Michelin Pilot Road 4
- Thread starter The Nutter
- Start date
I must admit though, I am tempted by the PR4's as the likelihood of my going anywhere substantial off road is probably zero!
It's nice to have the option though
In the real world when you look at the tread pattern of the Anakee 3 it is no more a offroad tyre than the and PR 4, they are both good road tyres and offer tons of grip wet or dry.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations, if you fit anything else then the risk becomes all yours - simples 
I really don't see this is an insurance issue myself - surely, the only thing that could make an insurer make a fight of it would be if the tyres were illegal? The rest is only recommendation. It's not illegal to fit a PR4 GT rear with a Trail front so I fail to see how an insurer would win a case on that basis. There are certain legal parameters you should stay between with tyres but other than that I would be happy to mix them up.
If the accident was totally unconnected with the tyres then surely thr insurance would be valid, if however the tyres were a factor then there might be a problem????.
Did you just dream that up or did your mate tell you?
The motorcycle's manufacturer recommends the fitment of an EU compliant exhaust and catalytic converter and not taking the motorcycle motorcycle to Hilltop to be breathed on. They probably also recommend taking it to nowhere but an authorised dealership for regular services through its lifetime, returning to a dealership to change the indicator bulbs and using only Castrol oils. Their recommendations will all be listed in the owners handbook or given verbally.
As to the invalidation of insurance? It is certainly very illegal to be in charge of a vehicle drunk or to drive one that does not have an MOT or current road tax. None of these three acts (or even all three at once, as is sometimes the case) invalidate the insurance. Given that drunk driving is accepted as a major - and not uncommon- cause of accidents, resulting in death, please find me one example where either:
(A) The driver's policy was invalidated, due to the driver failing a drink drive test, whether as a consequence of an accident or not
(B) The police launched a separate prosecution of 'driving whilst uninsured', in addition to the prosecution for drunk driving
The simple truth is, it's incredibly hard to invalidate a policy of motor insurance, even by undertaking acts that break the law, like drink driving.
I don't disagree on the third party side of the insurance, but from some of the alleged horror stories we are regaled with, then your losses might be un-insured?
But if the tyre fits, is not on a specific do not fit list (if one exists) then fitting outside of the recommended is a personal choice IMVHO.
Some wise words here, about scrubbing your nice new shiny (matched) pair of tyres, and mixing them: http://www.cameronautotech.co.uk/tyres.htm
oddshapedballs
Registered user
Neither - the guy that came to access the bike I was riding when I last had an accident told me that they don't generally bother to look at things like what sort of oil/coolant/gear fluid is in the bike unless a related item had seized causing the accident, he did however say that they always note make and model of tyres and if the insurer feels it necessary check with the manufacturer to confirm compatibility.
As a side note, up until he told me this, I hadn't given a flying fuck as to what tyre was on any of my past bikes, I've even bought and fitted tyres that I thought simply looked the part, but I took him at his word, and from there on in always checked the manufacturers recommendation for whatever I was riding at the time.
An insurance company is always obliged to pay out to third parties, but if you have breached your contract with them they may well try to recover their costs from you - they may not pay out your losses either.
POL382
Registered user
As long the tyre fitted is the the correct size, speed rating and weight rating for the Bike that it is fitted to, providing that it has at least the minimum required depth of thread and it is a Road Legal tyre then the insurance companies have no say in the matter.
A manufacturer's recommendation is simply that!
A manufacturer's recommendation is simply that!
Hi Guys, To get some official clarification and recommendations on the above postings, I emailed the question with some anonymous extracts from the forum postings re PR4 tyre mixtures to the main tyre technical man at Michelin earlier this afternoon.
This is his reply....
Hello Kev,
Thanks for this. Hopefully I can clarify the situation for the benefit of the forum.
In the example below the dealer has fitted a mixture of tyres that Michelin do not recommend.
The Pilot Road 4 GT tyres feature a different carcass construction, tread compound and tread compound distribution to the standard version and the Trail version of the Pilot Road 4 tyres and the GTs are designed for a limited number of specifc bikes such as the BMW K1600GT and the Honda Pan European. The GT version of the Pilot Road 4 should not be mixed with a non GT version, (specific fitment recommendations for the Yamaha TDM 900 tested and validated by Michelin are the only exception to this rule).
The Pilot Road 4 Trail in the appropriate sizes is our recommended fitment for the BMW GS series.
The most common requests for Michelin tyre fitment recommendations come from consumers, dealers and police accident investigators and the information is freely available on our website for anyone to check.
Consumers in the UK can legaly fit and use tyres that do not correspond to tyre manufacturers recommendations as long as the fitment chosen conforms to relevant UK law and the tyres are appropriate to the use and vehicle, but any court of law, enquiry or investigator would take into account that the tyre manufacturers recommended fitment had been ignored in the event of an accident or claim. (This sentence should always be quoted in full.)
Best regards,
Tony
Michelin
Tony Charlton
2w Product Technical Manager
UK & ROI
This is his reply....
Hello Kev,
Thanks for this. Hopefully I can clarify the situation for the benefit of the forum.
In the example below the dealer has fitted a mixture of tyres that Michelin do not recommend.
The Pilot Road 4 GT tyres feature a different carcass construction, tread compound and tread compound distribution to the standard version and the Trail version of the Pilot Road 4 tyres and the GTs are designed for a limited number of specifc bikes such as the BMW K1600GT and the Honda Pan European. The GT version of the Pilot Road 4 should not be mixed with a non GT version, (specific fitment recommendations for the Yamaha TDM 900 tested and validated by Michelin are the only exception to this rule).
The Pilot Road 4 Trail in the appropriate sizes is our recommended fitment for the BMW GS series.
The most common requests for Michelin tyre fitment recommendations come from consumers, dealers and police accident investigators and the information is freely available on our website for anyone to check.
Consumers in the UK can legaly fit and use tyres that do not correspond to tyre manufacturers recommendations as long as the fitment chosen conforms to relevant UK law and the tyres are appropriate to the use and vehicle, but any court of law, enquiry or investigator would take into account that the tyre manufacturers recommended fitment had been ignored in the event of an accident or claim. (This sentence should always be quoted in full.)
Best regards,
Tony
Michelin
Tony Charlton
2w Product Technical Manager
UK & ROI
Well that has made that clear - always follow the manufacturers recommendations if you want to avoid possible problems in the event of an accident.
Hamslay
Registered user
So what are BMW's current recommendations, as the PR4 Trail wasn't out for the bike's launch was it?
How about using Michelin's recommendations?
I was going to my 3rd set of PR4's (Trails front & back) fitted last Thursday but due to a *uck-up by the supplier not delivering them on time then being told there is no rear Trail available anywhere for 3 weeks !!!!, I am having to have a pair of Anakee III's fitted tomorrow. Cant wait for them becoming available so will have to try Anakee's.
Looking at the Michelin site, these seem to be the "recommended" tyre for the 2013 1200 GS. Does anyone have any feedback / comments for having tried both types?
I have been impressed with the PR4's for road use only.
Looking at the Michelin site, these seem to be the "recommended" tyre for the 2013 1200 GS. Does anyone have any feedback / comments for having tried both types?
I have been impressed with the PR4's for road use only.
John, I have asked the question for both your goodself and Hamsley, and the reply from Tony at Michelin is copied verbatim below.
Thanks Kev,
The GS - LC was one of the many bikes involved in the development of the Pilot Road 4 Trail, and we recommend these or the Anakee III tyres be fitted.
Best regards,
Tony
Michelin
Tony Charlton
2w Product Technical Manager
UK & ROI
Email [email protected]
Tel +44 (0) 1782 401758
Mobile +44 (0) 7768 322591
Adresse Michelin Tyre Plc - Campbell Road - Stoke-on-Trent - Staffordshire - ST4 4EY
Website http://moto.michelin.co.uk/
Well, my Beemer dealer WILL NOT fit MPR4's of any kind, to my 13 plate 1200 LC. Cititng legal claims against us (dealer) if you have an accident type stuff!!!!! had MPR4's on my 11 plate 1200S Multistrada and they were very very good.
Bmw have a list of recommended tyres for each model which is very basic and doesn't give much choice. The dealer is probably worried if he fits tyres not on that list even if recommended by the tyre manufacturer that if you have a crash some smart arse lawyer will come along and sue them!
Get it fitted by a tyre dealer problem solved
http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/uk/en/index.html
Go to Service and maintenance then tyre options
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Get it fitted by a tyre dealer problem solved
http://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/uk/en/index.html
Go to Service and maintenance then tyre options
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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