Pilot Road 4 Trail wear

[PhilHo]

This PR4 Trail has less than 4,000 miles on it. It has done two trips. One a circuit of North Scotland and back and the other to Mayrhofen in Austrian Tirol via Black Forest and Southern Germany and general running about North Yorkshire. We try to avoid motorways but ended up doing a bit past Brussels from Zeebrugge and a dash up the Tirol Valley autobahn. Otherwise its twisties all the way.

Bike is 2010 R1200GS. I ride it solo and I'm about 95kgs and carry under 20kgs in panniers and top box for a long trip. I run the tyres 36/42 and the front tyre fitted at the same time (PR4 Trail also) is barely worn. I tend to ride relatively enthusiastically even with full luggage.

I really like these tyres for the road. They grip well, give you confidence and are brilliant in the rain. But I'm not happy with the wear pattern or useful life of 4,000 miles. I used to run PR3s and then I had one set of PR4s on my R1150Rt before I sold it without this problem.

Has anyone else had similar experience with this tyre?
Would dropping the rear pressure help them wear more evenly?

I've dropped off the wheel at AMR and am having PR4T fitted again but it might be the last time if I don't get a bit more mileage out of it this time.

I'd be very interested to hear comments.

Thanks

Phil

 

[younger06]

I'd be happy to get 6000kms out of a rear tyre.

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[Deleted account 220319001]

Don't see the issue, 4000 is about right for a bike of said weight and power, suck it up.

 

[unibar]

I weigh 115 kitted, Missus 90.. My pr4 is scalopped but has tons of tread left, if i were not off on a 2k mile trip end of sept I'd still use them, currently have 4500 miles on them.. Going to try road smart 3's for a change

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[PhilHo]

Don't see the issue, 4000 is about right for a bike of said weight and power, suck it up.

I think you're probably right. What's £10 per 1000 miles for a tyre you really like. That's all the difference is between 4000 miles a tyre and 6000 miles.

Michelin claim that PR4s last 20% longer than PR3s. Which I guess only applies to the standard versions because they didn't have a PR3 Trail to compare.

Actually I'd not looked at the compound layout on the Trail version vs the standard version until now. It turns out that the middle of the trail version is as soft a compound as the outside of the standard one. The outside of the Trail version is therefore softer still. Which might explain why I like them so much so I'll suck it up.

I think if I was in the US with their high mileage straight routes I would probably go for the GT or standard version with the harder middle contact strip.

Anyway thanks for all who replied to this thread for your input.

Phil

 

[Hexme]

Phil,

Must admit, I'm about to change my rear PR4 which is starting to look a lot like yours, the front is still good. I'll change both after the next rear wears flat.

 

[Greenman14]

Mate has PR4s and I'm on PR3s, similar weights and riding styles. My PR3 was quite squared off at 4K and handling when loaded was definitely off, though without luggage it was still ok. Mate's PR4 with similar miles was less squared and he had no complaints over handling with or without luggage. I run 36/42 and mate runs 32/36. In my book anything over 4K from a rear is a bonus, unless you count Tourance originals (which I don't).

 

[RedRick Esq.]

I used to get about 5k out of my PR$ shod GSA unless i did a tour of Scotland whern it would drop to about 4k

The roads are more abrasive

 

[PhilHo]

Mate has PR4s and I'm on PR3s, similar weights and riding styles. My PR3 was quite squared off at 4K and handling when loaded was definitely off, though without luggage it was still ok. Mate's PR4 with similar miles was less squared and he had no complaints over handling with or without luggage. I run 36/42 and mate runs 32/36. In my book anything over 4K from a rear is a bonus, unless you count Tourance originals (which I don't).

Before I wrote my missive above I was wondering if tyre pressure might have something to do with the way the tyre had flattened off. The received wisdom on these bikes is to run them 36/42 which is what I do. I wonder if on PR4 Trail, specifically the Trail version, whether a bit lower pressure would be better because of the softer compound in the middle. Probably result in higher fuel consumption and I'll not gain anything.

I've lived amongst Yorkshiremen for so long their tightness is rubbing off on me.

 

[RedRick Esq.]

I used to get about 5k out of my PR$ shod GSA unless i did a tour of Scotland whern it would drop to about 4k

The roads are more abrasive

Try the PR4 GT

Slightly longer lasting as it is harder in the middle i think but otherwise just as good

 

[PhilHo]

I used to get about 5k out of my PR$ shod GSA unless i did a tour of Scotland when it would drop to about 4k
The roads are more abrasive

Some roads in the far north and north west are surfaced with what appears to be granite crystals so you have mile after mile or road that is higher friction than the specialist anti skid surfaces. We once had the pleasure of riding from Thurso to Bettyhill a couple of weeks after they had resurfaced the road. It was so good we were tempted to go back and have another go. A few years later though and it is nowhere near as good.

 

[PhilHo]

Try the PR4 GT

Slightly longer lasting as it is harder in the middle i think but otherwise just as good

I think I might just do that if this new one wears out as quick as the last one.

 

[mw3230]

I will be having a set of PR4s fitted on Friday when the bike is serviced. My tyres are a bit better than the photo posted by the OP and normally I'd keep the tyres longer but a near 1000 miles over the next three days and 1500 or more miles next week argue strongly for new tyres. I'll have done 6000 approx on the current tyres by the time they are changed and whilst there is a bit of life left in them what price peace of mind?

(By the way, telling the OP to 'suck it up' seems and unfriendly and unhelpful response to a fair comment )

 

[Bendy toy]

We can't have grip and wet road confidence AND long tread life.

My Conti TKC-70 has done about 4.5K miles and just about had it. The front is decidedly cupped and still legal but likely to be shot before another rear is used up.

 

[younger06]

On the GSA, I seem to be wearing out the fronts as quick as the rears although with the current Avons, I think the front will outlast the rear.

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[Greenman14]

On the GSA, I seem to be wearing out the fronts as quick as the rears although with the current Avons, I think the front will outlast the rear.

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Same for me on Tourances but PR3s wear the rear out faster.

 

[AlexG]

Maybe check the state of the rear shock...I once had a rear tyre on a car wear out far quicker on one side than the other, which turned out to be related to a loss of damping in the corresponding shock causing, I assume, the tyre to work harder and therefore wear quicker.
(All other things were otherwise correct...geo, pressures etc.)

 

[CraigGoesGlobal]

I've been reading these responses as I'm looking at getting pr4's on my gs LC. I've currently got conti trail attack 2's and have done over 10k miles! They started to square off at about 7k but after a long trip in Eastern Europe and the alps they have rounded off again. I was thinking of getting the pr4s in preparation for another uk winter. Are there any other option for more wet grip with a bit more mileage?

 

[fluebag]

i checked this thread to find out what miles I could get from PR4s I have fitted, I have done 2k on mine and I thought they looked to have more wear than I expected. If I had known they wore so quickly wouldnt have purchased them as I am now have to change them for my next tour, £240 for 2k is disappointing my previous tyres tourance exp did 7k , annakee 3s with a bit of life left did 6k, I accept PR4s are great road tyres but if your doing long distance there is a lot potential wastage and the other tyres mentioned never caused any concern in use
.

 

[RedRick Esq.]

i checked this thread to find out what miles I could get from PR4s I have fitted, I have done 2k on mine and I thought they looked to have more wear than I expected. If I had known they wore so quickly wouldnt have purchased them as I am now have to change them for my next tour, £240 for 2k is disappointing my previous tyres tourance exp did 7k , annakee 3s with a bit of life left did 6k, I accept PR4s are great road tyres but if your doing long distance there is a lot potential wastage and the other tyres mentioned never caused any concern in use
.

Metzler Roadtec 01 if they fit
better grip wet and dry and much longer lasting ( at least on the XR)