from my bike with my riding strongly suggest that I can make it home safely on one set of PR4s. So I'm going to give that a shot, and I'll have my credit card with me if I'm wrong. It certainly won't be the first time. Or the last.....

 

[Uncle Hud]

jblanken64 posted: Wound that baby up, dropped the clutch, and I could feel the back start to spin and want to wiggle!

Whoooeeee! Joey's out smokin' tires! Didn't think you had it in you, brother! (Oh yeah, edited a bit, and I'm glad you're OK.)

 

[jblanken64]

jblanken64 posted: Wound that baby up, dropped the clutch, and I could feel the back start to spin and want to wiggle!

Whoooeeee! Joey's out smokin' tires! Didn't think you had it in you, brother! (Oh yeah, edited a bit, and I'm glad you're OK.)

Well I was in second so I almost disproved your sig. But no clutch dropping for me. I know for some, wheels slippin' and slidin' all over the place is a ton of fun, but I don't heal as fast as I used to.

 

[Uncle Hud]

^^^^ outta likes, so I'll post: LIKE!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

My garage contains a set of PR4GTs and a set of Road 5s. That RSIII still looks like new though.

 

[Uncle Hud]

My garage contains a set of PR4GTs and a set of Road 5s. That RSIII still looks like new though.

Two sets of Michelins are a lotta cash, my friend.