GREAT New Tire Report

[Rocketeer_3]

Well I have now put over 3,000 miles on my new Michelin Road 5 tire.
Tis a 150/70ZR17(69W) rear tire run backwards on the front of my 2012 R3R.

I have finally found a tire as good and likely better than the Avon Azaro.
I love the twisties and at 72 years, I have yet to outgrow the extreme fun of greasing them as best I can. Although not the wild man I once was, there is still nothing better than cutting a fine fast line through a series of twisties!

Although impossible, I'm always in search for anything that can make my R3R handle more like a sport bike. After 62,000 miles and at least 13 tires, this Pilot5 tire is by far THE best I've ever run on my front wheel.

Ninety miles of glorious twisties, called the Coronado Trail (Hwy 191) between Morenci and Alpine, AZ, were my test track.
I found the wider aspect ratio of the 150/70 kept the same wheel diameter and circumference as the 140/75. It provided much improved cornering control and copious quantities of traction. This tire provided me additional ability and confidence to create even more lean angle than ever before on this motor.
I run Standard boards on my R3R which are an inch and a half higher and provide quite a bit more lean angle than the OEM pegs did.
While touching down and dragging my boards was fairly common before, this tire allowed me to confidently increase my lean angle (more with both with butt over the inside of the seat or not) and drag nearly all the way round with total control and confidence. I had to be sure to keep my feet max inboard, so as not to ruin my spendy Daytona yuppie riding boots.
Traction of this tire was so good (not even one slip - ever!) that for me, control was enhanced to the point that the flex of the boards allowed me to gauge just when the engine guards, engine case or kickstand frame bolt were about to drag.

If you enjoy the twisties even half as much as I, you will have the need to lower your front axle and raise your rear axle to improve rake and trail for better handling. To accomplish this, many of us do run the 140/75R17 front with the Exedra Max 240/55R16 rear for this purpose. This tire will noticeably further improve your cornering ability!!!

Michelin Road 5 Rear Motorcycle Tire

1 OlBull, What is the advantage of running the rear tire as the front tire backards? Any concern of tire failure at hi speeds? I don't know the reasoning behind a directional tire so I am lost here.

 

[1olbull]

1 OlBull, What is the advantage of running the rear tire as the front tire backards? Any concern of tire failure at hi speeds? I don't know the reasoning behind a directional tire so I am lost here.

Please read previous post number 22.

 

[1olbull]

OK maestro ToroViejo... Exedra Max in the back and Michelin Road 5 150/70 run backwards in the front. Now I'll be faster in the back pack and feel better when the pavement is wet. Getting a new set to take to RAA. Cost twice as much as the Shinkos. It better be guud

Amigo,
For every consistent lean angle degree beyond initial peg drag, you shall find an exponential increase in performance and confidence!!!

 

[rjsjota]

Well I have now put over 3,000 miles on my new Michelin Road 5 tire.
Tis a 150/70ZR17(69W) rear tire run backwards on the front of my 2012 R3R.

I have finally found a tire as good and likely better than the Avon Azaro.
I love the twisties and at 72 years, I have yet to outgrow the extreme fun of greasing them as best I can. Although not the wild man I once was, there is still nothing better than cutting a fine fast line through a series of twisties!

Although impossible, I'm always in search for anything that can make my R3R handle more like a sport bike. After 62,000 miles and at least 13 tires, this Pilot5 tire is by far THE best I've ever run on my front wheel.

Ninety miles of glorious twisties, called the Coronado Trail (Hwy 191) between Morenci and Alpine, AZ, were my test track.
I found the wider aspect ratio of the 150/70 kept the same wheel diameter and circumference as the 140/75. It provided much improved cornering control and copious quantities of traction. This tire provided me additional ability and confidence to create even more lean angle than ever before on this motor.
I run Standard boards on my R3R which are an inch and a half higher and provide quite a bit more lean angle than the OEM pegs did.
While touching down and dragging my boards was fairly common before, this tire allowed me to confidently increase my lean angle (more with both with butt over the inside of the seat or not) and drag nearly all the way round with total control and confidence. I had to be sure to keep my feet max inboard, so as not to ruin my spendy Daytona yuppie riding boots.
Traction of this tire was so good (not even one slip - ever!) that for me, control was enhanced to the point that the flex of the boards allowed me to gauge just when the engine guards, engine case or kickstand frame bolt were about to drag.

If you enjoy the twisties even half as much as I, you will have the need to lower your front axle and raise your rear axle to improve rake and trail for better handling. To accomplish this, many of us do run the 140/75R17 front with the Exedra Max 240/55R16 rear for this purpose. This tire will noticeably further improve your cornering ability!!!

Michelin Road 5 Rear Motorcycle Tire

Thanks @1olbull for this most excellent report! After reading your report a couple of times, and becoming inspired by your enthusiasm, I ordered a 150/70 Michelin Road 5 and installed it on the front of my Roadster. In short, it's my new favorite "front" tire!

When the original equipment Metzeler ME880 150/80 became well worn, I fitted a Michelin Commander II 140/75 which I liked a lot, for its quicker steering and good wet grip. Problem was it didn't last very long. Then I installed an Avon Cobra AV71 140/75, which always felt stiffer than the Michelin, with less road feel. By the time the Avon was 1/2 worn it had become "pointy" in profile, and had started to slide and twitch badly on wet tar snakes and other imperfections on cold wet roads. This is with the bike close to upright. It's a scary feeling and I totally lost confidence in it. The Road 5 provided a good excuse to remove the AV71 when it was 2/3 worn. Now I have tried the Road 5, the AV71 won't be going back on.

The Road 5 has really soft construction, and was the easiest tire I have installed for many years. I didn't weigh it, but it's definitely lighter than the Avon. The 150/70 Road 5 steers slower than the Avon and Michelin, which is not surprising, but still very nice, linear and intuitive. Grip in braking and cornering has been excellent. I have aimed the front wheel at all the wet tar snakes I can find, and I've felt absolutely no sliding, or even a twitch. Appearance wise, the 150/70 Road 5 looks really good and fills the mudguard a little better than a 140/75.

I should make it clear that I've only been using the Road 5 for the last 2 weeks, in winter, in NE Ohio. The temperature has ranged from 25 to 50 degrees F, with a mixture of wet roads, damp/greasy roads, and dry roads with salt residue. No footpeg scraping yet but I can't wait for that time to come!

 

[1olbull]

@rjsjota
You have ridden the same experience as I and others regarding the good performance-short life of the Michelin Commander II and of the cupping issues with the Avon Cobra. I started a cross country ride with a brand new Commander II and it was bald at just over 4,000 miles?! Thought perhaps it was an anomaly. How many miles for you? I've run two front Avon Cobras and both cupped out after 6 to 7K miles. Then Avon Azaro rear (no longer made) run backwards was my best front tire UNTIL this Road 5!
I did not feel any change in corner responsiveness with the Road 5, but I do believe there likely would be a tad due to the wider aspect ratio.
The Road 5 is different in that it has an aspect ratio of 140/70. All the others I am aware of are 140/75. Chris @barbagris has opined that a large difference between front and rear tire aspect ratios can negatively affect handling. While falling in love with my Road 5 on the Coronado Trail, I thought of this as possibly one of the reasons why I received such terrific handling!
Enjoy your ride and sharpen those pegs!
PS: You may just end up replacing your pegs with Standard boards in order to bring things upward to allow increased lean angle, as I have done.

 

[1olbull]

Any chance to run it in the rain?

I have, but honestly have not yet been caught in a serious rain with puddled roadways.
Perhaps I shall on this next months ride to AZ?

 

[rjsjota]

@rjsjota
You have ridden the same experience as I and others regarding the good performance-short life of the Michelin Commander II and of the cupping issues with the Avon Cobra. I started a cross country ride with a brand new Commander II and it was bald at just over 4,000 miles?! Thought perhaps it was an anomaly. How many miles for you? I've run two front Avon Cobras and both cupped out after 6 to 7K miles. Then Avon Azaro rear (no longer made) run backwards was my best front tire UNTIL this Road 5!
I did not feel any change in corner responsiveness with the Road 5, but I do believe there likely would be a tad due to the wider aspect ratio.
The Road 5 is different in that it has an aspect ratio of 140/70. All the others I am aware of are 140/75. Chris @barbagris has opined that a large difference between front and rear tire aspect ratios can negatively affect handling. While falling in love with my Road 5 on the Coronado Trail, I thought of this as possibly one of the reasons why I received such terrific handling!
Enjoy your ride and sharpen those pegs!
PS: You may just end up replacing your pegs with Standard boards in order to bring things upward to allow increased lean angle, as I have done.

@1olbull
You asked about front tire mileage. Here is my experience:

OEM Metzeler ME880: 11k miles (1.0mm tread remaining off-center, 1.8mm center). Run at 36-38psi. Quite a lot of scalloping of the tread blocks.

Michelin Commander II: 8k miles (1.0mm tread remaining off-center 1.6mm center). Run at 38-40psi. No scalloping was noticed, partly due to the lack of tread cuts. The Michelin starts off with only 3.6mm of tread depth, so doesn't seem set up for long life. Why so little tread, I wonder?

Avon Cobra AV71: 7k miles (2.6mm tread remaining off-center and center). No scalloping of tread blocks (there are no tread cuts off-center) but the tire wore "grooves" on both sides of center, creating a pointy profile. I was running 38-40psi. Would probably have lasted 10k miles.

Thanks for the footboard suggestion, but I have long legs and not very flexible hips. To reduce hip flex, and gain leg room, I have fitted Creative Cycle #FC17 forward pegs and controls, with folding Kuryakyn #4445 Switchblade folding pegs on Kuryakyn #7573 Short Magnum mounts. Enough ground clearance for my needs with this setup...or at least it was before fitting the confidence-inspiring Road 5! I'm running it at 36psi right now, in cold conditions, will probably keep it there, since it's a 150 width, with 69 load-carrying rating, compared with 67 for the 140s.

 

[Tripps]

1 OlBull, What is the advantage of running the rear tire as the front tire backards? Any concern of tire failure at hi speeds? I don't know the reasoning behind a directional tire so I am lost here.

In case his answer wasn't what you meant, I think because they don't make a front in the right size?

 

[Azisbest]

I have, but honestly have not yet been caught in a serious rain with puddled roadways.
Perhaps I shall on this next months ride to AZ?

If you want to get wet on the Coronado Trail ride it from the middle of July till sometime in the middle of September. It is almost guarenteed to rain sometime in the afternoon.

 

[1olbull]

If you want to get wet on the Coronado Trail ride it from the middle of July till sometime in the middle of September. It is almost guarenteed to rain sometime in the afternoon.

I have done so five times (3 north and 2 south) in the past two years.
All were in Sep, Oct & Nov with no rain and I may just be doing it again next month on my round about ride to Glendale.
The app, Dark Sky is my friend.