Taking the new Cork - Santander Ferry on Wed 13th. The ferryport is less than 10 minutes from my house in Cork
Michellin Road5 tyres?
- Thread starter 47steve
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Taking the new Cork - Santander Ferry on Wed 13th. The ferryport is less than 10 minutes from my house in Cork
My bike is on its way to Bilbao, I'm meeting it there Friday afternoon, can't wait!
Zig zaggiing across to Andorra
and meandering down the East Coast (inland) and shipping/flying home from Malaga.
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Zig zaggiing across to Andorra
and meandering down the East Coast (inland) and shipping/flying home from Malaga.
Taking the new Cork - Santander Ferry on Wed 13th. The ferryport is less than 10 minutes from my house in Cork
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When I say meandering........I really mean horsin' down.
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I hope you get better weather than us. Last weeks was shit until we got into France.
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Yeah, we're looking at a "plan b" and a "plan c" at the moment.
The weather seems to be easing up towards the end of this week but next week looks like shite as well.
Might end up in the Alps /northern Italy.
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The weather seems to be easing up towards the end of this week but next week looks like shite as well.
Might end up in the Alps /northern Italy.
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Bendy toy
Registered user
Lovely & dry in Blighty. 
GWJ
Registered user
Woland
Registered user
110/80 R 19 M/C 59 V for a hexhead for sure
So what is the consensus from those who have now burned through a pair (or two) of the Road 5's.
Considering them for my KTM's (1190 / 1290) which are same sizes as the LC GS, wet / cold performance is very important to me as I rarely find a tyre that does not feel pretty good in the dry.
After reading the Ride Magazine wet test recently I have decided either Roadtec 01's or Michelin Road 5 - the Michelins seem a few quid cheaper and (IMHO) look funkier, and with it appearing they are equal in performance it is the small things swaying my choice.
Longevity is not a huge concern as no Sport Touring tyre is going to be insufficient for a 3,000 mile tour.
Considering them for my KTM's (1190 / 1290) which are same sizes as the LC GS, wet / cold performance is very important to me as I rarely find a tyre that does not feel pretty good in the dry.
After reading the Ride Magazine wet test recently I have decided either Roadtec 01's or Michelin Road 5 - the Michelins seem a few quid cheaper and (IMHO) look funkier, and with it appearing they are equal in performance it is the small things swaying my choice.
Longevity is not a huge concern as no Sport Touring tyre is going to be insufficient for a 3,000 mile tour.
I wouldn't try even if free. I took a PR3 of the front of my GS after 750 miles and threw it in a skip as it was awful, some idiot put a new set of PR4's on the K1300 just before I bought it they are just the same
I've run on both ends of my GS, Dunlop Road Smart's - good, Road Smart 2 - better and have now have the brilliant Road Smart 3 for the last 2 sets - they are perfect
I've run on both ends of my GS, Dunlop Road Smart's - good, Road Smart 2 - better and have now have the brilliant Road Smart 3 for the last 2 sets - they are perfect
ninjarich1971
Registered user
Couldn’t disagree more I’m afraid. Had RP 4 on before and now we’ll into pilot 5. Really confidence inspiring in the wet and still fun in the dry. Don’t appear to be wearing as bad as the 4s but that may just be different rides etc. I would happily have another set tomorrow
vague nasty steering, need to run high pressures to keep carcass in a sensible shape or they go understeer oversteer continuously round every bend.... (and then the high pressure leads to a harsh ride) it would be good to see you thoughts after you try a set of RS3's
And me. Superb on cold damp roads. Best tyre I've had on my GSA
ninjarich1971
Registered user
I certainly can’t claim to be any kind of riding god but in Scotland last year I exited a roundabout in the rain with a fairly healthy lean angle and a hearty amount of throttle, my pal was following and using me as a guide and he lost it as both tyres washed out on him and he slid off down the road on his wallet. They very probably are not the best dry tyres but I live in Blighty and with the exception of last summer we tend to get rather cheeky weather. Also, I enjoy Scotland which isn’t exactly we’ll known for its tropical balmy weather. I also enjoy riding down through the alps most years and although it’s generally warm and pleasant, when it does rain then it really does. Also, did Andorra last year too and when it was 30 degrees c in France and Spain it was -2 and pissing it down in Andorra. My rather lengthy point is that I would rather have a tyre which copes well in the dry but is confidence inspiring and in my opinion bloody good when you really need it in the wet. Admittedly I haven’t used another tyre as I’ve been so pleased with these but absolutely accept that as such I can’t say that these are the best/worst. I do however know that I once fitted the wrong size tyre on the back by mistake and wow what a difference that made to the handling. My fault totally. Purchased off internet to fit specific bike and didn’t check against manual, only difference of 20mm in width but totally changed the handling. They changed the size between years which is how I was caught with pants down, should have noticed really as it was a twat to get on, but hey we all live and learn, still got a year out of it tho.
yes but that could be the second set after the stock pretend offroad ones,.... I've been though multiple sets and the Michelin was last but one
Metz Tourance, the rear loved to leap this way and that 18" at a time at any opportunity
Bridgestone BT21 or whatever rear, was brilliant, smooth, comfy, gripped in way the concrete tourance didn't know possible, oddly worked very well with the front tourance and was the best balance steering feel I ever had
Bridgestone road tyres both ends - matching front, so it had a recco pair was like a sick joke - most dangerous bike I've ever ridden (even a yam 350LC at 90 with no air in the front was normal in comparison). It would go from normal turn in to treacherous understeer to suddenly waking up mid corner to all over the place a few metres later.
That front was ditched after 200 miles for the then new Road Smart in 19" format, its was almost normal but like the Bridgestone front it generates lots of flex in the telelever front end if you like to push on. Whilst the Bridgestone during high speed direction changes could get more than 120mm of flexy fork, bar end movement before the front responded it came down to around 50mm on the first Road Smarts.
That was swapped out for a Mich PR3 front which brought back the dangerous front end sensation of the Bridgestone, letting go mid turn round town then wandering vaguely during faster corners, it was noisy, generating a weird wind noise / frequency thing. You could stop the vague front end by running exactly 2.7 bar, 0.1 bar either side and the world ends. Even so it loved to make the back wheel come off the ground at any possible occasion. I never got how, later thoughts (after it went away immediately with the RS2's or RS3's were on the bike) is it related to the inadequate squishy carcass flattening out till the geometry changes drastically ??? either way, no other tyre behaves that way on this bike. Mich tech support at least listened to my complaints and suggested a pair, but I knew better and threw it away at 750 miles
Road Smart 2 had come out by then, ended up with a few sets of these both ends, normal good tyre lasts forever. Although never got the balance or ease of tipping in to a corner that rear Bridgestone and stock Tourance had brought to the party.
By now I'd fitted a fork brace beneath the ball joints on the top of the fork stantions. Its a massive improvement on fork flex issues, 9 out of 10 riders wouldn't notice it now. Its still there and if you get enthusiastic there's 30 mm slop to wobble about and needlessly fight with. All due to the joke design failure that's clearly worse on the LC range with tin foil stantions !
Currently on Road Smart 3s running the LC sizes on the K25 rims, seems OK, of course they sit with a more rounded profile than its supposed to have but it'll do.
The K1300 felt good when I first got it with a normal front end.... (no one said it had a new front!!!) with all the dangly mould bits when I road tested it the front was great, that feeling lasted till it had around 300 miles up - now its the same nasty, vague, wandering, understeering, heavy steered mess the GS was with the PR3's, but it doesn't clear up as much with high pressures and just gets harsh
I don't like the PR4 on my GSA......the grip very well in both wet & dry conditions but they give a terrible harsh ride and are puncture prone.
I'm on Dunlop Trailsmart Max at the moment which I think are a good tyre but I have a set of my favourite Avon Trailrider in the garage waiting to go on.
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I'm on Dunlop Trailsmart Max at the moment which I think are a good tyre but I have a set of my favourite Avon Trailrider in the garage waiting to go on.
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I took my 2010 GSA to the Picos in June last year. Some days were exceptionally hot (over 30C) and only on those days when riding/ braking very hard did I notice that the bike felt a little squidgy on the limit.
Every day since the bike has been sure-footed and stable. Cold damp mornings here in Ireland are no trouble at all. The tyres grip well from cold.
I keep the pressures at 33 front and 38 rear. Am 17 stone and the bike handles beautifully on road 5s.
Every day since the bike has been sure-footed and stable. Cold damp mornings here in Ireland are no trouble at all. The tyres grip well from cold.
I keep the pressures at 33 front and 38 rear. Am 17 stone and the bike handles beautifully on road 5s.
Tyres gave great grip. Shaved the corners of my boots off in the Picos 
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