New front tire

OK, at 4,900 miles on the clock, it's finally time to change out the front tire. Yesterday's 100 mile hamburger run up/down the Angeles Forest highway was telling in the weird handling characteristics of the badly worn front Bridgestone. Today I got the new Pilot installed for 37 deniero at the local Yammie hut.

Tire was purchased and delivered to my door by Motorcycle Superstore (Clicky) for $129. I used the monthly $5 off coupon. Best of all this is that THE SOCIALISTS IN SACRAMENTO GOT NONE OF MY MONEY FROM THIS TRANSACTION and that alone is worth celebrating.

Here's the new tire next to the old.



Here's the tire on the bike after the ride home. Odo reads 4930 mi.



I'll post a new picture up here every 1,000 miles or so to provide a comparison as this one wears.

Cheers,

W2

As of this post:

Fuel costs: $0.07/mile & $3.28/day

Expenses: $0.07/mile & $3.60/day

Total annual cost projection: $2,504.46 based upon 17,899 miles per year.

Wee Willy said:

...Best of all this is that THE SOCIALISTS IN SACRAMENTO GOT NONE OF MY MONEY FROM THIS TRANSACTION and that alone is worth celebrating.

Click to expand...

But...., you still owe that money to your Comrades in Sacto....:

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BOARD OF EQUALIZATION:

Purchases Subject to Use Tax. ...you purchased from an out-of-state retailer who did not collect California use tax

And thats why California is in the mess it is in.

R

charismaticmegafauna said:

Wee Willy said:

...Best of all this is that THE SOCIALISTS IN SACRAMENTO GOT NONE OF MY MONEY FROM THIS TRANSACTION and that alone is worth celebrating.

Click to expand...

But...., you still owe that money to your Comrades in Sacto....:

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BOARD OF EQUALIZATION:

Purchases Subject to Use Tax. ...you purchased from an out-of-state retailer who did not collect California use tax

Click to expand...

Yep, and make sure you stay under the speed limit as well. :eh-smiley:

Ditto - got mine put on yesterday at a local shop for $25, paid more for the tire though ($187+tax). I ordered a Harbor Freight Changer and am going to "roll my own" from now on. I know it's a piece of crap but you can change a tire without a changer with the right method and as I wore out the Bridgestone in 4,600 miles and two months of riding, this is gonna be expensive!

My tire looks like yours but it had a "lumpy" feel to the tread.

Those PR2's are great and last a long time.

I'll never use anything else!! :yahoo:

I should add, thanks to "Warchild's FJRTech.com" for the detailed instructions to remove the ABS model front tire. I had my laptop on the seat.

Crap! There's about $14 the state dearly needs, gone..... horded by Wee Willy... We'll never get out of debt at this rate....

Well, I finally got this PR2 up on the mountain...another 100 mile hamburger run yesterday (Route). Qualitatively, this PR2 is a damn site better than the OEM Bridgestone. With the BS, the bike never seemed to plant at a lean angle and want to stay there. Means I was always in the loop trying to manage the line second by second instead of looking out ahead, sure of where I was going to end up. The BS lean angle also seemed slightly unstable in the sense that if speed and road conditions were the same throughout the corner, the lean angle would always want to change; this meant I was always "flying" the bike...always in the loop. It was uncomfortable and sometimes exciting when my attention was not 110% on the line management job when throwing her around in anger.

The front PR2 has completely changed the steering and handling characteristics of the ride now. Yesterday, the bike was a real joy to ride through the canyons. I spent 95% of the cornering with a clear sense of knowing where I was going once committed (that other 5% was on entry while considering the road ahead, looking for anything that needed to be dodged like rocks, debris, squirrels, coyotes, snow plow markers, etc.). The HQ rating went from a level 2, Cooper Harper 5, to a level 1, Cooper Harper 2 (Explanation).

The only other question now is if the PR2 wears reasonably well. I'll keep you folks up on that as we go along.

Cheers,

W2

Man I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I have a picture almost IDENTICAL to your initial post, worn front Bridgestone replaced with a PR2. My Bridgestone was worn more than that, but the same angles of wear pattern.

I bought mine it with the front pretty much that pattern, so when I put the new tire on, it was like I had a brand new bike.

Your description of how the handling characteristics changed is right on.

Wee Willy said:

Well, I finally got this PR2 up on the mountain...another 100 mile hamburger run yesterday (Route). Qualitatively, this PR2 is a damn site better than the OEM Bridgestone. With the BS, the bike never seemed to plant at a lean angle and want to stay there. Means I was always in the loop trying to manage the line second by second instead of looking out ahead, sure of where I was going to end up. The BS lean angle also seemed slightly unstable in the sense that if speed and road conditions were the same throughout the corner, the lean angle would always want to change; this meant I was always "flying" the bike...always in the loop. It was uncomfortable and sometimes exciting when my attention was not 110% on the line management job when throwing her around in anger.
The front PR2 has completely changed the steering and handling characteristics of the ride now. Yesterday, the bike was a real joy to ride through the canyons. I spent 95% of the cornering with a clear sense of knowing where I was going once committed (that other 5% was on entry while considering the road ahead, looking for anything that needed to be dodged like rocks, debris, squirrels, coyotes, snow plow markers, etc.). The HQ rating went from a level 2, Cooper Harper 5, to a level 1, Cooper Harper 2 (Explanation).

The only other question now is if the PR2 wears reasonably well. I'll keep you folks up on that as we go along.

Cheers,

W2

Click to expand...

Floridave said:

Man I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. I have a picture almost IDENTICAL to your initial post, worn front Bridgestone replaced with a PR2. My Bridgestone was worn more than that, but the same angles of wear pattern.I bought mine it with the front pretty much that pattern, so when I put the new tire on, it was like I had a brand new bike.

Your description of how the handling characteristics changed is right on.

Wee Willy said:

Well, I finally got this PR2 up on the mountain...another 100 mile hamburger run yesterday (Route). Qualitatively, this PR2 is a damn site better than the OEM Bridgestone. With the BS, the bike never seemed to plant at a lean angle and want to stay there. Means I was always in the loop trying to manage the line second by second instead of looking out ahead, sure of where I was going to end up. The BS lean angle also seemed slightly unstable in the sense that if speed and road conditions were the same throughout the corner, the lean angle would always want to change; this meant I was always "flying" the bike...always in the loop. It was uncomfortable and sometimes exciting when my attention was not 110% on the line management job when throwing her around in anger.
The front PR2 has completely changed the steering and handling characteristics of the ride now. Yesterday, the bike was a real joy to ride through the canyons. I spent 95% of the cornering with a clear sense of knowing where I was going once committed (that other 5% was on entry while considering the road ahead, looking for anything that needed to be dodged like rocks, debris, squirrels, coyotes, snow plow markers, etc.). The HQ rating went from a level 2, Cooper Harper 5, to a level 1, Cooper Harper 2 (Explanation).

The only other question now is if the PR2 wears reasonably well. I'll keep you folks up on that as we go along.

Cheers,

W2

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I went with the pilot powers on my bike, I have 2000 miles on them already with very good wear. Keep in mind that in FLorida twisty's are few and far, but will be heading to Grandfather Mtn. , NC in late August for some mountain riding (10 days). I went for better traction tire versus the mileage. Two up does not seem to be a problem for these tires. Also I got 7000 miles out of the BS tires before the front tire warped on me. The back tire had good wear. I changed both at the same time.

Still on the rear BS with just over 5000 miles. It's wearing well...just starting to wear flat in the center. Sidewalls are looking just fine.

[SIZE=8pt]As of this post:[/SIZE]

Fuel costs: $0.068/mile & $3.04/day

Expenses: $0.088/mile & $3.93/day

Total annual cost projection: $2,545.62 based upon 16,356 miles per year.

well wee willy, I gotta ask you where you ride. Looks like that front has rolled 95% of its' miles on deals gap and 5% in town or on the slab?

I bow to you in silent reverence, my liege

Leskid said:

well wee willy, I gotta ask you where you ride. Looks like that front has rolled 95% of its' miles on deals gap and 5% in town or on the slab?

Click to expand...

Lots of canyon riding here about. You can find my fear-induced skid marks all up and down the local twisties. I'm located north of LA in the canyons. Wee Willy's Place.

W2

Well, it has been 8,725 good So Cal miles on this front Michelin Pilot Road 2 front tire. It's a standard size: 120/70 ZR-17.

It is about out of life now that the wear bars are showing in several spots. Here is how she looks now next to her replacement twin:



I pulled out the mic and made some tread measurements on new vs. old at these location (numbered CL to outer edge):



All tread depth measurement in mils (1/1000 of an inch). A number in parenthesis is a negative number.

Pt...New.Old..Delta

1---150--30--(120) mils

2---160--23--(137) mils

3---166--32--(134) mils

4---155--18--(137) mils

5---126--86--( 40) mils

Pretty even wear across the pattern from CL to the edge. I spend much of my riding time in the canyons here and the wear across the tread shows an even delta. The outermost edge (40 mils wear) indicates less time spent at the margin.

One thing that IS starting to happen is the Michelin is exhibiting the same sort of wear pattern the OEM Bridgestones had very early on. An asymmetric wear across the pattern and a flattening of the tread off center. The OEMs exhibited this look by about 3,500 miles. The Michelins have just started to exhibit this characteristic (last 250 miles).



This has occurred at the same time the tread depth is giving up the ghost, unlike the Bridgestones that still had plenty of tread depth at centerline. See above. The Michelin is a very well balanced tire design in the wear characteristics and depth of the differing tire materials.

Summary:

All in all, I am very pleased with this tire. It has given a good account of itself in the face of some pretty tough riding. I am not a Sunday driver and push my bike pretty hard here in the canyons around home. This tire has ALWAYS been predictable and sticky. It has never hinted at letting go and I have never hit the limit of adhesion even though my pegs have been in the asphalt on occasion at speed. It is also very capable in both damp and wet conditions. Two big Wee Willy thumbs way up.

Cheers,

W2

That is a standard front tire wear pattern, and nearly unavoidable. Some seem to attain that attitude very early, and are generally considered inferior tires. Others delay the onset, notably the PR2 and Pirelli Diablo Strada (not sure if the angels do too) but they all do eventually.

It has to do with the dynamics of tire load at the various lean angles and how much time (and force) you spend at them.

Also, as tires get this tri-angular attitude they begin to progressively turn in less easily, and require more bar leverage to maintain a lean. Not to worry. It's just your bike pleading with you for a new set of skins...

Fred W said:

That is a standard front tire wear pattern, and nearly unavoidable. Some seem to attain that attitude very early, and are generally considered inferior tires. Others delay the onset, notably the PR2 and Pirelli Diablo Strada (not sure if the angels do too) but they all do eventually.
It has to do with the dynamics of tire load at the various lean angles and how much time (and force) you spend at them.

Also, as tires get this tri-angular attitude they begin to progressively turn in less easily, and require more bar leverage to maintain a lean. Not to worry. It's just your bike pleading with you for a new set of skins...

Click to expand...

Gonna have to disagree with you here Fred. What WW is experiencing above is only 'standard' or 'normal' for dual compound tires like the PR2, or the Metz ME-Z4 that came OEM on my 04. I think there are a few more out there too. Front tires that are NOT dual compound won't wear like above. While undoubtedly there are benefits to dual compound tires, I personally find that center ridge they develop very annoying.

Thanks for the report WW. I have 12,500 on a PR2 rear, but so far have not yet run a PR2 front. Waiting for my last Azaro front to wear out.

SkooterG said:

Gonna have to disagree with you here Fred. What WW is experiencing above is only 'standard' or 'normal' for dual compound tires like the PR2, or the Metz ME-Z4 that came OEM on my 04. I think there are a few more out there too. Front tires that are NOT dual compound won't wear like above. While undoubtedly there are benefits to dual compound tires, I personally find that center ridge they develop very annoying.

Click to expand...

Gonna have to disagree with your disagreement, Greg. For one thing the Metz ME Z4 was not a dual compound tire, as far as I can tell. Neither is the Z6.

And secondarily because I have had (less severe versions) of that same wear pattern appear on Pirelli Strada's and Bridgestone BattleAxes, and have seen the pattern on Roadsmart and Pilot Road fronts on other folks bikes, none of which are dual compound.

I would say whether it shows up has a lot to do with your mix of riding (slab vs curves). If you slab a lot you're more likely to wear down the center area where the ridge would be (unless it is a dual compound, of which there are very few). But for those of us that shun the interstate, the heavier tire loads during cornering wear the sides faster than the middle.

Your tire profiles may vary...

The center section is primarily worn from braking. Otherwise it doesn't wear all that much. Just rolling, no power being delivered.

Braking while leaned over really scuffs off the rubber.

Odd that the right side appears to be worn more than the left side. Unusual for right-of-centerline riding.