Roadsmart 2 vs Road Pilot 3, any preferences?

Tyres need replacing on the 1150. Had roadsmarts on for the past year, considering RP3's as an alternative after seeing some good reviews. Purely road tyres, commute every day in all weathers so wet grip is important.

Anyone had experience of both and offer an opinion on one over the other.

Cant comment on the road smarts but PR3 Trails are bloody good and i wont be changing from them EVER

mr_magicfingers said:

Tyres need replacing on the 1150. Had roadsmarts on for the past year, considering RP3's as an alternative after seeing some good reviews. Purely road tyres, commute every day in all weathers so wet grip is important.

Anyone had experience of both and offer an opinion on one over the other.

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Both fine tyres, but I prefer the Roadsmart 2, but that comes back to personal choice.

I've got some experience of the PR3. One of the best tyres that I've tried and brilliant in the wet. Very expensive though and they simply do not last. I ended up going back to PR2's - although next time I may go for a PR3 on the front and PR2 on the rear.

I have RP3s on my 1150 this summer. Wear rate on the rear is about the same as the Bridgestones I used last year. I reckon I will get between 4 and 5 thousand miles from the rear. Roads here are more abrasive than in the UK, they have a few more bends per mile too. The centre of the rear is hardly worn at 3,800 miles but the edges are another story! I got about 50% more mileage per tyre in the UK.

The appear to grip forever and give me lots of confidence, I've not much experience of them in the wet though.

John

I found Roadsmarts edge it in the dry and PR3's in the wet but there's little in it.

My GS is purely road. and will wear Tourances as long as they're available.

My K-GT wears PR3's and will wear them as long as they're available.

Just back from a damp week in Der Eifel/Ardenne and the GS wearing Tourance (originals) never put a foot wrong.

No experience of the roadsmart2's, but have seen the original smarts with some very strange wear patterns, fronts gone some right funny shapes and the rears develop a noticeable step between the different compounds.

Used PR3's on my Pan and they're bloody brilliant, but I'll be fitting a 2 to the rear with a 3 front when I change soon. Courier friend tells me the 2 lasts longer and works just as well in all weathers.

However, personally I wouldn't fit either to a GS. My GS's are on Tourances and Road Attacks, both of which will last way longer, cost shed loads less and work in all weathers. Really can't see any reason to fit road tyres, and I never go off road either.

Bridgestone BT023, just to confuse the issue. Most excellent, esp. in the wet.

Mich PR3's for me everytime, no question about it!!

I've used Roadsmarts before and wouldn't touch them with a bargepole now , see my post no 15 in this link :-

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270587

Have now got PR3 front, PR2 rear on my BMW ( only cos the 18" PR3 wasn't out at the time ) and have had about 4 or 5 sets of PR3's on my KTM SMT now and I wouldn't use another tyre, great all round grip, they wear very evenly, don't flat off on the rear and the front has fantastic grip in the wet

I normally get about 4,500 miles out of a rear, but I would think 6,000 would be achievable on an 1150 providing you don't ride like a tw4t everywhere .

Well recommended - do it !!

Poucher

Poucher said:

I normally get about 4,500 miles out of a rear, but I would think 6,000 would be achievable on an 1150 providing you don't ride like a tw4t everywhere .

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I got a lot less than 3000 miles out of a rear PR3 on an 1150. That explains it As I said above and as mentioned a couple of times, PR3 front and PR2 rear is the way to go

Got to say I'm surprised how fast you lot get through tyres !! On my 1150 I'm Just about to replace my tourance exp rear - its so far done 8900 miles and still not at the limit (but a tad squared off so not handling so nice) My last tyre was the older tourance and that did 9300 miles ! I ride most days to work ayr and regularily out on rides with a big europe tour every couple of years. bikes now done 55000 and not missed a beat yet Cant decide whether to go back to the older tourance or stick with the exp ? quite a few gritty lanes around these parts.
Main reason I stuck to tourance was because bought the bike with them on, and tyres didnt need replacing at the same time (last front did 9700 miles) - dont like the idea of mixing brands / types of tyre.

Just done a 750 mile trip to Dunkeld and back on some little roads through some very changeable weather !
So changeable it was going from bone dry to piss wet through mid corner which at speed and lean angle used to be a bit disconcerting to say the least
The PR3 trails are superb and never faltered or gave a moments concern. Possibly too confidence inspiring in the wet !


Sent from this twatting thing

Beemerman59 said:

I found Roadsmarts edge it in the dry and PR3's in the wet but there's little in it.

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Magazine tests have tended to confirm the RS2 is king in the dry by a fair margin, and the PR3 just edges it in the wet.

Fitted RS2's to the S10 for my Euro trip and they worked very well in all conditions, limitless grip at any pace I can run, wearing well and doing Ok in the Autumnal commute stakes now.

Buying a commuter bike tomorrow, it will also get the RS2 when the current set on it expire.

I ended up going with a road pilot 2 on the rear, there didn't seem to be much between them and they had that in stock for immediate fitting.

One thing that has surprised me is that when I entered the new tyre in my service log, I discovered that I'd done almost 12k miles on it. No wonder it was squared off

Nice to be on a bike that rolls into corners again.

end of term report

I'm just back from (probably) my last ride of the season. Next week I will put the bike away and give back the number plate to the insurance company. I have been using Michelin Road Pilot 3 tyres and I have to say I have been very pleased. At just over 4,000 miles is on the wear limit but then the Bridgestones I used before lasted about the same. The rear is also the standard version not the Trail one. Our barman has the trail version in his Suzuki V Strom and he still has tread left after 7,500 kms. The centre of my tyre still has plenty of tread but I suspect this is more to do with the kind of roads we have around here than anything else.

Right from the off I felt there was more grip than I have the skill to use and I think that confidence is the most important point. Most bikes on most tyres will go around corners faster than most of us would be comfortable with. The Michelins certainly have more than enough grip for me anyway. The biggest single difference I noticed was the way in which the bike turned. It just rolls into a bend with the slightest input from me, for the first few miles I found it slightly disconcerting but soon adjusted and began to really enjoy the feeling. Wet weather grip is supposed to be a major strong point on these tyres but due to our climate this summer I doubt I have done more than 200 miles in total in the wet. Not enough data to comment then!

Overall I am very happy with the tyres and would by another set next spring -unless something else comes along to move the game along even further.

Hopefully here is a picture of the state of my rear tyre today after a final run over the Grossglockner

John