Jump to content
IGNORED

Honesty Test


jackflash

Recommended Posts

I've had my R 1200 RT since May and have 4K miles on it. I doubt seriously if I'll make it on the rear tire to the 6K service. Tires = Bridgestone Battlax.

 

Leading on to the big question....I read here of people getting 10K and up on tires.

 

My question is: are these people very easy on take offs and gentle throttle twisting or am I hard on the throttle? Or are the tires inferior in the wear dept.?

 

I don't consider myself any more than an average skilled rider in turns. On the slab, I usually do 10 above the speed limit and pass fairly aggressively to stay away from the passed vehicle.

 

Just curious what you more experienced folks think.

 

JF

Link to comment
steve.foote

Jack, two things come to mind, make that three things.

 

1. I never got good mileage out of my Bridgestones. In fact, I really didn't like those tires at all and can't wait until the Bridgestones on my GS wear out so I can replace them with Michelins.

 

2. Road surface in your area has a lot to do with mileage. If it's soft clean pavement, they will last longer than on chip sealed roads.

 

3. Tire pressure can have quite an effect. Higher pressures usually make the tire last longer because it won't heat up as much.

 

I found that Michelin Pilot Roads gave me the best mileage/traction mix with one of my rears lasting 13k miles. I kept my rear pressure at 42psi.

 

The tires on the GS are a bit different and I'm keeping them at mfg recommended pressures but don't expect the same mileage.

Link to comment

JF, I would say I ride almost exactly as you do, and mostly two-up as well. Pilot Roads and MZ-6's generally yield 10K on the rear, 14K on the front. I have no idea why you are smoking your rubber so early. ???

Link to comment

Jack I keep reading about people getting great mileage on their tires. I've had a K1200RS, R1200GS, and now a R1200RT (I've had others but not long enough to wear out tires). I've ran metzlers, dunlops, bridgestone, and michelin and I've never gotten more than 6k miles out of a rear. One of my problems is I ride a lot of strait roads back and forth to work, a lot of these are rough chip seal so I wear out the center and not the sides. I'm also a bit heavy with the throttle especially in the twisties coming out of turns. I suppose if I putted around at 55 mph and had no fun at all I could get more. I've heard of people getting 15k out of a rear tourance on GS's and I got less than 6k miles. I guess I'm not sure what I'm trying to say except your not alone and I think the people that get high mileage are very easy on the throttle and have better pavement. As much as I dislike it I've almost accepted the fact that I need a rear tire at every oil change frown.gif

Link to comment
steve.foote

I guess I'm not sure what I'm trying to say except your not alone and I think the people that get high mileage are very easy on the throttle ...

 

Yeah, that must have been how I did it. tongue.gif

Link to comment

I usually get about 10k (sometimes more, rarely less) out of a set of tires ('touring' compounds, not sport). My riding style is fairly aggressive. I used to get about 12k in California but a few k less since moving to Texas... secondary road surfaces are pretty rough here. I would not be happy with less than 10k per set of tires and have never had to resort to any change in riding habits to achieve that. I have never seen mileage as low as 6k on the RT or on any other motorcycle I have ever owned (obviously I have never owned a Hayabusa. grin.gif)

 

FWIW I used to always run air pressure near the max but lately have been using pressures closer to the manufacturer's recommendations which seems to have resulted in better handling and I think better mileage, although I need to go through another set of tires before I can back up the mileage increase claim.

Link to comment

Thanks everyone! The roads in my area are of very good quality smooth asphalt mostly. Even the older roads aren't really abrasive. I used to live in Texas and the roads are definitely aweful on tires. No chip and seal where I live now.

 

I run the air pressure that BMW recommends and check it everytime I ride, literally. I ran higher than recommended air pressure on my "other" bike and the rear tire went to heck even quicker on a bike with less power. I have been told the Bridgestones are not so great, so I'll either go Metz or Michelin. I also suspect my right hand twists a little hard too. Time will teach me more also.

 

JF

Link to comment

On my 04 RT the original Bridgestones were toast at 4900 miles. Switched to Mez Z6 got 5 K on them still got some good tread, might get another 2-3 k ??

Link to comment
I have never seen mileage as low as 6k on the RT or on any other motorcycle I have ever owned (obviously I have never owned a Hayabusa. grin.gif)

 

Yea, Busa's aren't great in the tire mileage department. I got 2-3k per set of tires with mine. I used sport rubber, not race, and never did burn-outs. I had one bike that was worse. My Aprilia Falco didn't make 2k miles on the stock rear. That thing really chewed rubber.

 

I have no idea how people get 10k+ out of a set of sport(or semi-sport) tires. I don't think I ride all that hard. I do love to accelerate hard, but never do burn-outs. Only above triple digits in short spurts. However, living in OH and FL I'm on straight flat roads most of the time. It's a 2hr ride to reach the fun roads. Needless to say there is plenty of tread on the sides when I scrap a tire. 6k is the most I've ever seen on a rear tire. Maybe some people run the centers down to the cords to get their 10k?

Link to comment

Another variable, what's a worn out tire?

 

I always change mine early, just less to worry about. Others might push things to the limit.

Link to comment
Another variable, what's a worn out tire?

 

I always change mine early, just less to worry about. Others might push things to the limit.

 

Ditto. I like new tires.

Link to comment

I would hope that the definition of 'worn tire' would be when the both the manufacturer and legal authorities consider it worn, i.e. down to the wear indicators. It may be a good idea to change them sooner but if so it wouldn't be appropriate to complain of 'low mileage' out of the tire since at that point their replacement is simply a matter of personal choice.

Link to comment

I recently read an article about a new motorcycle tire from Pirelli that is manufactured with a harder rubber compound in the center of the tread, with softer rubber on the outsides for use in cornering. This is supposed to extend tire life considerably. I don't recall the model of the tire, but I did note that it comes in sizes to fit both the front and rear wheels on the R1200RT

 

Jay

Link to comment

JF:

Being easy on the brakes also helps a tire last longer. On my GS I usually get around 10k miles per set of tires (Metzeler Tourance). I ride solo 99%+ of the time. I replace them when the wearbars are showing or within a few hundred miles of that time. I keep them inflated to the max sidewall pressure, I ride pretty hard sometimes and pretty mellow others. I weigh about 95k. The roads in California are not as rough as other parts of the country. There are a lot of vairiables for this question.

Link to comment

If it makes you all feel better I rarely get 1600 miles out of a front on my 998 Duc and I can destroy a rear in 800 miles on the gixxer 1000...... by tires in bulk

Link to comment
Paul Mihalka
If it makes you all feel better I rarely get 1600 miles out of a front on my 998 Duc and I can destroy a rear in 800 miles on the gixxer 1000...... by tires in bulk

If that's you in your avatar, I'm not surprised smile.gif

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...