Which tires....

[MojaveFJR]

Just had some PR 2's mounted up last night. Put them on this morning. Will tell ya, puttin that back tire on the feej is a wet dream. Hook it on the splines and take your time installin the rest.

Okay tire review. With the tires off the bike they have a sticky appeal to them. Number one concern is how long with they last with my style of riding? The stock tires last about 5-6K, all I can get out of them and still feel safe. Guess time will tell.

First couple of miles on them were so so. Typical new tire feel, bike rides smoother and quieter blah blah. Hit the first few twisties taking it easy till I got some scrub on the sides. We know, it is not swerving back and forth that puts the heat into tires, its stopping. Did some ABS checks on the way out, to get some heat into the tires. About a mile down Bouquet Canyon the tires really started to stick in the turns. The feej felt good and planted on the extreme leans we take her even two up. Not far enough to touch peg but we do get to the knife edges.

So to rate them to date I will say good. Real show will come next week when we slab it to 9 mile canyon then up and through Kennedy meadows. Interested in seeing how the center wears as well as the sides in the long haul.

motoxoutlet.com had the best price. Even with shipping they still beat the local dealer by 100.00.

 

[Big-B]

I've been running PR's for the past 3 years. I have not had any complaints with them. Only reason to consider the PR2 is mileage. I ride pretty hard and have not had trouble in corners. I ride as much as I can each year (15-20K) and they do well in all temps and wet roads.

My brother is running them on his Honda Blackbird too and he really likes them and he definitely pushes that through turns.

I have been thinking I would try the PR2's, my concern would be giving up wet weather traction for the harder compound and longer tread life. I'll look into the the PR2 and other dual compound tires for the next set I buy.

I've tried Dunlops, Metzlers, Avons, Pirelli, and other Michelin and the PR is the best all around tire I have found.

 

[FJR919]

QUOTE (Big-B @ Aug 4 2008, 12:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've been running PR's for the past 3 years. I have not had any complaints with them. Only reason to consider the PR2 is mileage. I ride pretty hard and have not had trouble in corners. I ride as much as I can each year (15-20K) and they do well in all temps and wet roads.
My brother is running them on his Honda Blackbird too and he really likes them and he definitely pushes that through turns.

I have been thinking I would try the PR2's, my concern would be giving up wet weather traction for the harder compound and longer tread life. I'll look into the the PR2 and other dual compound tires for the next set I buy.

I've tried Dunlops, Metzlers, Avons, Pirelli, and other Michelin and the PR is the best all around tire I have found.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the benefit of the PR2 is the softer outsides of the tread footprint for increased cornering traction. The center tread is the same compound as the regular PR, so if you wear out the center before the sides, tire life should be about the same.

 

[Midlifefjr]

One more pointless testimonial for the pr2's. Awesome tires (2800 miles and a million smiles)

 

[Fjroamer]

QUOTE (Brian B @ Jul 26 2008, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I know tires are a very subjective area but I need some advice.
I'll see if I can stay on topic with this one. Been riding my FJR since July 2002 (yep, you read that right!)

After wearing out orig. tires, I went to Michelin Pilot Roads. These proved to be good long (er) wearing tires, awesome in downpours, but I had two observations which I know many Feejer owners share.

1) in strong/ severe winds, the bike had a tendency to move around ever so slightly. This could also be experienced sometimes driving in a semi's wake. This was not pronounced.. but was noticible (to me)

2) of all the tires I've had on the bike, this was the most "truckish" for cornering. In more tight/aggressive cornering, you had to nudge the bars to get her over on the outer edges. The bike would hold the line okay but there were times in double radius corners where I did run a bit wide because I didn't leverage the bars. (kind of like the power steering went out ) I don't know if there has been a slower "turn in" tire for the FJR...

I now have a couple thousand miles on Michelin Pilot Road II's. No comparrison!!! These tires track straight & true in strong winds and lay right over for the corners. I cannot see any reason to use the orig. P.R.'s unless there is a significant cost savings.

...as a side note, I've used Bridgestones 021's, Pirelli Diablo Stradas, Conti Road Attacks, Michelin P.R.s and oem Bridgestone 020's. All tires exhibited some degree of decel. wobble even if ever so slight. None yet at all with thre P.R.II's. (I got 9,000 good miles out of Pilot Roads..., we'll see how the P.R. 2's wear)

ride 1 up, lightly loaded, 41 psi rr/ 39 psi fr.

 

[dcarver]

I've run Z6, Strada's, Roads, ME880/(many combo of sticky front end on the front) and Avon Storms.

I like the Storms best of ALL for easy turn in BUT have had 2 rears go bad (out of round) and 1 front.

Enter the PR II's, first set. They have lasted as long as, and are close to exceeding, the ME880/sticky front combo, and they handle *almost* as good as the Storms.

For running around my hood, fast sweepers, slow off cambers, lots of fast flick riding, the Storms rock.

For long distance running where mileage & handling count, I'm sold on the PR II's.

However, once I run down the current stock I'll try a set of RoadSmarts, just because Jeff Ashe says I should try them.

 

[DocDanDC]

I got 10K miles out of the PR's and never had a problem with them. I have had the PR2's for about 3000miles and they dont show any visible ware other then the scrub in. Of the three sets of tires I have had, all were excellent. The PR2's give me the most confidence and feel noticably sticky in the turns. There is NO wobble or deceleration shake to worry about either. You get what you pay for!!

 

[SkooterG]

I've run Z6, Strada's, Roads, ME880/(many combo of sticky front end on the front) and Avon Storms. I like the Storms best of ALL for easy turn in BUT have had 2 rears go bad (out of round) and 1 front.

Enter the PR II's, first set. They have lasted as long as, and are close to exceeding, the ME880/sticky front combo, and they handle *almost* as good as the Storms.

For running around my hood, fast sweepers, slow off cambers, lots of fast flick riding, the Storms rock.

For long distance running where mileage & handling count, I'm sold on the PR II's.

However, once I run down the current stock I'll try a set of RoadSmarts, just because Jeff Ashe says I should try them.

What about the D220s hippy boy?

 

[Scab]

I've run Z6, Strada's, Roads, ME880/(many combo of sticky front end on the front) and Avon Storms. I like the Storms best of ALL for easy turn in BUT have had 2 rears go bad (out of round) and 1 front.

Enter the PR II's, first set. They have lasted as long as, and are close to exceeding, the ME880/sticky front combo, and they handle *almost* as good as the Storms.

For running around my hood, fast sweepers, slow off cambers, lots of fast flick riding, the Storms rock.

For long distance running where mileage & handling count, I'm sold on the PR II's.

However, once I run down the current stock I'll try a set of RoadSmarts, just because Jeff Ashe says I should try them.

What about the D220s hippy boy?

I thought they quit making the D220. ?

 

[SkooterG]

I thought they quit making the D220. ?

They have. I know of a place you can still get them. At least you could a month or so back.