Dave_in_TX Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I have about half the tread left on my first set of Pilot Roads (4500 miles of use). If that means I've got about another 3500 miles of life left in them (assuming same conditions) I'll be a happy camper. However, I have a 2K trip coming up and my past experience with other tires tells me that I've used up much more than half their life as tread wear seems to accelerate noticably as tires wear past the halfway point on the tread. Anyone have any experience specific to the Pilot Roads? Link to comment
flars Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I'm on my third rear tire (more than 10k miles each) and second front. They seem to wear at a constant rate. [now someone will post the exact opposite answer] Link to comment
Tony_K Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Linear. Yes in my opinion this is a true statement. I would go and just ride! Link to comment
motoguy128 Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Plan a stop halfway on the trip to a BMW dealer if possible. Pre-purchase a set of tires and have them changed when you get there. Otherwise, if they still have a good 1/16" over ht readwear indicators, you should be fine. Go ahead and buy a new set ready to install when you get back... unless you prefer to take the whole bike to a dealer. AS a contingency, have several dealers marked out and watch hte treadwear. Finally if you think spending an extra $140 (roughly 1/3 the cost of new tires) is worth the peice of mind then get them replaced especially if you think riding in heavy rain is likely. Link to comment
ratfink Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 No data to support my opinion, but. My experience has been that a tire like you describe seems to wear very quickly in what appears to be the last half of tread life. I have left on a 1,000 mile trip with tires that I thought had much more mileage left and was surprised at how awfully thin they looked up on return. My experience with car tires has been that they are much more susceptible to road hazard damage (picking up nails etc) in the second half of their lifespan. I always replace tires well before wear bars are showing, because I think they get weaker and due to the rainy NW weather I like a deeper tread. This is true for my cars as well. Link to comment
Dave_in_TX Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 Hmm, two votes for wear at a constant rate and one for a faster rate in the last half of the tread. Link to comment
SageRider Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Add another vote for linear. Link to comment
Redbrick Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 We run Pilot Roads on our RT's...When in Canada on our ride I started watching Kathy's front tire (1150RT) and was concerned whether it would make the trip home, about another 2,000 miles...At the time it had something over 6,000 on it..Rear one was fine....As I looked at the front each morning I thought I could see each days wear!!..Worried, but didn't mention my concern....I had been told that the last tread on the tire wore out fast.... Not only did it make it home but she has put another 600 or so on it and now it needs to be changed at 9,000 miles...Tomorrow that will be done.... So, my experience, at least with this tire, is that I don't think it wore any faster using up the last 2 or 3 32nds of tread...They start with 5/32 and it's almost down to 1/32 in a few shoulder areas using a depth guage...I have used a guage for years and really rely on it....Acutal numbers rather that eyeballing to judge the condition of tires...I didn't have it with me in Canada...... I'll be interested in others with more experience comments... Phil..........Redbrick Link to comment
RoadJunkie Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 How about changing the tire befoe your trip and re mounting the old tire for the remainder of tread life when you get back? I change my own tires, so maybe eaiser said than done? Link to comment
EffBee Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 The answer is yes, and no. For the most part, Michelin Pilot Road tires wear in what we perceive to be a linear fashion, i.e. XXXX-number of miles for every 1/32" of tread depth. However, ALL tires are likely to wear faster, the closer they get to their core. The reason is heat and a tires ability to dissipate it. Heat is the enemy. It softens the rubber and makes it more susceptible to shredding and scraping off microscopic amounts with every tire revolution. A tire with full tread has the ability to dissipate any accumulated heat over more area, the tread channels working to cool the tire as it spins. As those tread channels are reduced in size due to normal wear, tire temperatures go up, all else being equal. You live in Texas. It's summer. If your visual estimate of 3500 miles is accurate, I would say your actual mileage will be lower. Will you make a 2,000 mile trip? Can't say. I'd probably bet YES, given the Pilot Road's history. But much depends on the heat, what part of the day you ride, and also how aggressive you're going to be on the tire. But we all know there are no guarantees in life. Were it me, and if I was confident in my visual appraisal of the remaining mileage, I'd go on the trip with the tires I have. I'd watch my speed a little on the interstates, take off an hour earlier in the morning each day, have my fun in the twisties, and check it regularly, just to be safe. As we say, YMMV. Link to comment
Redbrick Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Interesting Fernando... See my post on Kathy's 1150 riding from Canada above....We headed for the coast of Oregon and south home and it was cool....The cooler temps may have been a contributor to the tire lasting as well as it did.... Phil.........Redbrick Link to comment
John in VA Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I have about half the tread left on my first set of Pilot Roads (4500 miles of use). If that means I've got about another 3500 miles of life left in them (assuming same conditions) I'll be a happy camper. However, I have a 2K trip coming up ... It's the "assuming same conditions" that could trip you up on a trip. I think road surface/composition (concrete/smooth asphalt/coarse asphalt, etc.) is a major factor in tire wear, and on a 2k trip you may encounter road surfaces that will eat up your tires (or not) differently than your local roads do. Link to comment
Nevets Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I just read a favorable review of Pilot Road II tires in Rider magazine. I got the impression that these are a new tire from Michelin. Apparently they are now using two different hardness tire compounds, with the centers being harder than the sides. Beats me what their tire wear rate will be. Link to comment
Dave_in_TX Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 How about changing the tire befoe your trip and re mounting the old tire for the remainder of tread life when you get back? I change my own tires, so maybe eaiser said than done? Changing my own tires on the RT is something I plan on doing eventually but I currently don't have the equipment to do it. Link to comment
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