PR2 road noise

Just want to make sure it's not something else. I've always had sport bikes before and never noticed any tire noise...of course you don't over the wind noise, but with all the protection of the FJR's fairing and with the screen raised, I seem to notice it a lot.

It's not the PR2s - it's the voices inside your head.

Well I wish they'd say something besides 'hmmmmmmmmmm'!

The PR2's will make noise, particularly the rear, due to tread pattern and minor cupping that takes place in the first few thousand. The cure, run 40-42 front and 44 psi rear, but it will not completely eliminate. Fact of life. You will notice it more when starting to lean into corners and sweepers.

At less than 1k miles my PR2s (B spec) started buzzing both audibly and physically. By 2k miles my FJR had developed some kind of engine vibration that buzzed the whole frame and tingled the seat. Then I realized that by pulling in the clutch the engine vibration did not go away but did change with road speed. And then shortly after that the tires would be even more noisy and buzz harder if I rolled over just a bit from dead vertical.

In September I pulled off my rear tire which was through the tread on the sides and put on MEM's non B spec takeoff. Ahh, all was quite. At around 400 miles later the buzz was coming back. I'm a now just into the wear bars and its beginning to buzz like my first PR2 rear.

I've varied tire pressure between 40 to 45 psi and it made zero difference. Almost all the miles were two up and the luggage was pretty well loaded. Except for a few tire pressure experiments all the mileage was done at 44 psi in temps that were very hot for New England.

Yes, but now only on the front.

My front PR2 buzzes audibly and physically, took me a while to figure it out I thought I had a bearing going bad.

At about 6k-7k miles it now sounds and feels like Im running knobbies when in the turns.

Alllllllrightyt then! It's not just me...whew! I think there's around 5-6k miles on this set and I did put the touring screen on a few weeks back so that probably adds to it. I guess I forgot how loud the last set got as they aged. Well, that and I put the screens in the midpipes of the Holeshots too, so they're a tad quieter.

I've had a few sets of PR2's on the FJR now and have also noticed "the buzz". I've always felt that it was coming from the front tire, usually most evident when leaned into a turn. I really feel it more than hear it as I always wear earplugs. And in the two fronts I have run through, it seems worst in about the middle of the tire's life and then lessens somewhat as the tread gets closer to null. I knew to look for it because some of the earliest adopters of the PR2's felt that this was a design flaw of the tread pattern. I do not. I just don't worry about it. I have another new PR2 front waiting in the garage to be put on whenever I get off my ass and do it.

Having seen ionbeams rear, B spec, buzzing tire, none of my non-B spec rears ever wore with as much "scallop" to the tread pattern back there.

FWIW - I also used to get the "buzz" from the Pirelli Diablo Strada front tires when they were well worn. Nothing to worry about IMO.

The PR 2's I removed recently started buzzing after about 2k miles. The BT 021's they replaced actually roared they were so loud.

So far the Metz Z8's are quiet in comparison 2.5k on the front 1.5k on the rear.

I do notice more tire noise when the outside temperature starts to drop.

I recently installed my first PR2 front. I've noticed as I'm slowing down to stop that the tire generates a noticeable vibration at a specific slow speed. At other speeds I don't notice it. I assume it is a characteristic of the centered symmetrical tread pattern.

I've also noticed that my MPG dropped a small amount (1+ MPG) after installing the PR2. The previous tire was a standard Pilot Road, the PR2's predecessor. The PR2's rolling resistance must be a bit higher than other front tires I've used.

Yeah, that's the "buzz" feeling. It will become more pronounced when leaning over as the tire wears in.

My experience shows that one should keep the pressures up high (40 psi Front, 42+ psi rear) for the most even wear.

All you have to do is rub your hand along the tread and you will feel the high and low transitions. This is the start of cupping which IMHO is the function of the tread pattern, in combination with the slightly harder compounds which make these PR2 tires last longer than other tires. Yes, front BT021's are noisy right out of the box as well, I'll never have those again for other reasons. All said, given the good wear and decent handling in the warmer temperatures, the PR2's are a decent choice and a personal preference. One can live with the noise as it is moderate in most cases. If you're mostly a slab rider, they are just fine. Keep the pressures up from day one and they will wear/cup less.

My personal preference now is the Z6 front (prefer it over the Z8 I just replaced), for superior stick in all conditions and reasonable wear. In cold conditions, the PR2's don't stick as well after half worn. Exalto on the rear this year, don't see me going to a rear MC tire for the forseeable future.

I try to keep the front pressure at 39 to 40 psig. For whatever reason the front tire pressure seems to fluctuate more than the rear. The smaller volume may be more sensitive to temperature and other external variables.

Constant Mesh said:

I try to keep the front pressure at 39 to 40 psig. For whatever reason the front tire pressure seems to fluctuate more than the rear. The smaller volume may be more sensitive to temperature and other external variables.

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For slow pressure loss, you should also be very diligent about cleaning the old rubber crud off of your rims at your next tire change. Those deposits can allow very, very slow leakage from your tires. Using green Scotchbrite scrubbies and Goof Off solvent is the magic formula for removing all of that rubber mess quickly. Of course if you bring your tires somewhere for mounting they will never do that for you.

The PRII is my choice of tire till now. After some 40,000 miles on them, they are a great tire. Not as good in the wet as Avon Storms but very good. I hated the Z6 because I couldn't keep a line in fast corners with it -- but too many variables to say it was the tire.

As for tire noise, you guys have better hearing than I do if you hear it over road, traffic and wind noise.

I just finished a run through the I5 passes from California to Oregon on a very-near-done PRII front. I managed 80+mph on 6% or more grades at a fairly good lean angle without issues. I did have to apply more countersteering, but that is to be expected on a tire with about 9000 miles on it (a lot for me). The tire is done in at this point. I run 42 front and rear -- as Fred said they like higher pressures.

I'm not trying to say other people's experiences are incorrect, merely add my experience.

Fred W said:

Using green Scotchbrite scrubbies and Goof Off solvent is the magic formula for removing all of that rubber mess quickly.

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Thanks for the tip on Goof Off. I have been struggling finding some type of product that will make the job easy. I'll give it a try.

SkooterG said:

Fred W said:

Using green Scotchbrite scrubbies and Goof Off solvent is the magic formula for removing all of that rubber mess quickly.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip on Goof Off. I have been struggling finding some type of product that will make the job easy. I'll give it a try.

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Be SURE to wear gloves, Skoot.....yer such a big goof, Goof Off will melt you away like the witch in Oz.

That Goof Off is great stuff. I keep a can of it in the garage at all times.

The only problem is, like what Howie was inferring, for many of us, we need to be really careful to wear the appropriate PPE.

If we dissolved all the Goof, well there will be very little left over.

Oh, and on a more serious note, Goof Off will soften up thin Nitrile gloves pretty quickly. You are better off using latex or something more substantial.